--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Abandoning traditions of responsibility…" description: "\"Abandoning traditions of responsibility and civility won the GOP control of both houses of Congress in 1994. Rejecting any compromise brought Republica..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jacob-weisberg-5003_compromise_abandoning-traditions-of-responsibility_1903058.jpg" --- # Abandoning traditions of responsibility and civility won… ![“Abandoning traditions of responsibility and civility won the GOP control of both houses of Congress in 1994. Rejecting any compromise brought Republicans the perks and power of majority control for the first time in 40 years. Thus did the politics of total resistance become their path of least…” quote by Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jacob-weisberg-5003_compromise_abandoning-traditions-of-responsibility_1903058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jacob-weisberg-5003_compromise_abandoning-traditions-of-responsibility_1903058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/jacob-weisberg-5003_compromise_abandoning-traditions-of-responsibility_1903058.jpg) > “Abandoning traditions of responsibility and civility won the GOP control of both houses of Congress in 1994. Rejecting any compromise brought Republicans the perks and power of majority control for the first time in 40 years. Thus did the politics of total resistance become their path of least resistance.” [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage argues that abandoning compromise and embracing total resistance allowed Republicans to seize power after decades. **In simple terms:** Total resistance won GOP power in 1994. Key Takeaway Consider the cost of extreme partisanship. Themes politics strategy partisanship Mood critical analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - campaign planning - legislative negotiations - public discourse Key Concepts history political science power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What are risks of refusing compromise? - How does total resistance affect governance? A Different Perspective Extremism can alienate moderate voters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Path of least resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-of-least-resistance/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“The path of least resistance never gets us where we want to go. Shortcuts always end up being cul-de-sacs. The key to spiritual growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/the-path-of-least-resistance-never-gets-us-where-we-want-to-go/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [Life gets busy and we choose the path of least resistance when it comes to bringing up our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/life-gets-busy-and-we-choose-the-path-of-least-resistance-when-it/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [The path of least resistance leads to crooked rivers and crooked men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-path-of-least-resistance-leads-to-crooked-rivers-and-crooked-men/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“He had always been a middle-of-the-road sort. He had never submitted word for word to anyone's command, but neither had he passionately rebelled against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road-sort-he-had-never-submitted/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“I am, in fact, committed to being honest with myself so that I can overcome this situation. This includes not succumbing to the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-carlos-montalv-n/i-am-in-fact-committed-to-being-honest-with-myself-so-that-i-can/) [Luis Carlos Montalván](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-carlos-montalv-n/) > [“If you always do what is easy and choose the path of least resistance, you never step outside your comfort zone. Great things don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/if-you-always-do-what-is-easy-and-choose-the-path-of-least-resistance/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [“Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf.” Don't play defense with your life. Play offense with your kids, your wife, your life. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/perhaps-the-lord-will-act-in-our-behalf-don-t-play-defense-with-your/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [Faith is the path of least resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/faith-is-the-path-of-least-resistance/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The path of least resistance will never make you proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/the-path-of-least-resistance-will-never-make-you-proud/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [There's a lot of people that will take the path of least resistance not to do something if a leader that they look up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/there-s-a-lot-of-people-that-will-take-the-path-of-least-resistance/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [“The Path Of Least Resistance Is Littered With The Corpses Of The Bored To Death”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/the-path-of-least-resistance-is-littered-with-the-corpses-of-the/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [“path of least resistance, or the walk over hot coals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/path-of-least-resistance-or-the-walk-over-hot-coals/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [I'm all for the path of least resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-lundin/i-m-all-for-the-path-of-least-resistance/) [Cody Lundin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-lundin/) ## More by Jacob Weisberg > [As far apart as they are theologically, Mormons and evangelical Christians may have more in common with each other anthropologically than they do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/as-far-apart-as-they-are-theologically-mormons-and-evangelical/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Political analysts tend to overinterpret the results of isolated elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/political-analysts-tend-to-overinterpret-the-results-of-isolated/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Seeing the rich and famous screw up makes us feel superior, or at least not quite so inferior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/seeing-the-rich-and-famous-screw-up-makes-us-feel-superior-or-at/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and participation in international institutions all serve to erode the legitimacy of repressive regimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/trade-tourism-cultural-exchange-and-participation-in-international/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The cradle-to-grave welfare state diminishes individual initiative and can breed a pervasive sclerosis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-cradle-to-grave-welfare-state-diminishes-individual-initiative/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [America's sanctions policy is largely consistent and, in a certain sense, admirable. By applying economic restraints, we label the most oppressive and dangerous governments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/america-s-sanctions-policy-is-largely-consistent-and-in-a-certain/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [You may or may not agree with Obama's policy prescriptions, but they are, by and large, serious attempts to deal with the biggest issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/you-may-or-may-not-agree-with-obama-s-policy-prescriptions-but-they/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The invasion of Iraq was, in ways that have since become hard to dispute, a terrible mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-invasion-of-iraq-was-in-ways-that-have-since-become-hard-to/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [In practice, conservatives are no less inclined than liberals to adopt superior stances or to tell people how to live their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/in-practice-conservatives-are-no-less-inclined-than-liberals-to-adopt/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The leader who loves books that tell him he is great and right may be worse than the leader who does not love books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-leader-who-loves-books-that-tell-him-he-is-great-and-right-may-be/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Without medical records that he hasn't released, we can't know whether Gingrich may have inherited his mother's manic depression. Nevertheless, one observes in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/without-medical-records-that-he-hasn-t-released-we-can-t-know-whether/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Members of the middle class do not have to worry about falling off $250,000 sailboats because they don't have $250,000 sailboats to fall off of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/members-of-the-middle-class-do-not-have-to-worry-about-falling-off/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [In authoritarian societies, cultural institutions tend to become ideological proxies - think of the National Ballet in Cuba or the East German gymnastics team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/in-authoritarian-societies-cultural-institutions-tend-to-become/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Northeastern conservatism is moderate, accepts the modern welfare state, and dislikes mixing religion with politics. Western conservatism is hawkish, hates government, and embraces individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/northeastern-conservatism-is-moderate-accepts-the-modern-welfare/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [The most important newspapers in this country need to exist. Our democracy needs them. Life as we know it would be unthinkable without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-most-important-newspapers-in-this-country-need-to-exist-our/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) [Explore all 104 Jacob Weisberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) ## More Compromise quotes > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) Ludwig Erhard > [Real love is not based upon romance,candle light,dinner and walk along beach.Infact,It's based on care,compromise,respect and trust..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-love-is-not-based-upon-romance-candle-light-dinner-and-walk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Simple answers, reductionist politics, are the most prone to compromise, to saying we’re addressing the essential issue and all that other stuff can slide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/simple-answers-reductionist-politics-are-the-most-prone-to-compromise/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“I’m not sure sex qualifies as R and R, but it’s a compromise I can live with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-morgen/i-m-not-sure-sex-qualifies-as-r-and-r-but-it-s-a-compromise-i-can/) Shelby Morgen > [You know what the Englishman's idea of compromise is? He says, Some people say there is a God. Some people say there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/you-know-what-the-englishman-s-idea-of-compromise-is-he-says-some/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [The human spirit will not invest itself in a compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fritz/the-human-spirit-will-not-invest-itself-in-a-compromise/) [Robert Fritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fritz/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“And what would you like, Sharie?" asked Miss Mush. "What do you have?" asked Sharie. "Potato salad". "What else is there?" asked Sharie. "Nothing"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/and-what-would-you-like-sharie-asked-miss-mush-what-do-you-have-asked/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [“The fact that I can get away with something is the very reason why I shouldn’t do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-fact-that-i-can-get-away-with-something-is-the-very-reason-why-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [There could be some compromise, but I think we have to stick to the provisions of the treaty, and the provisions of the treaty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-santer/there-could-be-some-compromise-but-i-think-we-have-to-stick-to-the/) [Jacques Santer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-santer/) > [Love is not only about romance, candle-lit dinners and walking hand in hand. In fact, real love is about a lifetime of compromise, commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-khurana/love-is-not-only-about-romance-candle-lit-dinners-and-walking-hand-in/) [Aarti Khurana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aarti-khurana/) [Browse all 2,076 Compromise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Abandoning traditions of responsibility and civility won the GOP control of both houses of Congress in 1994. 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