--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I'm saying is that government…" description: "\"What I'm saying is that government doesn't work for people. There is a perception of it and a reality of it.\" — Lori Lightfoot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/lori-lightfoot-6415_government_what-i-m-saying-is-that-government-doesn_2409107.jpg" --- # What I'm saying is that government doesn't work for… ![“What I'm saying is that government doesn't work for people. There is a perception of it and a reality of it.” quote by Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/lori-lightfoot-6415_government_what-i-m-saying-is-that-government-doesn_2409107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/lori-lightfoot-6415_government_what-i-m-saying-is-that-government-doesn_2409107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/lori-lightfoot-6415_government_what-i-m-saying-is-that-government-doesn_2409107.jpg) > “What I'm saying is that government doesn't work for people. There is a perception of it and a reality of it.” [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government often fails to serve people; perception and reality of its effectiveness differ. **In simple terms:** Govt often falls short. Key Takeaway Demand accountability from leaders. Themes government trust perception Mood critical urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - public forums - media analysis Key Concepts political science public policy civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - What reforms would improve government responsiveness? - How do perceptions shape civic participation? A Different Perspective Systemic issues can be hard to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-doesn/) [People Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-perception-488145/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Saying Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-government-525034/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-people/) ## Related quotes > [I have learned already that you have to work against people's perception as they want to box you in very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-fox/i-have-learned-already-that-you-have-to-work-against-people-s/) [Freddie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-fox/) > [I'm saying goodbye to people's perception of me and who I am, I'm not saying goodbye to me, because this has always been me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jenner/i-m-saying-goodbye-to-people-s-perception-of-me-and-who-i-am-i-m-not/) [Bruce Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jenner/) > [And I think coming off of reality shows, people have a perception of me and they judge me on shows I've done and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mckenna/and-i-think-coming-off-of-reality-shows-people-have-a-perception-of/) [Megan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mckenna/) > [Politicians are good at saying how Government must do more, but we must also think carefully about where Government should do less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/politicians-are-good-at-saying-how-government-must-do-more-but-we/) [Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/) > [There's an old saying that the government is your partner from birth, but they don't get to come to all the meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-malone/there-s-an-old-saying-that-the-government-is-your-partner-from-birth/) [John C. Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-malone/) > [I am not saying that government has nothing to offer. Government has an important role in fostering an environment conducive to business creation while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sher-valenzuela/i-am-not-saying-that-government-has-nothing-to-offer-government-has/) [Sher Valenzuela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sher-valenzuela/) > [Patriotic is saying, government, you know, you're not always the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/patriotic-is-saying-government-you-know-you-re-not-always-the-solution/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [If there is ever a fascist takeover in America, it will come not in the form of storm troopers kicking down doors but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/if-there-is-ever-a-fascist-takeover-in-america-it-will-come-not-in/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [For what is meant by saying that a government ought to educate the people? Why should they be educated? What is the education for?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/for-what-is-meant-by-saying-that-a-government-ought-to-educate-the/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [I have said it previously and saying it again... my government will work for betterment of all, irrespective of caste or religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-adityanath/i-have-said-it-previously-and-saying-it-again-my-government-will-work/) [Yogi Adityanath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-adityanath/) > [FEAR is a major factor in controlling people's perception of the reality. RELAX! YOU are the creator of your Reality!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-major-factor-in-controlling-people-s-perception-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that dwelling on other people's perception of you is the road to complete madness, unfortunately. I try and resist that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/i-think-that-dwelling-on-other-people-s-perception-of-you-is-the-road/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [People have a perception of you and that's very difficult to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/people-have-a-perception-of-you-and-that-s-very-difficult-to-change/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [I felt the most effective way to change people's perception was through the power of images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alix-smith/i-felt-the-most-effective-way-to-change-people-s-perception-was/) [Alix Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alix-smith/) > [Even when I went out, people had this perception that 'Oh Riya Sen' because they feel what you're on screen, you're the same in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riya-sen/even-when-i-went-out-people-had-this-perception-that-oh-riya-sen/) [Riya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riya-sen/) ## More by Lori Lightfoot > [Chicago is an incredibly great city, but it was clear to me that greatness wasn't being spread to all our neighborhoods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/chicago-is-an-incredibly-great-city-but-it-was-clear-to-me-that/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [Chicago's been under the grip of the corrupt and broken political machine for as long as everybody's memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/chicago-s-been-under-the-grip-of-the-corrupt-and-broken-political/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [Fundamentally, we need to make sure that our neighborhoods are safe - all of our neighborhoods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/fundamentally-we-need-to-make-sure-that-our-neighborhoods-are-safe/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [I am a lesbian. I am married to a woman. We have a child. We have a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/i-am-a-lesbian-i-am-married-to-a-woman-we-have-a-child-we-have-a/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [I've wanted to be a parent for a really long time, and I'm going to make sure I'm doing everything I can to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/i-ve-wanted-to-be-a-parent-for-a-really-long-time-and-i-m-going-to/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [Throughout college and law school, as well as in my career as a lawyer and police reform advocate, I've faced various toxic combinations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/throughout-college-and-law-school-as-well-as-in-my-career-as-a-lawyer/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [I'm not affiliated with Ed Burke, Joe Berrios or anyone else who represents the old, corrupt Chicago way. I am offering voters a complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/i-m-not-affiliated-with-ed-burke-joe-berrios-or-anyone-else-who/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [And I would like to have a good, productive relationship with members of the City Council, but I'm not going to allow them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/and-i-would-like-to-have-a-good-productive-relationship-with-members/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [We cannot create the perception that if you're rich or famous or both that you got one set of justice - and for everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/we-cannot-create-the-perception-that-if-you-re-rich-or-famous-or-both/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [There's significant movement as far to the left in our party as far as you can go, where people are trying to out-Bernie Bernie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/there-s-significant-movement-as-far-to-the-left-in-our-party-as-far/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [We have to have a school board that's actually gonna be able to function and that has true parent representatives on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/we-have-to-have-a-school-board-that-s-actually-gonna-be-able-to/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [I have a wealth of experience, not only as a senior executive in different departments in the city, but I've also, in my private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/i-have-a-wealth-of-experience-not-only-as-a-senior-executive-in/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [I am an independent reform candidate. I do not represent the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/i-am-an-independent-reform-candidate-i-do-not-represent-the-past/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [When you're walking down a street and you are a brown-skinned person or you're a person that lives in an immigrant community, there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/when-you-re-walking-down-a-street-and-you-are-a-brown-skinned-person/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [It's true that not every day a little black girl in a low-income family from a segregated steel town makes the runoff to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/it-s-true-that-not-every-day-a-little-black-girl-in-a-low-income/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) [Explore all 99 Lori Lightfoot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) ## More Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I'm saying is that government doesn't work for people. 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