--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Founders never intended for Americans…" description: "\"The Founders never intended for Americans to trust their government. Our entire Constitution was predicated on the notion that government was a necessa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/rand-paul-606_constitution_the-founders-never-intended-for-american_2736078.jpg" --- # The Founders never intended for Americans to trust their… ![“The Founders never intended for Americans to trust their government. Our entire Constitution was predicated on the notion that government was a necessary evil, to be restrained and minimized as much as possible.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/rand-paul-606_constitution_the-founders-never-intended-for-american_2736078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/rand-paul-606_constitution_the-founders-never-intended-for-american_2736078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/rand-paul-606_constitution_the-founders-never-intended-for-american_2736078.jpg) > “The Founders never intended for Americans to trust their government. Our entire Constitution was predicated on the notion that government was a necessary evil, to be restrained and minimized as much as possible.” [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. The Constitution frames government as a limited, necessary evil requiring restraint. **In simple terms:** Government should be minimal and restrained. Key Takeaway Advocate for limited government. Themes politics government constitution Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - civic engagement - legal reform Key Concepts libertarianism checks and balances Questions to Reflect On - What limits should be placed on government power? - How does this view address public welfare? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook practical needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Necessary evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-evil/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Think of all that hard work our founding fathers put in - the revolutionizing, the three-fifths compromising, having to write the entire Constitution with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-rocca/think-of-all-that-hard-work-our-founding-fathers-put-in-the/) [Mo Rocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-rocca/) > [“The Affordable Health Care for Americans Act, passed by the House of Representatives on November 7, 2009, was 1,990 pages long. You could stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/the-affordable-health-care-for-americans-act-passed-by-the-house-of/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [To research my book 'Me the People' - in which I have rewritten the entire Constitution of the United States - I flew to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bleyer/to-research-my-book-me-the-people-in-which-i-have-rewritten-the/) [Kevin Bleyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bleyer/) > [“Intercourse without prophylactic devices was universal before their invention. Can we just replace the entire US Constitution with this sentence? It’s that good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lastowka/intercourse-without-prophylactic-devices-was-universal-before-their/) [Conor Lastowka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lastowka/) > [From Samuel Adams to Patrick Henry to Benjamin Franklin to Alexander Hamilton, all the Founders intended religion to provide a moral anchor for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bennett/from-samuel-adams-to-patrick-henry-to-benjamin-franklin-to-alexander/) [William Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bennett/) > [It is time to investigate Russian interference in our democracy and to address it in a manner that will help restore Americans' trust in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/it-is-time-to-investigate-russian-interference-in-our-democracy-and/) [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/) > [The government now has license to transfer property from those with fewer resources to those with more. The Founders cannot have intended this perverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-government-now-has-license-to-transfer-property-from-those-with/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The Founders never intended to separate Christianity from government, only to keep a single denomination from running the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-barton/the-founders-never-intended-to-separate-christianity-from-government/) [David Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-barton/) > [Democracy is not about trust; it is about distrust. It is about accountability, exposure, open debate, critical challenge, and popular input and feedback from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/democracy-is-not-about-trust-it-is-about-distrust-it-is-about/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [The Founders intended only to prevent the establishment of a single national denomination, not to restrain public religious expressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-barton/the-founders-intended-only-to-prevent-the-establishment-of-a-single/) [David Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-barton/) > [What I worry about would be that you essentially have two chambers, the House and the Senate, but you have simply, majoritarian, absolute power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-i-worry-about-would-be-that-you-essentially-have-two-chambers/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A soldier is the most-trusted profession in America. Americans have trust in you because you trust each other. No matter how difficult times are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-kidd/a-soldier-is-the-most-trusted-profession-in-america-americans-have/) Richard A. Kidd > [“This generation of Wall Street CEOs could be the ones to forfeit America’s trust. When the history of the Great Recession is written, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/this-generation-of-wall-street-ceos-could-be-the-ones-to-forfeit/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [Our founders never intended us to have a professional political class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/our-founders-never-intended-us-to-have-a-professional-political-class/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [If Obamacare is allowed to stand - and Congress is allowed to make the purchase of government-endorsed health insurance compulsory - there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/if-obamacare-is-allowed-to-stand-and-congress-is-allowed-to-make-the/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) ## 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 Constitution quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/) [Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-to-ensure-that-the/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/nothing-from-man-s-hands-nor-law-nor-constitution-can-be-final-truth/) [Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/) > [“I am apprehensive, Sir, that in the warmth of my feelings, I may have uttered expressions, which were too vehement. If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) [Browse all 4,507 Constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Founders never intended for Americans to trust their government. Our entire Constitution was predicated on the notion that government was a necessary evil, to be restrained and minimized as much as possible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rand Paul" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-founders-never-intended-for-americans-to-trust-their-government/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constitution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-founders-never-intended-for-americans-to-trust-their-government/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/rand-paul-606_constitution_the-founders-never-intended-for-american_2736078.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/rand-paul-606_constitution_the-founders-never-intended-for-american_2736078.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/rand-paul-606_constitution_the-founders-never-intended-for-american_2736078.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Founders never intended for Americans to trust their government. Our entire Constitution was predicated…” — 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": "The Founders never intended for Americans...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-founders-never-intended-for-americans-to-trust-their-government/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-founders-never-intended-for-americans-to-trust-their-government/#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 } } ] } ```