--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing I'd say is stop paying…" description: "\"The first thing I'd say is stop paying such attention to Trump's tweets. They're a total distraction. I think we should instead be carefully watching t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/nancy-maclean-38428_action_the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-s_1937998.jpg" --- # The first thing I'd say is stop paying such attention to… ![“The first thing I'd say is stop paying such attention to Trump's tweets. They're a total distraction. I think we should instead be carefully watching the actions of groups like Freedom Partners, Chamber of Commerce, the Koch's big donor operation. The Club for Growth is another part of this, and…” quote by Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/nancy-maclean-38428_action_the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-s_1937998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/nancy-maclean-38428_action_the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-s_1937998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/nancy-maclean-38428_action_the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-s_1937998.jpg) > “The first thing I'd say is stop paying such attention to Trump's tweets. They're a total distraction. I think we should instead be carefully watching the actions of groups like Freedom Partners, Chamber of Commerce, the Koch's big donor operation. The Club for Growth is another part of this, and Americans for Prosperity on the ground.” [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on structural political influence rather than superficial media noise. **In simple terms:** Watch powerful donor groups, not tweets. Key Takeaway Prioritize investigating organized political funding. Themes politics media influence activism Mood critical concerned Type analytical informative When to use this quote - election analysis - policy advocacy - public awareness Key Concepts campaign finance elite networks policy impact Questions to Reflect On - How do donor networks shape policy? - What can citizens do to counteract hidden influence? A Different Perspective Ignoring donor groups misses deeper power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Chamber of commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chamber-of-commerce/) [Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Foreign governments are going to be poring through all these Donald Trump tweets looking for - to try and discern what it means for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/foreign-governments-are-going-to-be-poring-through-all-these-donald/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [Donald Trump's tweets attract ridicule from some. But clearly they communicate effectively with his millions of supporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/donald-trump-s-tweets-attract-ridicule-from-some-but-clearly-they/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [Ignore Trump's tweets. Yes, it's unrealistic. But we would all be better off if the media reported them more rarely, reacted to them less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/ignore-trump-s-tweets-yes-it-s-unrealistic-but-we-would-all-be-better/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [I think there needs to be a much more significant filter on those Donald Trump tweets. It's OK to have some unspoken and untweeted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-blunt/i-think-there-needs-to-be-a-much-more-significant-filter-on-those/) [Roy Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-blunt/) > [I have come to think we have to treat Donald Trump's tweets like Snapchat. It's just something that is going to go away. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-have-come-to-think-we-have-to-treat-donald-trump-s-tweets-like/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I think when Justin Trudeau tweets - and Justin Trudeau tweets just like Donald Trump tweets. He occasionally just tweets things. And when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-mercer/i-think-when-justin-trudeau-tweets-and-justin-trudeau-tweets-just/) [Rick Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-mercer/) > [When you read Trump's tweets or see candidates interact online like Jeb did with Hillary, you're like, 'Yes, it's just like my friends.' That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-reed/when-you-read-trump-s-tweets-or-see-candidates-interact-online-like/) [Harper Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-reed/) > [I partnered with the LGBT Chamber of Commerce to persuade America's largest city to adopt a certification program for LGBTQ enterprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-partnered-with-the-lgbt-chamber-of-commerce-to-persuade-america-s/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [“Just as he was an Elk, a Booster, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce, just as the priests of the Presbyterian Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/just-as-he-was-an-elk-a-booster-and-a-member-of-the-chamber-of/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“I sleep in a hyperbolic chamber as spacious as the chamber of commerce. That was hyperbole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-sleep-in-a-hyperbolic-chamber-as-spacious-as-the-chamber-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I love what I do. I love the music, and I'm honored to be presented with a star by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-duran/i-love-what-i-do-i-love-the-music-and-i-m-honored-to-be-presented/) [Elvis Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-duran/) > [“The next time you drive into a Walmart parking lot, pause for a second to note that this Walmart—like the more than five thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-next-time-you-drive-into-a-walmart-parking-lot-pause-for-a-second/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [It's a dirty little secret that most New Yorkers are pleasant, thoughtful, patient, and polite. The Chamber of Commerce must work overtime to maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-kelman/it-s-a-dirty-little-secret-that-most-new-yorkers-are-pleasant/) [Judith Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-kelman/) > [I am not a member of the chamber of commerce for show business, believe me, but there are some really good people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-fuller/i-am-not-a-member-of-the-chamber-of-commerce-for-show-business/) [Kurt Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-fuller/) > [“What can I say that I have not said before? So I’ll say it again. The leaf has a song in it. Stone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/what-can-i-say-that-i-have-not-said-before-so-i-ll-say-it-again-the/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) ## More by Nancy MacLean > [“Koch believed that what the famed economist Joseph Schumpeter called "creative destruction" was so critical to the health of the capitalist system that empathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/koch-believed-that-what-the-famed-economist-joseph-schumpeter-called/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [Privatization radically alters power relations in our society by weakening groups like public employees and public school teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/privatization-radically-alters-power-relations-in-our-society-by/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Its leaders had no scruples about enlisting white supremacy to achieve capital supremacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/its-leaders-had-no-scruples-about-enlisting-white-supremacy-to/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“By 1860, two of every three of the relatively few Americans whose wealth surpassed $100,000 lived below the Mason-Dixon Line. New York at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/by-1860-two-of-every-three-of-the-relatively-few-americans-whose/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Urging Koch on in his chosen vocation was something else as well: his belief that his own growing financial success as one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/urging-koch-on-in-his-chosen-vocation-was-something-else-as-well-his/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Instead, he was mapping a social contract based on “unremitting coercive bargaining” in which individuals treated one another as instruments toward their own ends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/instead-he-was-mapping-a-social-contract-based-on-unremitting/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Public interest has been subordinated to private interest, and when there is no clear distinction between them, it opens the door to endless opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/public-interest-has-been-subordinated-to-private-interest-and-when/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [ “\[James M. Buchanan\] directed hostility toward college students, public employees, recipients of any kind of government assistance, and liberal intellectuals. His intellectual lineage went… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/james-m-buchanan-directed-hostility-toward-college-students-public/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Do we want to live in a cosmetically updated version of midcentury Virginia, in a country that so elevates property rights as to paralyze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/do-we-want-to-live-in-a-cosmetically-updated-version-of-midcentury/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“During the boom, Chile’s economic gains had been privatized; now, in the crunch, the country’s losses were socialized.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/during-the-boom-chile-s-economic-gains-had-been-privatized-now-in-the/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) [Explore all 12 Nancy MacLean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing I'd say is stop paying such attention to Trump's tweets. They're a total distraction. I think we should instead be carefully watching the actions of groups like Freedom Partners, Chamber of Commerce, the Koch's big donor operation. The Club for Growth is another part of this, and Americans for Prosperity on the ground.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nancy MacLean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-such-attention-to-trump-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-such-attention-to-trump-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/nancy-maclean-38428_action_the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-s_1937998.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/nancy-maclean-38428_action_the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-s_1937998.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/nancy-maclean-38428_action_the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-s_1937998.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thing I'd say is stop paying such attention to Trump's tweets. They're a total distraction. I…” — Nancy MacLean", "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": "Nancy MacLean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first thing I'd say is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-such-attention-to-trump-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/the-first-thing-i-d-say-is-stop-paying-such-attention-to-trump-s/#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 } } ] } ```