--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should not be making near-term…" description: "\"We should not be making near-term decisions with long-term consequences without robustly debating these questions and fully considering the substantial..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/niki-tsongas-46078_actions_we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisi_932916.jpg" --- # We should not be making near-term decisions with long-term… ![“We should not be making near-term decisions with long-term consequences without robustly debating these questions and fully considering the substantial and unpredictable risks of these actions.” quote by Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/niki-tsongas-46078_actions_we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisi_932916.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/niki-tsongas-46078_actions_we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisi_932916.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/niki-tsongas-46078_actions_we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisi_932916.jpg) > “We should not be making near-term decisions with long-term consequences without robustly debating these questions and fully considering the substantial and unpredictable risks of these actions.” [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Decision makers should avoid short‑term choices that create long‑term risks without thorough debate and risk assessment. **In simple terms:** Don’t rush big decisions without full discussion of risks. Key Takeaway Pause and evaluate long‑term impacts. Themes decision making risk management policy ethics Mood cautious thoughtful Type policy ethical When to use this quote - legislation - corporate strategy - environmental planning - technology deployment Key Concepts precautionary principle intergenerational equity systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - What long‑term risks are being ignored? - How can we ensure diverse perspectives in debate? A Different Perspective Complex issues may lack complete data, making full debate difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions/) [Consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequences/) [Consequences Robustly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequences-robustly-1532736/) [Considering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considering/) [Considering Substantial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considering-substantial-1532740/) [Debating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debating/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Fully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fully/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) [Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risks/) [Robustly Debating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robustly-debating-1532737/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Substantial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substantial/) [Substantial Unpredictable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substantial-unpredictable-1532739/) [Unpredictable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpredictable/) [Unpredictable Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpredictable-risks-1532738/) [Without](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without/) ## Related quotes > [I don't mind being in the public eye as long as I am doing something substantial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/momina-mustehsan/i-don-t-mind-being-in-the-public-eye-as-long-as-i-am-doing-something/) [Momina Mustehsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/momina-mustehsan/) > [Dried porcini add a substantial, deep flavour to otherwise more neutral vegetables. I use them in risottos, mashed roots and winter soups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/dried-porcini-add-a-substantial-deep-flavour-to-otherwise-more/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [I don't mind doing genre roles as long as they offer me something substantial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-apte/i-don-t-mind-doing-genre-roles-as-long-as-they-offer-me-something/) [Radhika Apte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-apte/) > [“It is more substantial to represent a purpose, rather than just a title.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/it-is-more-substantial-to-represent-a-purpose-rather-than-just-a-title/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [What the world's million lips are searching for, must be substantial somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/what-the-world-s-million-lips-are-searching-for-must-be-substantial/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Any objective look at what science has to say about climate change ought to be sufficient to persuade reasonable people that the climate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/any-objective-look-at-what-science-has-to-say-about-climate-change/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [I have managed to eke out a good and substantial existence. I'm not shoveling gold bricks or anything, but I do very, very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-have-managed-to-eke-out-a-good-and-substantial-existence-i-m-not/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [White America is tortured by black America's failure to thrive, and all that guilt and anxiety has only gotten worse as a substantial quota…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/white-america-is-tortured-by-black-america-s-failure-to-thrive-and/) [James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/) > [I felt the question of the afterlife was the black hole of the personal universe: something for which substantial proof of existence had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-moody/i-felt-the-question-of-the-afterlife-was-the-black-hole-of-the/) [Raymond Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-moody/) > [Landing substantial and author-backed roles is indeed very gratifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamna-kasim/landing-substantial-and-author-backed-roles-is-indeed-very-gratifying/) [Shamna Kasim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamna-kasim/) > [“I seek the substantial in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harrison/i-seek-the-substantial-in-life/) [Jim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harrison/) > [I want to have something substantial to say or I'm just not going to say anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-williams/i-want-to-have-something-substantial-to-say-or-i-m-just-not-going-to/) [Monty Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-williams/) > [I have been wanting to do a substantial role for quite sometime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-chandran/i-have-been-wanting-to-do-a-substantial-role-for-quite-sometime/) [Sudha Chandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-chandran/) > [A creative mindset is in increasingly high demand: employers are vying for workers who are able to dream big and deliver big with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/a-creative-mindset-is-in-increasingly-high-demand-employers-are-vying/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [Wherever there is light, there is shadow; wherever there is length, there is shortness; wherever there is white, there is black. Just like these,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/wherever-there-is-light-there-is-shadow-wherever-there-is-length/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) ## More by Niki Tsongas > [Lightened body armor, which the military has made progress on, would mean increased safety and reduced risk for soldiers like the sergeant and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/lightened-body-armor-which-the-military-has-made-progress-on-would/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [People say, 'What if your name was Niki Smith?' Well, if Niki Smith lived the life I've lived, it would have great bearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/people-say-what-if-your-name-was-niki-smith-well-if-niki-smith-lived/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [I was an officer in my student council.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/i-was-an-officer-in-my-student-council/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [Clearly-drawn front lines have become a thing of the past due to complex locations with ubiquitous enemy threats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/clearly-drawn-front-lines-have-become-a-thing-of-the-past-due-to/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [There are wives who are very involved with their husbands' offices and really take their responsibility seriously in terms of issues and things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/there-are-wives-who-are-very-involved-with-their-husbands-offices-and/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [Constant and pervasive danger makes agile movement a high priority for all soldiers, whether they are assigned directly to combat or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/constant-and-pervasive-danger-makes-agile-movement-a-high-priority/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) > [Body armor is meant to fit snug to the body to stop shrapnel and absorb a bullet's impact. Armor designed for a boxier male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/body-armor-is-meant-to-fit-snug-to-the-body-to-stop-shrapnel-and/) [Niki Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) [Explore all 8 Niki Tsongas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/) ## More Actions quotes > [“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/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [A lot of my work involves instilling objects with the power of touch - a transference of soul, spirit, energy through actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-colen/a-lot-of-my-work-involves-instilling-objects-with-the-power-of-touch/) [Dan Colen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-colen/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [True love is proven through the actions of your true love!! Not through the act of saying it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-love-is-proven-through-the-actions-of-your-true-love-not-through/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [As we get more transparent with data sets about infrastructure and systems management, I have a feeling we'll see big changes in how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-koblin/as-we-get-more-transparent-with-data-sets-about-infrastructure-and/) [Aaron Koblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-koblin/) > [“When you are pushed to the wall, you will act and do things you have never done before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-are-pushed-to-the-wall-you-will-act-and-do-things-you-have/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“The definition of a professional is one who does a job well even when they don't like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sheinwald/the-definition-of-a-professional-is-one-who-does-a-job-well-even-when/) [Alan Sheinwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sheinwald/) > [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“We are the result of our mere actions. What we do, we become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/we-are-the-result-of-our-mere-actions-what-we-do-we-become/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [I would rather have my actions speak for me on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-insigne/i-would-rather-have-my-actions-speak-for-me-on-the-pitch/) [Lorenzo Insigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-insigne/) > [If you want to know someone's mind, listen to their words. If you want to know their heart, watch their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-know-someone-s-mind-listen-to-their-words-if-you-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Twitter didn't make up the hashtag. Twitter didn't make up the retweet. It's our users. And people started using them so much that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-jacobs-stanton/twitter-didn-t-make-up-the-hashtag-twitter-didn-t-make-up-the-retweet/) [Katie Jacobs Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-jacobs-stanton/) > [I personally claim no special insight into Satan's methods, but I have at times been able to identify his influence and his actions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/i-personally-claim-no-special-insight-into-satan-s-methods-but-i-have/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) [Browse all 1,287 Actions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should not be making near-term decisions with long-term consequences without robustly debating these questions and fully considering the substantial and unpredictable risks of these actions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niki Tsongas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisions-with-long-term/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisions-with-long-term/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/niki-tsongas-46078_actions_we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisi_932916.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/niki-tsongas-46078_actions_we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisi_932916.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/niki-tsongas-46078_actions_we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisi_932916.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should not be making near-term decisions with long-term consequences without robustly debating these…” — Niki Tsongas", "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": "Niki Tsongas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-tsongas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should not be making near-term...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisions-with-long-term/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-tsongas/we-should-not-be-making-near-term-decisions-with-long-term/#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 } } ] } ```