--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I see an America where poverty is…" description: "\"I see an America where poverty is defeated by opportunity, not enabled by a government check.\" — Mitt Romney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/mitt-romney-268_america_i-see-an-america-where-poverty-is-defeat_717917.png" --- # I see an America where poverty is defeated by opportunity… ![“I see an America where poverty is defeated by opportunity, not enabled by a government check.” quote by Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/mitt-romney-268_america_i-see-an-america-where-poverty-is-defeat_717917.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/mitt-romney-268_america_i-see-an-america-where-poverty-is-defeat_717917.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28a/mitt-romney-268_america_i-see-an-america-where-poverty-is-defeat_717917.png) > “I see an America where poverty is defeated by opportunity, not enabled by a government check.” [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opportunity, not handouts, should be the engine that lifts people out of poverty. **In simple terms:** Opportunity, not handouts, lifts people. Key Takeaway Promote opportunity‑based solutions. Themes economics politics poverty alleviation Mood optimistic critical Type political policy When to use this quote - government policy - education programs - job creation Key Concepts capitalism social mobility Questions to Reflect On - What policies best pair opportunity with safety nets? - How can we ensure equal access to opportunity? A Different Perspective Opportunity alone may not reach the most vulnerable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-poverty-2785031/) [Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks/) [Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated/) [Defeated Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated-opportunity-2603814/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Check](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-check-1592893/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-defeated-4693239/) ## Related quotes > [“Once one of the smaller detachments was defeated, an opportunity was looked for to repeat the strategy, until the entire enemy force was defeated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/once-one-of-the-smaller-detachments-was-defeated-an-opportunity-was/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“Poverty cannot be defeated unless you first defeat it in the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-verd/poverty-cannot-be-defeated-unless-you-first-defeat-it-in-the-mind/) [Nicky Verd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-verd/) > [They didn't need to be specifically South American or Latin American. 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You can donate it to your favorite political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/you-can-give-your-social-security-check-to-any-organization-public-or/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [Democracy is when the people keep a government in check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/democracy-is-when-the-people-keep-a-government-in-check/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [It's like a golden rule in the pawn business: never cash a government check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/it-s-like-a-golden-rule-in-the-pawn-business-never-cash-a-government/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [If taxpayers want to keep more of the money they earn, they must also work to become less dependent on a government check. 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The path I lay out is not one paved with ever increasing government checks and cradle to grave assurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/now-let-me-be-clear-the-path-i-lay-out-is-not-one-paved-with-ever/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I am sorry to upset my colleagues by saying we wasted four years in opposition, but if you do get so badly defeated as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-am-sorry-to-upset-my-colleagues-by-saying-we-wasted-four-years-in/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Mitt Romney > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I would like to have campaign spending limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-would-like-to-have-campaign-spending-limits/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I believe in my Mormon faith, and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers - I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-believe-in-my-mormon-faith-and-i-endeavor-to-live-by-it-my-faith-is/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [America's military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers, and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-s-military-is-second-to-none-in-the-world-we-re-blessed-with/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [And a special thank you to the citizens of Massachusetts: You are paying all the taxes, creating all the jobs, raising all the children.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/and-a-special-thank-you-to-the-citizens-of-massachusetts-you-are/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [When I was elected governor of my state, I had a legislature 87 percent Democrat. It was not lost on me that to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/when-i-was-elected-governor-of-my-state-i-had-a-legislature-87/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I saw the young man over there with eggs Benedict, with hollandaise sauce. And I was going to suggest to you that you serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-saw-the-young-man-over-there-with-eggs-benedict-with-hollandaise/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I've been a hunter pretty much all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-ve-been-a-hunter-pretty-much-all-my-life/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I think Mitt Romney has demonstrated repeatedly he has a penchant for - for secrecy, doesn't seem to have any interest in actually showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-think-mitt-romney-has-demonstrated-repeatedly-he-has-a-penchant-for/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If I were to offer advice to any president of the United States, it would be this: do whatever you can do to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/if-i-were-to-offer-advice-to-any-president-of-the-united-states-it/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I was too important to go to Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-was-too-important-to-go-to-vietnam/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [America has not dictated to other nations. We have freed other nations from dictators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-has-not-dictated-to-other-nations-we-have-freed-other-nations/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The right course is for the Palestinians and the Israelis to sit down at the table together. The Palestinians need to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-right-course-is-for-the-palestinians-and-the-israelis-to-sit-down/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If I'm President of the United States, when I'm President of the United States, we will stand with Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/if-i-m-president-of-the-united-states-when-i-m-president-of-the/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [President Obama instituted the most anti-growth, anti-investment, anti-jobs measures that we have seen in our lifetime. Now he called his agenda ambitious, I call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/president-obama-instituted-the-most-anti-growth-anti-investment-anti/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) [Explore all 781 Mitt Romney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) ## 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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