--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The American system is a beautiful and…" description: "\"The American system is a beautiful and durable thing, but flawed. I would like to think that this decadence is not sustainable, whether in the eyes of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/mark-leibovich-14257_american_the-american-system-is-a-beautiful-and-d_2505391.jpg" --- # The American system is a beautiful and durable thing, but… ![“The American system is a beautiful and durable thing, but flawed. I would like to think that this decadence is not sustainable, whether in the eyes of the electorate or the eyes of whatever the local economy is built on; that would bring me hope.” quote by Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/mark-leibovich-14257_american_the-american-system-is-a-beautiful-and-d_2505391.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/mark-leibovich-14257_american_the-american-system-is-a-beautiful-and-d_2505391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/mark-leibovich-14257_american_the-american-system-is-a-beautiful-and-d_2505391.jpg) > “The American system is a beautiful and durable thing, but flawed. I would like to think that this decadence is not sustainable, whether in the eyes of the electorate or the eyes of whatever the local economy is built on; that would bring me hope.” [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America’s institutions are strong yet deteriorating; recognizing flaws can inspire hope for reform. **In simple terms:** America is strong but flawed. Key Takeaway Identify problems to foster improvement. Themes politics systemic decay hope Mood analytical optimistic Type political inspirational When to use this quote - policy analysis - community organizing - voting - public debate - education reform Key Concepts institutional resilience societal decline civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - What reforms seem most urgent? - How can citizens sustain hope? A Different Perspective Change is slow and resistance is common. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Decadence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decadence/) [Durable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/durable/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Electorate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electorate/) [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Local Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/local-economy/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [A lot of the Russian economy is built around people who are one way or another milking the state and taking money from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/a-lot-of-the-russian-economy-is-built-around-people-who-are-one-way/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [For an economy built to last we must invest in what will fuel us for generations to come. This is our history - from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/for-an-economy-built-to-last-we-must-invest-in-what-will-fuel-us-for/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [“Because poverty is a symptom—of the absence of a workable economy built on credible political, social, and legal institutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-poverty-is-a-symptom-of-the-absence-of-a-workable-economy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Haiti's economy cannot be built by and benefit just a privileged few. It must be built by and benefit all Haitians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-yong-kim/haiti-s-economy-cannot-be-built-by-and-benefit-just-a-privileged-few/) [Jim Yong Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-yong-kim/) > [One big theme for me is that we have got to move from an economy built on debt to one where we save and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/one-big-theme-for-me-is-that-we-have-got-to-move-from-an-economy/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [The American economy has been built and sustained by risk-taking entrepreneurs whose pioneering ideas and hard work gave birth to flourishing businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-american-economy-has-been-built-and-sustained-by-risk-taking/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Our region's economy was built upon their entrepreneurial spirit, and our economy still depends on the continued success of the enterprises they have worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/our-region-s-economy-was-built-upon-their-entrepreneurial-spirit-and/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) > [Barack Obama knows that to create an economy built to last, we need to focus on middle-class families. Families who stay up on Sunday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/barack-obama-knows-that-to-create-an-economy-built-to-last-we-need-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why are my least favorite people always the most durable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca/why-are-my-least-favorite-people-always-the-most-durable/) [Rebecca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca/) > [In everything the ends well defined are the secret of durable success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cousin/in-everything-the-ends-well-defined-are-the-secret-of-durable-success/) [Victor Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cousin/) > [Millennials, as others, want creative, durable, desirable, and beautiful products. But they do add a new criteria: respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-arnault/millennials-as-others-want-creative-durable-desirable-and-beautiful/) [Antoine Arnault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-arnault/) > [Vampires have always been hot. They are one of our most durable monsters. It's one of those stories that galvanizes us early and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/vampires-have-always-been-hot-they-are-one-of-our-most-durable/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [Nature, which makes nothing durable, always repeats itself so that nothing which it makes may be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/nature-which-makes-nothing-durable-always-repeats-itself-so-that/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Fundamentally, legislation that is historic, that is comprehensive, that has a large number of senators supporting it is more durable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-baucus/fundamentally-legislation-that-is-historic-that-is-comprehensive-that/) [Max Baucus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-baucus/) > [I've been blessed to have a body that's durable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-millsap/i-ve-been-blessed-to-have-a-body-that-s-durable/) [Paul Millsap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-millsap/) ## More by Mark Leibovich > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [“The low point occurred in July, during Romney’s junior week abroad, in which the press became increasingly frustrated over Romney’s refusal to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-low-point-occurred-in-july-during-romney-s-junior-week-abroad-in/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [To cover politics in Washington allows you to live in the very, very wide gap between what the actual truth is, and how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/to-cover-politics-in-washington-allows-you-to-live-in-the-very-very/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Politicians, in many cases - their moral code will be dictated by what can get them reelected, what they can get away with. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/politicians-in-many-cases-their-moral-code-will-be-dictated-by-what/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [“The Founding Fathers are always spinning in their graves over something, as is Ronald Reagan, or FDR. Edward R. Murrow is a perennial grave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-founding-fathers-are-always-spinning-in-their-graves-over/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Media has changed dramatically, as you and I know. We're in a world now where you're rewarded for being outrageous. Punditry has replaced reporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/media-has-changed-dramatically-as-you-and-i-know-we-re-in-a-world-now/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Washington has always had a pretty healthy amount of self-loathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/washington-has-always-had-a-pretty-healthy-amount-of-self-loathing/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I always keep my repertorial hat on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-always-keep-my-repertorial-hat-on/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [The shaming of Washington, insofar as it is even possible, is a very noble pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-shaming-of-washington-insofar-as-it-is-even-possible-is-a-very/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Washington has become this place that people don't leave. It has become this permanent feudal class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/washington-has-become-this-place-that-people-don-t-leave-it-has/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I'm just a journalist. I shine a mirror to the culture. I give the cop-out answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-m-just-a-journalist-i-shine-a-mirror-to-the-culture-i-give-the-cop/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [“a mantra she attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: women in politics, she said, “need to develop skin as tough as a rhinoceros hide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/a-mantra-she-attributed-to-eleanor-roosevelt-women-in-politics-she/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I work for a big newspaper, and I guess I'm an insider. I don't have the luxury of calling myself a foreign correspondent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-work-for-a-big-newspaper-and-i-guess-i-m-an-insider-i-don-t-have/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Spirituality in Washington can be more of a - I don't want to say it - but, a networking opportunity. Religion is often used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/spirituality-in-washington-can-be-more-of-a-i-don-t-want-to-say-it/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I have been a print reporter my whole career. It's all I ever wanted to be. I specialize in political profiles. I have probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-been-a-print-reporter-my-whole-career-it-s-all-i-ever-wanted/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) [Explore all 47 Mark Leibovich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The American system is a beautiful and durable thing, but flawed. 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