--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: \"Big\" government? Who wants that? I just…" description: "\"\"Big\" government? Who wants that? I just want effective government. That means America's government needs to be big in some places, small in others and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/van-jones-984_america_big-government-who-wants-that-i-just-wan_1274482.png" --- # "Big" government? Who wants that? I just want effective… ![“"Big" government? Who wants that? I just want effective government. That means America's government needs to be big in some places, small in others and non-existent in others.” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/van-jones-984_america_big-government-who-wants-that-i-just-wan_1274482.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/van-jones-984_america_big-government-who-wants-that-i-just-wan_1274482.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/van-jones-984_america_big-government-who-wants-that-i-just-wan_1274482.png) > “"Big" government? Who wants that? I just want effective government. That means America's government needs to be big in some places, small in others and non-existent in others.” [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective governance requires varying size of government across sectors. **In simple terms:** Government should be big where needed, small elsewhere. Key Takeaway Tailor government size to function. Themes government efficiency policy public administration Mood critical thoughtful Type political analytical When to use this quote - healthcare - education - infrastructure - regulation Key Concepts federalism decentralization public goods Questions to Reflect On - Which areas need more government? - How to prevent overreach? A Different Perspective Balancing size is politically contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Big government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [“Big Government means small citizens: it corrodes the integrity of a people, catastrophically.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/big-government-means-small-citizens-it-corrodes-the-integrity-of-a/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [America's government has to get the public investments right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-s-government-has-to-get-the-public-investments-right/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Government needs to do two things: put a price on carbon and invest heavily in new technologies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/government-needs-to-do-two-things-put-a-price-on-carbon-and-invest/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The basis of effective government is public confidence, and that confidence is endangered when ethical standards falter or appear to falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-basis-of-effective-government-is-public-confidence-and-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Public policy in the twentieth century was about protecting and expanding the social compact, based on recognition that effective government at the federal level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-bernstein/public-policy-in-the-twentieth-century-was-about-protecting-and/) [Carl Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-bernstein/) > [The basis of effective government is public confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/the-basis-of-effective-government-is-public-confidence/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [An empowered public is the foundation for a stronger society, more effective government, and a more successful state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-zoellick/an-empowered-public-is-the-foundation-for-a-stronger-society-more/) [Robert Zoellick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-zoellick/) > [In order to spur economic growth we need to put the brakes on out of control spending, lower Ohioans tax burden and create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-to-spur-economic-growth-we-need-to-put-the-brakes-on-out-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our battle over the size of the state overlooks a problem that is just as important and that may be easier to muster the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/our-battle-over-the-size-of-the-state-overlooks-a-problem-that-is/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Obama has demonstrated no desire to make tough choices. Americans demand a more efficient, effective government, but his budget calls for more taxes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/obama-has-demonstrated-no-desire-to-make-tough-choices-americans/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) > [“If exercising the right to vote were truly effective, the government would not be so eager to promote it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-p-napolitano/if-exercising-the-right-to-vote-were-truly-effective-the-government/) [Andrew P. Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-p-napolitano/) > [The basis of effective government if public confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fitzgerald-kennedy/the-basis-of-effective-government-if-public-confidence/) [John Fitzgerald Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fitzgerald-kennedy/) > [Government means always coercion and compulsion and is by necessity the opposite of liberty. Government is a guarantor of liberty and is compatible with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/government-means-always-coercion-and-compulsion-and-is-by-necessity/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [We demand entire freedom of action and then expect the government in some miraculous way to save us from the consequences of our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/we-demand-entire-freedom-of-action-and-then-expect-the-government-in/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [People are so docile right now. It is almost as if good government means when the politicians lie to us for our own good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/people-are-so-docile-right-now-it-is-almost-as-if-good-government/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) ## More by Van Jones > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ I learned more in those six months \[ in the White House\] than in the prior six years. I don't think that anybody who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-learned-more-in-those-six-months-in-the-white-house-than-in-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Most green-collar jobs are middle-skill jobs. That means they require more education that a high-school diploma, but less than a four-year degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/most-green-collar-jobs-are-middle-skill-jobs-that-means-they-require/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] is a horrible human being, but he ain't worse than Bull Connor. Fannie Lou loved Bull Connor and beat Bull Connor because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/donald-trump-is-a-horrible-human-being-but-he-ain-t-worse-than-bull/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The government built the grid to favor one industry over others. But I don't hear any conservatives screaming about that. Folks don't understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-government-built-the-grid-to-favor-one-industry-over-others-but-i/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Keith Ellison is an organizer's organizer.He's one of the only Muslims in Congress, so you have a big statement there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/keith-ellison-is-an-organizer-s-organizer-he-s-one-of-the-only/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Everybody should be mad but anger only takes you so far. At some point, you'll have outrage fatigue and burn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/everybody-should-be-mad-but-anger-only-takes-you-so-far-at-some-point/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We have to accept that some very toxic stuff was marbled into the Trump phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-have-to-accept-that-some-very-toxic-stuff-was-marbled-into-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm the guy that's trying to break up that monopoly to introduce free enterprise and competition to the energy sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-the-guy-that-s-trying-to-break-up-that-monopoly-to-introduce-free/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I think that America could not become America until it dealt with the disenfranchisement of women and African Americans in the last century. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-think-that-america-could-not-become-america-until-it-dealt-with-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm learning and changing all the time, and I expect to continue doing so my entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-learning-and-changing-all-the-time-and-i-expect-to-continue-doing/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) [Explore all 314 Van Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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