--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Policy, for the most part, has been made…" description: "\"Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color.\" — Maxine Waters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_1343591.png" --- # Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people… ![“Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color.” quote by Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_1343591.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_1343591.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_1343591.png) > “Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color.” [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She asserts that U.S. policy is predominantly shaped by white Americans, not people of color. **In simple terms:** Policy mainly white‑driven. Key Takeaway Advocate inclusive policymaking. Themes politics race representation Mood determined urgent Type activist political When to use this quote - lawmaking - community activism - voting rights Key Concepts systemic bias legislative power minority voices Questions to Reflect On - How can diverse voices influence policy? - What steps increase representation? A Different Perspective Policy can be bipartisan; change possible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color. 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The people of America are reflected in Ohio.Our message has to be big, and bold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/the-people-of-ohio-are-the-people-of-america-the-people-of-america/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [We need to tell young people that America was built by men and women of all colors and that the future of this country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/we-need-to-tell-young-people-that-america-was-built-by-men-and-women/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [This is really skin privilege, the ranking of color in terms of its closeness to white people or white-skinned people and its devaluation according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/this-is-really-skin-privilege-the-ranking-of-color-in-terms-of-its/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I'm oftentimes asked, What difference does it make to America if people are dying of malaria in a place like Ghana? It means a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-oftentimes-asked-what-difference-does-it-make-to-america-if/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It is the immigrant hordes who keep this country alive, the waves of them arriving year after year… Who believes in America more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/it-is-the-immigrant-hordes-who-keep-this-country-alive-the-waves-of/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [I mean it's very hard to meditate and live a spiritual life in America. People think you're a freak if you try to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-mean-it-s-very-hard-to-meditate-and-live-a-spiritual-life-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Barack Obama has not only said that he is out to 'change the United States of America,' the people he has been associated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/barack-obama-has-not-only-said-that-he-is-out-to-change-the-united/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I think that's what we really need in America, for people to hear each other. And I think philosophy could do a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-c-nussbaum/i-think-that-s-what-we-really-need-in-america-for-people-to-hear-each/) [Martha C. Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-c-nussbaum/) > [I don't know if a country (America) where the people are so ignorant of reality and of history, if you can call that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/i-don-t-know-if-a-country-america-where-the-people-are-so-ignorant-of/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) ## More by Maxine Waters > [I was very impressed with that that women have come here to say that we're going to fight you, Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/i-was-very-impressed-with-that-that-women-have-come-here-to-say-that/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [President Trump basically has interfered with an investigation where he may be implicated. That's outrageous. And that's why we're having so much of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/president-trump-basically-has-interfered-with-an-investigation-where/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [As you know in this committee, we have all of HUD, and HUD is responsible for so many programs that determine the quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/as-you-know-in-this-committee-we-have-all-of-hud-and-hud-is/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [You cannot be successful and continue to be a victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/you-cannot-be-successful-and-continue-to-be-a-victim/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [I have been working hard trying to implement Dodd-Frank reforms. We went through a terrible crisis in 2008. Many people lost their homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/i-have-been-working-hard-trying-to-implement-dodd-frank-reforms-we/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [It's very important that people who are feeling the need to do something... get activated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/it-s-very-important-that-people-who-are-feeling-the-need-to-do/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [The women's movement was just coming into being, and I got involved with Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug and all these great women. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/the-women-s-movement-was-just-coming-into-being-and-i-got-involved/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [It's time for the bully pulpit of the White House to bring the gangstas in, put them around the table and let them know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/it-s-time-for-the-bully-pulpit-of-the-white-house-to-bring-the/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color. And they have tended to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-by-white-people-in-america-not/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [If China is not going to solve North Korea, we will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/if-china-is-not-going-to-solve-north-korea-we-will/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [ \[Rex Tillerson\] is gonna continue to work on \[sanctions lifting\]. This is important for him. He was there \[in White House\] because he negotiated… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/rex-tillerson-is-gonna-continue-to-work-on-sanctions-lifting-this-is/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [I could not remove myself from this debate about Trump. I could not abide his indecency. I could not live with the way he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/i-could-not-remove-myself-from-this-debate-about-trump-i-could-not/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [There's a history of enslaved African-Americans having to make their slave masters comfortable. This business of what we call skinning and grinning - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/there-s-a-history-of-enslaved-african-americans-having-to-make-their/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [ We know who you are \[ Donald Trump\] and what you said you will do. And we don't want the public policy that you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/we-know-who-you-are-donald-trump-and-what-you-said-you-will-do-and-we/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [Take a look at the way that Trump has described some of the foreign countries that we deal with - some that are allies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/take-a-look-at-the-way-that-trump-has-described-some-of-the-foreign/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) [Explore all 130 Maxine Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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