--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a Democrat. But first and foremost…" description: "\"I am a Democrat. But first and foremost, I am a Coloradan and an American who wants government to function and solve the challenges we face as a countr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/jared-polis-4096_american_i-am-a-democrat-but-first-and-foremost-i_678290.jpg" --- # I am a Democrat. But first and foremost, I am a Coloradan… ![“I am a Democrat. But first and foremost, I am a Coloradan and an American who wants government to function and solve the challenges we face as a country, then make way for people to pursue their dreams without interference.” quote by Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/jared-polis-4096_american_i-am-a-democrat-but-first-and-foremost-i_678290.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/jared-polis-4096_american_i-am-a-democrat-but-first-and-foremost-i_678290.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/jared-polis-4096_american_i-am-a-democrat-but-first-and-foremost-i_678290.jpg) > “I am a Democrat. But first and foremost, I am a Coloradan and an American who wants government to function and solve the challenges we face as a country, then make way for people to pursue their dreams without interference.” [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A political identity can coexist with regional and national loyalty, emphasizing functional government and personal freedom. **In simple terms:** Being a Democrat, Coloradan, and American simultaneously. Key Takeaway Prioritize effective governance and individual dreams. Themes politics identity governance Mood optimistic determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - legislative work - community advocacy - public forums Key Concepts federalism localism public policy individual liberty Questions to Reflect On - How can government best serve diverse constituencies? - What compromises are necessary for effective policy? A Different Perspective Balancing party goals with local needs is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [A man should have a right to be religious if he wants to. 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Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Well, no American wants to in any way hurt our capabilities to national defense, but that doesn't mean an unlimited amount of money, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/well-no-american-wants-to-in-any-way-hurt-our-capabilities-to/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [“If a responsible, mentally sound American wants to own and AR-15, that’s their right. Besides, when the zombies come…okay, you don’t like the zombie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/if-a-responsible-mentally-sound-american-wants-to-own-and-ar-15-that/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [The kind of man who wants government to adopt and enforce his ideas is always the kind of man whose ideas are idiotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-kind-of-man-who-wants-government-to-adopt-and-enforce-his-ideas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hillary Clinton wants to put the government totally in charge of your health care despite the fact it's no good. It'll be much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-wants-to-put-the-government-totally-in-charge-of-your/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I'm just little me, an American who wants to see his country do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-m-just-little-me-an-american-who-wants-to-see-his-country-do-better/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [ \[T\]he power system continues only as long as individuals try to get something for nothing. The day when a majority of individuals declares or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-c-sutton/t-he-power-system-continues-only-as-long-as-individuals-try-to-get/) Antony C. Sutton > [Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/society-is-produced-by-our-wants-and-government-by-our-wickedness/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Because Lincoln is so closely identified with what it is to be American, everyone wants to claim him, to rewrite his story to satisfy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/because-lincoln-is-so-closely-identified-with-what-it-is-to-be/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [“Once a government resorts to terror against its own population to get what it wants, it must keep using terror against its own population…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rivero/once-a-government-resorts-to-terror-against-its-own-population-to-get/) Michael Rivero ## More by Jared Polis > [I have a horrible sense of direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/i-have-a-horrible-sense-of-direction/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [I'm too busy thinking what I'm going to say next to remember what I've said, but my staff tells me I'm sometimes funny. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/i-m-too-busy-thinking-what-i-m-going-to-say-next-to-remember-what-i/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [We are a diverse country, but we are one country. And we are at our best when we come together as Americans, not despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/we-are-a-diverse-country-but-we-are-one-country-and-we-are-at-our/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [The federal government has an exceptionally poor record of behaving responsibly with Americans' personal information when entrusted with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/the-federal-government-has-an-exceptionally-poor-record-of-behaving/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [My parents were active in the anti-war movement in the 1960s, so I grew up with a tradition of civic activism around our dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/my-parents-were-active-in-the-anti-war-movement-in-the-1960s-so-i/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [I derive a lot of the values that I try to bring into the public sphere from my private faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/i-derive-a-lot-of-the-values-that-i-try-to-bring-into-the-public/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [Big food companies have their priorities, which include selling cheap, unhealthy foods at high profits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/big-food-companies-have-their-priorities-which-include-selling-cheap/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [Negotiating deals among members of Congress is an exercise in wearing masks, scaring up votes, and, oftentimes, bluffing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/negotiating-deals-among-members-of-congress-is-an-exercise-in-wearing/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [We need to prove to American voters, particularly independent voters who gave us this opportunity to lead, that this is not your grandfather's tax-and-spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/we-need-to-prove-to-american-voters-particularly-independent-voters/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [Many rogue sites exist to make a profit and others are enormously expensive to maintain. If they don't have the resources to continue stealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/many-rogue-sites-exist-to-make-a-profit-and-others-are-enormously/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [Trying to enforce our out-of-touch laws is as foolish and impossible as trying to enforce a law requiring that water flow uphill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/trying-to-enforce-our-out-of-touch-laws-is-as-foolish-and-impossible/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [You have 435 people in the United States House of Representatives trying to get along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/you-have-435-people-in-the-united-states-house-of-representatives/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [Our students are the best investment we can make for our country and our future economic prosperity. It's in our best interest to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/our-students-are-the-best-investment-we-can-make-for-our-country-and/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [If my son had a baseless accusation made against him at a university, and it was making his life there miserable, I would suggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/if-my-son-had-a-baseless-accusation-made-against-him-at-a-university/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [But parents and schools have their priorities; making sure our kids eat right because research shows a clear connection between nutrition and student performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/but-parents-and-schools-have-their-priorities-making-sure-our-kids/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) [Explore all 116 Jared Polis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a Democrat. 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