--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was previously involved in local and…" description: "\"I was previously involved in local and state politics, but not national, because grassroots democracy starts at the bottom. This was the breaking point..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jill-stein-660_areas_i-was-previously-involved-in-local-and-s_1785723.jpg" --- # I was previously involved in local and state politics, but… ![“I was previously involved in local and state politics, but not national, because grassroots democracy starts at the bottom. This was the breaking point for me, though - and it made the case that in order to fight locally, we have to fight nationally; we can't afford to neglect any area of life in…” quote by Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jill-stein-660_areas_i-was-previously-involved-in-local-and-s_1785723.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jill-stein-660_areas_i-was-previously-involved-in-local-and-s_1785723.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jill-stein-660_areas_i-was-previously-involved-in-local-and-s_1785723.jpg) > “I was previously involved in local and state politics, but not national, because grassroots democracy starts at the bottom. This was the breaking point for me, though - and it made the case that in order to fight locally, we have to fight nationally; we can't afford to neglect any area of life in this democracy.” [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement stresses that local activism is essential, but broader impact requires national engagement to protect democratic values. **In simple terms:** Local action matters, but national effort is needed. Key Takeaway Combine local and national activism. Themes democracy activism politics Mood determined serious Type political call‑to‑action When to use this quote - community organizing - policy advocacy - voter mobilization Key Concepts civic responsibility grassroots movement Questions to Reflect On - How can local issues be amplified nationally? - What balance works best for activists? A Different Perspective National politics can dilute local focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Areas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/areas/) [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Breaking point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-point/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Fight Nationally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-nationally-1900621/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Grassroots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grassroots/) [Grassroots Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grassroots-democracy-1348932/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Locals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locals/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [National Grassroots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-grassroots-1900620/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Point break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-break/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics National](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-national-1900622/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) ## Related quotes > [I think we need to be a superpower of human rights, of support for true grassroots democracy, not corporatist economic development, which suits our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-think-we-need-to-be-a-superpower-of-human-rights-of-support-for/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [If we're going to be successful in taking on the billionaire class, we need a strong national grassroots movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-we-re-going-to-be-successful-in-taking-on-the-billionaire-class-we/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [That morning each of us found a breaking point. 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Every nerve, even every muscle, seems strained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lowell/i-do-not-suppose-that-anyone-not-a-poet-can-realize-the-agony-of/) [Amy Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lowell/) > [For the only courage worth calling courage must necessarily mean that the soul passes a breaking point and does not break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-the-only-courage-worth-calling-courage-must-necessarily-mean-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Endure, put up with whatever comes your way, learn to overcome weakness and pain, push yourself to breaking point but never cave in. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-nadal/endure-put-up-with-whatever-comes-your-way-learn-to-overcome-weakness/) [Toni Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-nadal/) > [Make your breaking point your turning point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kimbro/make-your-breaking-point-your-turning-point/) [Dennis Kimbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kimbro/) > [When you conceal inner reality, this pressure builds. You often don't expose yourself until it reaches extremity, a breaking point, and what emerges is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-febos/when-you-conceal-inner-reality-this-pressure-builds-you-often-don-t/) [Melissa Febos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-febos/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) ## More by Jill Stein > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I wouldn't say it's a done deal yet, by any means. I think there are a lot of people who feel like their lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-wouldn-t-say-it-s-a-done-deal-yet-by-any-means-i-think-there-are-a/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [To my mind, to say that says to young people "and you probably are not going to get out of debt, and you probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/to-my-mind-to-say-that-says-to-young-people-and-you-probably-are-not/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For ISIS, the answer is to cut off their food, their water, their armaments, you know, and their funding. I don't mean literally their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/for-isis-the-answer-is-to-cut-off-their-food-their-water-their/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ They \[Democrats\] are not just going up, they are accelerating on their way up. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/they-democrats-are-not-just-going-up-they-are-accelerating-on-their/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I don't want to revisit history or try to re-interpret it, you know, but starting from where we are now, given the experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-don-t-want-to-revisit-history-or-try-to-re-interpret-it-you-know/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I am not an expert on the Clinton Foundation, so, you know, I don't want to pass judgment on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-am-not-an-expert-on-the-clinton-foundation-so-you-know-i-don-t-want/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ He \[Donald Trump\] is like - he's a magnet for crime and extortion and, you know, just really criminal investments which are extremely dangerous. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/he-donald-trump-is-like-he-s-a-magnet-for-crime-and-extortion-and-you/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ By needlessly provoking him \[Vladimir Putin\] and humiliating him, we empower far worse possibilities in Russia. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/by-needlessly-provoking-him-vladimir-putin-and-humiliating-him-we/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [We will not really address our foreign policy and these endless wars that show no end in sight and seem to be getting deeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/we-will-not-really-address-our-foreign-policy-and-these-endless-wars/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ Remember, Bernie \[Sanders\] was the guy. 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