--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we ended up with, from Bill Clinton…" description: "\"What we ended up with, from Bill Clinton onward, is a status quo party and an 'undo the system' party, where the Democrats became the status quo party ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/timothy-d-snyder-12961_democracy_what-we-ended-up-with-from-bill-clinton_1296021.jpg" --- # What we ended up with, from Bill Clinton onward, is a… ![“What we ended up with, from Bill Clinton onward, is a status quo party and an 'undo the system' party, where the Democrats became the status quo party and the Republicans became the 'undo the system' party.” quote by Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/timothy-d-snyder-12961_democracy_what-we-ended-up-with-from-bill-clinton_1296021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/timothy-d-snyder-12961_democracy_what-we-ended-up-with-from-bill-clinton_1296021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/timothy-d-snyder-12961_democracy_what-we-ended-up-with-from-bill-clinton_1296021.jpg) > “What we ended up with, from Bill Clinton onward, is a status quo party and an 'undo the system' party, where the Democrats became the status quo party and the Republicans became the 'undo the system' party.” [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The two major US parties have swapped roles: Democrats now maintain the establishment, Republicans aim to overturn it. **In simple terms:** Democrats are now the establishment; Republicans want change. Key Takeaway Recognize shifting party dynamics. Themes politics party dynamics US history Mood analytical critical Type political commentary observational When to use this quote - voter behavior - campaign strategy - policy analysis Key Concepts status quo reform polarization Questions to Reflect On - How do these shifts affect voter expectations? - Can parties truly represent a single ideology? A Different Perspective Party identities can be fluid, not fixed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [I think the GOP, the Grand Old Party, the Republicans, they will regroup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-shelby/i-think-the-gop-the-grand-old-party-the-republicans-they-will-regroup/) [Richard Shelby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-shelby/) > [The most momentous fact about the pattern of American politics is that we live under a persistent, obdurate, one might almost say tyrannical, two-party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/the-most-momentous-fact-about-the-pattern-of-american-politics-is/) [Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/) > [Tea Party Republicans, in an effort to kill the farm bill will stereotype and make racial comments about food stamps - which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clift/tea-party-republicans-in-an-effort-to-kill-the-farm-bill-will/) [Eleanor Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clift/) > [The only thing I can think to do is if the Democratic Party can do what the Republicans have done, which is go in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/the-only-thing-i-can-think-to-do-is-if-the-democratic-party-can-do/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [We've clearly seen that Tea Party Republicans are willing to take our economy hostage just to score political points, but I'm not willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heinrich/we-ve-clearly-seen-that-tea-party-republicans-are-willing-to-take-our/) [Martin Heinrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heinrich/) > [Most Evangelicals claim to be politically non-partisan, and say they only identify with the Republican Party because the Republicans are committed to 'family values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/most-evangelicals-claim-to-be-politically-non-partisan-and-say-they/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [The attitude of the Democrat Party is that wherever there are Republicans they are so bad, they are so discriminatory, they are so racist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-attitude-of-the-democrat-party-is-that-wherever-there-are/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We're movers, forward thinkers, people who get things done. But the Tea Party and Republicans like Bob Dold are holding us back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/we-re-movers-forward-thinkers-people-who-get-things-done-but-the-tea/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [The degree to which the people of America are being dumbed down on purpose every day is striking. And all for the express purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-degree-to-which-the-people-of-america-are-being-dumbed-down-on/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Tony Rezko and Bill Ayers should lead the Democratic Party. They are the only Democrats with any convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-sayet/tony-rezko-and-bill-ayers-should-lead-the-democratic-party-they-are/) [Evan Sayet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-sayet/) > [Republicans: steely, rational, paternalistic, respectful of authority, easy to herd, the party of No. Democrats: sugary, emotional, idealistic, yearning for novelty, hard to marshal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/republicans-steely-rational-paternalistic-respectful-of-authority/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [And as long as America must choose, that long will there be a need and a place for the Democratic Party. We Democrats can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/and-as-long-as-america-must-choose-that-long-will-there-be-a-need-and/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [Donald Trump as the nominee losing was to be the end of the Republican Party. The Democrats were gonna have basically one-party rule for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-as-the-nominee-losing-was-to-be-the-end-of-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Everything that is wrong with the inner cities of America that policy can affect, Democrats are responsible for: every killing field; every school that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-horowitz/everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-inner-cities-of-america-that-policy/) [David Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-horowitz/) > [All of our political parties are bought and paid for by corporate America, Wall Street, and the wealthy interests. The Republican Party more so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/all-of-our-political-parties-are-bought-and-paid-for-by-corporate/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) ## More by Timothy D. Snyder > [It is aspiring tyrants who say that 'civil liberties end when an attack on our safety begins.' Conversely, leaders who wish to preserve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/it-is-aspiring-tyrants-who-say-that-civil-liberties-end-when-an/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Americans can accept that the American Dream will not work out for them; what has been heartbreaking for so many is the sense that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/americans-can-accept-that-the-american-dream-will-not-work-out-for/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Defend an institution. Follow the courts or the media, or a court or a newspaper. Do not speak of 'our institutions' unless you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/defend-an-institution-follow-the-courts-or-the-media-or-a-court-or-a/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Courage does not mean not fearing or not grieving. It does mean recognizing and resisting terror management right away, from the moment of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/courage-does-not-mean-not-fearing-or-not-grieving-it-does-mean/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [In rhetoric and action, the Trump administration has aggrandized 'radical Islamic terror,' thus making what Madison called a 'favorable emergency' more likely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/in-rhetoric-and-action-the-trump-administration-has-aggrandized/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [I thought I was going to grow up and become a diplomat and negotiate nuclear arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/i-thought-i-was-going-to-grow-up-and-become-a-diplomat-and-negotiate/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Mr. Trump is primarily a television personality. As such, he is judged by that standard. This means that a scandal does not call forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/mr-trump-is-primarily-a-television-personality-as-such-he-is-judged/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [We think about democracy, and that's the word that Americans love to use, 'democracy,' and that's how we characterize our system. But if democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/we-think-about-democracy-and-that-s-the-word-that-americans-love-to/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Most Americans are exceptionalists; we think we live outside of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/most-americans-are-exceptionalists-we-think-we-live-outside-of-history/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Every day you don't do something, it makes it less likely that you will ever do something. So you've got to get started right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/every-day-you-don-t-do-something-it-makes-it-less-likely-that-you/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Anticipatory obedience teaches authorities what is possible and accelerates unfreedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/anticipatory-obedience-teaches-authorities-what-is-possible-and/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/to-abandon-facts-is-to-abandon-freedom-if-nothing-is-true-then-all-is/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [In the descent from a world of factual discourse into a world of emotions and alternative realities, the first step you take, whether you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/in-the-descent-from-a-world-of-factual-discourse-into-a-world-of/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Maybe I am naive, but I don't think talking about the Holocaust with total and complete cynicism is possible for Israeli politicians. It's inevitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/maybe-i-am-naive-but-i-don-t-think-talking-about-the-holocaust-with/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [There's a basic problem with the history of the Holocaust. The people who do it don't know the necessary languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/there-s-a-basic-problem-with-the-history-of-the-holocaust-the-people/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) [Explore all 52 Timothy D. Snyder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. 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