--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're not going to fix government until…" description: "\"We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.\" — Jennifer Pahlka" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/jennifer-pahlka-19149_citizenship_we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until_117819.jpg" --- # We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship. ![“We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.” quote by Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/jennifer-pahlka-19149_citizenship_we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until_117819.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/jennifer-pahlka-19149_citizenship_we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until_117819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/jennifer-pahlka-19149_citizenship_we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until_117819.jpg) > “We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.” [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective governance depends on an engaged, responsible citizenry; reform must start with the people’s participation and values. **In simple terms:** Citizenship precedes government reform. Key Takeaway People shape politics. Themes citizenship government civic engagement reform Mood determined hopeful Type political activist When to use this quote - voter education - community organizing - public policy workshops Key Concepts social contract theory participatory democracy Practical Applications - strengthen civic curricula - facilitate local decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms empower citizens to influence policy? - How does civic identity affect reform success? 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William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [I always lose the election in the polls, and I always win it on election day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-always-lose-the-election-in-the-polls-and-i-always-win-it-on/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More by Jennifer Pahlka > [So few people vote these days, and I think it's partly because they don't feel like the institution really means anything to them. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/so-few-people-vote-these-days-and-i-think-it-s-partly-because-they/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [If you don't tolerate any risk, you can never innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/if-you-don-t-tolerate-any-risk-you-can-never-innovate/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Are we just going to be a crowd of voices, or are we going to be a crowd of hands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/are-we-just-going-to-be-a-crowd-of-voices-or-are-we-going-to-be-a/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Cities perform most functions in a very Industrial Age model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/cities-perform-most-functions-in-a-very-industrial-age-model/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Government is like a vast ocean and politics is the six-inch layer on top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/government-is-like-a-vast-ocean-and-politics-is-the-six-inch-layer-on/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [We can't do without government, but we do need it to be more effective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/we-can-t-do-without-government-but-we-do-need-it-to-be-more-effective/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Our ability to do great things with data will make a real difference in every aspect of our lives,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/our-ability-to-do-great-things-with-data-will-make-a-real-difference/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [I think there is a big disjuncture between what we are served up as consumers and what we are served up as citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/i-think-there-is-a-big-disjuncture-between-what-we-are-served-up-as/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [If you dont tolerate any risk, you can never innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/if-you-dont-tolerate-any-risk-you-can-never-innovate/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [In high school, I was sort of friends with the geeks and friends with the socials and everything else and not solidly in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/in-high-school-i-was-sort-of-friends-with-the-geeks-and-friends-with/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [If you are really interested in making government work, you should have the experience of working in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/if-you-are-really-interested-in-making-government-work-you-should/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [When there are more males in the industry to begin with, it just has a more male feel, and that pushes the girls away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/when-there-are-more-males-in-the-industry-to-begin-with-it-just-has-a/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [Everything that works on the Internet depends on a lot of people collaborating, but there's also these rules that you see across all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/everything-that-works-on-the-internet-depends-on-a-lot-of-people/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [There is certainly a strong game development community in Texas, centered around Austin, with a significant additional contingency coming over from Dallas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/there-is-certainly-a-strong-game-development-community-in-texas/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [When one neighbor helps another, we strengthen our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/when-one-neighbor-helps-another-we-strengthen-our-communities/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) [Explore all 33 Jennifer Pahlka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) ## More Citizenship quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/) [Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There can be a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act, but why should we shelter someone who has come to India illegally from outside?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/there-can-be-a-debate-on-the-citizenship-amendment-act-but-why-should/) [Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [The point I wish plainly to bring before you on this occasion is the individuality of each human soul--our Protestant idea, the right of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-point-i-wish-plainly-to-bring-before-you-on-this-occasion-is-the/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“Encouraging Robert E. Lee to take a job as college president, "You might be presenting to the world in such a position an example…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nelson-pendleton/encouraging-robert-e-lee-to-take-a-job-as-college-president-you-might/) [William Nelson Pendleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nelson-pendleton/) > [“What constitutes an American? Not color nor race nor religion. Not the pedigree of his family nor the place of his birth. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ickes/what-constitutes-an-american-not-color-nor-race-nor-religion-not-the/) [Harold Ickes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ickes/) > [In an age of interdependence, global citizenship - based on trust and sense of shared responsibility - is a crucial pillar of progress. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/in-an-age-of-interdependence-global-citizenship-based-on-trust-and/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Strengthening our identity is one way of reinforcing people's confidence and sense of citizenship and well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/strengthening-our-identity-is-one-way-of-reinforcing-people-s/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) [Browse all 793 Citizenship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizenship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jennifer Pahlka" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until-we-fix-citizenship/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Citizenship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until-we-fix-citizenship/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/jennifer-pahlka-19149_citizenship_we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until_117819.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/jennifer-pahlka-19149_citizenship_we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until_117819.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/jennifer-pahlka-19149_citizenship_we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until_117819.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.” — Jennifer Pahlka", "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": "Jennifer Pahlka", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're not going to fix government...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until-we-fix-citizenship/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/we-re-not-going-to-fix-government-until-we-fix-citizenship/#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 } } ] } ```