--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We didn't come here to become Washington…" description: "\"We didn't come here to become Washington, we came here to change Washington.\" — Kristi Noem" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/kristi-noem-28270_become_we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington_837990.jpg" --- # We didn't come here to become Washington, we came here to… ![“We didn't come here to become Washington, we came here to change Washington.” quote by Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/kristi-noem-28270_become_we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington_837990.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/kristi-noem-28270_become_we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington_837990.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/kristi-noem-28270_become_we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington_837990.jpg) > “We didn't come here to become Washington, we came here to change Washington.” [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) ## 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 asserts that their purpose is not to become like Washington but to transform it, emphasizing active change over imitation. **In simple terms:** We aim to change Washington, not become it. Key Takeaway Focus on transformative action. Themes politics change leadership identity Mood determined assertive Type political motivational When to use this quote - government policy - grassroots activism - public office - community organizing Key Concepts reform civic duty Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can achieve change? - How to balance tradition with reform? A Different Perspective Changing a system is complex and may face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington/) ## Related quotes > [I do not believe that the best ideas come from Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/i-do-not-believe-that-the-best-ideas-come-from-washington/) [Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/) > [Our help does not come from Washington, but from ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/our-help-does-not-come-from-washington-but-from-ourselves/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [To change Washington, you need to change the women's player list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/to-change-washington-you-need-to-change-the-women-s-player-list/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [I don't want to come to Washington to be just another vote. I want to lead on issues that are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-martinez/i-don-t-want-to-come-to-washington-to-be-just-another-vote-i-want-to/) [Mel Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-martinez/) > [In order to change Washington, we're going to have to change the people that we send there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/in-order-to-change-washington-we-re-going-to-have-to-change-the/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [At some point, the government expands into the private sphere so far that you live in a place with a whole lot less freedom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pompeo/at-some-point-the-government-expands-into-the-private-sphere-so-far/) [Mike Pompeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pompeo/) > [In order for our country and economy to get on the right track again, we need a leader who understands how the real economy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-for-our-country-and-economy-to-get-on-the-right-track-again/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If it takes talking about unpleasant truths to change Washington, then so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/if-it-takes-talking-about-unpleasant-truths-to-change-washington-then/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [I didn't come to Washington D.C. sit on the sidelines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-didn-t-come-to-washington-d-c-sit-on-the-sidelines/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [You Can't Change Where You Came From But You Can Change Where You're Going To](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/you-can-t-change-where-you-came-from-but-you-can-change-where-you-re/) Myself > [“You can't change where you came from, but you can change where you go from here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/you-can-t-change-where-you-came-from-but-you-can-change-where-you-go/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [Guy got in a gyrocopter in Gettysburg, flew under the radar all the way to Washington and came - What if he had had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/guy-got-in-a-gyrocopter-in-gettysburg-flew-under-the-radar-all-the/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [I was from Washington, D.C., and then I came to New York and got the scholarship for the ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chita-rivera/i-was-from-washington-d-c-and-then-i-came-to-new-york-and-got-the/) [Chita Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chita-rivera/) > [I liked the story and wanted to do it, but I guess the time for the project came now, because I had to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-rama-rao-jr/i-liked-the-story-and-wanted-to-do-it-but-i-guess-the-time-for-the/) [N. T. Rama Rao, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-rama-rao-jr/) > [“forces on taking sugar islands in the West Indies or besieging Gibraltar or collecting an assault force for the invasion of Britain, because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-w-tuchman/forces-on-taking-sugar-islands-in-the-west-indies-or-besieging/) [Barbara W. Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-w-tuchman/) ## More by Kristi Noem > [I think we need to have competitive tax rates in order to create jobs in this country. And I think it should be fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/i-think-we-need-to-have-competitive-tax-rates-in-order-to-create-jobs/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [We need to simplify our tax code. We need to make sure that it's not too cumbersome for people to be able to comply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-need-to-simplify-our-tax-code-we-need-to-make-sure-that-it-s-not/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [And people talk about the stimulus package and the jobs that it was supposed to create, it certainly didn't have the intended effects that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/and-people-talk-about-the-stimulus-package-and-the-jobs-that-it-was/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [We have to get government out of the job of picking winners and losers. That's what they've been doing the last year and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-have-to-get-government-out-of-the-job-of-picking-winners-and/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [When you look at February's (2011) deficit spending alone, and the fact that it was larger than what our total deficit spending was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/when-you-look-at-february-s-2011-deficit-spending-alone-and-the-fact/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [So when I look at spending more dollars, I look at the fact, do I really want my kids and your kids and everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/so-when-i-look-at-spending-more-dollars-i-look-at-the-fact-do-i/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [Now make no mistake, I think we need a strong dose of fiscal conservatism in Washington, D.C.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/now-make-no-mistake-i-think-we-need-a-strong-dose-of-fiscal/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [I'd rather have a real South Dakotan who has lived in this state and made her living here instead of someone with a fancy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/i-d-rather-have-a-real-south-dakotan-who-has-lived-in-this-state-and/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [I think everyday people on the street who have never been affiliated with the tea party movement are alarmed with the spending and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/i-think-everyday-people-on-the-street-who-have-never-been-affiliated/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [We've got very large freshman class, it's historic in its size, so there's people that are extremely diverse in their backgrounds and their viewpoints.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-ve-got-very-large-freshman-class-it-s-historic-in-its-size-so/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [I am honored that my freshman class colleagues have put their trust in me to represent our historic class at the leadership table. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/i-am-honored-that-my-freshman-class-colleagues-have-put-their-trust/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [Every one says: 'Listen, I'd love to reinvest. I'd love to hire people. But I have no idea what this healthcare bill is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/every-one-says-listen-i-d-love-to-reinvest-i-d-love-to-hire-people/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [I think labels have been used alot during this election process to divide people, and at this point in time we really need people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/i-think-labels-have-been-used-alot-during-this-election-process-to/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [So, a lot of my supporters back home are members of the Tea Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/so-a-lot-of-my-supporters-back-home-are-members-of-the-tea-party/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) > [We must stop spending money that we just don't have. Historic debt leads to historic tax increases, which stifle job growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-must-stop-spending-money-that-we-just-don-t-have-historic-debt/) [Kristi Noem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) [Explore all 19 Kristi Noem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/) ## More Become quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/a-strong-responsible-israel-can-become-a-stabilizer-in-such-a/) [Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/) > [If someone has the opportunity to become a model, I would say, 'Do it.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-russell/if-someone-has-the-opportunity-to-become-a-model-i-would-say-do-it/) [Cameron Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-russell/) > [I had a talent for copying the signatures of dignitaries like Indira Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan and so on. So, I wanted to become someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-mishra/i-had-a-talent-for-copying-the-signatures-of-dignitaries-like-indira/) [Sanjay Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-mishra/) > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [You can never tell when a commercial space venture will suddenly become viable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/you-can-never-tell-when-a-commercial-space-venture-will-suddenly/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [My first bill to become law repeals regulations to make everyday life easier and more affordable for Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/my-first-bill-to-become-law-repeals-regulations-to-make-everyday-life/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/) [Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/) > [Canada has become such a staging area for Chinese money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/canada-has-become-such-a-staging-area-for-chinese-money/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [Sometimes when you're in different countries, everything has become so homogenised and there's a Starbucks and McDonald's everywhere, and you could feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-yun-lee/sometimes-when-you-re-in-different-countries-everything-has-become-so/) [Will Yun Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-yun-lee/) Browse all 4,184 Become quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We didn't come here to become Washington, we came here to change Washington.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kristi Noem" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington-we-came-here-to-change/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Become" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington-we-came-here-to-change/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/kristi-noem-28270_become_we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington_837990.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/kristi-noem-28270_become_we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington_837990.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/kristi-noem-28270_become_we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington_837990.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We didn't come here to become Washington, we came here to change Washington.” — Kristi Noem", "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": "Kristi Noem", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-noem/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We didn't come here to become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington-we-came-here-to-change/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-noem/we-didn-t-come-here-to-become-washington-we-came-here-to-change/#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 } } ] } ```