---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The political system, folks, is rigged…"
description: "\"The political system, folks, is rigged. It's a rigged, disgusting, dirty system.\" — Brian Stelter"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/brian-stelter-4517_dirty_the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it_288381.jpg"
---

#  The political system, folks, is rigged. It's a rigged…

![“The political system, folks, is rigged. It's a rigged, disgusting, dirty system.” quote by Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/brian-stelter-4517_dirty_the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it_288381.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/brian-stelter-4517_dirty_the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it_288381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/brian-stelter-4517_dirty_the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it_288381.jpg)

> “The political system, folks, is rigged. It's a rigged, disgusting, dirty system.”

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The system is unfair and corrupt, causing frustration and distrust.

**In simple terms:** The system is unfair.

Key Takeaway

Recognize bias and demand reform.

Themes

politics corruption trust media power

Mood

frustrated angry

Type

critical political

When to use this quote

- voting
- activism
- journalism
- policy advocacy

Key Concepts

systemic bias public accountability

Questions to Reflect On

- How can citizens effectively challenge entrenched power?
- What reforms would most improve fairness?

A Different Perspective

Change is slow and resistance is strong.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-system/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/)

## Related quotes

> [“Today the game is rigged—rigged to work for those who have money and power. Big corporations hire armies of lobbyists to get billion-dollar loopholes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/today-the-game-is-rigged-rigged-to-work-for-those-who-have-money-and/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [Face it, the system is rigged, and it's rigged against us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-alterman/face-it-the-system-is-rigged-and-it-s-rigged-against-us/)

[Eric Alterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-alterman/)

> [“There's a way you political folks have of coming round and round a plain right thing; and you don't believe in it yourselves when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/there-s-a-way-you-political-folks-have-of-coming-round-and-round-a-2/)

[Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/)

> [“There's a way you political folks have of coming round and round a plain right thing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/there-s-a-way-you-political-folks-have-of-coming-round-and-round-a/)

[Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/)

> [To break the power of the big corporations, we would propose that the biggest 500 corporations that dominate the rigged economy and political system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshama-sawant/to-break-the-power-of-the-big-corporations-we-would-propose-that-the/)

[Kshama Sawant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshama-sawant/)

> [ “I personally never expected anything of Obama, and wrote about it before the 2008 primaries. I thought it was smoke and mirrors \[...\] I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-personally-never-expected-anything-of-obama-and-wrote-about-it/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Donald Trump has been planting seeds for over a year, warning supporters not to trust the government, the polls or the media, because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/donald-trump-has-been-planting-seeds-for-over-a-year-warning/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Orchids manufacture their intricate devices from the common components of ordinary flowers, parts usually fitted for very different functions. If God had designed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/orchids-manufacture-their-intricate-devices-from-the-common/)

[Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/)

> [“Live life as though everything is rigged in your favor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/live-life-as-though-everything-is-rigged-in-your-favor/)

[Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/)

> [“It’s rigged — everything, in your favor. So there is nothing to worry about. Is there some position you want, some office, some acclaim,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/it-s-rigged-everything-in-your-favor-so-there-is-nothing-to-worry/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [The economic freedom that made the U.S. economy the leader of the world has given way toa rigged, controlled, and regulated economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bonner/the-economic-freedom-that-made-the-u-s-economy-the-leader-of-the/)

[Bill Bonner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bonner/)

> [The politics of grievance is pervasive. It's spreading. And when you have an economy that has been ripped to shreds like this, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-politics-of-grievance-is-pervasive-it-s-spreading-and-when-you/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [“Interacting with a corrupt government judge is futile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/interacting-with-a-corrupt-government-judge-is-futile/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [First of all, principles should be general. That is, it must be possible to formulate them without use of what would be intuitively recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/first-of-all-principles-should-be-general-that-is-it-must-be-possible/)

[John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/)

> [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

## More by Brian Stelter

> [Donald Trump has been planting seeds for over a year, warning supporters not to trust the government, the polls or the media, because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/donald-trump-has-been-planting-seeds-for-over-a-year-warning/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [For a broad, star-powered picture like 'The Interview,' a big-tent release in 2,000 to 3,000 theaters is the top choice for a movie studio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/for-a-broad-star-powered-picture-like-the-interview-a-big-tent/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Interviewers, even the ones that support the person they're interviewing, have an obligation to probe further and push back when a candidate says something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/interviewers-even-the-ones-that-support-the-person-they-re/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [These communities that are losing local news coverage are losing something deeper. They're losing a connection to American democracy. And those connections must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/these-communities-that-are-losing-local-news-coverage-are-losing/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Some journalists are schmucks, in it for themselves, willing to cut corners. But in my experience the vast majority of journalists are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/some-journalists-are-schmucks-in-it-for-themselves-willing-to-cut/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [News outlets use words like erratic, volatile, unstable but rarely are Trump's words and actions covered as a whole and rarely do news outlets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/news-outlets-use-words-like-erratic-volatile-unstable-but-rarely-are/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [It's not as if Trump is addicted to the best-researched, most in-depth, meticulously sourced material in the world. If he were, we'd all be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/it-s-not-as-if-trump-is-addicted-to-the-best-researched-most-in-depth/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Many Republicans knew that Trump's anti-media attacks were damaging, and they cringed when his White House was consumed by his own narcissism. They knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/many-republicans-knew-that-trump-s-anti-media-attacks-were-damaging/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [The leaders of Fox News will never say this out loud, but they believe that their media empire is bigger than President Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/the-leaders-of-fox-news-will-never-say-this-out-loud-but-they-believe/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Trump's war on the nation's news media, his war on truth, his war on reality ultimately caused him to become the first U.S. president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/trump-s-war-on-the-nation-s-news-media-his-war-on-truth-his-war-on/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [I keep hearing from readers who say 'Hoax' helps them understand their own family a little bit better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/i-keep-hearing-from-readers-who-say-hoax-helps-them-understand-their/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Trump might think that Fox needs his star power, and on the margins it's true that Trump appearances and interviews are right-wing ratings boosters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/trump-might-think-that-fox-needs-his-star-power-and-on-the-margins-it/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Rarely, if ever, has a cable news channel employed a host who has previously campaigned for the business goals of the channel's parent company.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/rarely-if-ever-has-a-cable-news-channel-employed-a-host-who-has/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Trump has broken the news system because he has found ways to go out there, get attention, say a lot of things that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/trump-has-broken-the-news-system-because-he-has-found-ways-to-go-out/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [There are so many families that are divided by Fox and Trump. I think a lot of people have been surprised by just how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/there-are-so-many-families-that-are-divided-by-fox-and-trump-i-think/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

[Explore all 110 Brian Stelter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

## More Dirty quotes

> [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/)

Deon Taylor

> [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. People who have got dirty through too much civilization take a walk in the woods, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/whenever-we-touch-nature-we-get-clean-people-who-have-got-dirty/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

> [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/)

[Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/)

> [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Dont ever wrestle with a pig u'll both get dirty but the pig will enj0y it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udechukwu-d0navan/dont-ever-wrestle-with-a-pig-u-ll-both-get-dirty-but-the-pig-will/)

Udechukwu D0navan

> [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/)

[Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/)

> [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/)

[W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/)

> [Staring at the blank page before you, Open up the dirty window, Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-bedingfield/staring-at-the-blank-page-before-you-open-up-the-dirty-window-let-the/)

[Natasha Bedingfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-bedingfield/)

> [I'm supportive of women, absolutely, and it's so gratifying to have girls come up and say, 'I'm really inspired by your guitar playing.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-vincent/i-m-supportive-of-women-absolutely-and-it-s-so-gratifying-to-have/)

[St. Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-vincent/)

> [“She's not the enemy. She's just a dirty fighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/she-s-not-the-enemy-she-s-just-a-dirty-fighter/)

[Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/)

> [Mr. Bumpy from Bump in the Night was this funky little guy who lived under the bed and thought eating dust bunnies was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/mr-bumpy-from-bump-in-the-night-was-this-funky-little-guy-who-lived/)

[Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/)

> [My hair is naturally blond and thin, so I like to give it some texture. Sexy, dirty bedhead is good for blonds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malin-akerman/my-hair-is-naturally-blond-and-thin-so-i-like-to-give-it-some-texture/)

[Malin Akerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malin-akerman/)

> [Good guys need to be a little dirty otherwise they're just boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/good-guys-need-to-be-a-little-dirty-otherwise-they-re-just-boring/)

[Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/)

> [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/)

[Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/)

Browse all 1,999 Dirty quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The political system, folks, is rigged. It's a rigged, disgusting, dirty system.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brian Stelter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it-s-a-rigged-disgusting-dirty/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dirty"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it-s-a-rigged-disgusting-dirty/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/brian-stelter-4517_dirty_the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it_288381.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/brian-stelter-4517_dirty_the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it_288381.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/brian-stelter-4517_dirty_the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it_288381.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The political system, folks, is rigged. It's a rigged, disgusting, dirty system.” — Brian Stelter",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Brian Stelter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The political system, folks, is rigged....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it-s-a-rigged-disgusting-dirty/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it-s-a-rigged-disgusting-dirty/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
