--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've just been sort of spinning our…" description: "\"We've just been sort of spinning our wheels for such a long time, for decades really, with each new president being considered illegitimate by the othe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/george-packer-2917_bills_we-ve-just-been-sort-of-spinning-our-whe_2954505.png" --- # We've just been sort of spinning our wheels for such a… ![“We've just been sort of spinning our wheels for such a long time, for decades really, with each new president being considered illegitimate by the other side. That's been the case ever since Bill Clinton. And it's a - you can't keep frittering away your political capital that way and expect there…” quote by George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/george-packer-2917_bills_we-ve-just-been-sort-of-spinning-our-whe_2954505.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/george-packer-2917_bills_we-ve-just-been-sort-of-spinning-our-whe_2954505.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/george-packer-2917_bills_we-ve-just-been-sort-of-spinning-our-whe_2954505.png) > “We've just been sort of spinning our wheels for such a long time, for decades really, with each new president being considered illegitimate by the other side. That's been the case ever since Bill Clinton. And it's a - you can't keep frittering away your political capital that way and expect there not to be some long-term rot that sets in.” [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political polarization has caused repeated delegitimization of presidents, eroding political capital and leading to long‑term decay. **In simple terms:** Constant political fighting weakens governance. Key Takeaway Promote dialogue and restore trust in institutions. Themes politics polarization trust Mood critical concerned Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - election cycles - public debates - policy making Key Concepts civic engagement media literacy institutional reform Questions to Reflect On - What steps can rebuild political legitimacy? - How can citizens reduce partisan bias? A Different Perspective Deep divisions may resist quick fixes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Considered Illegitimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-illegitimate-3082103/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [New President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-president-942622/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Capital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-capital-244147/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Considered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-considered-4469815/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Spinning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spinning/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wheels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheels/) ## Related quotes > [Anarchism, in my view, is an expression of the idea that the burden of proof is always on those who argue that authority and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/anarchism-in-my-view-is-an-expression-of-the-idea-that-the-burden-of/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I believe strongly that when you have political capital, you should use it in a manner that helps improve the human condition. You shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-de-leon/i-believe-strongly-that-when-you-have-political-capital-you-should/) [Kevin de Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-de-leon/) > [You have to spend your political capital on great causes for your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mulroney/you-have-to-spend-your-political-capital-on-great-causes-for-your/) [Brian Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mulroney/) > [Mandates are rarely won on election night. They are earned after Inauguration Day by leaders who spend their political capital wisely, taking advantage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/mandates-are-rarely-won-on-election-night-they-are-earned-after/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [Every single stage of reform becomes more difficult because you use political capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/every-single-stage-of-reform-becomes-more-difficult-because-you-use/) [Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/) > [It's said that once you win an election, that you win political capital, and that's kind of my intent, is to spend political capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/it-s-said-that-once-you-win-an-election-that-you-win-political/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [You accumulate political capital to spend it on noble causes for Canada. If you're afraid to spend your capital, you shouldn't be there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mulroney/you-accumulate-political-capital-to-spend-it-on-noble-causes-for/) [Brian Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mulroney/) > [A wise governor told me a long time ago, political capital you don't get more of by keeping it. You get it by using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-walker/a-wise-governor-told-me-a-long-time-ago-political-capital-you-don-t/) [Scott Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-walker/) > [One of the special characteristics of New York is that it is different from a London or a Paris because it's the financial capital,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/one-of-the-special-characteristics-of-new-york-is-that-it-is/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [I'm just not going to spend a lot of political capital solving some other guy's problem in 2010.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stockman/i-m-just-not-going-to-spend-a-lot-of-political-capital-solving-some/) [David Stockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stockman/) > [ \[Washington\] is the political capital. It's essentially a big office. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/washington-is-the-political-capital-it-s-essentially-a-big-office/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [I always believed in burning up the government's political capital, not being Mr Safe Guy, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-keating/i-always-believed-in-burning-up-the-government-s-political-capital/) [Paul Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-keating/) > [The call of the spinning wheel is the noblest of all. Because it is the call of love. And love is Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-call-of-the-spinning-wheel-is-the-noblest-of-all-because-it-is/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I claim that in losing the spinning wheel we lost our left lung.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-claim-that-in-losing-the-spinning-wheel-we-lost-our-left-lung/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The spinning wheel for us is the foundation for all public corporate life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spinning-wheel-for-us-is-the-foundation-for-all-public-corporate/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by George Packer > [I don't think they need to be nice to reporters, but the White House seems to imagine that releasing information is like a tap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/i-don-t-think-they-need-to-be-nice-to-reporters-but-the-white-house/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [So many writers grew up in tortured isolation, in revolt against their families. I and my sister were in a house where writing was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/so-many-writers-grew-up-in-tortured-isolation-in-revolt-against-their/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Afghanistan can't police its borders, and its neighbors give sanctuary and assistance to insurgents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/afghanistan-can-t-police-its-borders-and-its-neighbors-give-sanctuary/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Hillary Clinton's such a classic Democratic political figure and believes so much in institutions and in gradualism in the old way of reaching compromises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/hillary-clinton-s-such-a-classic-democratic-political-figure-and/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [“In other words, Foxx represented what Sarah Palin (speaking at a campaign fundraiser in Greensboro three weeks before the election) called “the real America,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/in-other-words-foxx-represented-what-sarah-palin-speaking-at-a/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [America's vast population of working poor can only get so poor before even Walmart is out of reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/america-s-vast-population-of-working-poor-can-only-get-so-poor-before/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [The Olympics are never just about sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-olympics-are-never-just-about-sports/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > ['The Assassins' Gate' is a very tightly controlled story of the ideas that led to the war and the consequences of those ideas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-assassins-gate-is-a-very-tightly-controlled-story-of-the-ideas/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Amazon's identity and goals are never clear and always fluid, which makes the company destabilizing and intimidating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/amazon-s-identity-and-goals-are-never-clear-and-always-fluid-which/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Ideology knows the answer before the question has been asked. Principles are something different: a set of values that have to be adapted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/ideology-knows-the-answer-before-the-question-has-been-asked/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Everything seems set up for success in digital journalism - money, eyeballs, software, brands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/everything-seems-set-up-for-success-in-digital-journalism-money/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Climate change joined immigration, job creation, food safety, pilot training, veterans' care, campaign finance, transportation security, labor law, mine safety, wildfire management, and scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/climate-change-joined-immigration-job-creation-food-safety-pilot/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Much of the international unease with the Sochi Games has focused on the threat of terrorism, Putin's domestic repressiveness, and the Russian campaign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/much-of-the-international-unease-with-the-sochi-games-has-focused-on/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [I've been interested in American politics since I was eight. That was in 1968. It was an interesting year. I was a huge Eugene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/i-ve-been-interested-in-american-politics-since-i-was-eight-that-was/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [When I interviewed Paul Bremer in his office, he had almost no books on his shelves. He had a couple of management books, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/when-i-interviewed-paul-bremer-in-his-office-he-had-almost-no-books/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) [Explore all 144 George Packer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) ## More Bills quotes > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [If Bill Gates left Microsoft we wouldn't allow Donald Trump to run it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/if-bill-gates-left-microsoft-we-wouldn-t-allow-donald-trump-to-run-it/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/your-goal-should-be-to-pay-off-your-credit-card-bills-in-full-at-the/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [He's fat and a clown, Bill, a fat clown for all to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/he-s-fat-and-a-clown-bill-a-fat-clown-for-all-to-see/) [Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/) > [There's nothing nice about Steve Jobs and there's nothing evil about Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-peddle/there-s-nothing-nice-about-steve-jobs-and-there-s-nothing-evil-about/) [Chuck Peddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-peddle/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Whether it's people walking off 'The View' when Bill O'Reilly makes a statement about radical Islam or Juan Williams being fired for expressing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/whether-it-s-people-walking-off-the-view-when-bill-o-reilly-makes-a/) [Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/) > [The one thing the police cannot protect us from is a politician like Bill de Blasio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/the-one-thing-the-police-cannot-protect-us-from-is-a-politician-like/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Browse all 2,663 Bills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We've just been sort of spinning our wheels for such a long time, for decades really, with each new president being considered illegitimate by the other side. That's been the case ever since Bill Clinton. 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