--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who based decisions on principle…" description: "\"“Those who based decisions on principle, not some snapshot of public opinion, were often vindicated over time.”\" — George W. Bush" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/george-w-bush-64_public-opinion_those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-n_2363295.jpg" --- # Those who based decisions on principle, not some snapshot… ![“Those who based decisions on principle, not some snapshot of public opinion, were often vindicated over time.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/george-w-bush-64_public-opinion_those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-n_2363295.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/george-w-bush-64_public-opinion_those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-n_2363295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/george-w-bush-64_public-opinion_those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-n_2363295.jpg) > ““Those who based decisions on principle, not some snapshot of public opinion, were often vindicated over time.”” [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-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. Principle‑based decisions outlast fleeting public opinion. **In simple terms:** Principles beat trends. Key Takeaway Stand by your principles. Themes principles leadership public opinion Mood serious determined Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy drafting - leadership training - public speaking - activism Key Concepts ethics political decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - When have you faced a principle‑public opinion clash? - How do you balance principle with pragmatism? A Different Perspective Principles may conflict with practical needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Based Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/based-decisions-3226690/) [Opinion Vindicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion-vindicated-5795025/) [Public opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-opinion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Vindicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vindicated/) [Vindicated Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vindicated-time-5795026/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody must judge me based on my decisions, and only my knowledge and education must be the criteria to judge me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shraddha-srinath/nobody-must-judge-me-based-on-my-decisions-and-only-my-knowledge-and/) [Shraddha Srinath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shraddha-srinath/) > [“most people believe they’re making fact-based decisions, when they are, in fact, making opinion-based ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/most-people-believe-they-re-making-fact-based-decisions-when-they-are/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [The great thing about fact-based decisions is that they overrule the hierarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-great-thing-about-fact-based-decisions-is-that-they-overrule-the/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Demon pox,' said Will with the satisfaction of the truly vindicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/demon-pox-said-will-with-the-satisfaction-of-the-truly-vindicated/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I don't need to be vindicated, and I don't want attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-don-t-need-to-be-vindicated-and-i-don-t-want-attention/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [This is a very big victory for Michael and we are all very proud that he has been completely and totally vindicated in court,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latoya-jackson/this-is-a-very-big-victory-for-michael-and-we-are-all-very-proud-that/) [LaToya Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latoya-jackson/) > [In a way I feel I have been vindicated because I hadn't done anything wrong. The Review Committee gave me a patient hearing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sourav-ganguly/in-a-way-i-feel-i-have-been-vindicated-because-i-hadn-t-done-anything/) [Sourav Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sourav-ganguly/) > [In a word, if any kind of slavery can be vindicated by the Holy Scriptures, we are already sure our making and holding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-hopkins/in-a-word-if-any-kind-of-slavery-can-be-vindicated-by-the-holy/) [Samuel Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-hopkins/) > [Concepts are vindicated by the constant accrual of data and independent verification of data. No prize, not even a Nobel Prize, can make something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-b-prusiner/concepts-are-vindicated-by-the-constant-accrual-of-data-and/) [Stanley B. Prusiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-b-prusiner/) > [Now, with the success of musical comedy like the Mighty Boosh, Flight of the Conchords and Bo Burnham, I feel vindicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/now-with-the-success-of-musical-comedy-like-the-mighty-boosh-flight/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [The particular source of frustration of women observing their own self-study and measuring their worth as women by the distance they kept from men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-theroux/the-particular-source-of-frustration-of-women-observing-their-own/) [Alexander Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-theroux/) > [The essence of justice is mercy. Making a child suffer for wrong-doing is merciful to the child. There is no mercy in letting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/the-essence-of-justice-is-mercy-making-a-child-suffer-for-wrong-doing/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Wisdom is vindicated by all her children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-the-evangelist/wisdom-is-vindicated-by-all-her-children/) [Luke the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-the-evangelist/) > [When an injustice happens, we want to be vindicated. People feel that if they forgive the person who hurt them, then they will continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/when-an-injustice-happens-we-want-to-be-vindicated-people-feel-that/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [There certainly are situations where I feel not empowered or uninspired. Particularly when the person's agenda is to intimidate through abusing their position or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/there-certainly-are-situations-where-i-feel-not-empowered-or/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) ## More by George W. Bush > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-those-are-the-ones/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“One of our energy strategies is to increase the CAFE standards to 35 miles per hour..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-our-energy-strategies-is-to-increase-the-cafe-standards-to-35/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Explore all 1,717 George W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More Public opinion quotes > [In America there is not one single element of civilization that is not made to depend, in the end, upon public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/in-america-there-is-not-one-single-element-of-civilization-that-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. what a man thinks of himself, that it is which determines, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/public-opinion-is-a-weak-tyrant-compared-with-our-own-private-opinion/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I believe the role that people like myself have played in the transformation of public opinion has been by persistently presenting a different point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-believe-the-role-that-people-like-myself-have-played-in-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum. (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Public opinion in the United States has shifted significantly, not just outside but also within the Jewish community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/public-opinion-in-the-united-states-has-shifted-significantly-not/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [Politicians, after all, are not over a year behind public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/politicians-after-all-are-not-over-a-year-behind-public-opinion/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The possibility of my presidential candidacy emerged spontaneously in public opinion polls. For my part, I noticed people's affection when I was doing work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-bachelet/the-possibility-of-my-presidential-candidacy-emerged-spontaneously-in/) [Michelle Bachelet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-bachelet/) > [The tyranny of public opinion (and what an opinion!) is as fatuous in the small towns of France as it is in the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-tyranny-of-public-opinion-and-what-an-opinion-is-as-fatuous-in/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [One of his officers, Henry Lee, summed up contemporary public opinion of Washington: First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/one-of-his-officers-henry-lee-summed-up-contemporary-public-opinion/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [When men exercise their reason coolly and freely, on a variety of distinct questions, they inevitably fall into different opinions, on some of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/when-men-exercise-their-reason-coolly-and-freely-on-a-variety-of/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Ignoring party leaders in order to sway public opinion may work in countries where elected representatives are responsive to their constituencies. But in Mexico,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-dresser/ignoring-party-leaders-in-order-to-sway-public-opinion-may-work-in/) [Denise Dresser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-dresser/) > [You don't change minds in Washington with sweet reason. You do it to the white light of public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-forbes/you-don-t-change-minds-in-washington-with-sweet-reason-you-do-it-to/) [Steve Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-forbes/) > [People have tried to corner the market on being offended, corner the market on language and corner the market on opinion. Should I lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-o-neal/people-have-tried-to-corner-the-market-on-being-offended-corner-the/) [Patrice O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-o-neal/) > [A well informed public opinion is essential to the growth of political and social awareness. Only he who is informed can comment intelligently on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie/a-well-informed-public-opinion-is-essential-to-the-growth-of/) [Haile Selassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie/) > [Politicians have responsibility to act if the public opinion changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-titley/politicians-have-responsibility-to-act-if-the-public-opinion-changes/) [David Titley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-titley/) [Browse all 709 Public opinion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-opinion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Those who based decisions on principle, not some snapshot of public opinion, were often vindicated over time.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George W. Bush" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-not-some-snapshot-of-public/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Public opinion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-not-some-snapshot-of-public/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/george-w-bush-64_public-opinion_those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-n_2363295.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/george-w-bush-64_public-opinion_those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-n_2363295.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/george-w-bush-64_public-opinion_those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-n_2363295.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who based decisions on principle, not some snapshot of public opinion, were often vindicated over time.” — George W. Bush", "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": "George W. Bush", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Those who based decisions on principle,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-not-some-snapshot-of-public/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/those-who-based-decisions-on-principle-not-some-snapshot-of-public/#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 } } ] } ```