--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must have government, but we must…" description: "\"We must have government, but we must watch them like a hawk.\" — Millicent Fenwick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/millicent-fenwick-20534_government_we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watc_2892838.png" --- # We must have government, but we must watch them like a hawk. ![“We must have government, but we must watch them like a hawk.” quote by Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/millicent-fenwick-20534_government_we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watc_2892838.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/millicent-fenwick-20534_government_we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watc_2892838.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/millicent-fenwick-20534_government_we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watc_2892838.png) > “We must have government, but we must watch them like a hawk.” [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government is necessary but must be closely monitored to prevent abuse of power. **In simple terms:** Government needed, but watchful. Key Takeaway Demand vigilant oversight of authority. Themes politics accountability democracy transparency power Mood cautious determined Type political activist When to use this quote - public policy - legislative review - citizen activism Key Concepts checks and balances civic engagement watchdog role Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens ensure effective oversight? - What mechanisms best prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Oversight can be hindered by apathy or partisan gridlock. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hawks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hawks/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Libertarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarianism/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [I think in places like Pennsylvania, there's folks who want our next president to talk like a hawk, but fly like a dove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/i-think-in-places-like-pennsylvania-there-s-folks-who-want-our-next/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [One of the rummy things about Jeeves is that, unless you watch like a hawk, you very seldom see him come into a room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse-2/one-of-the-rummy-things-about-jeeves-is-that-unless-you-watch-like-a/) [P. G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse-2/) > [My wife watches me like a hawk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/my-wife-watches-me-like-a-hawk/) [Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/) > [The life of an Indian is like the wings of the air. That is why you notice the hawk knows how to get his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/the-life-of-an-indian-is-like-the-wings-of-the-air-that-is-why-you/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Some things are worth the fat and calories, although I have to watch it like a hawk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/some-things-are-worth-the-fat-and-calories-although-i-have-to-watch/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [I see you watching me like a hawk. I don't mind about the things you talk. But if you touch me something's got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-dixon/i-see-you-watching-me-like-a-hawk-i-don-t-mind-about-the-things-you/) [Willie Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-dixon/) > [“I’m on a government watch list. But I’m not interested, because government watches only work twenty minutes out of every hour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-on-a-government-watch-list-but-i-m-not-interested-because/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [It's really weird watching the government watch me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-m-elahi/it-s-really-weird-watching-the-government-watch-me/) [Hasan M. Elahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-m-elahi/) > [I have great ambitions for when I get out of government. I will watch a broader range of stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-have-great-ambitions-for-when-i-get-out-of-government-i-will-watch/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I think we're on too many government watch lists. We'd better let this one go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-imahara/i-think-we-re-on-too-many-government-watch-lists-we-d-better-let-this/) [Grant Imahara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-imahara/) > [Watch your finances like a hawk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/watch-your-finances-like-a-hawk/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [“Her gaze on Vane, Patience wished she could see his eyes. His expression was unreadable. Shoulders propped against the stone arch, arms folded cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-laurens/her-gaze-on-vane-patience-wished-she-could-see-his-eyes-his/) [Stephanie Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-laurens/) > [“I wish I could fly like that hawk, rising and falling with the still spaces in the air, far above all this sickness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-day-gilbert/i-wish-i-could-fly-like-that-hawk-rising-and-falling-with-the-still/) [Heather Day Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-day-gilbert/) > [“Sharpen your Claws against wrong doing, against human suffering. Have Ears like Owls, HEAR what your child isn't telling you. Have Eyes like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-l-flores/sharpen-your-claws-against-wrong-doing-against-human-suffering-have/) Theresa L. Flores > [“Stop that! What were you doing, perched on the window ledge like a big chicken?" Despite his aches and irritations, he couldn't help but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/stop-that-what-were-you-doing-perched-on-the-window-ledge-like-a-big/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) ## More by Millicent Fenwick > [When you're old, everything you do is sort of a miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/when-you-re-old-everything-you-do-is-sort-of-a-miracle/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [Never feel self-pity, the most destructive emotion there is. How awful to caught up in the terrible squirrel cage of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/never-feel-self-pity-the-most-destructive-emotion-there-is-how-awful/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [In our times, significantly, the three outstanding voices against violence have been silenced by murder - Mahatma Gandhi in India, Archbishop Romero in El…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/in-our-times-significantly-the-three-outstanding-voices-against/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [A code of behavior is an inevitable part of life in any community, and if we hadn't inherited ours, we should have had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/a-code-of-behavior-is-an-inevitable-part-of-life-in-any-community-and/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [One of the keys to our present definition of good taste is that it is better to be kind than to be 'correct.' 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More than any single exploitive tyrannical force,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/you-give-bureaucrats-power-over-others-and-when-the-others-are-poor/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [You may never reach a solution, but you're never absolved from the responsibility of trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/you-may-never-reach-a-solution-but-you-re-never-absolved-from-the/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [Influence comes out of the work that you've done and the things you've stood for. Influence and power shouldn't be given to just anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/influence-comes-out-of-the-work-that-you-ve-done-and-the-things-you/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [There is hardly a facet of life that is now free of some sort of federal action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/there-is-hardly-a-facet-of-life-that-is-now-free-of-some-sort-of/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [The essence of good taste is a sense of values, and a sense of values is the pivotal point of good living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/the-essence-of-good-taste-is-a-sense-of-values-and-a-sense-of-values/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [I would like to see ... an entirely different procedure which is that we vote on the budget and decide how much we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/i-would-like-to-see-an-entirely-different-procedure-which-is-that-we/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [If there is one thing the past years have taught us, it is the importance of a keen and high sense of honor in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/if-there-is-one-thing-the-past-years-have-taught-us-it-is-the/) [Millicent Fenwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/) > [When two working people decide to marry, their federal income tax is usually increased. 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Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must have government, but we must watch them like a hawk.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Millicent Fenwick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watch-them-like-a-hawk/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watch-them-like-a-hawk/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/millicent-fenwick-20534_government_we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watc_2892838.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/millicent-fenwick-20534_government_we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watc_2892838.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/millicent-fenwick-20534_government_we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watc_2892838.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must have government, but we must watch them like a hawk.” — Millicent Fenwick", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Millicent Fenwick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fenwick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must have government, but we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watch-them-like-a-hawk/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fenwick/we-must-have-government-but-we-must-watch-them-like-a-hawk/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```