Branches Quote by Barack Obama
“One faction of one party, in one house of Congress, in one branch of government, doesn't get to shut down the entire government just to refight the results of an election.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: State of the Union, 2013
Dividing government into partisan factions risks paralyzing the whole system over narrow disputes.
In simple terms: Partisan bickering can halt government.
Key Takeaway
Seek bipartisan cooperation.
Themes
politics
governance
partisanship
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
political
pragmatic
When to use this quote
- legislative sessions
- budget negotiations
- policy making
Key Concepts
institutional design
checks and balances
Questions to Reflect On
- How can citizens encourage cross‑party dialogue?
- What mechanisms can prevent shutdowns?
A Different Perspective
Compromise may dilute policy goals.
![“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)
![“It's good to get fresh legs in [the White house]. I think that it refreshes our democracy.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/732/barack-obama-17_democracy_it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white_17233.jpg)
![“[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch of the same government.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/401/thomas-jefferson-43_branches_states-and-the-federal-government-are-co_2619.jpg)
![“[The judiciary is] the least dangerous branch of our government.” quote by Alexander Bickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a72/alexander-bickel-99732_branches_the-judiciary-is-the-least-dangerous-bra_31760.jpg)
![“For some unknown reason, this [antiabortion] branch of Christianity cherishes the unborn and hates the living person.” quote by Vine Deloria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/beb/vine-deloria-jr-23632_branches_for-some-unknown-reason-this-antiabortio_32756.jpg)
![“[W]ar is a question, under our constitution, not of Executive, but of Legislative cognizance. It belongs to Congress to say whether the Nation shall of choice dismiss the olive branch and unfurl the banners of War.” quote by Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bd8/alexander-hamilton-619_banner_w-ar-is-a-question-under-our-constitutio_33383.jpg)
