--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think actually the American people are…" description: "\"I think actually the American people are pretty realistic. In polls they ask what do you think of the president's policies. Is he on the right track? T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/austan-goolsbee-9855_american-people_i-think-actually-the-american-people-are_2428594.jpg" --- # I think actually the American people are pretty realistic… ![“I think actually the American people are pretty realistic. In polls they ask what do you think of the president's policies. Is he on the right track? They say yes. They ask them how long will it take for the economy to recover. And people are saying two years.” quote by Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/austan-goolsbee-9855_american-people_i-think-actually-the-american-people-are_2428594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/austan-goolsbee-9855_american-people_i-think-actually-the-american-people-are_2428594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/austan-goolsbee-9855_american-people_i-think-actually-the-american-people-are_2428594.jpg) > “I think actually the American people are pretty realistic. In polls they ask what do you think of the president's policies. Is he on the right track? They say yes. They ask them how long will it take for the economy to recover. And people are saying two years.” [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often express optimistic views about political and economic conditions when surveyed, reflecting a tendency toward optimism or self‑serving bias. **In simple terms:** People are optimistic about politics and economy. Key Takeaway Recognize optimism may mask underlying issues. Themes optimism public opinion politics economy bias Mood cautious analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - election cycles - policy debates - economic forecasts - media analysis Key Concepts cognitive bias survey response public sentiment Questions to Reflect On - How does optimism affect policy support? - What data could reveal a fuller picture? A Different Perspective Optimism can overlook structural problems and lead to complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Right track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-track/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Seventy-five percent of the American people think our country is on the wrong track. Every poll says it. We are going to fix it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/seventy-five-percent-of-the-american-people-think-our-country-is-on/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't lay back and wait for somebody else to do it. And I think if the president's made a mistake here, it's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/you-can-t-lay-back-and-wait-for-somebody-else-to-do-it-and-i-think-if/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [Look, I think this president has said very clear that he cares about the cost of rising healthcare in this country. And if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/look-i-think-this-president-has-said-very-clear-that-he-cares-about/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [ I think the president \[Barack Obama\] adopted some of that same language, but took it into the White House. And I think, like, there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/i-think-the-president-barack-obama-adopted-some-of-that-same-language/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [I think that if the president Trump would have fired Comey when he first came in, he would not have to be in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/i-think-that-if-the-president-trump-would-have-fired-comey-when-he/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [There's a question of building trust, and I think that President Barack Obama offers trust. Personally, I think he is a transparent individual with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-correa/there-s-a-question-of-building-trust-and-i-think-that-president/) [Rafael Correa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-correa/) > [I think this president has so badly abused his power, breached his trust in remarkable ways with our Congress, with the American people, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-anderson/i-think-this-president-has-so-badly-abused-his-power-breached-his/) [Rocky Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-anderson/) > [After years of failure, I do think that President Trump has shown a lot of wisdom in reaching out his hand to the North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/after-years-of-failure-i-do-think-that-president-trump-has-shown-a/) [Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/) > [I think president after president has always stood behind Israel. We always will. They're our ally there. And we have to do whatever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dutch-ruppersberger/i-think-president-after-president-has-always-stood-behind-israel-we/) [Dutch Ruppersberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dutch-ruppersberger/) > [I think President Obama is going to be a one-term president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-think-president-obama-is-going-to-be-a-one-term-president/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [Now personally, I think the president should golf every day and never have a press conference. I want the leader of the free world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/now-personally-i-think-the-president-should-golf-every-day-and-never/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [I think President Obama is the most radical president this nation's ever seen. And in particular, I think he is a true believer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-think-president-obama-is-the-most-radical-president-this-nation-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I think the president's comfortable with a certain level of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-lapierre/i-think-the-president-s-comfortable-with-a-certain-level-of-violence/) [Wayne LaPierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-lapierre/) > [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [I don't want my title to define my character. I don't think, as a president, I will change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weah/i-don-t-want-my-title-to-define-my-character-i-don-t-think-as-a/) [George Weah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weah/) ## More by Austan Goolsbee > [It's clear that the medium and long-run fiscal challenges facing the country have to do with the rise of entitlement spending, they have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/it-s-clear-that-the-medium-and-long-run-fiscal-challenges-facing-the/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [The president is 100 percent for extending the tax cuts for 98.7 percent of small businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/the-president-is-100-percent-for-extending-the-tax-cuts-for-98-7/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [There's a certain kind of academic that comes to Washington and can't survive. They're the ones starting each sentence with 'The economic model says.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/there-s-a-certain-kind-of-academic-that-comes-to-washington-and-can-t/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [Only Barack Obama consistently opposed NAFTA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/only-barack-obama-consistently-opposed-nafta/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [The U.S. fiscal union has worked, in no small part, by enabling subsidies to the Mississippis without requiring the approval of the Minnesotas. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/the-u-s-fiscal-union-has-worked-in-no-small-part-by-enabling/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [If a lobbyist sets up shop, or a lawyer, in which they're receiving income through what is something like a tax loophole so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/if-a-lobbyist-sets-up-shop-or-a-lawyer-in-which-they-re-receiving/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [When I was at MIT, they had a beta test of Mosaic, the first popular browser. I remember looking at it, and there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/when-i-was-at-mit-they-had-a-beta-test-of-mosaic-the-first-popular/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [I believe - I'm not a political expert, but I believe there is a broad consensus, a middle ground if you will, that Democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/i-believe-i-m-not-a-political-expert-but-i-believe-there-is-a-broad/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [The data does not support that high-income tax cuts are the main drivers of growth, so I don't think that uncertainty over what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/the-data-does-not-support-that-high-income-tax-cuts-are-the-main/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [The share of income that small business people are paying in taxes is the lowest it has been in 65 years - since Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/the-share-of-income-that-small-business-people-are-paying-in-taxes-is/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [Trade has helped the economy grow. Simultaneously, a sizable number of Americans haven't shared in that bounty, and if we don't pay attention to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/trade-has-helped-the-economy-grow-simultaneously-a-sizable-number-of/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [We have to do everything we can to try to create jobs and get people back to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/we-have-to-do-everything-we-can-to-try-to-create-jobs-and-get-people/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [A lot more people are willing to invest in bonds denominated in euros. And there was the fiscal discipline argument, which is that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/a-lot-more-people-are-willing-to-invest-in-bonds-denominated-in-euros/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [All I'll say is if you look at countries where it is - where they are rapidly growing, they're investing in their infrastructure. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/all-i-ll-say-is-if-you-look-at-countries-where-it-is-where-they-are/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [If you're going to be an academic who's involved in the world of policy, you have to be involved in the world that exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/if-you-re-going-to-be-an-academic-who-s-involved-in-the-world-of/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) [Explore all 69 Austan Goolsbee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) ## More American people quotes > [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/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [If a financial institution has business operations in the United States, hires people in the United States, if they are clogged with illiquid assets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/if-a-financial-institution-has-business-operations-in-the-united/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [The American people reject the idea of giving Washington a blank check to increase the debt limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-roby/the-american-people-reject-the-idea-of-giving-washington-a-blank/) [Martha Roby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-roby/) > [The coronavirus has yet again exposed the strong contrast between President Trump - who is working ardently for the American people - and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/the-coronavirus-has-yet-again-exposed-the-strong-contrast-between/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [The American people demand results, not rhetoric, especially when it comes to national security issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-hayworth/the-american-people-demand-results-not-rhetoric-especially-when-it/) [J. D. Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-hayworth/) > [Hillary Clinton truly is sincere, but she has to connect more with the American people in terms of what she believes in and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-truly-is-sincere-but-she-has-to-connect-more-with-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Browse all 2,233 American people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think actually the American people are pretty realistic. 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