--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was an Independent I believed the…" description: "\"When I was an Independent I believed the same things I believe now as a Democrat. I was an Independent because I was a military officer. I felt like th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/amy-mcgrath-6116_believe_when-i-was-an-independent-i-believed-the_637343.jpg" --- # When I was an Independent I believed the same things I… ![“When I was an Independent I believed the same things I believe now as a Democrat. I was an Independent because I was a military officer. I felt like that was the best thing to do because I wanted to be a leader and I didn't want to influence people under me in that way.” quote by Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/amy-mcgrath-6116_believe_when-i-was-an-independent-i-believed-the_637343.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/amy-mcgrath-6116_believe_when-i-was-an-independent-i-believed-the_637343.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/amy-mcgrath-6116_believe_when-i-was-an-independent-i-believed-the_637343.jpg) > “When I was an Independent I believed the same things I believe now as a Democrat. I was an Independent because I was a military officer. I felt like that was the best thing to do because I wanted to be a leader and I didn't want to influence people under me in that way.” [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She values consistent principles across political identities, seeing independence as a leadership stance rooted in military experience. **In simple terms:** Consistent beliefs, leadership, independence Key Takeaway Maintain integrity regardless of party Themes politics leadership principles Mood reflective determined Type political personal When to use this quote - Campaign speeches - policy discussions - leadership training Key Concepts Civic duty military ethos Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal convictions with party platforms? - Can independence truly remain neutral in polarized environments? A Different Perspective May overlook nuanced policy differences between parties ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Growing up, I dreamt of being economically independent because I always believed women should be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-murty/growing-up-i-dreamt-of-being-economically-independent-because-i/) [Sudha Murty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-murty/) > [I am a Democrat. But I am an independent Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ford-jr/i-am-a-democrat-but-i-am-an-independent-democrat/) [Harold Ford, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ford-jr/) > [I was not a Democrat; I was an independent. Here's the thing: You can't win that way. But I didn't know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyrsten-sinema/i-was-not-a-democrat-i-was-an-independent-here-s-the-thing-you-can-t/) [Kyrsten Sinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyrsten-sinema/) > [I'm not a Democrat, I'm an Independent, but I caucus with the Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-m-not-a-democrat-i-m-an-independent-but-i-caucus-with-the-democrats/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an independent - a small 'I' - Democrat, meaning that I'm a Mississippian first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-independent-a-small-i-democrat/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I was raised a Democrat, and now I'm an Independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-raised-a-democrat-and-now-i-m-an-independent/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [It's the No.1 issue with people I talk to, whether Republican, Democrat or independent. They want to see the way business is done in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-busby/it-s-the-no-1-issue-with-people-i-talk-to-whether-republican-democrat/) [Francine Busby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-busby/) > [Not a Republican, he's not a Democrat, he's not an independent. Trump is Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/not-a-republican-he-s-not-a-democrat-he-s-not-an-independent-trump-is/) [Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/) > [My mom taught me the power of love. I learned to focus on the long-term big picture from my father. 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I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) ## More by Amy McGrath > [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [The selflessness and service of the veterans I have met and served with are the living embodiment of what America and American values mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/the-selflessness-and-service-of-the-veterans-i-have-met-and-served/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I will give everyday Kentuckians a voice in Washington - not just special interests or the wealthiest 1%.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-will-give-everyday-kentuckians-a-voice-in-washington-not-just/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We'd never be talking about Senator McGrath saying anything about state and local governments should be going bankrupt. I'd never even think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-d-never-be-talking-about-senator-mcgrath-saying-anything-about/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We deserve better than a win-at-all-costs mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-deserve-better-than-a-win-at-all-costs-mentality/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I'm not going to apologize for serving my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-m-not-going-to-apologize-for-serving-my-country/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [If we were to build a health care system from scratch, single-payer would be the way to go. But we have a very complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/if-we-were-to-build-a-health-care-system-from-scratch-single-payer/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I'm not somebody who seeks attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-m-not-somebody-who-seeks-attention/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Folks don't always win the first time they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/folks-don-t-always-win-the-first-time-they-run/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I left home at 18, but I still voted in Kentucky. Every holiday, I came home to Kentucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-left-home-at-18-but-i-still-voted-in-kentucky-every-holiday-i-came/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [With regard to the more moderates, I have spent 20 years as a United States Marine. I'm a little more realistic when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/with-regard-to-the-more-moderates-i-have-spent-20-years-as-a-united/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Senator McConnell has always won in the past because he's had a bigger blow horn. He's always had tens of millions of dollars more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/senator-mcconnell-has-always-won-in-the-past-because-he-s-had-a/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We need a new generation of leaders who can put their country over their political party to do what's right for Kentucky and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-need-a-new-generation-of-leaders-who-can-put-their-country-over/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Part of that problem is women don't run. We don't run for office. It's not that people are overwhelmingly voting against us. We just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/part-of-that-problem-is-women-don-t-run-we-don-t-run-for-office-it-s/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) [Explore all 100 Amy McGrath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was an Independent I believed the same things I believe now as a Democrat. I was an Independent because I was a military officer. 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