--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we can't get where we need to go to…" description: "\"If we can't get where we need to go to protect people through our regulatory channels, through our legislative process, then unfortunately what we have..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/robert-bilott-28335_go_if-we-can-t-get-where-we-need-to-go-to-p_1160692.jpg" --- # If we can't get where we need to go to protect people… ![“If we can't get where we need to go to protect people through our regulatory channels, through our legislative process, then unfortunately what we have left is our legal process.” quote by Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/robert-bilott-28335_go_if-we-can-t-get-where-we-need-to-go-to-p_1160692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/robert-bilott-28335_go_if-we-can-t-get-where-we-need-to-go-to-p_1160692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/robert-bilott-28335_go_if-we-can-t-get-where-we-need-to-go-to-p_1160692.jpg) > “If we can't get where we need to go to protect people through our regulatory channels, through our legislative process, then unfortunately what we have left is our legal process.” [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When regulatory and legislative avenues fail to protect people, the legal system becomes the last resort, highlighting its limitations. **In simple terms:** Legal recourse is a fallback when other protections fail. Key Takeaway Use legal avenues when other protections fail. Themes law public safety regulation advocacy limitations Mood concerned determined Type political advocacy When to use this quote - environmental disaster response - public health crises - consumer protection - policy reform Key Concepts policy justice systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - What are the risks of relying on legal action alone? - How can we improve regulatory effectiveness? A Different Perspective Legal processes can be slow and may not fully address urgent needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Legislative process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislative-process/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) ## Related quotes > [Mr. Trump wants citizens of other nations to know that there is a legal process that needs to be followed, and that that process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-schlapp/mr-trump-wants-citizens-of-other-nations-to-know-that-there-is-a/) [Mercedes Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-schlapp/) > [We'll go through the legislative process and I'm make it clear what I support, don't support and what I think is good for Arkansas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cotton/we-ll-go-through-the-legislative-process-and-i-m-make-it-clear-what-i/) [Tom Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cotton/) > [I love working the legislative process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-brown/i-love-working-the-legislative-process/) [Kate Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-brown/) > [First, the American legislative process isn't well suited to large and complex measures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/first-the-american-legislative-process-isn-t-well-suited-to-large-and/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [This has not been a legislative process worthy of the Senate. Members of the Judiciary Committee, as I just said, were implored to save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-feingold/this-has-not-been-a-legislative-process-worthy-of-the-senate-members/) [Russ Feingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ-feingold/) > [Question Period is not part of the legislative process,and has nothing to do with it. It is a means of monitoring the Executive that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-allen-fraser/question-period-is-not-part-of-the-legislative-process-and-has/) [John Allen Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-allen-fraser/) > [What will happen is the bills will start out the way we like them; in order to move them - we'll probably have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/what-will-happen-is-the-bills-will-start-out-the-way-we-like-them-in/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [That will change over time the entire flow of information and the entire quality of knowledge in the country and it will change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/that-will-change-over-time-the-entire-flow-of-information-and-the/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Social media is such a key organizing and communication tool, and I've made a major commitment to use it as a way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/social-media-is-such-a-key-organizing-and-communication-tool-and-i-ve/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [It typically takes bipartisan work to build enough consensus to get things through our legislative process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-young/it-typically-takes-bipartisan-work-to-build-enough-consensus-to-get/) [Todd Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-young/) > [I am specifically concerned about the idea that the legislative process is one that gets characterized the way it is as the 'fiscal cliff.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-blankfein/i-am-specifically-concerned-about-the-idea-that-the-legislative/) [Lloyd Blankfein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-blankfein/) > [If one man can be allowed to determine for himself what is law, every man can. That means first chaos, then tyranny. Legal process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/if-one-man-can-be-allowed-to-determine-for-himself-what-is-law-every/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [Divorce is one of the loneliest of modern rituals. Before, during, and after the actual culmination of the legal process it is an ordeal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-gordon/divorce-is-one-of-the-loneliest-of-modern-rituals-before-during-and/) [Suzanne Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-gordon/) > [Justice has taken its course and the authority and legitimacy of the legal process must be respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/justice-has-taken-its-course-and-the-authority-and-legitimacy-of-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“What good is the legal process if people can decide their motives are bigger than the law?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/what-good-is-the-legal-process-if-people-can-decide-their-motives-are/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More by Robert Bilott > [You know, really, it's not easy taking a 20 year story and condensing it into two hours. But they did a fantastic job of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/you-know-really-it-s-not-easy-taking-a-20-year-story-and-condensing/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [There are certain systems that I think are not working well - that's the regulatory system, the whole system of how we regulate chemicals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/there-are-certain-systems-that-i-think-are-not-working-well-that-s/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [I had spent the prior eight years working at my firm primarily representing big chemical companies, helping them comply with all the different state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/i-had-spent-the-prior-eight-years-working-at-my-firm-primarily/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [Well, you know, my grandmother actually grew up, you know, her whole family, my mom's family outside of Parkersburg, West Virginia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/well-you-know-my-grandmother-actually-grew-up-you-know-her-whole/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [My family said that a big firm was where you'd get the most opportunities. I knew nobody who had ever worked at a firm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/my-family-said-that-a-big-firm-was-where-you-d-get-the-most/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [And in my world, when I was dealing with this for our chemical company clients, you had lists of regulated hazardous materials, and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/and-in-my-world-when-i-was-dealing-with-this-for-our-chemical-company/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [We found out that we were dealing with a completely unregulated chemical, this chemical PFOA. This was a chemical that was a completely manmade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-found-out-that-we-were-dealing-with-a-completely-unregulated/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [You know, I started with the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister in Cincinnati back in 1990.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/you-know-i-started-with-the-law-firm-of-taft-stettinius-hollister-in/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [There was pressure on the EPA to come out with a drinking water guideline, which it did in 2016. And when that guideline came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/there-was-pressure-on-the-epa-to-come-out-with-a-drinking-water/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [We notified the EPA 18 years ago that PFOA in drinking water presented a public health threat, and in 2019 there are still no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pfoa-in-drinking-water/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [There's got to be a point in time where the reality comes home and people realize, here are the facts, and this is either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/there-s-got-to-be-a-point-in-time-where-the-reality-comes-home-and/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [I was representing our chemical company clients, and I would routinely talk with or meet with the DuPont attorneys, would be there representing DuPont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/i-was-representing-our-chemical-company-clients-and-i-would-routinely/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [I'm not stupid, and the people around me aren't stupid. You can't ignore the economic realities of the ways that business is run and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/i-m-not-stupid-and-the-people-around-me-aren-t-stupid-you-can-t/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [People were getting sick. It seemed, at least to me when I started looking at the information, looking at the documents, that this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/people-were-getting-sick-it-seemed-at-least-to-me-when-i-started/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [We're talking about a chemical that's out there. Not just on one farm in West Virginia, not even just in the public water of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-re-talking-about-a-chemical-that-s-out-there-not-just-on-one-farm/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) [Explore all 19 Robert Bilott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) ## More Go quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/) [Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [I go out there and I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-chubb/i-go-out-there-and-i-work/) [Nick Chubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-chubb/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [As much as you want to improve or help the team, as a centre-back your job is to go under the radar and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrone-mings/as-much-as-you-want-to-improve-or-help-the-team-as-a-centre-back-your/) [Tyrone Mings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrone-mings/) > [I don't know what successful journaling really looks like... 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