--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Big money is ruining the political system." description: "\"Big money is ruining the political system.\" — Arlen Specter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/arlen-specter-4360_big_big-money-is-ruining-the-political-syste_1075254.png" --- # Big money is ruining the political system. ![“Big money is ruining the political system.” quote by Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/arlen-specter-4360_big_big-money-is-ruining-the-political-syste_1075254.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/arlen-specter-4360_big_big-money-is-ruining-the-political-syste_1075254.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/arlen-specter-4360_big_big-money-is-ruining-the-political-syste_1075254.png) > “Big money is ruining the political system.” [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes large campaign funds corrupt political processes. **In simple terms:** Big money harms politics. Key Takeaway Advocate for campaign finance reform. Themes politics money corruption democracy reform Mood concerned urgent Type political analytical When to use this quote - voting - legislation - activism - public discourse Key Concepts campaign finance public trust policy influence Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives to money-driven politics exist? - How can citizens reduce money's impact? A Different Perspective Reform alone may not address systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Big Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-money/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Ruining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-ruining-2699141/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-system/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Ruining Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruining-political-2699140/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [Similar to how 'Abolish ICE' rang the bell on this huge crisis on immigration, unifying around not taking corporate-PAC money gets everybody to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/similar-to-how-abolish-ice-rang-the-bell-on-this-huge-crisis-on/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [Money is the root cause of why our political system is broken and why Americans are so frustrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conner-eldridge/money-is-the-root-cause-of-why-our-political-system-is-broken-and-why/) [Conner Eldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conner-eldridge/) > [The failure of the White House and Congress to seriously address the nation's fiscal situation is certain to broaden the belief among many voters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/the-failure-of-the-white-house-and-congress-to-seriously-address-the/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [When we tolerate violations to the Constitution, the entire moral foundation of our political system is shaken to its core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxime-bernier/when-we-tolerate-violations-to-the-constitution-the-entire-moral/) [Maxime Bernier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxime-bernier/) > [The American political system is based on the president taking the initiative and Congress responding. With President Trump, it's been the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/the-american-political-system-is-based-on-the-president-taking-the/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [We can have a political system that works for the people and allows for the economy to thrive. It doesn't have to be either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/we-can-have-a-political-system-that-works-for-the-people-and-allows/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [We need to reform the political system, or we'll lose the democracy. I don't think it's that hard. It doesn't take rocket science. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/we-need-to-reform-the-political-system-or-we-ll-lose-the-democracy-i/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I think the system is broken; most people think that it's broken. And we think that what we're going to do is invigorate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-jordan/i-think-the-system-is-broken-most-people-think-that-it-s-broken-and/) [Hamilton Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-jordan/) > [Whether it's threats to Medicare, cuts in education spending, or Internet privacy, the ramifications got young people out to vote and should be enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-murphy/whether-it-s-threats-to-medicare-cuts-in-education-spending-or/) [Patrick Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-murphy/) > [The entire political system is contrary to everything a feminine heart stands for. It lacks inclusion. It lacks tenderness toward children. It lacks honor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-entire-political-system-is-contrary-to-everything-a-feminine/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [As a nation, we are not good at long-term planning, and no wonder: Our political system insists that every president be allowed to appoint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/as-a-nation-we-are-not-good-at-long-term-planning-and-no-wonder-our/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [The American political system is so porous, it's so open, it's so frustrating for those who are trying to make policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mandelbaum/the-american-political-system-is-so-porous-it-s-so-open-it-s-so/) [Michael Mandelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mandelbaum/) > [What are the moral implications? What do these people do when they have tremendous amounts of money? They use that money to perpetuate their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-are-the-moral-implications-what-do-these-people-do-when-they/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“I told you once before that there were two times for making big money, one in the up-building of a country and the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-told-you-once-before-that-there-were-two-times-for-making-big-money/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [After spending many years in Wall Street and after making and losing millions of dollars I want to tell you this: It never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lauriston-livermore/after-spending-many-years-in-wall-street-and-after-making-and-losing/) [Jesse Lauriston Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lauriston-livermore/) ## More by Arlen Specter > [I've made a career of being precise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/i-ve-made-a-career-of-being-precise/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [People in government and public life are being kicked around at a high rate of speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/people-in-government-and-public-life-are-being-kicked-around-at-a/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [Voting is fundamental in our democracy. It has yielded enormous returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/voting-is-fundamental-in-our-democracy-it-has-yielded-enormous-returns/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [Do you believe today that the right to privacy does exist in the Constitution?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/do-you-believe-today-that-the-right-to-privacy-does-exist-in-the/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [The solicitor general is sometimes referred to as the 10th Supreme Court justice - a pretty important position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/the-solicitor-general-is-sometimes-referred-to-as-the-10th-supreme/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [I think it's scandalous that we haven't done more to cure cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/i-think-it-s-scandalous-that-we-haven-t-done-more-to-cure-cancer/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [If you are going to have to play defense all the time, you cannot have the kind of ingenuity, assertiveness, independence, and intelligence which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/if-you-are-going-to-have-to-play-defense-all-the-time-you-cannot-have/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [No senator's vote, except for the declaration of war or the authorization for the use of force, is more important than the confirmation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/no-senator-s-vote-except-for-the-declaration-of-war-or-the/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [When the president acts in absence of a congressional grant of authority, he can rely only upon his own independent powers. When the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/when-the-president-acts-in-absence-of-a-congressional-grant-of/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [I'd make - before I'd elect somebody - I'd make him do town meetings and face the people and then I would insist that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/i-d-make-before-i-d-elect-somebody-i-d-make-him-do-town-meetings-and/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [As the Republican Party has moved farther and farther to the right, I have found myself increasingly at odds with the Republican philosophy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/as-the-republican-party-has-moved-farther-and-farther-to-the-right-i/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [I am very much opposed to abortion personally. But I don't think it is the government's rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/i-am-very-much-opposed-to-abortion-personally-but-i-don-t-think-it-is/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [As I think through the issue of funding the rebuilding of Iraq, I think about the analogy of a bankruptcy proceeding. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/as-i-think-through-the-issue-of-funding-the-rebuilding-of-iraq-i/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [My definition of winning at squash is playing and surviving, and I've never lost a match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/my-definition-of-winning-at-squash-is-playing-and-surviving-and-i-ve/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [When I supported the stimulus package, I knew that it would not be popular with the Republican Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/when-i-supported-the-stimulus-package-i-knew-that-it-would-not-be/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) [Explore all 112 Arlen Specter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) [Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Big money is ruining the political system.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arlen Specter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/big-money-is-ruining-the-political-system/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/big-money-is-ruining-the-political-system/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/arlen-specter-4360_big_big-money-is-ruining-the-political-syste_1075254.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/arlen-specter-4360_big_big-money-is-ruining-the-political-syste_1075254.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/arlen-specter-4360_big_big-money-is-ruining-the-political-syste_1075254.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Big money is ruining the political system.” — Arlen Specter", "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": "Arlen Specter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Big money is ruining the political...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/big-money-is-ruining-the-political-system/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/big-money-is-ruining-the-political-system/#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 } } ] } ```