--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On Obama: “He was elected by a majority…" description: "\"“On Obama: “He was elected by a majority, but the majority doesn’t get to decide who we execute.”\" — Rand Paul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/rand-paul-606_quote_on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-bu_1995025.jpg" --- # On Obama: “He was elected by a majority, but the majority… ![“On Obama: “He was elected by a majority, but the majority doesn’t get to decide who we execute.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/rand-paul-606_quote_on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-bu_1995025.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/rand-paul-606_quote_on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-bu_1995025.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/rand-paul-606_quote_on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-bu_1995025.jpg) > ““On Obama: “He was elected by a majority, but the majority doesn’t get to decide who we execute.”” [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that majority rule should not extend to deciding life‑and‑death matters like execution. **In simple terms:** Majority shouldn't decide executions. Key Takeaway Limit majority power. Themes politics justice democracy Mood critical serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - legislation - public policy - criminal justice reform Key Concepts executive authority ethical limits Questions to Reflect On - Should the public vote on capital punishment? - How to balance majority will with minority rights? A Different Perspective May conflict with democratic principles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected/) [Elected Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected-majority-3319300/) [Majority Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority-doesn-3408462/) [Majority Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority-majority-1053976/) [Obama Elected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-elected-1719677/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [George Bush was not elected by a majority of the voters in the United States, he was appointed by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-g-boykin/george-bush-was-not-elected-by-a-majority-of-the-voters-in-the-united/) [William G. 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He climbed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-kennedy/the-biggest-accomplishment-in-racial-terms-for-barack-obama-was-being/) [Randall Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-kennedy/) > [Obama was elected by the people, and I was glad that barrier was broken down. I did, along with my wife, campaign for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/obama-was-elected-by-the-people-and-i-was-glad-that-barrier-was/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [Obama was elected on a slogan of hope and change because both were in short supply: the military exhausted by two wars, the banks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/obama-was-elected-on-a-slogan-of-hope-and-change-because-both-were-in/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [On the night of 4 November 2008, Barack Obama was elected on a platform of 'hope' and 'change.' He was hailed as a 'uniter'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/on-the-night-of-4-november-2008-barack-obama-was-elected-on-a/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [After Obama was elected president, the same day Proposition 8 was passed, there was this fire in our belly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-creel/after-obama-was-elected-president-the-same-day-proposition-8-was/) [Gavin Creel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-creel/) > [If the majority doesn't laugh at you, beware that you must be saying something wrong. When the majority thinks you are a fool, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-the-majority-doesn-t-laugh-at-you-beware-that-you-must-be-saying/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [You have to govern like you've got a majority. It doesn't matter whether it's one seat, five or 10 seats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annastacia-palaszczuk/you-have-to-govern-like-you-ve-got-a-majority-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Annastacia Palaszczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annastacia-palaszczuk/) > [Majority doesn't rule. One person can change the history of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mooney/majority-doesn-t-rule-one-person-can-change-the-history-of-the-world/) [Paul Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mooney/) > [A law is a law. It can be voted in. It can be voted out. It can be voted in and stay in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-hay/a-law-is-a-law-it-can-be-voted-in-it-can-be-voted-out-it-can-be-voted/) [Harry Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-hay/) > [You don't just go with a majority because it's the majority. You go with it because it's right. If it feels right, do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/you-don-t-just-go-with-a-majority-because-it-s-the-majority-you-go/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) ## More by Rand Paul > [I have a question, a question for the president: Do you hate all rich people, or just rich people who don't contribute to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-have-a-question-a-question-for-the-president-do-you-hate-all-rich/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [There comes a time, in the history of Nations when fear and forgetfulness cause a nation to hesitate, to waver and perhaps even to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/there-comes-a-time-in-the-history-of-nations-when-fear-and/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/as-long-as-i-sit-at-henry-clay-s-desk-i-will-remember-his-lifelong/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I believe people ought to be treated fairly under the law. I see no reason why if the marriage contract conveys certain things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-believe-people-ought-to-be-treated-fairly-under-the-law-i-see-no/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I think that, most importantly, when I see issues of war, I see them in a personal vein, and I am reluctant to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-think-that-most-importantly-when-i-see-issues-of-war-i-see-them-in/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I would have handled it differently than the mayor of Baltimore, that's for sure. I think it's a mistake to say, hey, guys, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-would-have-handled-it-differently-than-the-mayor-of-baltimore-that/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [We have to think before we act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-have-to-think-before-we-act/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I would introduce and support legislation to send Roe v. Wade back to the states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-would-introduce-and-support-legislation-to-send-roe-v-wade-back-to/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [President Obama, I think, wanted what was best for the country, but I think it didn't work well. I think we have the death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/president-obama-i-think-wanted-what-was-best-for-the-country-but-i/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I think it's a mistake to downgrade and say surveillance is no big deal. It is a huge deal that we are collecting millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-think-it-s-a-mistake-to-downgrade-and-say-surveillance-is-no-big/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [We need a revival in the country,” Paul said. “We need another Great Awakening with tent revivals of thousands of people saying, 'reform or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-need-a-revival-in-the-country-paul-said-we-need-another-great/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [We do not project power from bankruptcy court. We're borrowing a million dollars a minute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-do-not-project-power-from-bankruptcy-court-we-re-borrowing-a/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I can use most of the tools that every American teenager can master. Maybe not all of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-use-most-of-the-tools-that-every-american-teenager-can-master/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) [Explore all 449 Rand Paul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) ## More Elected quotes > [No matter how unusual a personality may be who gets elected to office, there are constraints in this country. 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And, so every single day, you have to remind yourself why you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rasoul/when-you-re-running-when-you-re-in-elected-office-you-re-surrounded/) [Sam Rasoul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rasoul/) > [We hope that the elected officials will respond positively to a ground swell of letters, phone calls, e-mails and visits from parents. The law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-hope-that-the-elected-officials-will-respond-positively-to-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I came into office to do what was correct, not to see what was politically expedient to get re-elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fortuno/i-came-into-office-to-do-what-was-correct-not-to-see-what-was/) [Luis Fortuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fortuno/) > [The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/the-american-people-in-their-own-families-they-understand-that-you/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [You now have the potential of 200 people deciding who ends up being elected president every single time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-now-have-the-potential-of-200-people-deciding-who-ends-up-being/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Others will have opinions on how I do and that's just fine... I've been elected four times, delivered results for my constituents and delivered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-poilievre/others-will-have-opinions-on-how-i-do-and-that-s-just-fine-i-ve-been/) [Pierre Poilievre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-poilievre/) > [I was elected to Parliament as a Conservative three times, most recently in 2017.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/i-was-elected-to-parliament-as-a-conservative-three-times-most/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [My goal was never to get re-elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mccallum/my-goal-was-never-to-get-re-elected/) [Scott McCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mccallum/) > [I was elected because I believed in what we call "grassroots politics," politics from the bottom up, not the top down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-elected-because-i-believed-in-what-we-call-grassroots-politics/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There are many Israelis who are not keen on Barack Obama - they did not want to see him elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-are-many-israelis-who-are-not-keen-on-barack-obama-they-did-not/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-officials-working-together-today/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) [Browse all 542 Elected quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On Obama: “He was elected by a majority, but the majority doesn’t get to decide who we execute.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rand Paul" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-but-the-majority-doesn-t-get-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Elected" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-but-the-majority-doesn-t-get-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/rand-paul-606_quote_on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-bu_1995025.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/rand-paul-606_quote_on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-bu_1995025.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/rand-paul-606_quote_on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-bu_1995025.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On Obama: “He was elected by a majority, but the majority doesn’t get to decide who we execute.” — Rand Paul", "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": "Rand Paul", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“On Obama: “He was elected by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-but-the-majority-doesn-t-get-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/on-obama-he-was-elected-by-a-majority-but-the-majority-doesn-t-get-to/#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 } } ] } ```