Alive Quote by Barack Obama
“I don't believe that the American people want us to focus on our job security. They want us to focus on their job security. I don't think they want more gridlock. I don't think they want more partisanship. I don't think they want more obstruction. They didn't send us to Washington to fight each other in some sort of political steel-cage match to see who comes out alive. That's not what they want. They sent us to Washington to work together, to get things done, and to solve the problems that they're grappling with every single day.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Remarks on Governance, Washington D.C., 2013
Obama argues that citizens expect cooperation, not partisan conflict, and that elected officials should prioritize solving real problems together.
In simple terms: People want cooperation, not gridlock.
Key Takeaway
Focus on collaboration and problem solving.
Themes
cooperation
public service
political responsibility
Mood
hopeful
determined
concerned
Type
political
inspirational
reflective
When to use this quote
- Congressional work
- policy making
- community outreach
- legislative negotiations
Key Concepts
bipartisanship
governance
public trust
Questions to Reflect On
- How can legislators build genuine bipartisan relationships?
- What structures encourage cooperation over competition?
A Different Perspective
Partisan pressures and electoral incentives can still drive division.
![“So people have to decide. Do they want to have the security? Do they want to continue to plug the gap [in border security] that GAO has identified and recognize that there will be some costs to doing that? Or do we want to make sure that business isn't hampered and that people can move back and…” quote by Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3a9/michael-chertoff-17447_back-and-forth_so-people-have-to-decide-do-they-want-to_2157303.jpg)
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
