--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's one of the biggest issues that we…" description: "\"That's one of the biggest issues that we see in the question of governments right now, I think, in the Western world. Is that increasingly all of our e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/edward-snowden-555_class_that-s-one-of-the-biggest-issues-that-we_1273998.jpg" --- # That's one of the biggest issues that we see in the… ![“That's one of the biggest issues that we see in the question of governments right now, I think, in the Western world. Is that increasingly all of our elected officials are pulled from the same class. These aren't normal people. I don't want to say they're all terrible people, but at the same time…” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/edward-snowden-555_class_that-s-one-of-the-biggest-issues-that-we_1273998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/edward-snowden-555_class_that-s-one-of-the-biggest-issues-that-we_1273998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/edward-snowden-555_class_that-s-one-of-the-biggest-issues-that-we_1273998.jpg) > “That's one of the biggest issues that we see in the question of governments right now, I think, in the Western world. Is that increasingly all of our elected officials are pulled from the same class. These aren't normal people. I don't want to say they're all terrible people, but at the same time, they're not like you and me. These are people who have sort of a nine to five working history.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The concern is that many elected officials share similar elite backgrounds, lacking ordinary life experience, which may disconnect them from the general populace. **In simple terms:** Officials often come from the same elite class, not everyday people. Key Takeaway Promote diverse representation in politics. Themes political representation class bias democracy elitism social equity Mood analytical concerned Type critical inspirational When to use this quote - candidate selection - voting reforms - community outreach Key Concepts political sociology public policy social stratification Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure officials understand common citizens? - What mechanisms increase political diversity? A Different Perspective Diverse backgrounds alone don't ensure empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Elected officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected-officials/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Nine To Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine-to-five/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Terrible People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [It's clear the CIA was trying to play 'keep away' with documents relevant to an investigation by their overseers in Congress, and that's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-clear-the-cia-was-trying-to-play-keep-away-with-documents/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [All writers are liars. They twist events to suit themselves. They make use of their own tragedies to make a better story... They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-bawden/all-writers-are-liars-they-twist-events-to-suit-themselves-they-make/) [Nina Bawden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-bawden/) > [“ The Terrible People People who have what they want are very fond of telling people who haven't what they want that they really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odgen-nash/the-terrible-people-people-who-have-what-they-want-are-very-fond-of/) Odgen Nash > [I'm not much of a crier but it is mildly soul-destroying and exposing to do something physical that you are terrible at in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-blunt/i-m-not-much-of-a-crier-but-it-is-mildly-soul-destroying-and-exposing/) [Emily Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-blunt/) > [It is the fault of the United States that these terrible people, these insurgents and terrorists are out there. They are the ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/it-is-the-fault-of-the-united-states-that-these-terrible-people-these/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [It's terrible for people when they really love a book and there's an adaptation and they don't like it, because it's almost like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killian-scott/it-s-terrible-for-people-when-they-really-love-a-book-and-there-s-an/) [Killian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killian-scott/) > [“There are terrible people who, instead of solving a problem, bungle it and make it more difficult for all who come after. Whoever can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/there-are-terrible-people-who-instead-of-solving-a-problem-bungle-it/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It's terrible because people see stars like JLo and Beyoncé wearing fur and they don't think about the cruelty that goes into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-s-terrible-because-people-see-stars-like-jlo-and-beyonc-wearing/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [Those are terrible people who don't like Glenn Gould... I will have nothing to do with such people, they are dangerous people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bernhard/those-are-terrible-people-who-don-t-like-glenn-gould-i-will-have/) [Thomas Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bernhard/) > [“Everything leads me to believe it,” he replied. “They got their hands on this communist who wasn’t one, while still being one. He had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-talbot/everything-leads-me-to-believe-it-he-replied-they-got-their-hands-on/) [David Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-talbot/) > [“You don’t seriously believe everybody on the planet should do whatever they want, do you? That would be terrible. These people need help and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/you-don-t-seriously-believe-everybody-on-the-planet-should-do/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [When beautiful movie stars allow themselves to look terrible, people think they're really acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wyler/when-beautiful-movie-stars-allow-themselves-to-look-terrible-people/) [William Wyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wyler/) > [By now, it is probably very late at night, and you have stayed up to read this book when you should have gone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/by-now-it-is-probably-very-late-at-night-and-you-have-stayed-up-to/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [I was in a love that was wonderful until it was terrible, and both people got hurt from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-was-in-a-love-that-was-wonderful-until-it-was-terrible-and-both/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [“Guys who would make fun of girls for sexual inexperience are terrible people, and when girls do it to other girls it feels even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-heaney/guys-who-would-make-fun-of-girls-for-sexual-inexperience-are-terrible/) [Katie Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-heaney/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More Class quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) [Browse all 7,637 Class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's one of the biggest issues that we see in the question of governments right now, I think, in the Western world. Is that increasingly all of our elected officials are pulled from the same class. These aren't normal people. I don't want to say they're all terrible people, but at the same time, they're not like you and me. 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