---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Leading from the front: It's what built…"
description: "\"Leading from the front: It's what built America. But these days, the federal government isn't at the front - it's cowering in the back corner of the ro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/michael-bloomberg-1293_america_leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-a_1455289.png"
---

#  Leading from the front: It's what built America. But these…

![“Leading from the front: It's what built America. But these days, the federal government isn't at the front - it's cowering in the back corner of the room, ducking responsibility and hoping no one notices.” quote by Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/michael-bloomberg-1293_america_leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-a_1455289.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/michael-bloomberg-1293_america_leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-a_1455289.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/michael-bloomberg-1293_america_leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-a_1455289.png)

> “Leading from the front: It's what built America. But these days, the federal government isn't at the front - it's cowering in the back corner of the room, ducking responsibility and hoping no one notices.”

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

## About This Quote

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

Leadership should be proactive, not passive; government must lead rather than hide.

**In simple terms:** Leaders must act, not hide.

Key Takeaway

Take initiative, don’t wait.

Themes

leadership government accountability

Mood

critical urgent

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- policy making
- team management
- public service
- crisis response

Key Concepts

political science ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can leaders stay visible in crises?
- What structures enable proactive governance?

A Different Perspective

Political realities may constrain bold action.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Built America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built-america-926746/) [Corners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corners/) [Federal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal/) [Federal government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal-government/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-isn-1065112/) [Leading Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leading-built-5244390/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [These days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/these-days/)

## Related quotes

> [There's so many people who've built America, much greater in sacrifice and contributions than Silicon Valley. There are people who've died for this country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/there-s-so-many-people-who-ve-built-america-much-greater-in-sacrifice/)

[Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/)

> [Generosity has built America. When we fail to invest in children, we have to pay the cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-keeshan/generosity-has-built-america-when-we-fail-to-invest-in-children-we/)

[Bob Keeshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-keeshan/)

> [To pray to this God or that God or this religion and that religion or no religion at all, that's the reason why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/to-pray-to-this-god-or-that-god-or-this-religion-and-that-religion-or/)

[Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/)

> [Eighty percent of everything ever built in America has been built in the last 50 years, and most of it is depressing, brutal, ugly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/eighty-percent-of-everything-ever-built-in-america-has-been-built-in/)

[James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/)

> [I do believe, in the long term, we will either get back to the principles that built America or we lose this country. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-do-believe-in-the-long-term-we-will-either-get-back-to-the/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [Black people, we built America, and we gave it all of its pop culture and all of its great musical genres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/black-people-we-built-america-and-we-gave-it-all-of-its-pop-culture/)

[Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/)

> [What built America's called the American system, from Hamilton to Polk to Henry Clay to Lincoln to the Roosevelts. A system of protection of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/what-built-america-s-called-the-american-system-from-hamilton-to-polk/)

[Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/)

> [“And one day...there would be no record, nothing left standing, to show that anything had ever been built in America. It was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/and-one-day-there-would-be-no-record-nothing-left-standing-to-show/)

[Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/)

> [I made a promise to Michael Brown's parents that I would do everything to bring all of the resources of the federal government to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lacy-clay-jr/i-made-a-promise-to-michael-brown-s-parents-that-i-would-do/)

[William Lacy Clay, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lacy-clay-jr/)

> [The federal government is our servant, not our master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-federal-government-is-our-servant-not-our-master/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [We already have two branches of federal government that factor political considerations into their decision-making, and our Founding Fathers determined long ago that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-tillis/we-already-have-two-branches-of-federal-government-that-factor/)

[Thom Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-tillis/)

> [We can't expect Wall Street to police itself - that's why we have a federal government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-can-t-expect-wall-street-to-police-itself-that-s-why-we-have-a/)

[Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/)

> [The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-federal-government-should-be-the-last-resort-not-the-first-ask-if/)

[Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/)

> [Throughout American history many of our social gains and much of our progress toward democracy were made possible by the active intervention of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-washington/throughout-american-history-many-of-our-social-gains-and-much-of-our/)

[Harold Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-washington/)

> [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/)

[Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/)

## More by Michael Bloomberg

> [I'm not going to run for president. No way, no how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/i-m-not-going-to-run-for-president-no-way-no-how/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [Now, you might say – “But why should we pay people for doing what they’re supposed to do?” It’s a fair question – but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/now-you-might-say-but-why-should-we-pay-people-for-doing-what-they-re/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [What I'm trying to do is to create excitement. So people looking at the Bloomberg's office building say, "My goodness, what's going on here?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/what-i-m-trying-to-do-is-to-create-excitement-so-people-looking-at/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [You have to understand, we have better communications and better transportation, so people know what's available elsewhere and can get a message out, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/you-have-to-understand-we-have-better-communications-and-better/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [ The system \[in U.S.\] is designed for a two-party system. And those two parties have an interest in keeping third parties out. There's too… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-system-in-u-s-is-designed-for-a-two-party-system-and-those-two/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [If you want to do something for your children and show how much you love them, the single best thing-by far-is to support organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/if-you-want-to-do-something-for-your-children-and-show-how-much-you/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [We haven't had a world war in a long time. We do have mass movements of people out of Syria and North Africa. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-haven-t-had-a-world-war-in-a-long-time-we-do-have-mass-movements/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [I think one of the great dangers here is going and categorizing anybody from one religion as a terrorist. That's not true... That would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/i-think-one-of-the-great-dangers-here-is-going-and-categorizing/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [Stubborn isn't a word I would use to describe myself; pigheaded is more appropriate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/stubborn-isn-t-a-word-i-would-use-to-describe-myself-pigheaded-is/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [Many of America's and New York's sons and daughters are around the world fighting for the freedoms that the Statue of Liberty stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/many-of-america-s-and-new-york-s-sons-and-daughters-are-around-the/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [If you really believe that you're making a difference and that you can leave a legacy of better schools and jobs and safer streets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/if-you-really-believe-that-you-re-making-a-difference-and-that-you/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [The next day after I got fired, literally the next day, I started a new company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-next-day-after-i-got-fired-literally-the-next-day-i-started-a-new/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [We all must recognize that homeland security funds should be allocated by threat and no other reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-all-must-recognize-that-homeland-security-funds-should-be/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [In New York City, a lot of people think "the great outdoors" is the area between your front door and a taxi cab.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/in-new-york-city-a-lot-of-people-think-the-great-outdoors-is-the-area/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [Is your company so small you have to do everything for yourself? Wait until you're so big that you can't. That's worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/is-your-company-so-small-you-have-to-do-everything-for-yourself-wait/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

[Explore all 259 Michael Bloomberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

## 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": "Leading from the front: It's what built America. But these days, the federal government isn't at the front - it's cowering in the back corner of the room, ducking responsibility and hoping no one notices.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Bloomberg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-america-but-these-days-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "America"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-america-but-these-days-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/michael-bloomberg-1293_america_leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-a_1455289.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/michael-bloomberg-1293_america_leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-a_1455289.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/michael-bloomberg-1293_america_leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-a_1455289.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Leading from the front: It's what built America. But these days, the federal government isn't at the front…” — Michael Bloomberg",
                "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": "Michael Bloomberg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Leading from the front: It's what...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-america-but-these-days-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/leading-from-the-front-it-s-what-built-america-but-these-days-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
