--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is up to the government to keep the…" description: "\"It is up to the government to keep the government's secrets.\" — Robert Novak" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/robert-novak-33051_government_it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-g_405812.jpg" --- # It is up to the government to keep the government's secrets. ![“It is up to the government to keep the government's secrets.” quote by Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/robert-novak-33051_government_it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-g_405812.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/robert-novak-33051_government_it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-g_405812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/robert-novak-33051_government_it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-g_405812.jpg) > “It is up to the government to keep the government's secrets.” [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The government must protect its own secrets. **In simple terms:** Governments should keep their secrets safe. Key Takeaway Prioritize national security confidentiality. Themes politics security confidentiality Mood cautious serious Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy drafting - intelligence operations - public communications - legal frameworks Key Concepts statecraft information control trust Questions to Reflect On - When should secrecy yield to transparency? - How does secrecy affect democratic accountability? A Different Perspective Secrecy can erode public trust if abused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) ## Related quotes > [Look at it this way: this administration is taking unprecedented steps to make sure that the government's secrets remain private while simultaneously invading the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/look-at-it-this-way-this-administration-is-taking-unprecedented-steps/) [Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/) > [Accountability is the essence of democracy. If people do not know what their government is doing, they cannot be truly self-governing. The national security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-wills/accountability-is-the-essence-of-democracy-if-people-do-not-know-what/) [Garry Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-wills/) > [Otherwise we don't run the government the government runs us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/otherwise-we-don-t-run-the-government-the-government-runs-us/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The only just government is the government that serves its citizens, not itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-m-dolan/the-only-just-government-is-the-government-that-serves-its-citizens/) [Timothy M. Dolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-m-dolan/) > [Government is not infallible. Government is only an executive control, a centralized authority for the purpose of expressing the will of the people; before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/government-is-not-infallible-government-is-only-an-executive-control/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [“If “we are the government,” then anything a government does to an individual is not only just and untyrannical but also “voluntary” on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-n-rothbard/if-we-are-the-government-then-anything-a-government-does-to-an/) [Murray N. Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-n-rothbard/) > [Whatever government is not a government of laws, is a despotism, let it be called what it may.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/whatever-government-is-not-a-government-of-laws-is-a-despotism-let-it/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [We're not like the American administration, we're not social media administration or government. We are a government that deals with reality. When we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/we-re-not-like-the-american-administration-we-re-not-social-media/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [it is the people who control the Government, not the Government the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-the-people-who-control-the-government-not-the-government-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pugsley's First Law of Government: All government programs accomplish the opposite of what they are designed to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pugsley/pugsley-s-first-law-of-government-all-government-programs-accomplish/) [John Pugsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pugsley/) > [There is a government within the government who controll this and i do not controll it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/there-is-a-government-within-the-government-who-controll-this-and-i/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [When government gets too big, freedom is lost. Government is supposed to be the servant. But when a government can tax the people with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/when-government-gets-too-big-freedom-is-lost-government-is-supposed/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Though the people support the government; the government should not support the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/though-the-people-support-the-government-the-government-should-not/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [Trust me, I've been to countries where there's no government. And our government's pretty damned good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/trust-me-i-ve-been-to-countries-where-there-s-no-government-and-our/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [“It is our theory that the people own the government, not that the government should own the people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/it-is-our-theory-that-the-people-own-the-government-not-that-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) ## More by Robert Novak > [The whole new Democratic Party is the old Republican Party. We have a whole bunch of elephants running around in donkey's clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/the-whole-new-democratic-party-is-the-old-republican-party-we-have-a/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [Gary Hart is going to be all over the political spectrum fuzzing it up just like Jack Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/gary-hart-is-going-to-be-all-over-the-political-spectrum-fuzzing-it/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [He was my favorite senator... I love him. He made the liberals squeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/he-was-my-favorite-senator-i-love-him-he-made-the-liberals-squeal/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [Howard Dean is not the first politician to distort facts in his own interests. But many activists in the party he now leads are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/howard-dean-is-not-the-first-politician-to-distort-facts-in-his-own/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [If Communism goes, I've still got the U.S. House of Representatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/if-communism-goes-i-ve-still-got-the-u-s-house-of-representatives/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [The member of Congress who is not making a career of politics looks quite differently at the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/the-member-of-congress-who-is-not-making-a-career-of-politics-looks/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [Even after the Rosenthal column, nobody responsible in the Republican Party said, 'Yes, Pat Buchanan is an anti-Semite.' They didn't join in. Very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/even-after-the-rosenthal-column-nobody-responsible-in-the-republican/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [I was kind of feeling a spiritual need all those years. My wife Geraldine and I went to an Episcopalian Church for a while.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/i-was-kind-of-feeling-a-spiritual-need-all-those-years-my-wife/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [CNN canceled all the shows I was on. They're going in a different direction, but that's their privilege. They own the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/cnn-canceled-all-the-shows-i-was-on-they-re-going-in-a-different/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [Always love your country - but never trust your government!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/always-love-your-country-but-never-trust-your-government/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [“Republicans tend to be people who don't believe in anything, they just want to win elections. Democrats, I think, have really sincere beliefs. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/republicans-tend-to-be-people-who-don-t-believe-in-anything-they-just/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [Where once such devices were relegated to appropriate times, now they've become necessities. The other day I watched a kid come off the school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/where-once-such-devices-were-relegated-to-appropriate-times-now-they/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [With nearly two years remaining in his presidency, George W. Bush is alone. In half a century, I have not seen a president so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/with-nearly-two-years-remaining-in-his-presidency-george-w-bush-is/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [I'm 72-years-old. There's not a hell of a lot they can do to me. I will continue to report what I see and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/i-m-72-years-old-there-s-not-a-hell-of-a-lot-they-can-do-to-me-i-will/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) [Explore all 15 Robert Novak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) ## More Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. 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": "It is up to the government to keep the government's secrets.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Novak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-government-s-secrets/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-government-s-secrets/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/robert-novak-33051_government_it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-g_405812.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/robert-novak-33051_government_it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-g_405812.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/robert-novak-33051_government_it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-g_405812.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is up to the government to keep the government's secrets.” — Robert Novak", "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": "Robert Novak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is up to the government...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-government-s-secrets/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/it-is-up-to-the-government-to-keep-the-government-s-secrets/#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 } } ] } ```