--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know this about the American people: We…" description: "\"I know this about the American people: We welcome competition. We'll match our ingenuity, our energy, our experience and technology, our spirit and ent..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/george-h-w-bush-1459_america_i-know-this-about-the-american-people-we_222544.jpg" --- # I know this about the American people: We welcome… ![“I know this about the American people: We welcome competition. We'll match our ingenuity, our energy, our experience and technology, our spirit and enterprise against anyone.” quote by George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/george-h-w-bush-1459_america_i-know-this-about-the-american-people-we_222544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/george-h-w-bush-1459_america_i-know-this-about-the-american-people-we_222544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/george-h-w-bush-1459_america_i-know-this-about-the-american-people-we_222544.jpg) > “I know this about the American people: We welcome competition. We'll match our ingenuity, our energy, our experience and technology, our spirit and enterprise against anyone.” [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America thrives on competition, using its creativity and drive to match any challenger. **In simple terms:** Americans welcome competition and respond with ingenuity. Key Takeaway Embrace competition to drive innovation. Themes competition innovation national identity Mood proud confident Type political motivational When to use this quote - business strategy - political rhetoric - international relations Key Concepts strategic advantage collective spirit Questions to Reflect On - How does competition shape national policy? - When does competition become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Competition can also breed conflict and protectionism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Ingenuity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingenuity/) [Know American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-american-593502/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Match Ingenuity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/match-ingenuity-2271011/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Welcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welcome/) [Welcome Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welcome-competition-2051913/) ## Related quotes > [If you want to be the person you ought to be, you've got to welcome competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-richards/if-you-want-to-be-the-person-you-ought-to-be-you-ve-got-to-welcome/) [Bob Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-richards/) > [We call it EPCOT, spelled E-P-C-O-T: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Here it is in larger scale. EPCOT will take its cue from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/we-call-it-epcot-spelled-e-p-c-o-t-experimental-prototype-community/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Inside Iran, people are actually quite well-educated about America. There are things they don't understand, particularly in the government, but the people, by and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/inside-iran-people-are-actually-quite-well-educated-about-america/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [The truth is, everything we know about America, everything Americans come to know about being American, isn't from the news. I live there. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/the-truth-is-everything-we-know-about-america-everything-americans/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) > [I don't know anything more piggish - I don't know anything more un-American than saying, 'Oh, I'm worried about my own little handout or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rokita/i-don-t-know-anything-more-piggish-i-don-t-know-anything-more-un/) [Todd Rokita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rokita/) > [“We spend more per pupil than any other country, but among industrialized nations, American students rank near the bottom in science and math. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-spend-more-per-pupil-than-any-other-country-but-among/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [What kind of people do we wish to become, and how do we know an American when we see one? Is it possible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/what-kind-of-people-do-we-wish-to-become-and-how-do-we-know-an/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [We hear a lot in this country about family, and 'American Family' just shows us a portrait we haven't seen as much of yet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/we-hear-a-lot-in-this-country-about-family-and-american-family-just/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I know the American people. I've met a lot of them. I've met a lot more of them than any columnist has, or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-the-american-people-i-ve-met-a-lot-of-them-i-ve-met-a-lot-more/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [People don't realize how black people, minorities, women as well, all their lives, they have had to make the effort to understand everybody else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/people-don-t-realize-how-black-people-minorities-women-as-well-all/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [You know that being an American is more than a matter of where your parents came from. It is a belief that all men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/you-know-that-being-an-american-is-more-than-a-matter-of-where-your/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [I don't know any American rock bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-don-t-know-any-american-rock-bands/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [You never know what the American public is going to do, but you know that they will do it all at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-william-seidman/you-never-know-what-the-american-public-is-going-to-do-but-you-know/) [L. William Seidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-william-seidman/) > [I do not know the American gentleman, God forgive me for putting two such words together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-do-not-know-the-american-gentleman-god-forgive-me-for-putting-two/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I know something about the civilization of China, with my background, obviously, and I think I know something about American history. But that's about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-know-something-about-the-civilization-of-china-with-my-background/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) ## More by George H. W. Bush > [America's freedom is the example to which the world expires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/america-s-freedom-is-the-example-to-which-the-world-expires/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I am not one who - who flamboyantly believes in throwing a lot of words around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-am-not-one-who-who-flamboyantly-believes-in-throwing-a-lot-of-words/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Be bold in your caring, and be bold in your dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/be-bold-in-your-caring-and-be-bold-in-your-dreaming/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light...We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-can-find-meaning-and-reward-by-serving-some-higher-purpose-than/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [International exchanges are not a great tide to sweep away all differences, but they will slowly wear away at the obstacles to peace as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/international-exchanges-are-not-a-great-tide-to-sweep-away-all/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Well, I think everybody is frustrated by the finances of the U.N. and the inability to solve problems of war and peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/well-i-think-everybody-is-frustrated-by-the-finances-of-the-u-n-and/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [No, I'm not anguished and tormented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/no-i-m-not-anguished-and-tormented/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [You know I vowed when I became President not to talk about the loneliest toughest job in the world and I didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/you-know-i-vowed-when-i-became-president-not-to-talk-about-the/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I think it's very hard to fight the war on terrorism if we're in retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-think-it-s-very-hard-to-fight-the-war-on-terrorism-if-we-re-in/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I firmly believed we should not march into Baghdad ...To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-firmly-believed-we-should-not-march-into-baghdad-to-occupy-iraq/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Ozone Man, Ozone. He's crazy, way out, far out, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/ozone-man-ozone-he-s-crazy-way-out-far-out-man/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [What's wrong with being a boring kind of guy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/what-s-wrong-with-being-a-boring-kind-of-guy/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The liberation of Kuwait has begun. In conjunction with the forces of our coalition partners, the United States has moved under the code name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-liberation-of-kuwait-has-begun-in-conjunction-with-the-forces-of/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The United States will continue its efforts to improve our understanding of climate change - to seek hard data, accurate models, and new ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-united-states-will-continue-its-efforts-to-improve-our/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [If you believe that there's a being superior to yourself and that will guide you, strengthen you that helps a lot but, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/if-you-believe-that-there-s-a-being-superior-to-yourself-and-that/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) [Explore all 239 George H. W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know this about the American people: We welcome competition. We'll match our ingenuity, our energy, our experience and technology, our spirit and enterprise against anyone.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George H. W. 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