--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Advocacy groups and voters are not wrong…" description: "\"Advocacy groups and voters are not wrong to push candidates to declare their position clearly on policy issues. That is good citizenship. Hard question..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/mark-mckinnon-3139_advocacy_advocacy-groups-and-voters-are-not-wrong_1692654.jpg" --- # Advocacy groups and voters are not wrong to push… ![“Advocacy groups and voters are not wrong to push candidates to declare their position clearly on policy issues. That is good citizenship. Hard questions should be asked of every candidate, every politician. And those public servants should be prepared to answer, but in their own words.” quote by Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/mark-mckinnon-3139_advocacy_advocacy-groups-and-voters-are-not-wrong_1692654.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/mark-mckinnon-3139_advocacy_advocacy-groups-and-voters-are-not-wrong_1692654.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/538/mark-mckinnon-3139_advocacy_advocacy-groups-and-voters-are-not-wrong_1692654.jpg) > “Advocacy groups and voters are not wrong to push candidates to declare their position clearly on policy issues. That is good citizenship. Hard questions should be asked of every candidate, every politician. And those public servants should be prepared to answer, but in their own words.” [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Citizens should demand clear policy positions from candidates, asking tough questions and expecting honest, personal answers. **In simple terms:** Voters need clear answers from politicians. Key Takeaway Ask direct, policy‑focused questions. Themes civic engagement transparency accountability Mood critical inquisitive Type political activist When to use this quote - town hall meetings - candidate interviews - policy forums Key Concepts democratic participation public discourse Questions to Reflect On - What questions would you ask a candidate about climate policy? - How do you verify a politician’s honesty? A Different Perspective Politicians may evade or give vague answers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advocacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advocacy/) [Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) [Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) [Asked Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-candidate-1070455/) [Be prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-prepared/) [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Candidate Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate-politician-1070457/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Candidates Declare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates-declare-1070458/) [Citizenship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizenship/) [Clearly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clearly/) [Declare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declare/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politician Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician-public-1070456/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared/) [Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public/) [Public servants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-servants/) [Push](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push/) [Push Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push-candidates-1070454/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) [Servants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servants/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Voters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voters/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong/) ## Related quotes > [A politician has nothing without the public trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-tarlov/a-politician-has-nothing-without-the-public-trust/) [Jessica Tarlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-tarlov/) > [“Celebrate Successes, but Don't Declare Victory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-guckenheimer/celebrate-successes-but-don-t-declare-victory/) [Sam Guckenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-guckenheimer/) > [In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/in-the-total-expanse-of-human-life-there-is-not-a-single-square-inch/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [Writers, especially those of us with roots in other countries, are rarely left to ourselves. We are asked to declare our allegiances, or they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/writers-especially-those-of-us-with-roots-in-other-countries-are/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [We all declare for liberty, but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-all-declare-for-liberty-but-in-using-the-same-word-we-do-not-all-2/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't want players coming in from the college level that are either trying to avoid a suspension, declare themselves ineligible on their own,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-goodell/i-don-t-want-players-coming-in-from-the-college-level-that-are-either/) [Roger Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-goodell/) > [Declare it. Just the same way we declare war. That is how we will have peace... we just need to declare it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/declare-it-just-the-same-way-we-declare-war-that-is-how-we-will-have/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [With faith and gratitude to Allah the almighty, I declare that tomorrow, Thursday May 1, 2014, will see the enforcement of sharia law phase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassanal-bolkiah/with-faith-and-gratitude-to-allah-the-almighty-i-declare-that/) [Hassanal Bolkiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassanal-bolkiah/) > [We must declare war on war, so the outcome will be peace upon peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheikh-abdullah/we-must-declare-war-on-war-so-the-outcome-will-be-peace-upon-peace/) [Sheikh Abdullah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheikh-abdullah/) > [I declare that I will establish peace in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prem-rawat/i-declare-that-i-will-establish-peace-in-this-world/) [Prem Rawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prem-rawat/) > [“Modern corporate governments have silently declared war on their mass populations biology.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/modern-corporate-governments-have-silently-declared-war-on-their-mass/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [To me, you have to declare yourself a Chicano in order to be a Chicano. That makes a Chicano a Mexican-American with a defiant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheech-marin/to-me-you-have-to-declare-yourself-a-chicano-in-order-to-be-a-chicano/) [Cheech Marin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheech-marin/) > [You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/you-get-whatever-accomplishment-you-are-willing-to-declare/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [It's never been safe to declare you're not a Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/it-s-never-been-safe-to-declare-you-re-not-a-democrat/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [“You did all of that for me? I would declare war for you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tijan/you-did-all-of-that-for-me-i-would-declare-war-for-you/) [Tijan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tijan/) ## More by Mark McKinnon > [Politics only makes the difficult challenge of marriage even harder, with the demands of the job and the public spotlight it casts on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/politics-only-makes-the-difficult-challenge-of-marriage-even-harder/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [It's just madness. First email. Then instant message. Then MySpace. Then Facebook. Then LinkedIn. Then Twitter. It's not enough anymore to 'Just do it.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/it-s-just-madness-first-email-then-instant-message-then-myspace-then/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [One thing is clear: Ron Paul defies labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/one-thing-is-clear-ron-paul-defies-labels/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Mitt Romney is a nice guy. But, we know where nice guys finish in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/mitt-romney-is-a-nice-guy-but-we-know-where-nice-guys-finish-in/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Sarah Palin is brilliant. She is a media magnet and a media magnate. She creates headlines and draws crowds wherever she goes, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/sarah-palin-is-brilliant-she-is-a-media-magnet-and-a-media-magnate/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [I'm no economist. I don't even play one on TV. I'm just a husband, a father, a taxpayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/i-m-no-economist-i-don-t-even-play-one-on-tv-i-m-just-a-husband-a/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Republicans constantly claim to be the party that defends the Constitution. We have no legitimate right to that claim until we get right on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/republicans-constantly-claim-to-be-the-party-that-defends-the/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [If we cannot come together to pause, to respect our dead and the heroic lives of meaning they led, then ours is truly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/if-we-cannot-come-together-to-pause-to-respect-our-dead-and-the/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [People who know Paul Ryan say, 'He will be president one day.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/people-who-know-paul-ryan-say-he-will-be-president-one-day/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Every president becomes a caricature. The press, partisans, late-night shows, and other arbiters of our culture these days boil down complicated and multi-faceted personalities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/every-president-becomes-a-caricature-the-press-partisans-late-night/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Now personally, I think the president should golf every day and never have a press conference. I want the leader of the free world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/now-personally-i-think-the-president-should-golf-every-day-and-never/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [In politics, not all lies are all lies. And not all truths are complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/in-politics-not-all-lies-are-all-lies-and-not-all-truths-are-complete/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [There's no question that many factors contribute to voters' perceptions about debates and who wins and who loses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/there-s-no-question-that-many-factors-contribute-to-voters/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Presidential primary debates are an important part of our political process. But the media has wrested complete control from the parties and candidates over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/presidential-primary-debates-are-an-important-part-of-our-political/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Sometime in the not too distant future, denying gays the right to marry will be viewed as historically corrupt - as corrupt as denying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/sometime-in-the-not-too-distant-future-denying-gays-the-right-to/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) [Explore all 138 Mark McKinnon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) ## More Advocacy quotes > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Advocacy groups, politicians, and bureaucrats use the government to advance their private good instead of the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-miller/advocacy-groups-politicians-and-bureaucrats-use-the-government-to/) [Joel Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-miller/) > [“There is an overflowing grace, for every great work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-an-overflowing-grace-for-every-great-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The enormity of problems like hunger and social injustice can certainly motivate us to act. We can be convinced logically of the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-capecci-and-timothy-cage/the-enormity-of-problems-like-hunger-and-social-injustice-can/) [John Capecci and Timothy Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-capecci-and-timothy-cage/) > [Idea-Advocacy Matrix highlights a couple of things: that good ideas need to be "sold" if they are ever going to see the light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/idea-advocacy-matrix-highlights-a-couple-of-things-that-good-ideas/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [“Advocacy groups in the USA, as in other countries, may not be able to silence this hateful, cowardly and deceitful attack upon people’s humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/advocacy-groups-in-the-usa-as-in-other-countries-may-not-be-able-to/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“The best advocacy is always storytelling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/the-best-advocacy-is-always-storytelling/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) > [“Joyfully we undertake our daily work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/joyfully-we-undertake-our-daily-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“We Lesbian Avengers have built this shrine. It stands for our fear. It stands for our grief. It stands for our rage. And it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-j-cogswell/we-lesbian-avengers-have-built-this-shrine-it-stands-for-our-fear-it/) [Kelly J. Cogswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-j-cogswell/) > [“You can not protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-not-protect-the-environment-unless-you-empower-people-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If he could be hard on kings and cabinets, he was invariably kind to his colleagues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taliaferro/if-he-could-be-hard-on-kings-and-cabinets-he-was-invariably-kind-to/) [John Taliaferro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taliaferro/) > [“Justice is not simply argued — it is meticulously prepared, strategically presented, and fearlessly defended.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millennium-chambers/justice-is-not-simply-argued-it-is-meticulously-prepared/) [Millennium Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millennium-chambers/) > [I have no idea what I want to do for a career. But in terms of my advocacy work, I'm definitely going to continue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-jennings/i-have-no-idea-what-i-want-to-do-for-a-career-but-in-terms-of-my/) [Jazz Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-jennings/) > [“Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) does not work. Opiate addicts live in our communities and in our families & they work in our businesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kassels/not-in-my-backyard-nimby-does-not-work-opiate-addicts-live-in-our/) [Steven Kassels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kassels/) [Browse all 196 Advocacy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advocacy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Advocacy groups and voters are not wrong to push candidates to declare their position clearly on policy issues. That is good citizenship. Hard questions should be asked of every candidate, every politician. 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