--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, the Democratic Party is the…" description: "\"You know, the Democratic Party is the party that believes in governing, and we are hamstrung by the filibuster.\" — Ritchie Torres" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/ritchie-torres-6334_democratic-party_you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-par_2335933.jpg" --- # You know, the Democratic Party is the party that believes… ![“You know, the Democratic Party is the party that believes in governing, and we are hamstrung by the filibuster.” quote by Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/ritchie-torres-6334_democratic-party_you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-par_2335933.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/ritchie-torres-6334_democratic-party_you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-par_2335933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/ritchie-torres-6334_democratic-party_you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-par_2335933.jpg) > “You know, the Democratic Party is the party that believes in governing, and we are hamstrung by the filibuster.” [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Democratic Party supports governance, but the filibuster hampers its ability to act. **In simple terms:** Democrats want to govern, yet filibuster blocks them. Key Takeaway Seek reform of legislative rules. Themes governance politics legislation Mood concerned optimistic Type political policy When to use this quote - policy making - lawmaking - political strategy Key Concepts democratic process institutional constraints Questions to Reflect On - Should the filibuster be reformed? - What alternatives exist to balance power? A Different Perspective Filibuster can also protect minority rights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democratic party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-party/) [Filibuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filibuster/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) ## Related quotes > [What's the point of winning the presidency and the Senate and the House if we cannot pass legislation, if we're hopelessly hamstrung by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/what-s-the-point-of-winning-the-presidency-and-the-senate-and-the/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [On behalf of NARAL Pro-Choice America - and our one million member activists - I am honored to be here to talk to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-keenan/on-behalf-of-naral-pro-choice-america-and-our-one-million-member/) [Nancy Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-keenan/) > [Voters are smart. They know the difference between a Democratic Party that wants their vote and a Democratic Party that believes in making their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/voters-are-smart-they-know-the-difference-between-a-democratic-party/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [“It's voting rights or it's the filibuster. It's LGBTQ+ rights or it's the filibuster. It's union rights or it's the filibuster. It's civil rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/it-s-voting-rights-or-it-s-the-filibuster-it-s-lgbtq-rights-or-it-s/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [There's a romanticized vision of the filibuster as the best hope for bipartisanship it's given us nothing but gridlock. It has made Washington, D.C.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/there-s-a-romanticized-vision-of-the-filibuster-as-the-best-hope-for/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Today's Democrat Party believes that distinct American culture is corrupt, biased, racist, sexist, prejudicial, homophobic. There is nothing about it they want to preserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/today-s-democrat-party-believes-that-distinct-american-culture-is/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The Conservative party believes Canada is stronger for being able to welcome people from all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/the-conservative-party-believes-canada-is-stronger-for-being-able-to/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [We are a party which believes that we work in the national interest, not just to please my opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-sitharaman/we-are-a-party-which-believes-that-we-work-in-the-national-interest/) [Nirmala Sitharaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-sitharaman/) > [I am attracted by the idea of standing for a new, open party that believes Catalonia needs its own state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-laporta/i-am-attracted-by-the-idea-of-standing-for-a-new-open-party-that/) [Joan Laporta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-laporta/) > [Our party believes in diversity, not uniformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-maude/our-party-believes-in-diversity-not-uniformity/) [Francis Maude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-maude/) > [It's insanity for a party that believes in freedom to allow some Republicans to seize an agenda that is totally alien to the agenda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/it-s-insanity-for-a-party-that-believes-in-freedom-to-allow-some/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [Unlike the Congress, our party believes in democracy and takes a collective decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/unlike-the-congress-our-party-believes-in-democracy-and-takes-a/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) > [Not every opposition party believes the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pritam-singh/not-every-opposition-party-believes-the-same-thing/) [Pritam Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pritam-singh/) > [In these difficult times, when tough decisions are required, the differences between Labour and the Tories are becoming much clearer. One party believes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/in-these-difficult-times-when-tough-decisions-are-required-the/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [We are a party that believes in dignity and respect for one another. We can't say that is what we want in the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-kendall/we-are-a-party-that-believes-in-dignity-and-respect-for-one-another/) [Liz Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-kendall/) ## More by Ritchie Torres > [My younger self could not imagine standing on the floor of Congress as a member of Congress voting on legislation that, if enacted, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/my-younger-self-could-not-imagine-standing-on-the-floor-of-congress/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I am both black and Latino - there's no need to artificially barricade one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-am-both-black-and-latino-there-s-no-need-to-artificially-barricade/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I've had to face housing insecurity and food insecurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-ve-had-to-face-housing-insecurity-and-food-insecurity/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Exercising dominion over Puerto Rico, as the U.S. has done for more than a century - without granting Puerto Ricans the full franchise in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/exercising-dominion-over-puerto-rico-as-the-u-s-has-done-for-more/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I don't hire ideologues or zealots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-don-t-hire-ideologues-or-zealots/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Racial identity is chosen and given. It is as much a product of the world's perception of you as it is of your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/racial-identity-is-chosen-and-given-it-is-as-much-a-product-of-the/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I lived in public housing and had to struggle with depression and substance abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-lived-in-public-housing-and-had-to-struggle-with-depression-and/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [With a multi-billion dollar market capitalization, crypto is here to stay. It's not going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/with-a-multi-billion-dollar-market-capitalization-crypto-is-here-to/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I spent almost all my life in poverty, raised by a single mother who had to raise three children on minimum wage, which in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-spent-almost-all-my-life-in-poverty-raised-by-a-single-mother-who/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I'm grateful for the blessing and burden of public service; I promised my constituents that I would work my heart out for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-m-grateful-for-the-blessing-and-burden-of-public-service-i-promised/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I take an expansive view of infrastructure. For me, infrastructure is more than roads and bridges. It's about the quality of the water we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-take-an-expansive-view-of-infrastructure-for-me-infrastructure-is/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [New York City should and must embrace crypto if it is to remain the financial capital of the world. We no longer live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/new-york-city-should-and-must-embrace-crypto-if-it-is-to-remain-the/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I feel no shame in admitting that I take an antidepressant every day. That enables me to be a productive public servant who's risen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-feel-no-shame-in-admitting-that-i-take-an-antidepressant-every-day/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [There's a sense in which the media narrative diminishes me. I resist the temptation to fit into a preconceived narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/there-s-a-sense-in-which-the-media-narrative-diminishes-me-i-resist/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [My openness about depression is rooted in my lived experience as an LGBTQ person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/my-openness-about-depression-is-rooted-in-my-lived-experience-as-an/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) [Explore all 99 Ritchie Torres quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) ## More Democratic party quotes > [If Robert Heinlein is more to your taste than George Lucas: “If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The coronavirus has yet again exposed the strong contrast between President Trump - who is working ardently for the American people - and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/the-coronavirus-has-yet-again-exposed-the-strong-contrast-between/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [The Democratic Party is DEAD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/the-democratic-party-is-dead/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [the Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by 'special interests.' But when pressed to name these 'special interests,' the usual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/the-republicans-love-to-say-that-the-democratic-party-is-ruled-by/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [There's nothing wrong with the Democratic Party that talks more about - and more loudly about - jobs, and cutting red tape, and bureaucracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-the-democratic-party-that-talks-more-about/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [“Violence isn't a Democrat or Republican problem. It's an American problem, requiring an American solution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/violence-isn-t-a-democrat-or-republican-problem-it-s-an-american/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [I have no problem if you want to be a socialist. But for those people who are in the middle, you know, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-have-no-problem-if-you-want-to-be-a-socialist-but-for-those-people/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [ I think \[ chief organizer of the Democratic Party \] it's something that I have an interest in. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-chief-organizer-of-the-democratic-party-it-s-something-that-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Democratic Party takes huge amounts of cash from corporations and unions to vote a certain way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/the-democratic-party-takes-huge-amounts-of-cash-from-corporations-and/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [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/) > [“was my first indication that the policies of Mamaw’s “party of the working man”—the Democrats—weren’t all they were cracked up to be. Political scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/was-my-first-indication-that-the-policies-of-mamaw-s-party-of-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [I also believe that we have to protect our country and lead the world with strength and steadiness, and we have to unify our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-also-believe-that-we-have-to-protect-our-country-and-lead-the-world/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The Democratic party of Florida has put a temperance plank in its platform and the Republican party of every state would nail that plank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/the-democratic-party-of-florida-has-put-a-temperance-plank-in-its/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [The whole new Democratic Party is the old Republican Party. We have a whole bunch of elephants running around in donkey's clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/the-whole-new-democratic-party-is-the-old-republican-party-we-have-a/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) [Browse all 666 Democratic party quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-party/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know, the Democratic Party is the party that believes in governing, and we are hamstrung by the filibuster.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ritchie Torres" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-party-that-believes-in-governing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democratic party" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-party-that-believes-in-governing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/ritchie-torres-6334_democratic-party_you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-par_2335933.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/ritchie-torres-6334_democratic-party_you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-par_2335933.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/ritchie-torres-6334_democratic-party_you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-par_2335933.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know, the Democratic Party is the party that believes in governing, and we are hamstrung by the…” — Ritchie Torres", "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": "Ritchie Torres", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You know, the Democratic Party is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-party-that-believes-in-governing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/you-know-the-democratic-party-is-the-party-that-believes-in-governing/#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 } } ] } ```