--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: we may well look back at the 2016…" description: "\"“we may well look back at the 2016 election as the moment when the corruption and sheer incompetence of Washington became so large and transparent that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/jeffrey-d-sachs-28149_american-people_we-may-well-look-back-at-the-2016-electi_2776490.jpg" --- # we may well look back at the 2016 election as the moment… ![“we may well look back at the 2016 election as the moment when the corruption and sheer incompetence of Washington became so large and transparent that an era of reform finally got underway. Even if Washington goes badly in the wrong direction in 2017 and beyond, the American people may begin to…” quote by Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/jeffrey-d-sachs-28149_american-people_we-may-well-look-back-at-the-2016-electi_2776490.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/jeffrey-d-sachs-28149_american-people_we-may-well-look-back-at-the-2016-electi_2776490.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/jeffrey-d-sachs-28149_american-people_we-may-well-look-back-at-the-2016-electi_2776490.jpg) > ““we may well look back at the 2016 election as the moment when the corruption and sheer incompetence of Washington became so large and transparent that an era of reform finally got underway. Even if Washington goes badly in the wrong direction in 2017 and beyond, the American people may begin to mobilize for true and deep political reforms.”” [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker views the 2016 election as a catalyst exposing deep corruption, sparking potential for reform despite future uncertainties. **In simple terms:** Election exposed corruption, prompting reform hopes. Key Takeaway Push for deep political change. Themes politics reform corruption public mobilization Mood concerned hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - voting decisions - activism - policy advocacy Key Concepts democratic renewal civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens maintain reform momentum? - What reforms matter most to you? A Different Perspective Reform may stall without sustained pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The election moment is merely the American public saying, "We'd rather you be President than that guy." 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Hornberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-g-hornberger/) > [Yes, I do agree we need health care reform; however, this bill badly misses the mark. Congress can and must do better for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mica/yes-i-do-agree-we-need-health-care-reform-however-this-bill-badly/) [John Mica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mica/) > [To elevate abstract doctrines and dogmas over living, breathing, embodied experiences of God's love and grace, then, is going the wrong direction. It's taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/to-elevate-abstract-doctrines-and-dogmas-over-living-breathing/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“What’s emerging from the pattern of my own life is the for belief that the crisis is being caused by the inadequacy of existing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-s-emerging-from-the-pattern-of-my-own-life-is-the-for-belief/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [There is a perennial classical question that asks which part of the motorcycle, which grain of sand in which pile, is the Buddha. Obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/there-is-a-perennial-classical-question-that-asks-which-part-of-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [I've talked to many individuals who want to discuss their problems. But they don't really have problems. They have chosen to live in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/i-ve-talked-to-many-individuals-who-want-to-discuss-their-problems/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [“When you're hurrying around too quickly," he had said, "there's a part of the world you can't see. If, for example, you're taking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/when-you-re-hurrying-around-too-quickly-he-had-said-there-s-a-part-of/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [The freedom of the press is a valuable privilege; but the abuse of it, in this country, is a frightful evil. The licentiousness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/the-freedom-of-the-press-is-a-valuable-privilege-but-the-abuse-of-it/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [“When can one really say that pudgal (non-Self complex of input and output) is the doer? It is after one attains Self-realization. Otherwise, he would go in the wrong direction. After attaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-can-one-really-say-that-pudgal-non-self-complex-of-input-and/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [A lot of people get a misconception And start drifting in the wrong direction Miss Goody Two Shoes see you later I ain't got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rappin-4-tay/a-lot-of-people-get-a-misconception-and-start-drifting-in-the-wrong/) Rappin' 4-Tay > [“If the things behind you are tripping you, you're moving in the wrong direction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/if-the-things-behind-you-are-tripping-you-you-re-moving-in-the-wrong/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Every time you think a negative thought, it's one step in the wrong direction, for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/every-time-you-think-a-negative-thought-it-s-one-step-in-the-wrong/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) ## More by Jeffrey D. Sachs > [“The energy and daring is to resist the noes, until the final yes has been achieved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/the-energy-and-daring-is-to-resist-the-noes-until-the-final-yes-has/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“Is there a way forward, when campaign financing and mega-lobbying have displaced the common good and have led Americans to despair about the functioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/is-there-a-way-forward-when-campaign-financing-and-mega-lobbying-have/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“Over the course of nearly a half-century, Cuba, Congo, Ghana, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Iran, Namibia, Mozambique, Chile, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/over-the-course-of-nearly-a-half-century-cuba-congo-ghana-indonesia/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“The vast differences in power contributed to faulty social theories of these differences that are still with us today. When a society is economically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/the-vast-differences-in-power-contributed-to-faulty-social-theories/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“The scale of U.S. military operations is remarkable. The U.S. Department of Defense has (as of a 2014 inventory) 4,855 military facilities, of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/the-scale-of-u-s-military-operations-is-remarkable-the-u-s-department/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“The rich control our politics to a huge extend. In return they get tax cuts and deregulation. It's been and is an amazing ride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/the-rich-control-our-politics-to-a-huge-extend-in-return-they-get-tax/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“Here is my recommendation for President Trump and the new Congress. Turn immediately to our glorious national institutions, the National Academies of Science, Engineering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/here-is-my-recommendation-for-president-trump-and-the-new-congress/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“The current situation reminds me too much of the fable of the farmer whose chickens are dying. The local priest gives one remedy af-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/the-current-situation-reminds-me-too-much-of-the-fable-of-the-farmer/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“Similarly, though the United States is one of the world’s richest economies by per capita income, it ranks only around seventeenth in reported life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/similarly-though-the-united-states-is-one-of-the-world-s-richest/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“The political beauty of our online age is that it’s now actually feasible—and urgently necessary—to reengage the public in just this way. In Aristotle’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/the-political-beauty-of-our-online-age-is-that-it-s-now-actually/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“four very powerful corporate lobbies have repeatedly come out on top and turned our democracy into what might more accurately be called a corporatocracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/four-very-powerful-corporate-lobbies-have-repeatedly-come-out-on-top/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“This is an age of impunity, a time when the rich and powerful get away with their misdeeds, and are even lauded for them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/this-is-an-age-of-impunity-a-time-when-the-rich-and-powerful-get-away/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“There is a major economic difference, however, between now and 1991, much less 1950. At the start of the Cold War in 1950, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/there-is-a-major-economic-difference-however-between-now-and-1991/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“With higher saving and investment rates, both public and private, directed towards productive capital, the United States could overcome secular stagnation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/with-higher-saving-and-investment-rates-both-public-and-private/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) > [“Come Senators, Congressmen, Please heed the call, Don’t stand in the doorways, Don’t block up the halls…For the times they are a changin’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-d-sachs/come-senators-congressmen-please-heed-the-call-don-t-stand-in-the-2/) [Jeffrey D. Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) [Explore all 16 Jeffrey D. Sachs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-d-sachs/) ## More American people quotes > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [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/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [If a financial institution has business operations in the United States, hires people in the United States, if they are clogged with illiquid assets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/if-a-financial-institution-has-business-operations-in-the-united/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [The American people reject the idea of giving Washington a blank check to increase the debt limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-roby/the-american-people-reject-the-idea-of-giving-washington-a-blank/) [Martha Roby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-roby/) > [The coronavirus has yet again exposed the strong contrast between President Trump - who is working ardently for the American people - and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/the-coronavirus-has-yet-again-exposed-the-strong-contrast-between/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [The American people demand results, not rhetoric, especially when it comes to national security issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-hayworth/the-american-people-demand-results-not-rhetoric-especially-when-it/) [J. D. Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-hayworth/) > [Hillary Clinton truly is sincere, but she has to connect more with the American people in terms of what she believes in and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-truly-is-sincere-but-she-has-to-connect-more-with-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Browse all 2,233 American people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“we may well look back at the 2016 election as the moment when the corruption and sheer incompetence of Washington became so large and transparent that an era of reform finally got underway. 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