--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem we have is not Democrats…" description: "\"The problem we have is not Democrats versus Republicans. It is a Washington cartel. I've said many times the biggest divide we have politically is not ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ted-cruz-487_american-people_the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-ver_772476.png" --- # The problem we have is not Democrats versus Republicans… ![“The problem we have is not Democrats versus Republicans. It is a Washington cartel. I've said many times the biggest divide we have politically is not between Republicans and Democrats. It's between career politicians in both parties and the American people.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ted-cruz-487_american-people_the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-ver_772476.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ted-cruz-487_american-people_the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-ver_772476.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ted-cruz-487_american-people_the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-ver_772476.png) > “The problem we have is not Democrats versus Republicans. It is a Washington cartel. I've said many times the biggest divide we have politically is not between Republicans and Democrats. It's between career politicians in both parties and the American people.” [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. The speaker frames the real conflict as a political elite versus citizens, not party rivalry. **In simple terms:** The main divide is elite vs. people. Key Takeaway Challenge entrenched political power. Themes politics elitism democracy Mood critical determined Type political activist When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - grassroots activism Key Concepts American governance political theory Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens reduce elite influence? - What reforms could empower voters? A Different Perspective Elites may claim to represent the people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Career politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-politicians/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Their problem is not me and the Democrats; their problem is themselves. Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/their-problem-is-not-me-and-the-democrats-their-problem-is-themselves/) [Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/) > [If you're looking for someone to go to Washington, to go along to get along, to get - to agree with the career politicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/if-you-re-looking-for-someone-to-go-to-washington-to-go-along-to-get/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ Pushing gun control drives people \[in my district\] crazy, gay marriage, abortion, deficit spending.All of that stuff adds up to be a problem for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/pushing-gun-control-drives-people-in-my-district-crazy-gay-marriage/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [The American national security state is totally bipartisan. My biggest problem is with the Democrats, like Feinstein and Pelosi, who are defending it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-american-national-security-state-is-totally-bipartisan-my-biggest/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [The problem: Democrats have to drop their stupid class-warfare rhetoric. With 74 million Americans owning stock in one form or another, anything which helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/the-problem-democrats-have-to-drop-their-stupid-class-warfare/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [The main problem with the Democrats is their utter negativity. They're made up of schumucks and hypocrites. They also have higher levels of immorality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mason/the-main-problem-with-the-democrats-is-their-utter-negativity-they-re/) [Jackie Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mason/) > [The United States Senate is already chock full of career politicians and insiders who fall in line for political expediency and refuse to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/the-united-states-senate-is-already-chock-full-of-career-politicians/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) > [In order to change the direction of this country, we need to change presidents. Americans need a conservative businessman to get this economy moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/in-order-to-change-the-direction-of-this-country-we-need-to-change/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [What we do not need are career politicians that simply run for office to be somebody with a big title. We don't need that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/what-we-do-not-need-are-career-politicians-that-simply-run-for-office/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I'm focused on bringing real change to Washington because the career politicians have screwed things up so badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-beruff/i-m-focused-on-bringing-real-change-to-washington-because-the-career/) [Carlos Beruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-beruff/) > [If career politicians had the solutions, we wouldn't be in the mess that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-scott/if-career-politicians-had-the-solutions-we-wouldn-t-be-in-the-mess/) [Rick Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-scott/) > [Now is the time to act or get stuck with a bland, boring, career politician who will lose to Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/now-is-the-time-to-act-or-get-stuck-with-a-bland-boring-career/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Career politicians manufacture hogwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/career-politicians-manufacture-hogwash/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I ran for Congress in 2012 because I had had enough. Enough of career politicians, enough of political gamesmanship, and enough of the lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-yoho/i-ran-for-congress-in-2012-because-i-had-had-enough-enough-of-career/) [Ted Yoho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-yoho/) ## 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 American people quotes > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [If a financial institution has business operations in the United States, hires people in the United States, if they are clogged with illiquid assets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/if-a-financial-institution-has-business-operations-in-the-united/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [The American people reject the idea of giving Washington a blank check to increase the debt limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-roby/the-american-people-reject-the-idea-of-giving-washington-a-blank/) [Martha Roby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-roby/) > [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 American people demand results, not rhetoric, especially when it comes to national security issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-hayworth/the-american-people-demand-results-not-rhetoric-especially-when-it/) [J. D. Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-hayworth/) > [Hillary Clinton truly is sincere, but she has to connect more with the American people in terms of what she believes in and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-truly-is-sincere-but-she-has-to-connect-more-with-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Browse all 2,233 American people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The problem we have is not Democrats versus Republicans. It is a Washington cartel. I've said many times the biggest divide we have politically is not between Republicans and Democrats. It's between career politicians in both parties and the American people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ted Cruz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-versus-republicans-it-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American people" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-versus-republicans-it-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ted-cruz-487_american-people_the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-ver_772476.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ted-cruz-487_american-people_the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-ver_772476.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ted-cruz-487_american-people_the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-ver_772476.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem we have is not Democrats versus Republicans. It is a Washington cartel. I've said many times the…” — Ted Cruz", "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": "Ted Cruz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The problem we have is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-versus-republicans-it-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-problem-we-have-is-not-democrats-versus-republicans-it-is-a/#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 } } ] } ```