--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The state has a right to do that [outlaw…" description: "\"The state has a right to do that [outlaw contraceptives], I have never questioned that the state has a right to do that. It is not a constitutional rig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/rick-santorum-1840_activism_the-state-has-a-right-to-do-that-outlaw_181390.jpg" --- # The state has a right to do that \[outlaw contraceptives\]… ![“The state has a right to do that [outlaw contraceptives], I have never questioned that the state has a right to do that. It is not a constitutional right, the state has the right to pass whatever statutes they have. That is the thing I have said about the activism of the Supreme Court, they are…” quote by Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/rick-santorum-1840_activism_the-state-has-a-right-to-do-that-outlaw_181390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/rick-santorum-1840_activism_the-state-has-a-right-to-do-that-outlaw_181390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/rick-santorum-1840_activism_the-state-has-a-right-to-do-that-outlaw_181390.jpg) > “The state has a right to do that \[outlaw contraceptives\], I have never questioned that the state has a right to do that. It is not a constitutional right, the state has the right to pass whatever statutes they have. That is the thing I have said about the activism of the Supreme Court, they are creating right, and they should be left up to the people to decide.” [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that the government can legislate on issues like contraceptives because it holds authority to make laws, not because such matters are constitutionally protected. The Supreme Court should not create rights but defer to popular decision‑making. **In simple terms:** The state can law contraceptives; the Court should defer to people. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of judicial power. Themes government authority constitutional law judicial restraint public policy individual rights Mood cautious critical Type political legal When to use this quote - policy debates - health legislation - court decisions Key Concepts separation of powers legitimacy of lawmaking democratic legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - Should courts create rights or leave them to elected bodies? - How does this view affect reproductive health policy? A Different Perspective Courts may overstep by creating rights not grounded in the Constitution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Constitutional right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-right/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Outlaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlaw/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Supreme court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court/) ## Related quotes > [I believe marriage is a human right, not a state right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/i-believe-marriage-is-a-human-right-not-a-state-right/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [It is my birthright, it is my political right, it is my democratic right, it is my constitutional right... that I must open my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamata-banerjee/it-is-my-birthright-it-is-my-political-right-it-is-my-democratic/) [Mamata Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamata-banerjee/) > [“The fact that presidents have done something does not necessarily make it right or constitutional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-edelson/the-fact-that-presidents-have-done-something-does-not-necessarily/) Chris Edelson > [It is absolutely right for the state to define the rights and status of people cohabiting in different forms of relationships, including civil partnerships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/it-is-absolutely-right-for-the-state-to-define-the-rights-and-status/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/it-is-the-absolute-right-of-the-state-to-supervise-the-formation-of/) [Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/) > [A state of affairs which leads to daily vexation is not the right state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/a-state-of-affairs-which-leads-to-daily-vexation-is-not-the-right/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Every state has not only the right but the duty to make adequate provision for its own defense in the way it thinks best,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-b-pearson/every-state-has-not-only-the-right-but-the-duty-to-make-adequate/) [Lester B. 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