John Barrasso Quotes


When the president decides that he knows better than you know what's good for you or your family, we've got trouble in this country.


Citations

Barrasso, John. Statement on Government Mandates. Congressional Record, U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2014.

Related Quotes

This illustrated the problem with Nazi Germany where Hitler was elected by the people. In a Constitutional democracy such as the United States, when an elected President attempts to cut away constitutionally insured freedoms, there is public opinion, the press, a Congress and a Supreme Court to check him as occurred in the George W. Bush Administration over wiretapping, torture, and handing of war captives. These were checked, but they were minor and trivial compared to Nazi Germany’s abuse of freedom. In Germany, Hitler weakened or destroyed all those who might check his power and therein lies the essential difference. The despot must eliminate or weaken the checks on him. In the American democracy, the Congress finally checked John Adams’ Alien & Sedition Act as did public opinion by turning him out of office after one term. But in each case, in democracy or dictatorship, the same argument is often made if the elected leader impinges on some freedoms: it is legitimate because he represents the will of the people. Spencer and many others have always disagreed.


In the aftermath of 9-11, a few government agencies violated the law and civil rights of a number of “Muslims” and/or “Middle Eastern looking” individuals and held them incommunicado with no charges and no warrants. The rationale of those agencies is that they “could not take a chance as lives were at stake. In most major wars in America, there has been an “overreaction” by some officials.


John Barrasso
John Barrasso
  • Born: July 21, 1952
  • Nationality: American
  • Profession: Politician

John Anthony Barrasso III is an American physician and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Wyoming. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the Wyoming State Senate.