--- 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. And they have tended to take care of those things that the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_242605.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. And they have tended to take care of those things that they think are important. Whether it's their agricultural subsidies, or other kinds of expenditures that are certainly not expenditures for poor…” quote by Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_242605.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_242605.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/maxine-waters-3448_america_policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-b_242605.png) > “Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color. And they have tended to take care of those things that they think are important. Whether it's their agricultural subsidies, or other kinds of expenditures that are certainly not expenditures for poor people or for people of color. And so we have to band together and keep fighting back.” [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 highlights that policy is predominantly shaped by white Americans, neglecting people of color, urging collective resistance. **In simple terms:** Policy is made by the powerful, not the marginalized. Key Takeaway Unite and fight for equitable policies. Themes inequality policy race solidarity Mood determined urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - voting - grassroots campaigns - legislative advocacy - public protests Key Concepts systemic bias political activism community organizing Questions to Reflect On - What alliances can strengthen your cause? - How can marginalized voices shape policy? A Different Perspective Change is slow and faces entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Fighting back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-back/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Subsidies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subsidies/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [Let's get rid of all our subsidies together. Let's join hands as wealthy industrialised nations and say to the world, we're going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/let-s-get-rid-of-all-our-subsidies-together-let-s-join-hands-as/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/policy-for-the-most-part-has-been-made-by-white-people-in-america-not-2/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [We are facing a stiff wind right now, but if we persist and keep fighting back, we will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-are-facing-a-stiff-wind-right-now-but-if-we-persist-and-keep/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [We must show new energy in fighting back an old evil. Nearly two centuries after the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-must-show-new-energy-in-fighting-back-an-old-evil-nearly-two/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [India has millions of internally displaced people. And now, they are putting their bodies on the line and fighting back. They are being killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/india-has-millions-of-internally-displaced-people-and-now-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“I shook with helplessness and rage, but also with fear. This was what fighting back earned you. More abuse. More death. Half a dozen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gratz/i-shook-with-helplessness-and-rage-but-also-with-fear-this-was-what/) [Alan Gratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-gratz/) > [In my opinion while lynchings were quite possibly the most heinous crimes ever witnessed in American history, they helped in bringing people together for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/in-my-opinion-while-lynchings-were-quite-possibly-the-most-heinous/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [I rap about fighting back. I make it uncomfortable by putting details to it. It might not have been politically correct but I've reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/i-rap-about-fighting-back-i-make-it-uncomfortable-by-putting-details/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Get out of debt. In a world of stagnant incomes and rising core expenses like mortgage and health care costs, that's a lot easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/get-out-of-debt-in-a-world-of-stagnant-incomes-and-rising-core/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Republicans fighting back against changes Obama made means those changes are important, as with most of the major progress in American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/republicans-fighting-back-against-changes-obama-made-means-those/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) > [The first command given by God when Adam and Eve were pitched out of the Garden of Eden in the Book of Genesis is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-first-command-given-by-god-when-adam-and-eve-were-pitched-out-of/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“There is just too much cruelty, selfishness and corruption in the world not to want to crush the poisonous will of those who cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger-2/there-is-just-too-much-cruelty-selfishness-and-corruption-in-the/) [Carla H. Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger-2/) > [I think this has been a class war waged by the rich against the poor, and I think that they won. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/i-think-this-has-been-a-class-war-waged-by-the-rich-against-the-poor/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [ Otherwise, their only engagement I'm going to have with \[Donald Trump\] is fighting back against their attempts to undo Dodd-Frank, their attempts to destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martin/otherwise-their-only-engagement-i-m-going-to-have-with-donald-trump/) [Michel Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martin/) > [We are being wiped off the face of this earth At an extremely alarming rate And even more alarming is the fact That we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/we-are-being-wiped-off-the-face-of-this-earth-at-an-extremely/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [I am talking about strategies that were developed, working with the Trump campaign. I really do believe that much of what you saw coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/i-am-talking-about-strategies-that-were-developed-working-with-the/) [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. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Policy, for the most part, has been made by white people in America, not by people of color. And they have tended to take care of those things that they think are important. 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