--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have tremendous confidence in the…" description: "\"I have tremendous confidence in the ability of government institutions and the American people to do what is right to make sure that our democracy stay..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/leon-panetta-7577_ability_i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-abil_1569760.jpg" --- # I have tremendous confidence in the ability of government… ![“I have tremendous confidence in the ability of government institutions and the American people to do what is right to make sure that our democracy stays on the right track.” quote by Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/leon-panetta-7577_ability_i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-abil_1569760.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/leon-panetta-7577_ability_i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-abil_1569760.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/leon-panetta-7577_ability_i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-abil_1569760.jpg) > “I have tremendous confidence in the ability of government institutions and the American people to do what is right to make sure that our democracy stays on the right track.” [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trust in institutions and citizens is essential for a healthy democracy. **In simple terms:** Confidence in government and people sustains democracy. Key Takeaway Support democratic participation and institutional integrity. Themes democracy trust citizenship Mood optimistic serious Type political educational When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - public policy advocacy Key Concepts political science civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold institutions accountable? - What actions reinforce democratic health? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind us to systemic flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Right track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-track/) ## Related quotes > [ \[We should beware\] that our democracy stays healthy. And making sure that we maintain that sense of solidarity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-beware-that-our-democracy-stays-healthy-and-making-sure/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If the people of the Middle East are not sure what democracy means, let them look to Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-the-people-of-the-middle-east-are-not-sure-what-democracy-means/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I'd like people to be educated on the voting machines, making sure that our democracy isn't being hijacked by computer technology. There's no reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/i-d-like-people-to-be-educated-on-the-voting-machines-making-sure/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [I think Robert Altman could see things in me that I didn't know I possessed, which is really exciting. He also instilled a tremendous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/i-think-robert-altman-could-see-things-in-me-that-i-didn-t-know-i/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [We shouldn't waste any more time in making sure that democracy is properly rooted in our political life and the supremacy of the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-necdet-sezner/we-shouldn-t-waste-any-more-time-in-making-sure-that-democracy-is/) Ahmet Necdet Sezner > [I have tremendous confidence in the capacity of the poor to transform not only their own lives but also to build a just, humane,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-manorama/i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-capacity-of-the-poor-to-transform/) Ruth Manorama > [I think in the lifetime of a tennis player there are many times where you feel that tremendous confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-sabatini/i-think-in-the-lifetime-of-a-tennis-player-there-are-many-times-where/) [Gabriela Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-sabatini/) > [I think my best advice would be to separate Donald Trump, the president of the United States from whatever investigation is being conducted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-think-my-best-advice-would-be-to-separate-donald-trump-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [“Don’t be afraid to be weird, don’t be afraid to be different, don’t worry too much about what other people think. Whatever it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-windling/don-t-be-afraid-to-be-weird-don-t-be-afraid-to-be-different-don-t/) [Terri Windling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-windling/) > [“If you can learn to adapt a “who cares what anyone else thinks, I want a better life for myself” attitude, you’ll be on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-o-neill/if-you-can-learn-to-adapt-a-who-cares-what-anyone-else-thinks-i-want/) [Jennifer O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-o-neill/) > [My freshman and sophomore years in high school, I spent a lot of time trying to get back on the right track. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/my-freshman-and-sophomore-years-in-high-school-i-spent-a-lot-of-time/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [There are some moments in life that are like pivots around which your existence turns—small intuitive flashes, when you know you have done something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-davidson/there-are-some-moments-in-life-that-are-like-pivots-around-which-your/) [Robyn Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-davidson/) > [If the goal of the Trump tax cut is to make America look more like tax-cutting North Carolina and less like soak-the-rich Connecticut and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/if-the-goal-of-the-trump-tax-cut-is-to-make-america-look-more-like/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Leon Panetta > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The one thing that I remember from all of my intelligence briefings and my dealings with the Russians is that when you deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-one-thing-that-i-remember-from-all-of-my-intelligence-briefings/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-fundamental-premise-is-that-neither-the-united-states-or-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If you're a terrorist, you're a terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-you-re-a-terrorist-you-re-a-terrorist/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [As a result of the kind of partisan trench warfare that's going on in Washington, the special interests on both sides basically drive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/as-a-result-of-the-kind-of-partisan-trench-warfare-that-s-going-on-in/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [These days, it takes only seconds - seconds - for a picture, a photo, to suddenly become an international headline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/these-days-it-takes-only-seconds-seconds-for-a-picture-a-photo-to/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The consequence could be that we would have an escalation that would take place that would not only involve many lives, but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-consequence-could-be-that-we-would-have-an-escalation-that-would/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Sexual assault has no place in the military. It is a violation of everything that the US military stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/sexual-assault-has-no-place-in-the-military-it-is-a-violation-of/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Frankly, my fundamental beliefs have not changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/frankly-my-fundamental-beliefs-have-not-changed/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [People elected Donald Trump because he acts decisively. He fired James Comey. He didn't fire the entire FBI. If there's something there, the FBI…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/people-elected-donald-trump-because-he-acts-decisively-he-fired-james/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If we don't do something to simplify the tax system, we're going to end up with a national police force of internal revenue agents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-we-don-t-do-something-to-simplify-the-tax-system-we-re-going-to/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If the Iraqis fail to implement the reforms, if they fail to get a handle on the violence, there's nothing the United States can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-the-iraqis-fail-to-implement-the-reforms-if-they-fail-to-get-a/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Clearly, Russia has lied to the world about what's going on in Ukraine. They have clearly violated the cease-fire agreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/clearly-russia-has-lied-to-the-world-about-what-s-going-on-in-ukraine/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [In this century, the 21st century, the U.S. recognizes our prosperity and our security depends even more on the Asia-Pacific region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/in-this-century-the-21st-century-the-u-s-recognizes-our-prosperity/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I think a quality that a national security adviser must have is the ability to set up procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-think-a-quality-that-a-national-security-adviser-must-have-is-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) [Explore all 90 Leon Panetta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have tremendous confidence in the ability of government institutions and the American people to do what is right to make sure that our democracy stays on the right track.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leon Panetta" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-ability-of-government/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-ability-of-government/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/leon-panetta-7577_ability_i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-abil_1569760.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/leon-panetta-7577_ability_i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-abil_1569760.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/leon-panetta-7577_ability_i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-abil_1569760.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have tremendous confidence in the ability of government institutions and the American people to do what is…” — Leon Panetta", "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": "Leon Panetta", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have tremendous confidence in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-ability-of-government/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-have-tremendous-confidence-in-the-ability-of-government/#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 } } ] } ```