Activist Quote by J. C. Watts
“Consider in Washington, around the country today we are talking about balanced budgets, paying down our national debt, getting the economy going, defending ourselves, activist judges. Newt Gingrich did all those things when he was speaker. We got tax relief. We got balanced budgets. We got, you know, job creation. We paid down our national debt.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Congressional Record, 1995
Balanced budgets, debt reduction, economic growth, defense, and judiciary activism were all achievements of a past speaker, implying a repeatable formula for governance.
In simple terms: Past speaker achieved multiple policy goals.
Key Takeaway
Study past successes for current policy making.
Themes
politics
economics
defense
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- legislation
- campaign strategy
- public budgeting
Key Concepts
Fiscal responsibility
judicial activism
Questions to Reflect On
- Which past policies are still relevant?
- How can you adapt old successes to new challenges?
A Different Perspective
Complex issues may not be solved by simple repetition.
![“Some kinds of activists are more willing to try stuff out, see if works and think on their feet, but some of the people who are working on [change] find that very difficult: They've been schooled into thinking you have to come up with the perfect plan in advance. It has become a bit technocratic.” quote by Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d17/duncan-green-20105_activist_some-kinds-of-activists-are-more-willing_57391.jpg)
