---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always claimed Americans didn't…"
description: "\"I have always claimed Americans didn't want a drink as bad as they wanted the right to take a drink if they did happen to want one.\" — Will Rogers"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/will-rogers-272_drink_i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-w_1636578.jpg"
---

#  I have always claimed Americans didn't want a drink as bad…

![“I have always claimed Americans didn't want a drink as bad as they wanted the right to take a drink if they did happen to want one.” quote by Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/will-rogers-272_drink_i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-w_1636578.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/will-rogers-272_drink_i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-w_1636578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/will-rogers-272_drink_i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-w_1636578.jpg)

> “I have always claimed Americans didn't want a drink as bad as they wanted the right to take a drink if they did happen to want one.”

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He suggests Americans value the freedom to drink more than the desire to actually drink.

**In simple terms:** Freedom to drink is prized over the act itself.

Key Takeaway

Protect liberty, not just consumption.

Themes

freedom politics culture

Mood

reflective critical

Type

political social commentary

When to use this quote

- political debates
- legal reforms
- social gatherings
- public policy discussions

Key Concepts

libertarianism personal liberty

Questions to Reflect On

- Is the right to drink more important than responsible consumption?
- How does this view affect alcohol regulation?

A Different Perspective

May overlook health concerns tied to alcohol.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/)

## Related quotes

> [“You pay for food that makes you want to drink. Not a bad business model.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcfarlane/you-pay-for-food-that-makes-you-want-to-drink-not-a-bad-business-model/)

[Jamie McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcfarlane/)

> [“But in the daytime it was all right. And when you'd had a drink you knew it was the best way to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/but-in-the-daytime-it-was-all-right-and-when-you-d-had-a-drink-you/)

[Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/)

> [I would like to restore your right to drink raw milk anytime you like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/i-would-like-to-restore-your-right-to-drink-raw-milk-anytime-you-like/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [British people would die for their right to drink themselves to death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/british-people-would-die-for-their-right-to-drink-themselves-to-death/)

[John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/)

> [I went to Paris in 1989 when the Americans didn't quite know what to do with me at first. Now, all those years later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/i-went-to-paris-in-1989-when-the-americans-didn-t-quite-know-what-to/)

[Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/)

> [The American financial and military commitment really only kicks in with Korea. Not that Korea was the real game for the Americans; their real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/the-american-financial-and-military-commitment-really-only-kicks-in/)

[Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/)

> [Some years ago I said in an opinion that if this country is a melting pot, then either the Afro-Americans didn't get in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurgood-marshall/some-years-ago-i-said-in-an-opinion-that-if-this-country-is-a-melting/)

[Thurgood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurgood-marshall/)

> [Clinton's problem was that many Americans didn't trust her because she was caught telling untruths - repeatedly - about her email system. She first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/clinton-s-problem-was-that-many-americans-didn-t-trust-her-because/)

[Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/)

> [Back when Saddam Hussein was in power, the Americans didn't care about his crimes. When he was gassing the Kurds and gassing Iran, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richards/back-when-saddam-hussein-was-in-power-the-americans-didn-t-care-about/)

Sam Richards

> [I would say that the Vietnamese should remember that they didn't have exactly the same mobility the way the Americans have. They didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bui-diem/i-would-say-that-the-vietnamese-should-remember-that-they-didn-t-have/)

[Bui Diem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bui-diem/)

> [“Americans didn’t take home the message to eat loads of vegetables, beans, and fruits and do loads of exercise; they just accepted that olive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-fuhrman/americans-didn-t-take-home-the-message-to-eat-loads-of-vegetables/)

[Joel Fuhrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-fuhrman/)

> [Americans didn't really have any experience with something as basic as "community."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/americans-didn-t-really-have-any-experience-with-something-as-basic/)

[Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/)

> [Bad people drink bad beer. You almost never see an empty bottle of Rochefort tossed onto the side of the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-cook/bad-people-drink-bad-beer-you-almost-never-see-an-empty-bottle-of/)

Dave Cook

> [“So many crucial events take place behind people’s backs, when they aren’t in a position to watch: birth and death, for instance. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/so-many-crucial-events-take-place-behind-people-s-backs-when-they/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [“Don't drink; it's bad for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-trueman/don-t-drink-it-s-bad-for-you/)

[Terry Trueman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-trueman/)

## More by Will Rogers

> [She was so ugly she could make a mule back away from an oat bin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/she-was-so-ugly-she-could-make-a-mule-back-away-from-an-oat-bin/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [Politicians, after all, are not over a year behind public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/politicians-after-all-are-not-over-a-year-behind-public-opinion/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [American invents everything, but the trouble is we get tired of it the minute the new is wore off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/american-invents-everything-but-the-trouble-is-we-get-tired-of-it-the/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [I don't know what humor is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-know-what-humor-is/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [There are two things I don't care how smart you are, you will never understand. One is an alienist's testimony, and the other is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-things-i-don-t-care-how-smart-you-are-you-will-never/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-more-you-observe-politics-the-more-you-ve-got-to-admit-that-each/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [I don't think you can make a lawyer honest by an act of legislature. You've got to work on his conscience. And his lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-think-you-can-make-a-lawyer-honest-by-an-act-of-legislature/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-theories-to-arguing-with-a-woman-neither-works/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [America is a great country, but you can't live in it for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/america-is-a-great-country-but-you-can-t-live-in-it-for-nothing/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [There ought to be one day - just one - when there is open season on senators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-ought-to-be-one-day-just-one-when-there-is-open-season-on/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [Every Gag I tell must be based on truth. No matter how much I may exaggerate it, it must have a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/every-gag-i-tell-must-be-based-on-truth-no-matter-how-much-i-may/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [So live that you would not mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/so-live-that-you-would-not-mind-selling-your-pet-parrot-to-the-town/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

[Explore all 776 Will Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

## More Drink quotes

> [When you drink from the stream remember the spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinese-proverbs/when-you-drink-from-the-stream-remember-the-spring/)

Chinese Proverbs

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/)

[Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/)

> [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/)

[Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/)

> [I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/i-do-a-lot-of-vocal-exercises-and-drink-hot-tea-which-i-hate/)

[Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/)

> [“Never date a man who can’t out-drink you in tequila.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-l-maxwell/never-date-a-man-who-can-t-out-drink-you-in-tequila/)

[Gina L. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-l-maxwell/)

> [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [“Obediently, I squash into a corner with a glass of cider. A chalkboard menu declares that the special of the day is stargazy pie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-madeleine/obediently-i-squash-into-a-corner-with-a-glass-of-cider-a-chalkboard/)

[Laura Madeleine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-madeleine/)

> [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/)

[Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/)

> [“I don't drink since it ruined the best thing I ever had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-lauren/i-don-t-drink-since-it-ruined-the-best-thing-i-ever-had/)

[Kimberly Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-lauren/)

> [Before everyshow I do like a thousand... I drink ten glasses of water!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-brothers/before-everyshow-i-do-like-a-thousand-i-drink-ten-glasses-of-water/)

[Jonas Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-brothers/)

> [I've never even been into those supplements or any of that. I don't even drink energy shakes. I'm not into that kind of stuff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-ve-never-even-been-into-those-supplements-or-any-of-that-i-don-t/)

[Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/)

> [I get pretty focused when I start working on something. And I drink a lot of water, way more than most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-woodman/i-get-pretty-focused-when-i-start-working-on-something-and-i-drink-a/)

[Nick Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-woodman/)

> [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/)

[Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/)

Browse all 5,653 Drink quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I have always claimed Americans didn't want a drink as bad as they wanted the right to take a drink if they did happen to want one.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Will Rogers"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-want-a-drink-as-bad-as-they/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Drink"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-want-a-drink-as-bad-as-they/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/will-rogers-272_drink_i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-w_1636578.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/will-rogers-272_drink_i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-w_1636578.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/will-rogers-272_drink_i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-w_1636578.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have always claimed Americans didn't want a drink as bad as they wanted the right to take a drink if they…” — Will Rogers",
                "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": "Will Rogers",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have always claimed Americans didn't...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-want-a-drink-as-bad-as-they/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-have-always-claimed-americans-didn-t-want-a-drink-as-bad-as-they/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
