--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is there decency left in American politics?" description: "\"Is there decency left in American politics?\" — Byron Dorgan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/byron-dorgan-20815_american-politics_is-there-decency-left-in-american-politi_2085079.png" --- # Is there decency left in American politics? ![“Is there decency left in American politics?” quote by Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/byron-dorgan-20815_american-politics_is-there-decency-left-in-american-politi_2085079.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/byron-dorgan-20815_american-politics_is-there-decency-left-in-american-politi_2085079.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/byron-dorgan-20815_american-politics_is-there-decency-left-in-american-politi_2085079.png) > “Is there decency left in American politics?” [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The question challenges the current moral standards within U.S. political culture, suggesting a decline in ethical behavior. **In simple terms:** Political ethics are in doubt. Key Takeaway Demand higher accountability in politics. Themes ethics politics trust Mood skeptical concerned Type political inquisitive When to use this quote - voter education - campaign reform - media analysis - public debates Key Concepts civic responsibility corruption public service Questions to Reflect On - Is decency a personal or collective standard? - What actions restore trust in government? A Different Perspective Defining decency is subjective and varies across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-politics/) [Decency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decency/) [Decency Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decency-left-4092247/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-american-3235798/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Friends, there is no Left in American politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/friends-there-is-no-left-in-american-politics/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I don't watch TV, so I feel like I'm left out of the American fabric or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-ruscha/i-don-t-watch-tv-so-i-feel-like-i-m-left-out-of-the-american-fabric/) [Edward Ruscha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-ruscha/) > [My mother actually left American in 1929 to be part of an alternative community of bohemians around her then father-in-law who was a well-known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/my-mother-actually-left-american-in-1929-to-be-part-of-an-alternative/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) > [In my view, this is not extremism on the left. This is what the American people support in poll after poll. Support the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/in-my-view-this-is-not-extremism-on-the-left-this-is-what-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I came into American politics and into this political system proud of politics and the way we make decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/i-came-into-american-politics-and-into-this-political-system-proud-of/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [Canada is one of the few places left where the small decencies are observed. If, as a young man, I was scornful of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/canada-is-one-of-the-few-places-left-where-the-small-decencies-are/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [If I see that something is wrong, I don't care who says it. Whether it's a Republican or Democrat, the left or the right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-aragones/if-i-see-that-something-is-wrong-i-don-t-care-who-says-it-whether-it/) [Sergio Aragones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-aragones/) > [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“The CIA is behind it all. That’s the conclusion of Mae Brussell—one of America’s foremost assassination experts—a researcher who has collected every pertinent newspaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/the-cia-is-behind-it-all-that-s-the-conclusion-of-mae-brussell-one-of/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) > [We are creating a political demolition derby, not a presidential debate. Those strange impulses in the American soul that have produced mud wrestling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-sidey/we-are-creating-a-political-demolition-derby-not-a-presidential/) [Hugh Sidey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-sidey/) > [Would anyone else like to say anything nice about women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/would-anyone-else-like-to-say-anything-nice-about-women/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [Hart is still like that little tub of vaguely milklike gunk that comes with airline coffee. It is labeled a "nondairy" product. Fine: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/hart-is-still-like-that-little-tub-of-vaguely-milklike-gunk-that/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) ## More by Byron Dorgan > [One of the keys to ensuring accountability is to have civil servants who witness fraud, waste and abuse to blow the whistle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/one-of-the-keys-to-ensuring-accountability-is-to-have-civil-servants/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [President Eisenhower saw it coming, and it is here. Patriotism no longer exists among many of these corporations. Some companies have more economic clout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/president-eisenhower-saw-it-coming-and-it-is-here-patriotism-no/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [I can describe, and I've always been able to describe, what Republicans stand for in eight words, and the eight words are lower taxes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/i-can-describe-and-i-ve-always-been-able-to-describe-what-republicans/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [The Bush Administration and the Congress have to stop ignoring this crisis in international trade. The longer we ignore it, the more American jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/the-bush-administration-and-the-congress-have-to-stop-ignoring-this/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [There is no social program in this country that is as important as a good job that pays well, that gives someone an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/there-is-no-social-program-in-this-country-that-is-as-important-as-a/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [When farmers and ranchers are confronted by weather-related disasters that are beyond their control, we need to do something to help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/when-farmers-and-ranchers-are-confronted-by-weather-related-disasters/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [This country lacks the backbone and the spine and the will to demand fair trade and stand up for our products. If our producers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/this-country-lacks-the-backbone-and-the-spine-and-the-will-to-demand/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [If the Administration does nothing, high gasoline prices will continue to increasingly burden our economy, taking millions of dollars out of the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/if-the-administration-does-nothing-high-gasoline-prices-will-continue/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [The U.S. Constitution is the basic framework for the greatest democracy on Earth. Some of my colleagues find it easy to amend it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/the-u-s-constitution-is-the-basic-framework-for-the-greatest/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [The gains we made in the United States that have made our country great have, in large part, been made over the opposition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/the-gains-we-made-in-the-united-states-that-have-made-our-country/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [The taxpayers deserve accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/the-taxpayers-deserve-accountability/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [I am proud to be in the Senate. I have always been proud to be a part of our political system. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/i-am-proud-to-be-in-the-senate-i-have-always-been-proud-to-be-a-part/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [When businesses face tough times, one of the first items they cut is overhead expenses. The government should do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/when-businesses-face-tough-times-one-of-the-first-items-they-cut-is/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [Only in this town, where we make an industry out of creating euphemisms, can we have enough sugar to sugarcoat this nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/only-in-this-town-where-we-make-an-industry-out-of-creating/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) > [Nowhere in this country should we have laws that permit drinking and driving or drinking in vehicles that are on American highways. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/nowhere-in-this-country-should-we-have-laws-that-permit-drinking-and/) [Byron Dorgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) [Explore all 30 Byron Dorgan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/) ## More American politics quotes > [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Hart is still like that little tub of vaguely milklike gunk that comes with airline coffee. It is labeled a "nondairy" product. Fine: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/hart-is-still-like-that-little-tub-of-vaguely-milklike-gunk-that/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [Would anyone else like to say anything nice about women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/would-anyone-else-like-to-say-anything-nice-about-women/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [We are creating a political demolition derby, not a presidential debate. Those strange impulses in the American soul that have produced mud wrestling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-sidey/we-are-creating-a-political-demolition-derby-not-a-presidential/) [Hugh Sidey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-sidey/) > [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [“The CIA is behind it all. That’s the conclusion of Mae Brussell—one of America’s foremost assassination experts—a researcher who has collected every pertinent newspaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/the-cia-is-behind-it-all-that-s-the-conclusion-of-mae-brussell-one-of/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) > [We picked their cotton. We cooked their food. We nursed their babies. Now we can run their cities. We can run their states. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-picked-their-cotton-we-cooked-their-food-we-nursed-their-babies/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [You know, compromise can't be a dirty word in American politics. There's plenty to argue about. Trump administration is still talking about ridiculous tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-know-compromise-can-t-be-a-dirty-word-in-american-politics-there/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [In his study of Atlanta over the last 60 years, Kevin Kruse convincingly describes the critical connections between race, Sun Belt suburbanization, the rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-carter/in-his-study-of-atlanta-over-the-last-60-years-kevin-kruse/) [Dan Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-carter/) > [Affirming belief that America is an exceptional nation has become a test of patriotism in American politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/affirming-belief-that-america-is-an-exceptional-nation-has-become-a/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [ \[Ronald\] Reagan had an agenda, three agenda items. George W. Bush had some. But \[Donald\] Trump, because people weren't listening, Trump has the longest… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/ronald-reagan-had-an-agenda-three-agenda-items-george-w-bush-had-some/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The good news is that the president gets another chance. The bad news is that he'll be two weeks older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/the-good-news-is-that-the-president-gets-another-chance-the-bad-news/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [You can never underestimate the ability of the Democrats to wet their finger and hold it in the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-can-never-underestimate-the-ability-of-the-democrats-to-wet-their/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 412 American politics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-politics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Is there decency left in American politics?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Byron Dorgan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/is-there-decency-left-in-american-politics/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American politics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/is-there-decency-left-in-american-politics/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/byron-dorgan-20815_american-politics_is-there-decency-left-in-american-politi_2085079.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/byron-dorgan-20815_american-politics_is-there-decency-left-in-american-politi_2085079.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/byron-dorgan-20815_american-politics_is-there-decency-left-in-american-politi_2085079.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Is there decency left in American politics?” — Byron Dorgan", "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": "Byron Dorgan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-dorgan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Is there decency left in American...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/is-there-decency-left-in-american-politics/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-dorgan/is-there-decency-left-in-american-politics/#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 } } ] } ```