---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, if I listened to him [Michael…"
description: "\"You know, if I listened to him [Michael Dukakis] long enough, I would be convinced we're in an economic downturn and people are homeless and going with..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/ronald-reagan-119_attention_you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-du_714840.jpg"
---

#  You know, if I listened to him \[Michael Dukakis\] long…

![“You know, if I listened to him &#91;Michael Dukakis&#93; long enough, I would be convinced we're in an economic downturn and people are homeless and going without food and medical attention and that we've got to do something about the unemployed.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/ronald-reagan-119_attention_you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-du_714840.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/ronald-reagan-119_attention_you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-du_714840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/ronald-reagan-119_attention_you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-du_714840.jpg)

> “You know, if I listened to him \[Michael Dukakis\] long enough, I would be convinced we're in an economic downturn and people are homeless and going without food and medical attention and that we've got to do something about the unemployed.”

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Listening to critics can reveal economic hardship, prompting a call to address unemployment and poverty.

**In simple terms:** Listening shows economic problems that need action.

Key Takeaway

Act on the needs of the unemployed.

Themes

economics politics social welfare

Mood

concerned urgent

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- political speech
- debate
- public address

Key Concepts

policy public opinion media influence

Questions to Reflect On

- What policies best reduce unemployment?
- How can leaders balance rhetoric with effective action?

A Different Perspective

Critics may exaggerate issues for political gain.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Convinced Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convinced-economic-5629545/) [Downturn People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downturn-people-618429/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Homeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeless/) [Listened Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listened-michael-383399/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Medical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical/) [Michael Dukakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michael-dukakis-1108332/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Unemployed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unemployed/)

## Related quotes

> [I probably should've listened to Michael a year ago when he said that Charles will never win a championship because he doesn't show any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-probably-should-ve-listened-to-michael-a-year-ago-when-he-said-that/)

[Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/)

> [Because of piracy there has been a massive downturn in people buying music, which makes it more difficult for artists to make money from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/because-of-piracy-there-has-been-a-massive-downturn-in-people-buying/)

[Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/)

> [I talk to a lot of librarians, and there's always a steady drumbeat of how libraries are places of community. But a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-talk-to-a-lot-of-librarians-and-there-s-always-a-steady-drumbeat-of/)

[Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/)

> [“By the time George Bush ran against Michael Dukakis, Quinn was a different man, a practicing physician and a dedicated citizen who, knowing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-gilles-seidel/by-the-time-george-bush-ran-against-michael-dukakis-quinn-was-a/)

[Kathleen Gilles Seidel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-gilles-seidel/)

> [ ...one is reminded that \[John Kerry, D-MA\] really just a better-looking Ted Kennedy, a richer Michael Dukakis. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/one-is-reminded-that-john-kerry-d-ma-really-just-a-better-looking-ted/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [“Homeless people go to bed freezing and wake up shaking in the morning, even if they have a sleeping bag. If they don’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wiggins/homeless-people-go-to-bed-freezing-and-wake-up-shaking-in-the-morning/)

[Karl Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wiggins/)

> [Investing intelligently in those of us who are marginalised means fewer people in jail, fewer homeless, fewer unemployed, fewer of us who are forlorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mckeon/investing-intelligently-in-those-of-us-who-are-marginalised-means/)

[Simon McKeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mckeon/)

> [When the Labor Department is forced to relent and let these visitors do this work it is of course all legal. But it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/when-the-labor-department-is-forced-to-relent-and-let-these-visitors/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [“You can't help those who simply will not be helped. One problem that we've had, even in the best of times, is people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-can-t-help-those-who-simply-will-not-be-helped-one-problem-that/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [I'm constantly paranoid that I'll be unemployed for the rest of my life... and have to go back folding shirts at the Gap, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-m-constantly-paranoid-that-i-ll-be-unemployed-for-the-rest-of-my/)

[Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/)

> [The unemployed in Greece can get a voucher and choose a training program somewhere in Europe to be retrained during this crisis and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/the-unemployed-in-greece-can-get-a-voucher-and-choose-a-training/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [The most devastating thing though that biology did to Christianity was the discovery of biological evolution. Now that we know that Adam and Eve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zindler/the-most-devastating-thing-though-that-biology-did-to-christianity/)

[Frank Zindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zindler/)

> [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, don't feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/in-terms-of-the-unemployed-of-which-we-have-over-a-million-and-a-half/)

[Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/)

> [I've never believed unemployment numbers because the way that they calculate unemployment makes no sense whatsoever. It's not how many people are unemployed. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-ve-never-believed-unemployment-numbers-because-the-way-that-they/)

[Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/)

## More by Ronald Reagan

> [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

## More Attention quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/)

[Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/)

[Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/)

[Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/)

[Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/)

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/)

[Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/)

> [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

> [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/)

[Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/)

[Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You know, if I listened to him [Michael Dukakis] long enough, I would be convinced we're in an economic downturn and people are homeless and going without food and medical attention and that we've got to do something about the unemployed.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ronald Reagan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-dukakis-long-enough-i-would-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-dukakis-long-enough-i-would-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/ronald-reagan-119_attention_you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-du_714840.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/ronald-reagan-119_attention_you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-du_714840.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/870/ronald-reagan-119_attention_you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-du_714840.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You know, if I listened to him [Michael Dukakis] long enough, I would be convinced we're in an economic…” — Ronald Reagan",
                "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": "Ronald Reagan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You know, if I listened to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-dukakis-long-enough-i-would-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-if-i-listened-to-him-michael-dukakis-long-enough-i-would-be/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
