--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans have powerfully sensed that…" description: "\"Americans have powerfully sensed that we're off track. There is a structural challenge in our economy that needs to be addressed.\" — Jeff Merkley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/jeff-merkley-22293_challenges_americans-have-powerfully-sensed-that-we_988289.jpg" --- # Americans have powerfully sensed that we're off track… ![“Americans have powerfully sensed that we're off track. There is a structural challenge in our economy that needs to be addressed.” quote by Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/jeff-merkley-22293_challenges_americans-have-powerfully-sensed-that-we_988289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/jeff-merkley-22293_challenges_americans-have-powerfully-sensed-that-we_988289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cee/jeff-merkley-22293_challenges_americans-have-powerfully-sensed-that-we_988289.jpg) > “Americans have powerfully sensed that we're off track. There is a structural challenge in our economy that needs to be addressed.” [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The economy has a deep structural problem that needs fixing. **In simple terms:** Economy needs major reform. Key Takeaway Address systemic issues. Themes economy policy structure reform challenge systemic risk Mood concerned urgent Type political analytical When to use this quote - legislation - budget planning - public debate - economic analysis Key Concepts macroeconomics public policy inequality Questions to Reflect On - What structural changes are most urgent? - How can citizens influence policy? A Different Perspective Solutions may be politically difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Americans Powerfully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-powerfully-2007693/) [Challenge Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-economy-494228/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Economy Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy-needs-506284/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/track/) ## Related quotes > [But let's not assume that trade is the only challenge we have in the economy. I think it is a part of it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/but-let-s-not-assume-that-trade-is-the-only-challenge-we-have-in-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Retirement is a waste of time. The economy needs you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-kotlikoff/retirement-is-a-waste-of-time-the-economy-needs-you/) [Laurence Kotlikoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-kotlikoff/) > [As universal a truth as the rising and setting of the sun each day, the global economy needs people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharan-burrow/as-universal-a-truth-as-the-rising-and-setting-of-the-sun-each-day/) [Sharan Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharan-burrow/) > [What saved the economy, and the New Deal, was the enormous public works project known as World War II, which finally provided a fiscal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/what-saved-the-economy-and-the-new-deal-was-the-enormous-public-works/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Just to keep up with population growth, on average our economy needs to be adding about 125,000 jobs per month.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/just-to-keep-up-with-population-growth-on-average-our-economy-needs/) [Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/) > [So the American economy needs the world, and the world needs the American economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodrigo-rato/so-the-american-economy-needs-the-world-and-the-world-needs-the/) [Rodrigo Rato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodrigo-rato/) > [In order to make reforms sustainable, the Greek economy needs the space to return to growth and start creating jobs again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-order-to-make-reforms-sustainable-the-greek-economy-needs-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In guiding monetary policy, policymakers must have a view on the outlook for the economy. There needs to be careful communication and dialogue with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-kishida/in-guiding-monetary-policy-policymakers-must-have-a-view-on-the/) [Fumio Kishida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-kishida/) > [Most of us owe instead of own. And the less the economy needs our labor, the less able we are to "save" our way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/most-of-us-owe-instead-of-own-and-the-less-the-economy-needs-our/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [I'm going to work night and day to make sure that Americans get the tax relief that they need and deserve, and that our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-m-going-to-work-night-and-day-to-make-sure-that-americans-get-the/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [I'll go anywhere and I'll do whatever it takes to get this done. It's too important for Washington to screw this up. Now's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ll-go-anywhere-and-i-ll-do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-this-done-it-s/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The important thing right now is that the economy still needs customers. We still need people to go out there and spend money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-boushey/the-important-thing-right-now-is-that-the-economy-still-needs/) [Heather Boushey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-boushey/) > [The market economy needs no apologists and propagandists. It can apply to itself the words of Sir Christopher Wren's epitaph in St. Paul's: 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-market-economy-needs-no-apologists-and-propagandists-it-can-apply/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Whatever the economy needs to maintain itself, the government will do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bond/whatever-the-economy-needs-to-maintain-itself-the-government-will-do/) [Edward Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bond/) > [Small companies need capital to invest, expand, and create jobs. And the economy needs a healthy small business community to bolster and sustain its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/small-companies-need-capital-to-invest-expand-and-create-jobs-and-the/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) ## More by Jeff Merkley > [I am pretty good at arithmetic, and I know that the fight in front of us is a very, very steep fight. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-am-pretty-good-at-arithmetic-and-i-know-that-the-fight-in-front-of/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [Real choice is clear information and the right to walk away from a bad deal without leaving your wallet behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/real-choice-is-clear-information-and-the-right-to-walk-away-from-a/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [I won't stop fighting to make life better for working Americans and give those who are just trying to find a decent job the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-won-t-stop-fighting-to-make-life-better-for-working-americans-and/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [When you use the word 'filibuster,' most of us in America - and I count myself among them - envision it as the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/when-you-use-the-word-filibuster-most-of-us-in-america-and-i-count/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [We can have the best health insurance options in the world, and people still won't get needed care if we don't increase our supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/we-can-have-the-best-health-insurance-options-in-the-world-and-people/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [The economy, virtually all the new income has gone to the top 10 percent, and we need to find those areas where we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/the-economy-virtually-all-the-new-income-has-gone-to-the-top-10/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [That's a question best put to Bernie Sanders himself, but I think that he will probably put forward ideas that are related to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/that-s-a-question-best-put-to-bernie-sanders-himself-but-i-think-that/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [What matters most to me is doing what I was elected to do: help make life better for Oregonians and making America work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/what-matters-most-to-me-is-doing-what-i-was-elected-to-do-help-make/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [We can no longer continue with a status quo energy policy. We must create sustainable clean energy jobs and leave the planet to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/we-can-no-longer-continue-with-a-status-quo-energy-policy-we-must/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [Budgets are nothing if not statements of priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of-priorities/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [I grew up in Southern Oregon. My father was a sawmill worker and a logger, and his job put food on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-grew-up-in-southern-oregon-my-father-was-a-sawmill-worker-and-a/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [It's time to level the playing field for small business owners and give them the same health care choices that large corporations have. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/it-s-time-to-level-the-playing-field-for-small-business-owners-and/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [My way of viewing the talking filibuster was as a way of doing unanimous consent with your feet. You object by going down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/my-way-of-viewing-the-talking-filibuster-was-as-a-way-of-doing/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [There are thousands of capable Americans who would pursue a degree in nursing if we had room in our schools for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/there-are-thousands-of-capable-americans-who-would-pursue-a-degree-in/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [There are two ways of looking at the talking filibuster. My way is as a form of unanimous consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/there-are-two-ways-of-looking-at-the-talking-filibuster-my-way-is-as/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) [Explore all 27 Jeff Merkley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) ## More Americans quotes > [“People – Americans, mostly – realise how attached they are to material comforts when they arrive in India.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-william-roberts/people-americans-mostly-realise-how-attached-they-are-to-material/) [Paul William Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-william-roberts/) > [Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/music-has-an-intrinsic-value-that-touches-americans-they-love-their/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We Americans tend to be a prodigal lot. We are as careless with our personal resources as we are with the resources of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/we-americans-tend-to-be-a-prodigal-lot-we-are-as-careless-with-our/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [You are Americans. You love this country. Together we are entrusted with the principles that represent mankind's greatest political and social achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/you-are-americans-you-love-this-country-together-we-are-entrusted/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) [Browse all 1,536 Americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Americans have powerfully sensed that we're off track. 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