--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There used to be this feeling under…" description: "\"There used to be this feeling under Eisenhower and Kennedy and Roosevelt and Truman that government was a solution. Trust in the presidency fell precip..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/robert-caro-11059_back_there-used-to-be-this-feeling-under-eise_2678733.png" --- # There used to be this feeling under Eisenhower and Kennedy… ![“There used to be this feeling under Eisenhower and Kennedy and Roosevelt and Truman that government was a solution. Trust in the presidency fell precipitously under Johnson - real lows. And it's never come back. It's a trend that, if you're liberal, is really discouraging.” quote by Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/robert-caro-11059_back_there-used-to-be-this-feeling-under-eise_2678733.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/robert-caro-11059_back_there-used-to-be-this-feeling-under-eise_2678733.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c60/robert-caro-11059_back_there-used-to-be-this-feeling-under-eise_2678733.png) > “There used to be this feeling under Eisenhower and Kennedy and Roosevelt and Truman that government was a solution. Trust in the presidency fell precipitously under Johnson - real lows. And it's never come back. It's a trend that, if you're liberal, is really discouraging.” [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects a historical shift from seeing government as a problem to viewing it as a failing institution, especially after Johnson's presidency. **In simple terms:** Government once seen as a solution now appears broken. Key Takeaway Recognize and address declining trust in institutions. Themes politics government trust history public sentiment Mood cynical reflective Type political historical When to use this quote - voting behavior - policy advocacy - civic education - media analysis Key Concepts institutional decay political cynicism historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens rebuild trust in government? - What factors most erode institutional confidence? A Different Perspective The perspective may overgeneralize complex political dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) [Trend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trend/) [Trends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trends/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-solution-to-a-problem-is-usually-as-bad-as-the-problem/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“Government is not the only solution, but it is also not the only problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/government-is-not-the-only-solution-but-it-is-also-not-the-only/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Conservatism to me is limited government, liberty and sticking to the Constitution and realizing that government is not the solution to almost anything, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/conservatism-to-me-is-limited-government-liberty-and-sticking-to-the/) [Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/) > [Today we can declare: Government is not the problem, and government is not the solution. We, the American people, we are the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/today-we-can-declare-government-is-not-the-problem-and-government-is/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [The path I lay out is not one paved with ever increasing government checks and cradle to grave assurance that government will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-path-i-lay-out-is-not-one-paved-with-ever-increasing-government/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Government is not the problem, and government is not the solution. We - the American people - we are the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/government-is-not-the-problem-and-government-is-not-the-solution-we/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The ultimate solution is not in the hands of the government. The solution falls on each and every individual, with guidance from family, friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-ultimate-solution-is-not-in-the-hands-of-the-government-the/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Now, let me be clear. The path I lay out is not one paved with ever increasing government checks and cradle to grave assurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/now-let-me-be-clear-the-path-i-lay-out-is-not-one-paved-with-ever/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [In the present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/in-the-present-crisis-government-is-not-the-solution-to-our-problem/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I define socialism as the government controlling the means of production. I don't think the answer to some of the big vesting problems we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-delaney/i-define-socialism-as-the-government-controlling-the-means-of/) [John Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-delaney/) > [“Trump’s political career would have been impossible without the degradation of the whole idea of the public sphere, which has been unfolding over decades.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/trump-s-political-career-would-have-been-impossible-without-the/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [“Government is never the solution, but it is almost always a problem. I'm a capitalist. And I believe in effort and progress and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/government-is-never-the-solution-but-it-is-almost-always-a-problem-i/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem. ... Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. Government's view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-not-a-solution-to-our-problem-government-is-the-problem-2/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Government is not a solution to our problem government is the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-is-not-a-solution-to-our-problem-government-is-the-problem/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government IS the problem. It isn't so much that liberals are ignorant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/in-this-present-crisis-government-is-not-the-solution-to-our-problem/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Robert Caro > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [There's a theory, and I think the theory is right, that in order to make a change you've got to make the whole language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/there-s-a-theory-and-i-think-the-theory-is-right-that-in-order-to/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Everyone believed the Senate could not really be led. It used to take so long to rise up through seniority. In two years Lyndon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/everyone-believed-the-senate-could-not-really-be-led-it-used-to-take/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [I try to have a mood or a rhythm for a chapter,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/i-try-to-have-a-mood-or-a-rhythm-for-a-chapter/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [I really wanted there to be something in my life that I enjoy just for the beauty of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/i-really-wanted-there-to-be-something-in-my-life-that-i-enjoy-just/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [We're taught Lord Acton's axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. 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In my case one of the reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/among-the-reasons-that-you-go-into-journalism-i-suppose-are-some/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [My interest is in power. How power works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/my-interest-is-in-power-how-power-works/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whenever I go to work I wear a jacket and a tie, because I'm inherently quite lazy, and my books take so long to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/whenever-i-go-to-work-i-wear-a-jacket-and-a-tie-because-i-m/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [When you have enough power to do what you always wanted to do, then you see what the guy always wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/when-you-have-enough-power-to-do-what-you-always-wanted-to-do-then/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [As you get older, you sometimes feel that it's harder and harder to get something new and wonderful to come into your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/as-you-get-older-you-sometimes-feel-that-it-s-harder-and-harder-to/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [The New York City Ballet is obviously speaking to a whole new generation and bringing it the same wonder and beauty that it brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/the-new-york-city-ballet-is-obviously-speaking-to-a-whole-new/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Robert Moses wasn't elected to anything. 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Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. 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