---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics, in my judgment, has become not…"
description: "\"Politics, in my judgment, has become not just the means to a policy ends, but it's become the end itself. Politics has become the sport that we all wat..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/jeh-johnson-33688_attention_politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-j_423752.jpg"
---

#  Politics, in my judgment, has become not just the means to…

![“Politics, in my judgment, has become not just the means to a policy ends, but it's become the end itself. Politics has become the sport that we all watch, and we all pay attention to.” quote by Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/jeh-johnson-33688_attention_politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-j_423752.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/jeh-johnson-33688_attention_politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-j_423752.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/jeh-johnson-33688_attention_politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-j_423752.jpg)

> “Politics, in my judgment, has become not just the means to a policy ends, but it's become the end itself. Politics has become the sport that we all watch, and we all pay attention to.”

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Politics has shifted from a tool for policy to an end in itself, becoming a spectator sport.

**In simple terms:** Politics is now more about competition than solving problems.

Key Takeaway

Focus on policy impact rather than political spectacle.

Themes

politics policy media public discourse democracy

Mood

critical concerned analytical

Type

commentary analytical

When to use this quote

- campaign strategy
- legislative negotiations
- media coverage
- public opinion shaping
- voter education

Key Concepts

political theater policy instrumentalism civic engagement

Questions to Reflect On

- How can citizens demand substance over spectacle?
- What reforms could reduce politics as entertainment?

A Different Perspective

The view may overlook substantive policy work and alienate citizens.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/)

## Related quotes

> [We will end the politics of profit. We will end the rule of special interests. We will end the raiding of our jobs by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-end-the-politics-of-profit-we-will-end-the-rule-of-special/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-end-move-in-politics-is-always-to-pick-up-a-gun/)

[R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/)

> [A lot of the geeks in Silicon Valley will tell you they no longer believe in the ability of policymakers in Washington to accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/a-lot-of-the-geeks-in-silicon-valley-will-tell-you-they-no-longer/)

[Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/)

> [Just by existing as men, we are automatically guilty of everything in some people's minds. And, on top of that, we've created a situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/just-by-existing-as-men-we-are-automatically-guilty-of-everything-in/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [“Politics and Sport were invented to give unknowledgeable people an opportunity to share their knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/politics-and-sport-were-invented-to-give-unknowledgeable-people-an/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [ The contradiction \[trying to use Russian model to reshape Italy\] grew to such an extent that I felt totally cut off from the communist… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/the-contradiction-trying-to-use-russian-model-to-reshape-italy-grew/)

[Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/)

> [Politics is still the No. 1 sport in town and the scoreboard shows the U.S. attorney's office leading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kurtis/politics-is-still-the-no-1-sport-in-town-and-the-scoreboard-shows-the/)

[Bill Kurtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kurtis/)

> [I believe people who go into politics want to do the right thing. And then they hit a big wall of re-election and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-believe-people-who-go-into-politics-want-to-do-the-right-thing-and/)

[Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/)

> [“It's tempting to think of US politics as sport or entertainment until you realize these clowns are actually making important policy decisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sadoff/it-s-tempting-to-think-of-us-politics-as-sport-or-entertainment-until/)

Michael Sadoff

> [“There is a particular view, still popular among left-wing intellectuals in the West, that the Soviet system was “socialism gone wrong.” This thought expresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/there-is-a-particular-view-still-popular-among-left-wing/)

[Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/)

> [There is so much of politics in sport that I sometimes wonder how did I survive for such a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-usha/there-is-so-much-of-politics-in-sport-that-i-sometimes-wonder-how-did/)

[P. T. Usha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-usha/)

> [War is not a means to an end, it is the end, whereas politics is merely the hiatus between wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/war-is-not-a-means-to-an-end-it-is-the-end-whereas-politics-is-merely/)

[Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/)

> [If you talk you always end up with politics, it gets nowhere. I mean man it's strictly from the soft typewriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/if-you-talk-you-always-end-up-with-politics-it-gets-nowhere-i-mean/)

[William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/)

> [I want to point out, there are a lot of politicians who enjoy the political end of politics, but they're not interested in governance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-want-to-point-out-there-are-a-lot-of-politicians-who-enjoy-the/)

[Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/)

> [The political parties who prefer lockdowns should end their politics that is based on negative attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shehbaz-sharif/the-political-parties-who-prefer-lockdowns-should-end-their-politics/)

[Shehbaz Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shehbaz-sharif/)

## More by Jeh Johnson

> [I hope that the states are taking seriously their obligations to harden the cybersecurity around the election infrastructure that Americans rely upon and need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/i-hope-that-the-states-are-taking-seriously-their-obligations-to/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [I'll never forget what a Catholic priest told me; he said, "If you try to padlock the door, you have to give people an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/i-ll-never-forget-what-a-catholic-priest-told-me-he-said-if-you-try/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [I think that ISIS is a problem and it's really a symptom of a much greater problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/i-think-that-isis-is-a-problem-and-it-s-really-a-symptom-of-a-much/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [If you build - if you spend billions of taxpayer dollars to build a wall over, let's say, a mountain, if you build a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/if-you-build-if-you-spend-billions-of-taxpayer-dollars-to-build-a/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [I think that the potential for homegrown terrorist attacks is something that we have to be very concerned about, because, in many respects, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/i-think-that-the-potential-for-homegrown-terrorist-attacks-is/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [And we need a president who is a uniter, not a divider; who can lower the temperature, not raise the temperature. And I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/and-we-need-a-president-who-is-a-uniter-not-a-divider-who-can-lower/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [The Secret Service hates to complain about something. They're secret by nature. They're not boastful; they don't like to be in the limelight. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/the-secret-service-hates-to-complain-about-something-they-re-secret/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [We are very definitely in a new phase in the global terrorist threat where the so-called lone wolf could strike at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/we-are-very-definitely-in-a-new-phase-in-the-global-terrorist-threat/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [In my view, and in the view of a lot of intelligence experts, the terrorist threat that we face now has morphed significantly from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/in-my-view-and-in-the-view-of-a-lot-of-intelligence-experts-the/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [President Trump talks about extreme vetting, and we actually do have extreme vetting when it comes to refugee resettlement. Refugee resettlement is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/president-trump-talks-about-extreme-vetting-and-we-actually-do-have/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [With every case from years ago there should be lessons learned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/with-every-case-from-years-ago-there-should-be-lessons-learned/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [The good news is that the international coalition, in which our military contributes, has done a lot to reduce the ground space, the territory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/the-good-news-is-that-the-international-coalition-in-which-our/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

> [There's a lot of sensitivity about federal involvement in elections around the country. I think that it would be appropriate to consider - whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/there-s-a-lot-of-sensitivity-about-federal-involvement-in-elections/)

[Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

[Explore all 14 Jeh Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/)

## More Attention quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/)

[Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/)

[Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/)

[Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/)

[Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/)

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/)

[Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/)

> [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

> [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/)

[Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/)

[Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Politics, in my judgment, has become not just the means to a policy ends, but it's become the end itself. Politics has become the sport that we all watch, and we all pay attention to.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jeh Johnson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-just-the-means-to-a-policy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-just-the-means-to-a-policy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/jeh-johnson-33688_attention_politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-j_423752.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/jeh-johnson-33688_attention_politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-j_423752.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/jeh-johnson-33688_attention_politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-j_423752.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Politics, in my judgment, has become not just the means to a policy ends, but it's become the end itself…” — Jeh Johnson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jeh Johnson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Politics, in my judgment, has become...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-just-the-means-to-a-policy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/politics-in-my-judgment-has-become-not-just-the-means-to-a-policy/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
