The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Kissinger suggests that illegal actions are taken quickly while unconstitutional ones face more delay.
- In plain terms
- Illegal acts happen fast; unconstitutional acts take time.
- What can you take from it?
- Legal boundaries are respected differently depending on urgency.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How fast should leaders act?
- When is speed more important than law?
Another view
This distinction may not hold in practice where legal and unconstitutional overlap.
More from Henry Kissinger
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