--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When an American government takes on…" description: "\"When an American government takes on characteristics that elevate the state above the individual, it must be vigorously opposed as a form of, or step t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e63/scott-pruitt-5220_american_when-an-american-government-takes-on-cha_2875882.jpg" --- # When an American government takes on characteristics that… ![“When an American government takes on characteristics that elevate the state above the individual, it must be vigorously opposed as a form of, or step toward, tyranny.” quote by Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e63/scott-pruitt-5220_american_when-an-american-government-takes-on-cha_2875882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e63/scott-pruitt-5220_american_when-an-american-government-takes-on-cha_2875882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e63/scott-pruitt-5220_american_when-an-american-government-takes-on-cha_2875882.jpg) > “When an American government takes on characteristics that elevate the state above the individual, it must be vigorously opposed as a form of, or step toward, tyranny.” [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Warns that government overreach threatens individual liberty and can lead to tyranny. **In simple terms:** Government power can become tyranny. Key Takeaway Guard against state overreach. Themes politics freedom tyranny Mood cautionary serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debate - activism - legislative review Key Concepts authoritarianism civil liberties checks and balances Questions to Reflect On - How to balance security and freedom? - What signs indicate rising tyranny? A Different Perspective Opposition may be suppressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-takes-1026047/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step/) [Step Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-tyranny-3959511/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Vigorously Opposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vigorously-opposed-3959512/) ## Related quotes > [I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-opposed-to-any-form-of-tyranny-over-the-mind-of-man/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [BUREAUCRACY You have two cows. The government takes them both, shoots one, milks the other, pays you for the milk, and then pours it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/bureaucracy-you-have-two-cows-the-government-takes-them-both-shoots/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [There is something fundamentally unfair about a government that takes away so much of people's money, power, and personal control while telling them that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-forbes/there-is-something-fundamentally-unfair-about-a-government-that-takes/) [Steve Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-forbes/) > [The government takes the opposition day debates incredibly seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-leadsom/the-government-takes-the-opposition-day-debates-incredibly-seriously/) [Andrea Leadsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-leadsom/) > [In Europe, Socialism is just another political party. It just means that government takes over certain things like hospitals, prisons, military and schools that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/in-europe-socialism-is-just-another-political-party-it-just-means/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“But as our forebears knew, and as we see more all the time, when government takes on too much, it becomes too powerful. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-reding/but-as-our-forebears-knew-and-as-we-see-more-all-the-time-when/) [Patricia Reding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-reding/) > [Why is it that any time government takes over something for a few years, its assumed that people are too incompetent to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-sanchez/why-is-it-that-any-time-government-takes-over-something-for-a-few/) [Julian Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-sanchez/) > [Every person has only so much attention to give, and politics and government takes up only a fraction of what it did 25 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-teeter/every-person-has-only-so-much-attention-to-give-and-politics-and/) [Robert Teeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-teeter/) > [The first big choice: a government with the strength to deliver stability, or a government that takes the country back to boom and bust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-first-big-choice-a-government-with-the-strength-to-deliver/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I've seen it with my own eyes: When government takes money from the poor and the middle class, everyone suffers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/i-ve-seen-it-with-my-own-eyes-when-government-takes-money-from-the/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [“Heavens no!” said rich dad. “The government always takes its share first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/heavens-no-said-rich-dad-the-government-always-takes-its-share-first/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [“In bad countries the government takes care of everyone. In the best ones that's not necessary!‏”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celso-cukierkorn/in-bad-countries-the-government-takes-care-of-everyone-in-the-best/) [Celso Cukierkorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celso-cukierkorn/) > [“In all times and in all places, whatever may be the name that the government takes, whatever has been its origin, or its organization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/in-all-times-and-in-all-places-whatever-may-be-the-name-that-the/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [As the old saying goes, 'money is power' and the more money the government takes, the more power it has over individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-mcglowan/as-the-old-saying-goes-money-is-power-and-the-more-money-the/) [Angela McGlowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-mcglowan/) > [When government takes away options, it is bound to make some people worse off, even with intrinsicallly good intentions behind that government intervention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/when-government-takes-away-options-it-is-bound-to-make-some-people/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More by Scott Pruitt > [We're a small state. Our quantity of representation in Washington is not as large as a Texas, an Ohio, or a New York. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/we-re-a-small-state-our-quantity-of-representation-in-washington-is/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [Most lawsuits against the EPA historically have come either because of the agency's lack of regard for a statute or because the EPA failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/most-lawsuits-against-the-epa-historically-have-come-either-because/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [I don't hang with polluters; I prosecute them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/i-don-t-hang-with-polluters-i-prosecute-them/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [Since my election as Oklahoma attorney general in 2010, I have been a proud member of a group of federalism-minded state attorneys general who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/since-my-election-as-oklahoma-attorney-general-in-2010-i-have-been-a/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [When you look at farmers and ranchers, for example, they are our first environmentalists. They are our first conservationists. When you look at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/when-you-look-at-farmers-and-ranchers-for-example-they-are-our-first/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [This notion that we cannot be about jobs and stewardship of the environment is just simply not right. We've always done that well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/this-notion-that-we-cannot-be-about-jobs-and-stewardship-of-the/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [I'm going to have a very thoughtful and meaningful enforcement response to Superfund to make sure that we are achieving good outcomes for citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/i-m-going-to-have-a-very-thoughtful-and-meaningful-enforcement/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [The Constitutional framework of checks and balances matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/the-constitutional-framework-of-checks-and-balances-matters/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [I spent many hours in the batting cage. I remember many days when my hands were pretty cut up and bleeding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/i-spent-many-hours-in-the-batting-cage-i-remember-many-days-when-my/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [Lead poisoning is an insidious menace that robs our citizens of their fullest potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/lead-poisoning-is-an-insidious-menace-that-robs-our-citizens-of-their/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [I spent a couple years just earnestly praying, asking the question that I don't think we ask enough: 'God what do you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/i-spent-a-couple-years-just-earnestly-praying-asking-the-question/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [This paradigm that says we have to choose industry over the environment or the environment over industry is the old way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/this-paradigm-that-says-we-have-to-choose-industry-over-the/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [We know humans have most flourished during times of what? Warming trends. So I think there's assumptions made that because the climate is warming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/we-know-humans-have-most-flourished-during-times-of-what-warming/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [What the American people deserve, I think, is a true, legitimate, peer-reviewed, objective, transparent discussion about CO2.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/what-the-american-people-deserve-i-think-is-a-true-legitimate-peer/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [Now having the honor of working for him, it is abundantly clear that President Trump is the most consequential leader of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/now-having-the-honor-of-working-for-him-it-is-abundantly-clear-that/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) [Explore all 102 Scott Pruitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When an American government takes on characteristics that elevate the state above the individual, it must be vigorously opposed as a form of, or step toward, tyranny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Pruitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/when-an-american-government-takes-on-characteristics-that-elevate-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/when-an-american-government-takes-on-characteristics-that-elevate-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e63/scott-pruitt-5220_american_when-an-american-government-takes-on-cha_2875882.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e63/scott-pruitt-5220_american_when-an-american-government-takes-on-cha_2875882.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e63/scott-pruitt-5220_american_when-an-american-government-takes-on-cha_2875882.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When an American government takes on characteristics that elevate the state above the individual, it must be…” — Scott Pruitt", "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": "Scott Pruitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When an American government takes on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/when-an-american-government-takes-on-characteristics-that-elevate-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/when-an-american-government-takes-on-characteristics-that-elevate-the/#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 } } ] } ```