--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have come to expect campaigns to be…" description: "\"We have come to expect campaigns to be mean and stupid and politicians to be unresponsive, self-seeking and for sale to the highest bidder. We make jok..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/donella-meadows-9060_about_we-have-come-to-expect-campaigns-to-be-m_2049375.png" --- # We have come to expect campaigns to be mean and stupid and… ![“We have come to expect campaigns to be mean and stupid and politicians to be unresponsive, self-seeking and for sale to the highest bidder. We make jokes about our vice president, and all we ask of a president is that he be likeable. We seem to have given up on the Pentagon's corrupt use of our…” quote by Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/donella-meadows-9060_about_we-have-come-to-expect-campaigns-to-be-m_2049375.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/donella-meadows-9060_about_we-have-come-to-expect-campaigns-to-be-m_2049375.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/donella-meadows-9060_about_we-have-come-to-expect-campaigns-to-be-m_2049375.png) > “We have come to expect campaigns to be mean and stupid and politicians to be unresponsive, self-seeking and for sale to the highest bidder. We make jokes about our vice president, and all we ask of a president is that he be likeable. We seem to have given up on the Pentagon's corrupt use of our tax dollars.” [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques public cynicism toward politics, noting expectations of corruption and the desire for likable leaders while neglecting systemic issues. **In simple terms:** People expect politicians to be corrupt and only care about likability, ignoring deeper problems. Key Takeaway Demand accountability, not just charisma. Themes politics corruption public trust media civic engagement Mood critical concerned Type political social When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy debates - activist movements Key Concepts systemic reform ethical leadership transparency Questions to Reflect On - What can citizens do to demand systemic change? - How does media shape political expectations? A Different Perspective The statement may oversimplify complex political dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask/) [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Corrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Expect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect/) [Expect Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect-campaigns-3853940/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Jokes Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes-vice-3853941/) [Likeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likeable/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Pentagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pentagon/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politicians Unresponsive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians-unresponsive-3853939/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Likeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-likeable-3853938/) [Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sale/) [Seem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seem/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupid Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-politicians-1222080/) [Tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tax/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice/) [Vice president](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice-president/) ## Related quotes > [“You don't need to go ghost hunting in spooky places at night, when there are millions - impoverished by the stupid policies of stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-don-t-need-to-go-ghost-hunting-in-spooky-places-at-night-when/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [People aren't as stupid as the politicians think. 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But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/the-postman-always-rings-twice-that-s-a-book-that-i-think-every/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [The vegan diet is obviously lacking whatever essential nutrient it is that makes people likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goad/the-vegan-diet-is-obviously-lacking-whatever-essential-nutrient-it-is/) [Jim Goad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goad/) > [I was supposed to be authoritative, but at the same time had to be likeable, a quality that is a bonus, not a requirement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/i-was-supposed-to-be-authoritative-but-at-the-same-time-had-to-be/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Jonathan Coe's genial, likeable novel can only be described as a kind of lit-prog-rock concept album... Coe recreates the period with such loving accuracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bradshaw/jonathan-coe-s-genial-likeable-novel-can-only-be-described-as-a-kind/) [Peter Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bradshaw/) > [Anywhere you go liking everyone, everyone will be likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/anywhere-you-go-liking-everyone-everyone-will-be-likeable/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Gillard is as likeable as Rudd is charmless. She is self-deprecating; he is ludicrously vainglorious. She is a mistress of understatement; he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/gillard-is-as-likeable-as-rudd-is-charmless-she-is-self-deprecating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Live like Spongebob, Laugh out loud all day for no reason and annoy all the mean people with your happiness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spongebob/live-like-spongebob-laugh-out-loud-all-day-for-no-reason-and-annoy/) [Spongebob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spongebob/) > [It really takes likeable superstars to get the attention of the masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-wyatt/it-really-takes-likeable-superstars-to-get-the-attention-of-the-masses/) [Jennifer Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-wyatt/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The easiest way for readers to connect with characters and feel sympathy is to make the character entertaining, sympathetic and likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randa-abdel-fattah/the-easiest-way-for-readers-to-connect-with-characters-and-feel/) [Randa Abdel-Fattah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randa-abdel-fattah/) ## More by Donella Meadows > [Ending poverty calls for humility, honesty, freedom from ideology and refusal to accept cruel simplicities about anyone's human potential. It requires listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/ending-poverty-calls-for-humility-honesty-freedom-from-ideology-and/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany have detailed plans to cut their greenhouse emissions by 20 to 50 percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/denmark-the-netherlands-and-germany-have-detailed-plans-to-cut-their/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [A grand jury hears only one side - that of the prosecutor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/a-grand-jury-hears-only-one-side-that-of-the-prosecutor/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no threat to the nation. That he lied about it repeatedly and to the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/what-clinton-did-with-lewinsky-was-despicable-but-was-no-threat-to/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Why is our (US) government the only one in the civilized world with a stupid, short-term energy policy? Why do our elected officials consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/why-is-our-us-government-the-only-one-in-the-civilized-world-with-a/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Before they got vengeful, conservatives had some useful points to make about welfare. Government 'help' is too often guilt-assuaging gesture. It creates layers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/before-they-got-vengeful-conservatives-had-some-useful-points-to-make/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Social services, not wealth per se, seem to be the key to lower birth rates. The Chinese, although among the poorest peoples of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/social-services-not-wealth-per-se-seem-to-be-the-key-to-lower-birth/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [You should issue demerits for tree cutting or the destruction of humus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/you-should-issue-demerits-for-tree-cutting-or-the-destruction-of-humus/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [A good leader sets the right goals, gets things moving, and helps us to discover that we already know what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/a-good-leader-sets-the-right-goals-gets-things-moving-and-helps-us-to/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [The latest scientific assessment has almost doubled the predicted rate of warming if no changes are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/the-latest-scientific-assessment-has-almost-doubled-the-predicted/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Some call-in moderators are neutral and courteous. Then there's Rush Limbaugh, who is funny and pompous and a scapegoater and hatemonger. His popularity could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/some-call-in-moderators-are-neutral-and-courteous-then-there-s-rush/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Smart development builds on a region's own skills, resources and local businesses. Dumb growth invites a big corporation in, surrenders control and profits to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/smart-development-builds-on-a-region-s-own-skills-resources-and-local/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Glaciers are almost gone from Glacier National Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/glaciers-are-almost-gone-from-glacier-national-park/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [I call the transformed world toward which we can move ‘sustainable,’ by which I mean a great deal more than a world that merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/i-call-the-transformed-world-toward-which-we-can-move-sustainable-by/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [We can't control systems or figure them out. But we can dance with them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/we-can-t-control-systems-or-figure-them-out-but-we-can-dance-with-them/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) [Explore all 75 Donella Meadows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have come to expect campaigns to be mean and stupid and politicians to be unresponsive, self-seeking and for sale to the highest bidder. We make jokes about our vice president, and all we ask of a president is that he be likeable. 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