---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s not about electing the right people…"
description: "\"It’s not about electing the right people. It’s about a narrowing their responsibilities.\" — John Stossel"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/john-stossel-5146_people_it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people_2017867.png"
---

#  It’s not about electing the right people. It’s about a…

![“It’s not about electing the right people. It’s about a narrowing their responsibilities.” quote by John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/john-stossel-5146_people_it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people_2017867.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/john-stossel-5146_people_it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people_2017867.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/john-stossel-5146_people_it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people_2017867.png)

> “It’s not about electing the right people. It’s about a narrowing their responsibilities.”

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

## About This Quote

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

Power lies in limiting authority rather than selecting perfect leaders.

**In simple terms:** Control duties, not just pick people.

Key Takeaway

Focus on delegating wisely.

Themes

leadership governance accountability

Mood

critical analytical

Type

advice political

When to use this quote

- corporate management
- public policy
- nonprofit boards
- team projects

Key Concepts

political theory delegation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can responsibilities be balanced with accountability?
- What checks prevent power abuse?

A Different Perspective

Even with limited duties, oversight can be lacking.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Electing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electing-1458296/) [Electing Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electing-right-3638857/) [Narrowing Responsibilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrowing-responsibilities-3638856/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Narrowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-narrowing-3638858/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Right people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-people/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/)

## Related quotes

> [“I will lead my people. Just as you will lead yours. And we make the decisions for our people together.” Narrowing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/i-will-lead-my-people-just-as-you-will-lead-yours-and-we-make-the/)

[Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/)

> [Democracy is all about not electing the wrong man-eating lizard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/democracy-is-all-about-not-electing-the-wrong-man-eating-lizard/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [Some said America took a step forward electing a black president. In light of the unconstitutiona l expansion of powers, lack of transparency and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/some-said-america-took-a-step-forward-electing-a-black-president-in/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Beguiled by George S. Bush's easy smile and casual indifference to the details, we are on the brink of electing him to office. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/beguiled-by-george-s-bush-s-easy-smile-and-casual-indifference-to-the/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [If they are given a real opportunity to affect the performance of local public services by electing the people who run them, most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/if-they-are-given-a-real-opportunity-to-affect-the-performance-of/)

[Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/)

> [ This election \[in 2016\] is about electing a president that will restore our economic vibrancy so that the American dream can expand to reach… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/this-election-in-2016-is-about-electing-a-president-that-will-restore/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [Voting wouldn't excite me unless it included electing the directors of the big banks and corporations, who make the real decisions that affect our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/voting-wouldn-t-excite-me-unless-it-included-electing-the-directors/)

[Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/)

> [Finally, it occurs to me that the biggest problem with our elections is that however you vote, you wind up electing a politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-prelutsky/finally-it-occurs-to-me-that-the-biggest-problem-with-our-elections/)

[Burt Prelutsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-prelutsky/)

> [We are selected, but I grew up in California and in San Francisco and there was a system of electing judges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/we-are-selected-but-i-grew-up-in-california-and-in-san-francisco-and/)

[Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/)

> [Electing Democratic pro-choice women in the executive offices at the state level is incredibly important to ensuring that we can protect and expand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/electing-democratic-pro-choice-women-in-the-executive-offices-at-the/)

[Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/)

> [I don't care who does the electing, as long as I get to do the nominating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boss-tweed/i-don-t-care-who-does-the-electing-as-long-as-i-get-to-do-the/)

[Boss Tweed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boss-tweed/)

> [Candidates have been telling you that if elected they would 'pull you from this bog hole of financial misery.' Now is a good chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/candidates-have-been-telling-you-that-if-elected-they-would-pull-you/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [If you're not electing Christians then in essence you are going to legislate sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-harris/if-you-re-not-electing-christians-then-in-essence-you-are-going-to/)

[Katherine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-harris/)

> [We have to convince people that they have the power to elect people. The people they are electing are the ones making the decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/we-have-to-convince-people-that-they-have-the-power-to-elect-people/)

[Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/)

> [Our nation is not a fully representative democracy if we do not have a one-person, one-vote method of directly electing our president. It disproportionately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/our-nation-is-not-a-fully-representative-democracy-if-we-do-not-have/)

[Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/)

## More by John Stossel

> [Fraud will always exist. Enforcement of anti-fraud laws is a useful deterrent, but in the end there's no substitute for investor vigilance. Government regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/fraud-will-always-exist-enforcement-of-anti-fraud-laws-is-a-useful/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [The welfare state has done to Black Americans what slavery (and Jim Crow and racism) could not have done. . .break up the black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/the-welfare-state-has-done-to-black-americans-what-slavery-and-jim/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [“If overpopulation or lack of resources created poverty, then Hong Kong should be poor. Hong Kong has 20 times as many people per square…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/if-overpopulation-or-lack-of-resources-created-poverty-then-hong-kong/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [But nothing is better than the market, where the customer and the business deal directly with each other, because if you rip people off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/but-nothing-is-better-than-the-market-where-the-customer-and-the/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [The people who have the biggest passion for restricting other people's behavior are the very people we should worry about most. Unfortunately, they keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/the-people-who-have-the-biggest-passion-for-restricting-other-people/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [Happiness comes when we test our skills towards some meaningful purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/happiness-comes-when-we-test-our-skills-towards-some-meaningful/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [What I've learned in 40 years of consumer reporting is that the market is imperfect, and some people get ripped off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/what-i-ve-learned-in-40-years-of-consumer-reporting-is-that-the/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [Patrick Henry did not say, 'Give me absolutely safety or give me death.' America is supposed to be about freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/patrick-henry-did-not-say-give-me-absolutely-safety-or-give-me-death/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [Asking someone in the media about liberal bias is like asking a fish about water. 'Huh, what are you talking about? Where is it?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/asking-someone-in-the-media-about-liberal-bias-is-like-asking-a-fish/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [Government is so big today that more than half the population gets a major part of its income from the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/government-is-so-big-today-that-more-than-half-the-population-gets-a/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [I'm an American. I'm for prosperity. I've discovered, from 40 years of reporting, that what creates prosperity is limited government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/i-m-an-american-i-m-for-prosperity-i-ve-discovered-from-40-years-of/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [“Cornelius Vanderbilt and his fellow tycoon John D. Rockefeller were often called 'robber barons'. Newspapers said they were evil, and ran cartoons showing Vanderbilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/cornelius-vanderbilt-and-his-fellow-tycoon-john-d-rockefeller-were/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [A handful of people who probably never even ran a small business actually think they can reinvent the health care system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/a-handful-of-people-who-probably-never-even-ran-a-small-business/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [Freedom works, and government, when it grows beyond the barest minimum, keeps people poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/freedom-works-and-government-when-it-grows-beyond-the-barest-minimum/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [“In 1999 the National Research Council concluded that 'the total exposure to naturally occurring carcinogens exceeds the exposure to synthetic carcinogens.'... The point was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/in-1999-the-national-research-council-concluded-that-the-total/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

[Explore all 102 John Stossel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

## More People quotes

> [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/)

[Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/)

[Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/)

> [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/)

[Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/)

> [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/)

[John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

> [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/)

[David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/)

> [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/)

[Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/)

> [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/)

[Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/)

[Browse all 211,607 People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It’s not about electing the right people. It’s about a narrowing their responsibilities.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Stossel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people-it-s-about-a-narrowing-their/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "People"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people-it-s-about-a-narrowing-their/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/john-stossel-5146_people_it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people_2017867.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/john-stossel-5146_people_it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people_2017867.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/john-stossel-5146_people_it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people_2017867.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It’s not about electing the right people. It’s about a narrowing their responsibilities.” — John Stossel",
                "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": "John Stossel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It’s not about electing the right...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people-it-s-about-a-narrowing-their/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/it-s-not-about-electing-the-right-people-it-s-about-a-narrowing-their/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
