--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It really doesn't take brains to be a…" description: "\"It really doesn't take brains to be a politician as much as it takes stomach. Both would be nice, but in America we have accepted diminishing returns i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/rita-mae-brown-1111_accepted_it-really-doesn-t-take-brains-to-be-a-po_1722709.png" --- # It really doesn't take brains to be a politician as much… ![“It really doesn't take brains to be a politician as much as it takes stomach. Both would be nice, but in America we have accepted diminishing returns in this arena.” quote by Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/rita-mae-brown-1111_accepted_it-really-doesn-t-take-brains-to-be-a-po_1722709.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/rita-mae-brown-1111_accepted_it-really-doesn-t-take-brains-to-be-a-po_1722709.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/rita-mae-brown-1111_accepted_it-really-doesn-t-take-brains-to-be-a-po_1722709.png) > “It really doesn't take brains to be a politician as much as it takes stomach. Both would be nice, but in America we have accepted diminishing returns in this arena.” [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political success often relies more on resilience and tolerance of harsh realities than on intellectual ability, especially in a system where diminishing returns are accepted. **In simple terms:** Being a politician needs stamina more than smarts. Key Takeaway Cultivate resilience and realistic expectations. Themes politics resilience systems humor society Mood cynical wry critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - campaigning - legislative work - public speaking - media relations Key Concepts political science psychology social critique Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance intelligence and resilience in leadership? - What are the costs of a system that rewards stamina over insight? A Different Perspective Stamina alone cannot guarantee effective governance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Being nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Diminishing returns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diminishing-returns/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [I want to explain to everyone that during election season, a politician is always short of time. We are thankful to any politician who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravish-kumar/i-want-to-explain-to-everyone-that-during-election-season-a/) [Ravish Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravish-kumar/) > [“A brick has eight edges and six sides. That’s nearly as many sides as a politician takes when discussing a binary issue. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-has-eight-edges-and-six-sides-that-s-nearly-as-many-sides-as/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I get diminishing returns when I bore myself in an interview.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/i-get-diminishing-returns-when-i-bore-myself-in-an-interview/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [As long as my heart's still in it, I'll keep going. If the passion's there, why stop?...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-karnazes/as-long-as-my-heart-s-still-in-it-i-ll-keep-going-if-the-passion-s/) [Dean Karnazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-karnazes/) > [Knowledge is the only instrument of production that is not subject to diminishing returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/knowledge-is-the-only-instrument-of-production-that-is-not-subject-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The one negative to horror is that it's always law of diminishing returns. When you go in the funhouse, the ride is never scary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/the-one-negative-to-horror-is-that-it-s-always-law-of-diminishing/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The whole conflict thus boils down to a question of degree. We of the minority see a law of diminishing returns in progress; our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/the-whole-conflict-thus-boils-down-to-a-question-of-degree-we-of-the/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [Unbounded morality ultimately becomes counterproductive even in terms of the same moral principles being sought. The law of diminishing returns applies to morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/unbounded-morality-ultimately-becomes-counterproductive-even-in-terms/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Modern medicine has presented us with a Faustian bargain: Our aging bodies can bankrupt our children and grandchildren. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-gill/it-is-a-certainty-that-keegan-would-not-have-agreed-to-return-unless/) [Pete Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-gill/) > [“Diminishing returns is the outcome of restriction”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/diminishing-returns-is-the-outcome-of-restriction/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [If the Russians have gone too far in subjecting the child and his peer group to conformity to a single set of values imposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urie-bronfenbrenner/if-the-russians-have-gone-too-far-in-subjecting-the-child-and-his/) [Urie Bronfenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urie-bronfenbrenner/) > [“The pleasure of novelty is by its very nature more subject than any other to the laws of diminishing returns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-pleasure-of-novelty-is-by-its-very-nature-more-subject-than-any/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [I don't want to repeat myself. I hate the idea of coasting and of recycling the same ideas. Then, you're just subject to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-cross/i-don-t-want-to-repeat-myself-i-hate-the-idea-of-coasting-and-of/) [Neil Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-cross/) > [Morality, like other inputs into the social process, follows the law of diminishing returns- meaning ultimately, negative returns. People can be too moral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/morality-like-other-inputs-into-the-social-process-follows-the-law-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More by Rita Mae Brown > [“Friendship distills the sweetness of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/friendship-distills-the-sweetness-of-life/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/about-all-you-can-do-in-life-is-be-who-you-are-some-people-will-love/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [He tried to drown his troubles but they knew how to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/he-tried-to-drown-his-troubles-but-they-knew-how-to-swim/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“The most revolutionary thing you can do is to be yourself, to speak your truth, to open your arms to life including the pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/the-most-revolutionary-thing-you-can-do-is-to-be-yourself-to-speak/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Content without style is propaganda or adolescence. 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I think death is a greatly overrated experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/i-don-t-want-to-die-i-think-death-is-a-greatly-overrated-experience/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Leroy bet me I couldn't find a pot of gold at the end, and I told him that was a stupid bet because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/leroy-bet-me-i-couldn-t-find-a-pot-of-gold-at-the-end-and-i-told-him/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [An army of lovers shall not fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/an-army-of-lovers-shall-not-fail/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Cats and dogs believe politicians are like cemetery caregivers; they are on top of everyone, but nobody listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/cats-and-dogs-believe-politicians-are-like-cemetery-caregivers-they/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Femininity and masculinity are social constructs. Female and male are biological. 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