--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So we have a choice to make. We can once…" description: "\"So we have a choice to make. We can once again let Washington's bad habits stand in the way of progress. Or we can pull together and say that in Americ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/barack-obama-17_america_so-we-have-a-choice-to-make-we-can-once_2378787.jpg" --- # So we have a choice to make. We can once again let… ![“So we have a choice to make. We can once again let Washington's bad habits stand in the way of progress. Or we can pull together and say that in America, our destiny isn't written for us but by us. We can place good ideas ahead of old ideological battles, and a sense of purpose above the same…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/barack-obama-17_america_so-we-have-a-choice-to-make-we-can-once_2378787.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/barack-obama-17_america_so-we-have-a-choice-to-make-we-can-once_2378787.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/barack-obama-17_america_so-we-have-a-choice-to-make-we-can-once_2378787.jpg) > “So we have a choice to make. We can once again let Washington's bad habits stand in the way of progress. Or we can pull together and say that in America, our destiny isn't written for us but by us. We can place good ideas ahead of old ideological battles, and a sense of purpose above the same narrow partisanship. We can act boldly to turn crisis into opportunity and, together, write the next great chapter in our history and meet the test of our time.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Citizens must reject entrenched partisan habits, choose collective purpose, and transform crises into opportunities for progress and shared destiny. **In simple terms:** Choose cooperation over partisanship to shape the future. Key Takeaway Prioritize unity and bold action. Themes politics unity purpose progress leadership Mood hopeful determined inspirational Type political motivational When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - community organizing - national emergencies Key Concepts civic responsibility collective action crisis management national identity Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals foster bipartisan cooperation? - What steps turn crisis into opportunity? A Different Perspective Overcoming deep-rooted ideological divisions can be slow and contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Bad habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habit/) [Bad habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habits/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Our destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-destiny/) [Partisanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisanship/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Sound, sound the trump of Fame! Let Washington's great name Ring through the world with loud applause; Let every clime to Freedom dear Listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hopkinson/sound-sound-the-trump-of-fame-let-washington-s-great-name-ring/) Joseph Hopkinson > [“If you are going to have ideas ahead of the times, you will have to get used to living with the fact that most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lloyd/if-you-are-going-to-have-ideas-ahead-of-the-times-you-will-have-to/) Bruce Lloyd > [Think about how many great works of art or game-changing ideas were ahead of their time - their creator's talent underappreciated until many years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-bryan/think-about-how-many-great-works-of-art-or-game-changing-ideas-were/) [Ashley Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-bryan/) > [If the cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. Because the goal of America is freedom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/if-the-cruelties-of-slavery-could-not-stop-us-the-opposition-we-now/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [I think - particularly in terms of the destiny of Africans in North America - our destiny has also been shaped indelibly by global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/i-think-particularly-in-terms-of-the-destiny-of-africans-in-north/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [“The peculiar theology that America's destiny is tied to that of Israel is damaging & self-destructive & lacks credibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hekataios-amerikos/the-peculiar-theology-that-america-s-destiny-is-tied-to-that-of/) Hekataios Amerikos > [I know CNN has taken some knocks lately but the fact is, I admire their commitment to covering all sides of the story, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-cnn-has-taken-some-knocks-lately-but-the-fact-is-i-admire/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In the campaign back in 2007, 2008, people would say, "Oh, he's being naïve. He thinks that there's no red states and blue states.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-the-campaign-back-in-2007-2008-people-would-say-oh-he-s-being-na/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I have been in Washington for a while now, and most things don't surprise me. The fact that twenty 6-year-olds were gunned down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-been-in-washington-for-a-while-now-and-most-things-don-t/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Mainly, though, the Democratic Party has become the party of reaction. In reaction to a war that is ill conceived, we appear suspicious of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/mainly-though-the-democratic-party-has-become-the-party-of-reaction/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I don't believe that the American people want us to focus on our job security. 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And I know we will succeed, if we put aside partisanship and politics and work together as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-is-a-strong-and-resilient-country-and-i-know-we-will-succeed/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The ability of Republican leaders to rile up their base - helped along by folks like Rush Limbaugh, some commentators on Fox News -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-ability-of-republican-leaders-to-rile-up-their-base-helped-along/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-faction-of-one-party-in-one-house-of-congress-in-one-branch-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Let's face it, Fox News, you'll miss me when I'm gone. It'll be harder to convince the public that Hillary Clinton was born in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/let-s-face-it-fox-news-you-ll-miss-me-when-i-m-gone-it-ll-be-harder/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Barack Obama > [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/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. 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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? 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