--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never worked in the private sector for…" description: "\"I never worked in the private sector for very long, I worked on childcare, afterschool, health care for people, increasing the minimum wage, increasing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/neera-tanden-4361_health_i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for_205851.jpg" --- # I never worked in the private sector for very long, I… ![“I never worked in the private sector for very long, I worked on childcare, afterschool, health care for people, increasing the minimum wage, increasing taxes on the wealthy - a whole host of policies that are pretty progressive.” quote by Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/neera-tanden-4361_health_i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for_205851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/neera-tanden-4361_health_i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for_205851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/neera-tanden-4361_health_i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for_205851.jpg) > “I never worked in the private sector for very long, I worked on childcare, afterschool, health care for people, increasing the minimum wage, increasing taxes on the wealthy - a whole host of policies that are pretty progressive.” [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights a career focused on progressive social policies rather than private sector work, emphasizing public service and economic equity. **In simple terms:** She worked on social programs and progressive taxes, not in business. Key Takeaway Prioritize public impact over private profit. Themes public service progressive policy economic equity social welfare tax reform Mood determined optimistic Type statement policy advocacy When to use this quote - government roles - nonprofit leadership - policy advocacy - community organizing - tax policy development Key Concepts progressivism public administration social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can public policy benefit from private sector insights? - What challenges arise when transitioning between sectors? A Different Perspective Private sector experience can limit understanding of market dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care/) [Minimum wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimum-wage/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Private sector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-sector/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [It so happens that America, according to all the polls that are out there, is pretty progressive. So you're not going to see messages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/it-so-happens-that-america-according-to-all-the-polls-that-are-out/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I worked for a private investigative agency briefly. I rarely had the opportunity to snoop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lutz/i-worked-for-a-private-investigative-agency-briefly-i-rarely-had-the/) [Lisa Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lutz/) > [I've worked in several very high-end salons around the city and worked on my own private clients, and now I'm a YouTuber, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-mondo/i-ve-worked-in-several-very-high-end-salons-around-the-city-and/) [Brad Mondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-mondo/) > [On issue after issue, the polls - and these are not snapshot polls; these are polls over a consistent period of time - show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-vanden-heuvel/on-issue-after-issue-the-polls-and-these-are-not-snapshot-polls-these/) [Katrina vanden Heuvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-vanden-heuvel/) > [Progressive candidates don't hesitate when it comes to supporting universal health care, or the fight for $15 minimum wage, or the right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/progressive-candidates-don-t-hesitate-when-it-comes-to-supporting/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [If ever there were a case for raising taxes on the wealthy, it's Andrew Bynum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-evans/if-ever-there-were-a-case-for-raising-taxes-on-the-wealthy-it-s/) [Sean Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-evans/) > [There are big winners in Paul Ryan's 'Roadmap,' and you can guess who they are. He would cut taxes for the wealthy, completely eliminate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-schakowsky/there-are-big-winners-in-paul-ryan-s-roadmap-and-you-can-guess-who/) [Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/) > [Every time a congressman or pundit says its 'class warfare' to increase taxes on the wealthy, it's a massive lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/every-time-a-congressman-or-pundit-says-its-class-warfare-to-increase/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts slashes taxes on the very wealthy and kills regulations with the idea that rich businessmen will invest their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/the-tax-cuts-and-jobs-acts-slashes-taxes-on-the-very-wealthy-and/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [Ukip has policies including cutting taxes for the wealthy and putting them up for everyone else, charging people to see their GP, or taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/ukip-has-policies-including-cutting-taxes-for-the-wealthy-and-putting/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [If most of the breaks go to wealthy people it's because most of the people who pay taxes are wealthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-most-of-the-breaks-go-to-wealthy-people-it-s-because-most-of-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“Reagan's going to mess everything up, cutting taxes for the wealthy and getting rid of the safety net and all that. The rich and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-orloff/reagan-s-going-to-mess-everything-up-cutting-taxes-for-the-wealthy/) Alvin Orloff > [Imagine his delight after it 'leaked' that he will propose raising taxes on the wealthy by $320 billion over the next 10 years, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/imagine-his-delight-after-it-leaked-that-he-will-propose-raising/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [What I have proposed would be paid for by raising taxes on the wealthy, because they have made all the gains in the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-i-have-proposed-would-be-paid-for-by-raising-taxes-on-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I don't think "Reganomics" will ever fully end. I mean, Reaganomics, to put it simply, was trying to get low taxes for wealthy people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-baker/i-don-t-think-reganomics-will-ever-fully-end-i-mean-reaganomics-to/) [Dean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-baker/) ## More by Neera Tanden > [Between 2009 and 2012, 95% of the country's income gains went to the top 1% of earners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/between-2009-and-2012-95-of-the-country-s-income-gains-went-to-the/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [The Democratic Party, the policies that the Clintons and Hillary believe in, I feel like a living example of someone who benefited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/the-democratic-party-the-policies-that-the-clintons-and-hillary/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [So far Trump has done everything he could possibly do to pit Americans against each other, to sow division, to fuel distrust of American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/so-far-trump-has-done-everything-he-could-possibly-do-to-pit/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [I concede that, in the first 18 months of his presidency, Obama has not accomplished all that he campaigned on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-concede-that-in-the-first-18-months-of-his-presidency-obama-has-not/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [Would Americans really feel better with insurance companies deciding whether they or their parents get the care they need? Probably not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/would-americans-really-feel-better-with-insurance-companies-deciding/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [I think a core principle of the Democratic Party has to be a defense of equal rights for every American. At the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-think-a-core-principle-of-the-democratic-party-has-to-be-a-defense/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [How exactly was Johnson able to pass the Great Society legislation and the Voting Rights Act? Of course, he was a savvy deal-maker. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/how-exactly-was-johnson-able-to-pass-the-great-society-legislation/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [Making smart investments in early childhood education could not only generate more than $7 of economic benefits over a child's lifetime for every dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/making-smart-investments-in-early-childhood-education-could-not-only/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [One really basic thing is to establish women's property and inheritance rights, so women can be their own agents within society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/one-really-basic-thing-is-to-establish-women-s-property-and/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [We don't have great answers to what jobs will look like in 10, 20, 30 years. And I think it's right for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/we-don-t-have-great-answers-to-what-jobs-will-look-like-in-10-20-30/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act dramatically expanded child care provisions and Head Start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/the-american-reinvestment-and-recovery-act-dramatically-expanded/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [I think that Democrats have to think through answers we haven't in the past: How we are going to create those jobs? How should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-think-that-democrats-have-to-think-through-answers-we-haven-t-in/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [No doubt, there are plenty of men who have been fierce and laudable advocates for women's issues. But I know from my many years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/no-doubt-there-are-plenty-of-men-who-have-been-fierce-and-laudable/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [What can defeat health care reform? Polls - or more specifically, Democratic politicians misreading them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/what-can-defeat-health-care-reform-polls-or-more-specifically/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [The foundational principles of modern liberalism - civil rights and greater economic equality - took further strides during Johnson's presidency than any since the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/the-foundational-principles-of-modern-liberalism-civil-rights-and/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) [Explore all 112 Neera Tanden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) ## More Health quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Water is life, and clean water means health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/water-is-life-and-clean-water-means-health/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I listen to my body, I give it things it wants and I eliminate things it doesn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-ekland/i-listen-to-my-body-i-give-it-things-it-wants-and-i-eliminate-things/) [Britt Ekland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-ekland/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Mental health is an issue close to my heart - an issue, indeed, I've covered repeatedly for Channel 4 News.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-newman/mental-health-is-an-issue-close-to-my-heart-an-issue-indeed-i-ve/) [Cathy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-newman/) > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Not only is a healthy America a strong America - it's vital to our national defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/not-only-is-a-healthy-america-a-strong-america-it-s-vital-to-our/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) [Browse all 17,127 Health quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never worked in the private sector for very long, I worked on childcare, afterschool, health care for people, increasing the minimum wage, increasing taxes on the wealthy - a whole host of policies that are pretty progressive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neera Tanden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for-very-long-i-worked-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Health" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for-very-long-i-worked-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/neera-tanden-4361_health_i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for_205851.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/neera-tanden-4361_health_i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for_205851.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/neera-tanden-4361_health_i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for_205851.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never worked in the private sector for very long, I worked on childcare, afterschool, health care for…” — Neera Tanden", "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": "Neera Tanden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never worked in the private...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for-very-long-i-worked-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for-very-long-i-worked-on/#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 } } ] } ```