--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have no idea what goes on in another…" description: "\"I have no idea what goes on in another person's mind. As a legislator, I need to be good at persuading people, counting votes and getting to 50 percent..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/tammy-baldwin-30774_be-good_i-have-no-idea-what-goes-on-in-another-p_551825.jpg" --- # I have no idea what goes on in another person's mind. As a… ![“I have no idea what goes on in another person's mind. As a legislator, I need to be good at persuading people, counting votes and getting to 50 percent plus one. I don't go back and say, 'Why did this person get to the right position?' It's only, 'Are you yes or are you no?” quote by Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/tammy-baldwin-30774_be-good_i-have-no-idea-what-goes-on-in-another-p_551825.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/tammy-baldwin-30774_be-good_i-have-no-idea-what-goes-on-in-another-p_551825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/tammy-baldwin-30774_be-good_i-have-no-idea-what-goes-on-in-another-p_551825.jpg) > “I have no idea what goes on in another person's mind. As a legislator, I need to be good at persuading people, counting votes and getting to 50 percent plus one. I don't go back and say, 'Why did this person get to the right position?' It's only, 'Are you yes or are you no?” [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A legislator acknowledges limited insight into others' thoughts, focusing on binary choices to achieve political goals. **In simple terms:** Politicians often simplify complex opinions into yes/no votes. Key Takeaway Prioritize clear, decisive action in policy. Themes politics decision‑making leadership Mood analytical pragmatic Type political reflective When to use this quote - campaign strategy - legislative negotiation - public polling - policy drafting Key Concepts democracy representation strategic voting Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance simplicity with nuanced understanding? - What methods improve empathy in political discourse? A Different Perspective Binary framing can ignore nuance and marginalize minority views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not good at standing on platforms and persuading people to my political point of view. Nor would I seek to. My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [“Radical expansions of power are often introduced in this way, by persuading people that they affect just a specific, discrete group.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/radical-expansions-of-power-are-often-introduced-in-this-way-by/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [The three main elements of public relations are practically as old as society: informing people, persuading people, or integrating people with people. Of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bernays/the-three-main-elements-of-public-relations-are-practically-as-old-as/) [Edward Bernays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bernays/) > [Leadership isn't just legislation, that it's a matter of persuading people and giving them confidence, and bringing them together and setting a tone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/leadership-isn-t-just-legislation-that-it-s-a-matter-of-persuading/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We do not influence the course of events by persuading people that we are right when we make what they regard as radical proposals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/we-do-not-influence-the-course-of-events-by-persuading-people-that-we/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-best-way-to-rise-in-society-is-to-use-all-possible-means-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I am good at persuading people. In convincing the other, I try to start from their point of view so it's easier for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzipi-livni/i-am-good-at-persuading-people-in-convincing-the-other-i-try-to-start/) [Tzipi Livni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzipi-livni/) > [Propaganda is persuading people to make up their minds while withholding some of the facts from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-evans/propaganda-is-persuading-people-to-make-up-their-minds-while/) [Harold Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-evans/) > [Advertising design, in persuading people to buy things they don't need, with money they don't have, in order to impress others who don't care,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-papanek/advertising-design-in-persuading-people-to-buy-things-they-don-t-need/) [Victor Papanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-papanek/) > [I wanted to write about looking at the world, so it's more about helping people, or persuading people, to see what is around us;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/i-wanted-to-write-about-looking-at-the-world-so-it-s-more-about/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [Today's political leaders demonstrate their low opinion of the public with every social law they pass. They believe that, if given the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/today-s-political-leaders-demonstrate-their-low-opinion-of-the-public/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [When you have to prove the value of your ideas by persuading other people to pay for them, it clears out an awful lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/when-you-have-to-prove-the-value-of-your-ideas-by-persuading-other/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Persuading people through technology is the next social revolution. Facebook demonstrates just how powerful it will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-fogg/persuading-people-through-technology-is-the-next-social-revolution/) [B. J. Fogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-fogg/) > [“To restrict or legalize abortion, to allow or forbid gay marriage, a legislator would need to write and pass a law, get it signed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/to-restrict-or-legalize-abortion-to-allow-or-forbid-gay-marriage-a/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [“Radical expansions of power are often introduced in this way, by persuading people that they affect just a specific, discrete group. Governments have long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/radical-expansions-of-power-are-often-introduced-in-this-way-by-2/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More by Tammy Baldwin > [Americans are not saving enough for retirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/americans-are-not-saving-enough-for-retirement/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [There will not be a magic day when we wake up and it's now okay to express ourselves publicly. We make that day by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/there-will-not-be-a-magic-day-when-we-wake-up-and-it-s-now-okay-to/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [All my life, the naysayers have told me that I can't win because I'm a progressive... because I'm a woman... even because I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/all-my-life-the-naysayers-have-told-me-that-i-can-t-win-because-i-m-a/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [Our constitutional liberties shall not be sacrificed in our search for greater security, for that is what our enemies and all enemies of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/our-constitutional-liberties-shall-not-be-sacrificed-in-our-search/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [Our president has made historic progress toward equality. He repealed 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' so that no American ever again has to lie about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/our-president-has-made-historic-progress-toward-equality-he-repealed/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [Politicians in Washington and Madison aren't hearing, aren't listening to their constituents and prioritizing getting people back to work and growing our economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/politicians-in-washington-and-madison-aren-t-hearing-aren-t-listening/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [I had a serious childhood illness - sort of like spinal meningitis - that led to a three-month hospitalization. Afterward, I couldn't be insured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/i-had-a-serious-childhood-illness-sort-of-like-spinal-meningitis-that/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [In my grandfather's lab, scientists did independent research, and peers reviewed and commented on its merits. Politics, he taught me, had no place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/in-my-grandfather-s-lab-scientists-did-independent-research-and-peers/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [When I first ran for Congress in 1998, people counted me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/when-i-first-ran-for-congress-in-1998-people-counted-me-out/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [I find it greatly disturbing that the Bush administration has used political and religious ideologies to influence national policy on science and medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/i-find-it-greatly-disturbing-that-the-bush-administration-has-used/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [From day one, I have always been open about my sexual orientation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/from-day-one-i-have-always-been-open-about-my-sexual-orientation/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [The U.S. routinely ranks lower than other countries in health outcomes such as infant mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/the-u-s-routinely-ranks-lower-than-other-countries-in-health-outcomes/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [Remember, there are two things that keep us oppressed: them and us. We are half of the equation. There will not be a magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/remember-there-are-two-things-that-keep-us-oppressed-them-and-us-we/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [I've decided to run for the U.S. Senate because I believe Wisconsin families need a senator who will work hard to deliver results for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/i-ve-decided-to-run-for-the-u-s-senate-because-i-believe-wisconsin/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) > [I think that that integrity is something that is important to voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/i-think-that-that-integrity-is-something-that-is-important-to-voters/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) [Explore all 17 Tammy Baldwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) ## More Be good quotes > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Peace is the result of love, and if love were easy we'd all be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-mccarthy/peace-is-the-result-of-love-and-if-love-were-easy-we-d-all-be-good-at/) [Colman McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-mccarthy/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Most of us want to live in harmony and peace and be good to others. Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) Randy Anderson > [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. 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