--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do…" description: "\"John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America. This Democratic Party asks what can government give you. Don't worry about paying the bill, it's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/artur-davis-20021_america_john-f-kennedy-asked-us-what-we-could-do_2094539.jpg" --- # John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America… ![“John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America. This Democratic Party asks what can government give you. Don't worry about paying the bill, it's on your kids and grandkids.” quote by Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/artur-davis-20021_america_john-f-kennedy-asked-us-what-we-could-do_2094539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/artur-davis-20021_america_john-f-kennedy-asked-us-what-we-could-do_2094539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/artur-davis-20021_america_john-f-kennedy-asked-us-what-we-could-do_2094539.jpg) > “John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America. This Democratic Party asks what can government give you. Don't worry about paying the bill, it's on your kids and grandkids.” [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker critiques government reliance on future generations for current expenses, urging personal responsibility. **In simple terms:** Don’t burden future generations with today’s costs. Key Takeaway Demand accountability now. Themes politics economics intergenerational equity responsibility policy Mood critical urgent thought‑provoking Type political economic ethical When to use this quote - budget planning - voting decisions - advocating policy change - educating youth on debt Key Concepts fiscal sustainability social justice government accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance present needs with future sustainability? - What policies ensure fair intergenerational sharing? A Different Perspective Political rhetoric may oversimplify complex economic realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Democratic party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-party/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Grandkids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandkids/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [“On a visit to the space program, President Kennedy asked me about the satellite. I told him that it would be more important than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newton-n-minnow/on-a-visit-to-the-space-program-president-kennedy-asked-me-about-the/) Newton N. Minnow > [Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by President Kennedy's statement that sometimes party asks too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/whatever-my-party-affiliation-i-will-continue-to-be-guided-by/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [I say to first time filmmakers that when they're asked, they should go to America as you're far more likely to get a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/i-say-to-first-time-filmmakers-that-when-they-re-asked-they-should-go/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [Do you think that I like to have to fight the leaders in my own party over this or that? Of course not. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/do-you-think-that-i-like-to-have-to-fight-the-leaders-in-my-own-party/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [Reconciliation is not possible when one party asks the other to obliterate all signs of their relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/reconciliation-is-not-possible-when-one-party-asks-the-other-to/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [I was in Boots buying contact lens solution, and my mobile went off. It was Jay-Z's partner at Roc Nation asking me what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/i-was-in-boots-buying-contact-lens-solution-and-my-mobile-went-off-it/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [Above all, Vietnam was a war that asked everything of a few and nothing of most in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myra-macpherson/above-all-vietnam-was-a-war-that-asked-everything-of-a-few-and/) Myra MacPherson > [I think more so than the Republican Party, we reflect America on the Democratic side of the aisle, and that's a healthy thing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ross/i-think-more-so-than-the-republican-party-we-reflect-america-on-the/) [Mike Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ross/) > [I think when we show voters in every ZIP code across America that the Democratic Party is fighting for them - I mean, Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/i-think-when-we-show-voters-in-every-zip-code-across-america-that-the/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [We always make the mistake in the United States of America in Democratic or Republican administrations alike is we tend to embrace the despot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-weiner/we-always-make-the-mistake-in-the-united-states-of-america-in/) [Anthony Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-weiner/) > [The time has arrived in America for the Democratic Party to get out of the shadows of states rights and walk forthrightly into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/the-time-has-arrived-in-america-for-the-democratic-party-to-get-out/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [I'm much more concerned about America than the Democratic Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/i-m-much-more-concerned-about-america-than-the-democratic-party/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [No matter which party is in the White House, doubt in America's democratic institutions rattles our nation to its core. This should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-murphy/no-matter-which-party-is-in-the-white-house-doubt-in-america-s/) [Patrick Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-murphy/) > [I'm a Southerner. We dream of having the family and the kids, and the parents want grandkids, that's all they care about, give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-bass/i-m-a-southerner-we-dream-of-having-the-family-and-the-kids-and-the/) [Lance Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-bass/) > [And one day our grandkids will ask us, 'What was it like to be a minority?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-haubegger/and-one-day-our-grandkids-will-ask-us-what-was-it-like-to-be-a/) Christy Haubegger ## More by Artur Davis > [Sometimes running for Congress is a four-year strategy in terms of getting out there and building a network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/sometimes-running-for-congress-is-a-four-year-strategy-in-terms-of/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [We don't need flowery words about inequality to tell us that, and we don't need a party that has led while poverty and hunger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/we-don-t-need-flowery-words-about-inequality-to-tell-us-that-and-we/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [You talk about the values that you have whether they're in favor or not in favor. That's how you lead. The reality is, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/you-talk-about-the-values-that-you-have-whether-they-re-in-favor-or/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [And in terms of their crown jewel legislative achievement: who knew that when asked, 'will government impose a new federal mandate requiring middle class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/and-in-terms-of-their-crown-jewel-legislative-achievement-who-knew/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [The Democrats' ads convince me that Governor Romney can't sing, but his record convinces me he knows how to lead, and I think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/the-democrats-ads-convince-me-that-governor-romney-can-t-sing-but-his/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [Sometimes in this country, we don't focus a lot on people's experience and their resume. Mitt Romney would be the most experienced executive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/sometimes-in-this-country-we-don-t-focus-a-lot-on-people-s-experience/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [Maybe we should have known that night in Denver that things that begin with plywood Greek columns and artificial smoke typically don't end well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/maybe-we-should-have-known-that-night-in-denver-that-things-that/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [Mitt Romney, happens to have the exact skill set that the next president's going to require.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/mitt-romney-happens-to-have-the-exact-skill-set-that-the-next/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [The Democratic Party has gotten narrower and it's gotten smaller and it's fundamentally wrong on all the key questions involving the economic future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/the-democratic-party-has-gotten-narrower-and-it-s-gotten-smaller-and/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [And of course, we know that opportunity lies outside the reach of some of our people. We don't need flowery words about inequality to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/and-of-course-we-know-that-opportunity-lies-outside-the-reach-of-some/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [Ask yourself if these Democrats still speak for you. When they say we have a duty to grow government even when we can't afford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/ask-yourself-if-these-democrats-still-speak-for-you-when-they-say-we/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [As I prepare for this next phase in my life, I ask that people continue to offer the prayers that have protected me thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/as-i-prepare-for-this-next-phase-in-my-life-i-ask-that-people/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [This sweet, blessed, God-inspired place called America is a champion that has absorbed some blows. But while we bend, we don't break. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/this-sweet-blessed-god-inspired-place-called-america-is-a-champion/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [This is just not the Democratic Party we used to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/this-is-just-not-the-democratic-party-we-used-to-know/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [I think the most overused words in our vocabulary in the South are black and white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/i-think-the-most-overused-words-in-our-vocabulary-in-the-south-are/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) [Explore all 31 Artur Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America. This Democratic Party asks what can government give you. 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