--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since there are no absolutes, when it's…" description: "\"Since there are no absolutes, when it's convenient, you change the rules. Do we know any politicians that have done that?\" — Ted Cruz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/ted-cruz-487_absolutes_since-there-are-no-absolutes-when-it-s-c_2051311.png" --- # Since there are no absolutes, when it's convenient, you… ![“Since there are no absolutes, when it's convenient, you change the rules. Do we know any politicians that have done that?” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/ted-cruz-487_absolutes_since-there-are-no-absolutes-when-it-s-c_2051311.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/ted-cruz-487_absolutes_since-there-are-no-absolutes-when-it-s-c_2051311.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/ted-cruz-487_absolutes_since-there-are-no-absolutes-when-it-s-c_2051311.png) > “Since there are no absolutes, when it's convenient, you change the rules. Do we know any politicians that have done that?” [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Without absolutes, rules are changed for convenience; questioning politicians' consistency. **In simple terms:** No absolutes lead to rule‑changing politicians. Key Takeaway Demand consistent ethical standards from leaders. Themes politics ethics integrity Mood critical skeptical Type political analytical When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy analysis - civic education Key Concepts relativism policy manipulation public trust Questions to Reflect On - How can voters hold officials accountable? - What mechanisms ensure policy consistency? A Different Perspective May ignore pragmatic governance needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Absolute space, that is to say, the mark to which it would be necessary to refer the earth to know whether it really moves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/absolute-space-that-is-to-say-the-mark-to-which-it-would-be-necessary/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [When a nominee doesn't get 60 votes, you shouldn't change the rules, you should change the nominee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/when-a-nominee-doesn-t-get-60-votes-you-shouldn-t-change-the-rules/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) > [Don't change the rules if you're not winning. Study the rules and get use to it until you beat the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/don-t-change-the-rules-if-you-re-not-winning-study-the-rules-and-get/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [You change the rules or you are going under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/you-change-the-rules-or-you-are-going-under/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [We just can't change the rules if we don't like the results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candice-s-miller/we-just-can-t-change-the-rules-if-we-don-t-like-the-results/) [Candice S. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candice-s-miller/) > [“My friend Peter Diamandis, founder and chairman of the X Prize Foundation, famously said: If you can’t win, change the rules. If you can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/my-friend-peter-diamandis-founder-and-chairman-of-the-x-prize/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [Love has always been a game, but some people change the rules too much...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarique/love-has-always-been-a-game-but-some-people-change-the-rules-too-much/) Tarique > [I thought that you had to work, work, work and try to be the best musician you could, and that's the only way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lukather/i-thought-that-you-had-to-work-work-work-and-try-to-be-the-best/) [Steve Lukather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lukather/) > [I don't think we have any choice. I think we have an obligation to change the rules, to raise the bar, to play a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-think-we-have-any-choice-i-think-we-have-an-obligation-to/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you change the rules on what controls you... you will change the rules on what you can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-ritchie/if-you-change-the-rules-on-what-controls-you-you-will-change-the/) [Guy Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-ritchie/) > [“Life lesson number 12: As your life changes, change you rules accordingly. Nothing is set in stone when it comes to living. -Park”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-mcintyre/life-lesson-number-12-as-your-life-changes-change-you-rules/) [Cheryl McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-mcintyre/) > [Singles needed to come back. And what I tried to do in my online experiment was to change the rules for myself and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/singles-needed-to-come-back-and-what-i-tried-to-do-in-my-online/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [“Girls always want to change the rules in the middle of the game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/girls-always-want-to-change-the-rules-in-the-middle-of-the-game/) [Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/) > [There are certain things that we can deal with by following the rules. But at times, we find the rules restrict you from doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/there-are-certain-things-that-we-can-deal-with-by-following-the-rules/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [“Change the rules on what controls you and you will change the rules on what you can control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/revolver/change-the-rules-on-what-controls-you-and-you-will-change-the-rules/) Revolver ## More by Ted Cruz > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I'm focusing on are my own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-get-that-the-media-wants-us-to-play-theater-critics-and-critique/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Donald Trump threatened to file a defamation suit against me for running a TV ad that consisted only entirely of his own words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-threatened-to-file-a-defamation-suit-against-me-for/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The immigrant experience of all of us is what makes us Americans, because we value in our DNA liberty and opportunity above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-immigrant-experience-of-all-of-us-is-what-makes-us-americans/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The First Amendment exists to protect our religious liberty--to ensure that all Americans are able to seek out worship God with all our hearts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-first-amendment-exists-to-protect-our-religious-liberty-to-ensure/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [It is my hope that all of the Republicans who recognize that nominating a candidate who agrees with Hillary Clinton on a host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-is-my-hope-that-all-of-the-republicans-who-recognize-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Senate Majority Leader has the unilateral ability to stand up and say, 'If you defy Congress, if you defy the Constitution, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-senate-majority-leader-has-the-unilateral-ability-to-stand-up-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [You can't get to a balanced budget and begin to pay down debt and thus create jobs in this country if you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-can-t-get-to-a-balanced-budget-and-begin-to-pay-down-debt-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [That's what actually caused me to run for office is, you know, my family story, the experience of growing up in a family where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/that-s-what-actually-caused-me-to-run-for-office-is-you-know-my/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When you subpoena one pastor, you subpoena every pastor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/when-you-subpoena-one-pastor-you-subpoena-every-pastor/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [One of the things we've seen here is how easy it is for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to get distracted from dealing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/one-of-the-things-we-ve-seen-here-is-how-easy-it-is-for-barack-obama/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Imagine a legal immigration system that welcomes and celebrates those who come to achieve the American dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/imagine-a-legal-immigration-system-that-welcomes-and-celebrates-those/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The court follows elite opinion, not public opinion. And Democratic leaders in Congress and Republican leaders in Congress follow elite opinion as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-court-follows-elite-opinion-not-public-opinion-and-democratic/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) [Explore all 523 Ted Cruz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) Christy Nockels > [Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huangbo-xiyun/the-nature-of-the-absolute-is-neither-perceptible-nor-imperceptible/) [Huangbo Xiyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huangbo-xiyun/) > [Joining a company is an act that calls for absolute loyalty in big matters and little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/joining-a-company-is-an-act-that-calls-for-absolute-loyalty-in-big/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,016 Absolutes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since there are no absolutes, when it's convenient, you change the rules. 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