---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We tend to think of politicians as…"
description: "\"We tend to think of politicians as time-servers and slackers. But on those committees they usually have an interest in the subject. And they're quite c..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mark-thomas-22192_apart_we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time_531507.png"
---

#  We tend to think of politicians as time-servers and…

![“We tend to think of politicians as time-servers and slackers. But on those committees they usually have an interest in the subject. And they're quite clever. I've seen them pick people apart.” quote by Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mark-thomas-22192_apart_we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time_531507.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mark-thomas-22192_apart_we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time_531507.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mark-thomas-22192_apart_we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time_531507.png)

> “We tend to think of politicians as time-servers and slackers. But on those committees they usually have an interest in the subject. And they're quite clever. I've seen them pick people apart.”

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Politicians may appear lazy, but they often possess expertise and strategic skill in their committees.

**In simple terms:** Politicians can be clever experts.

Key Takeaway

Recognize hidden expertise.

Themes

politics expertise strategy

Mood

skeptical inquisitive

Type

critical analytical

When to use this quote

- committee meetings
- policy drafting
- public hearings

Key Concepts

institutional knowledge political behavior

Questions to Reflect On

- How to differentiate genuine expertise from rhetoric?
- What safeguards ensure accountability?

A Different Perspective

Expertise can be used for manipulation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Slacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slacker/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [It's time to replace career politicians with citizen's politicians. It's time to elect people who are going to stand up to the Washington elite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/it-s-time-to-replace-career-politicians-with-citizen-s-politicians-it/)

[Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/)

> [People have a huge desire to be listened to, for politicians to take the time to understand their problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/people-have-a-huge-desire-to-be-listened-to-for-politicians-to-take/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [It would probably be very sensible to be in love with someone who was not in the arts and who wasn't so prone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/it-would-probably-be-very-sensible-to-be-in-love-with-someone-who-was/)

[Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/)

> [I think politicians know how to misrepresent data in order to support a political agenda. Politicians and the people that work for them -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-gordon/i-think-politicians-know-how-to-misrepresent-data-in-order-to-support/)

[Seth Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-gordon/)

> [I think that the politicians who were beaten by Donald Trump and then endorsed him, that's something that they will carry and should carry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-douthat/i-think-that-the-politicians-who-were-beaten-by-donald-trump-and-then/)

[Ross Douthat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-douthat/)

> [Sometimes I do think that politicians are only in it for themselves, but actually as Ive got older Ive started to feel less cynical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dennis/sometimes-i-do-think-that-politicians-are-only-in-it-for-themselves/)

[Hugh Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dennis/)

> [I think that all politicians who aspire to the presidency are a little nuts, but for different reasons. What kind of person aspires to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/i-think-that-all-politicians-who-aspire-to-the-presidency-are-a/)

[Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/)

> [“It’s not true I think all politicians are morons. Morons are far too intelligent to be politicians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-not-true-i-think-all-politicians-are-morons-morons-are-far-too/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [I always think that politicians are worse than the baddest gangsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-cole/i-always-think-that-politicians-are-worse-than-the-baddest-gangsters/)

[Finn Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-cole/)

> [I think most politicians could take a dodgeball in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-think-most-politicians-could-take-a-dodgeball-in-the-face/)

[Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/)

> [The public think the politicians don't know or care about their lives; and the politicians feel misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-public-think-the-politicians-don-t-know-or-care-about-their-lives/)

[Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/)

> [I'll tell you what I really think about politicians. The other night I watched some politicians on television talking about Vietnam. I wanted very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-ll-tell-you-what-i-really-think-about-politicians-the-other-night-i/)

[Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/)

> [A politician's goal is always to manipulate public debate. I think there are some politicians with higher goals. But all of them get corrupted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/a-politician-s-goal-is-always-to-manipulate-public-debate-i-think/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [I think the American people, with some justification, think that most politicians live in la-la land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-think-the-american-people-with-some-justification-think-that-most/)

[John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/)

> [I think politicians really go with the tide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-think-politicians-really-go-with-the-tide/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

## More by Mark Thomas

> [I get called all kinds of things - an investigative comedian, a comedian activist - I've lost track of what my job title is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/i-get-called-all-kinds-of-things-an-investigative-comedian-a-comedian/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [Christians and Jews don't believe in Allah or Brahma. Hindus don't believe in Yahweh or Allah. Muslims don't believe in Brahma or Yahweh. Atheists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/christians-and-jews-don-t-believe-in-allah-or-brahma-hindus-don-t/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [There is little difference in the knowledge held by those who can't learn and those who won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/there-is-little-difference-in-the-knowledge-held-by-those-who-can-t/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [The law is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/the-law-is-immoral/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [The essence of Christianity, as I see it, is love. The essence of Humanism (and I'm also a Humanist) is love. At that level,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/the-essence-of-christianity-as-i-see-it-is-love-the-essence-of/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [People ask whether I put the politics first, journalism first or the comedy first; it doesn't really matter. I'm just playing with the cards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/people-ask-whether-i-put-the-politics-first-journalism-first-or-the/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [One can only guess the amount of magic mushrooms a sane person would have to consume to believe that a frisbee constituted a genuine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/one-can-only-guess-the-amount-of-magic-mushrooms-a-sane-person-would/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [I have a small Thai boy who dresses me and every year I let him pick what campaign I am going to work on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/i-have-a-small-thai-boy-who-dresses-me-and-every-year-i-let-him-pick/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [The world looks like it was designed. Of course, the Sun also looks like it goes around the Earth. It is only thru science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/the-world-looks-like-it-was-designed-of-course-the-sun-also-looks/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [Were British protesters, armed with little more than a frisbee and a bag of plastic toy soldiers, really in danger of being shot by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/were-british-protesters-armed-with-little-more-than-a-frisbee-and-a/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [True believers are continually shown by reality that their god doesn't exist, but have developed extensive coping mechanisms to deal with this cognitive dissonance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/true-believers-are-continually-shown-by-reality-that-their-god-doesn/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [Most true believers, when faced with evidence that contradicts their beliefs, will hold on to those beliefs even more strongly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/most-true-believers-when-faced-with-evidence-that-contradicts-their/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [We're quite lucky that we've got political freedoms. We should be using them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/we-re-quite-lucky-that-we-ve-got-political-freedoms-we-should-be/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [Christians often threaten atheists with eternal torture. But if we say that they're delusional, they will tell us that we're being rude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/christians-often-threaten-atheists-with-eternal-torture-but-if-we-say/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

> [Believing is easier than thinking; that's why there will always be more believers than thinkers. However, the results of god-belief are often far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/believing-is-easier-than-thinking-that-s-why-there-will-always-be/)

[Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

[Explore all 28 Mark Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/)

## More Apart quotes

> [There may be little practical difference between a Ford Mondeo and a BMW three series, but in terms of perceptions of who you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/there-may-be-little-practical-difference-between-a-ford-mondeo-and-a/)

[Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/)

> [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/)

[Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/)

> [Every woman I have ever loved has left her print upon me, where I loved some invaluable piece of myself apart from me-so different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/every-woman-i-have-ever-loved-has-left-her-print-upon-me-where-i/)

[Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/)

> [I was one of those kids who took apart their toys to see how they work, just to see what they were made up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hurley/i-was-one-of-those-kids-who-took-apart-their-toys-to-see-how-they/)

[Chad Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hurley/)

> [When you cook a sausage, the skin sometimes breaks and the ground meat comes apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-cook-a-sausage-the-skin-sometimes-breaks-and-the-ground-meat/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I take apart restaurant menus everywhere I go. I kind of tick off a lot of chefs in restaurants because I'll say, 'You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montel-williams/i-take-apart-restaurant-menus-everywhere-i-go-i-kind-of-tick-off-a/)

[Montel Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montel-williams/)

> [When two people are meant for each other, no time is too long, no distance is too far, and no one can ever tear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-two-people-are-meant-for-each-other-no-time-is-too-long-no/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Marsala isn’t the one that’s going to keep you and Chansey apart. It’s you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-cates/marsala-isn-t-the-one-that-s-going-to-keep-you-and-chansey-apart-it-s/)

[Georgia Cates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-cates/)

> [I personally felt that his ad hominen attacks on British architects were not the sort of thing a Prince of Wales should be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/i-personally-felt-that-his-ad-hominen-attacks-on-british-architects/)

[Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/)

> [The truth will form and fall apart again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-slean/the-truth-will-form-and-fall-apart-again/)

[Sarah Slean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-slean/)

> [Apart from education, you need good health, and for that, you need to play sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/apart-from-education-you-need-good-health-and-for-that-you-need-to/)

[Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/)

> [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. Maybe it's here in the U.S. that we find a healing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fionnula-flanagan/i-m-irish-and-always-will-be-but-america-has-taught-me-so-much-maybe/)

[Fionnula Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fionnula-flanagan/)

> [Child actors going on to become adult actors never really works, apart from a few. Jodie Foster was the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lester/child-actors-going-on-to-become-adult-actors-never-really-works-apart/)

Mark Lester

> [War tore my family apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/war-tore-my-family-apart/)

[Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/)

> [It is in the genes of cities to bounce back from disasters - whether natural or man made. The denizens of suburbia have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/it-is-in-the-genes-of-cities-to-bounce-back-from-disasters-whether/)

[Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/)

Browse all 905 Apart quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We tend to think of politicians as time-servers and slackers. But on those committees they usually have an interest in the subject. And they're quite clever. I've seen them pick people apart.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mark Thomas"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time-servers-and-slackers-but-on/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Apart"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time-servers-and-slackers-but-on/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mark-thomas-22192_apart_we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time_531507.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mark-thomas-22192_apart_we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time_531507.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/600/mark-thomas-22192_apart_we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time_531507.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We tend to think of politicians as time-servers and slackers. But on those committees they usually have an…” — Mark Thomas",
                "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": "Mark Thomas",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We tend to think of politicians...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time-servers-and-slackers-but-on/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/we-tend-to-think-of-politicians-as-time-servers-and-slackers-but-on/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
