--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But veteran lawmakers torn apart by PTSD…" description: "\"But veteran lawmakers torn apart by PTSD don't have a choice about being Exhibit A in the case against Washington politics. When you see what can happe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/leon-kass-12927_albatross_but-veteran-lawmakers-torn-apart-by-ptsd_809696.jpg" --- # But veteran lawmakers torn apart by PTSD don't have a… ![“But veteran lawmakers torn apart by PTSD don't have a choice about being Exhibit A in the case against Washington politics. When you see what can happen to a page or a junior congressman, it passes on in a very real way, not in a history-class sense, that reality of what political power really is…” quote by Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/leon-kass-12927_albatross_but-veteran-lawmakers-torn-apart-by-ptsd_809696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/leon-kass-12927_albatross_but-veteran-lawmakers-torn-apart-by-ptsd_809696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/leon-kass-12927_albatross_but-veteran-lawmakers-torn-apart-by-ptsd_809696.jpg) > “But veteran lawmakers torn apart by PTSD don't have a choice about being Exhibit A in the case against Washington politics. When you see what can happen to a page or a junior congressman, it passes on in a very real way, not in a history-class sense, that reality of what political power really is, .. Who are we to impose this emotional albatross on public servants? As a nation, we pretend to elect our leaders. It seems unjust to make them a special class to suffer for our sins over wrongheaded laws, or pay a continuing emotional price for securing their future careers.” [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that political leaders are often forced to bear emotional burdens and trauma caused by the very system they serve, turning them into victims of the political process. **In simple terms:** Political leaders suffer emotional trauma from the system they serve. Key Takeaway Recognize and reduce emotional harm to public servants. Themes politics mental health responsibility leadership Mood somber critical Type cautionary reflective When to use this quote - legislative sessions - campaign stress - policy debates - media scrutiny Key Concepts psychology ethics public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can political institutions better support mental health? - What responsibilities do citizens have to protect leaders? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize all politicians' experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Albatross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albatross/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Congressman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congressman/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Lawmakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawmakers/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-power/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Ptsd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ptsd/) [Public servants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-servants/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Torn apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torn-apart/) [Veteran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran/) ## Related quotes > [I am afraid that I think both the near future environmental reality and political landscape are not looking good - and they are connected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leonard/i-am-afraid-that-i-think-both-the-near-future-environmental-reality/) [Annie Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leonard/) > [You have to deal with the reality that in the political process, people are going to vote based on what they're hearing from their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/you-have-to-deal-with-the-reality-that-in-the-political-process/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Color is not a human or a personal reality it is a political reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/color-is-not-a-human-or-a-personal-reality-it-is-a-political-reality/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Nothing becomes reality in the political life of a nation that was not present in its literature as spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-von-hofmannsthal/nothing-becomes-reality-in-the-political-life-of-a-nation-that-was/) [Hugo von Hofmannsthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-von-hofmannsthal/) > [“A lot of people cannot stand alternative facts or opinions about long standing political patterns, so I avoid the emotionally driven noise and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduvie-donald/a-lot-of-people-cannot-stand-alternative-facts-or-opinions-about-long/) [Eduvie Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduvie-donald/) > [It is true to say that the first kill can influence the whole future career of a fighter pilot. Many to whom the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/it-is-true-to-say-that-the-first-kill-can-influence-the-whole-future/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [Your future depends on what you do today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/your-future-depends-on-what-you-do-today/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Most of the time each person is immersed in the details of one special part of the whole and does not think of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/most-of-the-time-each-person-is-immersed-in-the-details-of-one/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [I have loved filmed from when I was a child, but I never considered it as a future career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chika-anadu/i-have-loved-filmed-from-when-i-was-a-child-but-i-never-considered-it/) [Chika Anadu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chika-anadu/) > [I was aware, however, that telling at any point in my career could adversely affect my future career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-was-aware-however-that-telling-at-any-point-in-my-career-could/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [The mission for the day is to encourage students to think beyond traditional career opportunities, prepare for future careers and entrance into the workplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-tate/the-mission-for-the-day-is-to-encourage-students-to-think-beyond/) [Allen Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-tate/) > [I've never really read any books about Washington, neither the politics nor the city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennie-thompson/i-ve-never-really-read-any-books-about-washington-neither-the/) [Bennie Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennie-thompson/) > [“Politics don’t begin in Washington. Politics begin with those who are oppressed right here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/politics-don-t-begin-in-washington-politics-begin-with-those-who-are/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Washington is politics! Somehow if people have political objectives, then those objectives are automatically disqualified? If that's the case, the Democrats have no business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/washington-is-politics-somehow-if-people-have-political-objectives/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Living in Washington, you can't take politics too seriously. I draw the line at honesty. I have no time for political hacks who say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/living-in-washington-you-can-t-take-politics-too-seriously-i-draw-the/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) ## More by Leon Kass > [Limits have to be set on how far one can simply use the... cleverness that we have to make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/limits-have-to-be-set-on-how-far-one-can-simply-use-the-cleverness/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [The so-called right to reproduce is not an unlimited right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-so-called-right-to-reproduce-is-not-an-unlimited-right/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [I don't believe that efforts to prohibit only so-called reproductive cloning can be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/i-don-t-believe-that-efforts-to-prohibit-only-so-called-reproductive/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Many other countries have already banned human cloning, and there are efforts at the UN to make such a ban universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/many-other-countries-have-already-banned-human-cloning-and-there-are/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [We may simply not be wise enough to do some of the kinds of engineering things that people are talking about doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/we-may-simply-not-be-wise-enough-to-do-some-of-the-kinds-of/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [The technical is not just the machinery. The technical is a disposition to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/the-technical-is-not-just-the-machinery-the-technical-is-a/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [I've been opposed to human cloning from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/i-ve-been-opposed-to-human-cloning-from-the-very-beginning/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Genetics is crude, but neuroscience goes directly to work on the brain, and the mind follows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/genetics-is-crude-but-neuroscience-goes-directly-to-work-on-the-brain/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Cloning represents a very clear, powerful, and immediate example in which we are in danger of turning procreation into manufacture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/cloning-represents-a-very-clear-powerful-and-immediate-example-in/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Human life without death would be something other than human; consciousness of mortality gives rise to out deepest longings and greatest accomplishments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/human-life-without-death-would-be-something-other-than-human/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [If you have easy self-contentment, you might have a very, very cheap source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/if-you-have-easy-self-contentment-you-might-have-a-very-very-cheap/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [It's a short step from the belief that every child should be wanted to the belief that a child exists to satisfy our wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/it-s-a-short-step-from-the-belief-that-every-child-should-be-wanted/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [My job is to provide the president with the richest possible consideration, so that he knows what is at stake in whatever decision he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/my-job-is-to-provide-the-president-with-the-richest-possible/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [In cloning, in contrast, reproduction is asexual - the cloned child is the product not of two but of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/in-cloning-in-contrast-reproduction-is-asexual-the-cloned-child-is/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [There were certain questions about the foundations of morals that advances in science all threaten to make more complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/there-were-certain-questions-about-the-foundations-of-morals-that/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) [Explore all 52 Leon Kass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) ## More Albatross quotes > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Overscheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/it-is-said-that-any-virtue-when-taken-to-an-extreme-can-become-a-vice/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [I certainly never doubted the ability for the guys to get together and make good music, but there was so much legal business with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bush/i-certainly-never-doubted-the-ability-for-the-guys-to-get-together/) [John Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bush/) > [Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don't get that albatross around your neck. Once you've made that mistake, you inhibit your operations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-byrd/be-sure-you-avoid-the-ku-klux-klan-don-t-get-that-albatross-around/) [Robert Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-byrd/) > [If (my grandfather) hadn't left, I'd be working over here at the Albatross Company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/if-my-grandfather-hadn-t-left-i-d-be-working-over-here-at-the/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [The verb "Garland" should be created. It would mean to unfairly put a stinking albatross around someone's neck, to make him unemployable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/the-verb-garland-should-be-created-it-would-mean-to-unfairly-put-a/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [This name Mandela is an albatross around the necks of my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-madikizela-mandela/this-name-mandela-is-an-albatross-around-the-necks-of-my-family/) [Winnie Madikizela-Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-madikizela-mandela/) > [The ethics of sex is a thorny problem. Each of us is forced to grope for a solution he can live with - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-ethics-of-sex-is-a-thorny-problem-each-of-us-is-forced-to-grope/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [I think that America certainly has racism, I think that any industrialized country does. But when you see how many million fans Barack Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-that-america-certainly-has-racism-i-think-that-any/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [The thing is that I am a member of that sad, ever-dwindling minority... the child of an unbroken home. I have carried this albatross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/the-thing-is-that-i-am-a-member-of-that-sad-ever-dwindling-minority/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Of course, you've got to reckon with the burden of the past. You can't just easily dismiss it. It is a legacy and often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/of-course-you-ve-got-to-reckon-with-the-burden-of-the-past-you-can-t/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Ah! well a-day! what evil looks / Had I from old and young! / Instead of the cross, the Albatross / About my neck was hung.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ah-well-a-day-what-evil-looks-had-i-from-old-and-young-instead-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [pg. 231-232: They'd given me a minivan. They could have picked any car and they picked a minivan. A minivan. O God of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/pg-231-232-they-d-given-me-a-minivan-they-could-have-picked-any-car/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Ain't all buttons and charts, little albatross. Know what the first rule of flying is? Well I s'pose you do, since you already know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/ain-t-all-buttons-and-charts-little-albatross-know-what-the-first/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [You know, I can't tell you that I'm very fond of anything I've done, including - and especially- 'The Addams Family.' That's an albatross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cassidy/you-know-i-can-t-tell-you-that-i-m-very-fond-of-anything-i-ve-done/) [Ted Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cassidy/) [Browse all 34 Albatross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albatross/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But veteran lawmakers torn apart by PTSD don't have a choice about being Exhibit A in the case against Washington politics. When you see what can happen to a page or a junior congressman, it passes on in a very real way, not in a history-class sense, that reality of what political power really is, .. Who are we to impose this emotional albatross on public servants? As a nation, we pretend to elect our leaders. 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