--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics is like driving. To go backward…" description: "\"Politics is like driving. To go backward put it in R. To go forward put it in D.\" — Tom Harkin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/tom-harkin-19587_backward_politics-is-like-driving-to-go-backward_2990790.jpg" --- # Politics is like driving. To go backward put it in R. To… ![“Politics is like driving. To go backward put it in R. To go forward put it in D.” quote by Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/tom-harkin-19587_backward_politics-is-like-driving-to-go-backward_2990790.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/tom-harkin-19587_backward_politics-is-like-driving-to-go-backward_2990790.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/tom-harkin-19587_backward_politics-is-like-driving-to-go-backward_2990790.jpg) > “Politics is like driving. To go backward put it in R. To go forward put it in D.” [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politics requires clear direction; moving backward or forward depends on choosing the correct gear. **In simple terms:** Politics needs the right direction. Key Takeaway Choose the appropriate strategy for progress. Themes strategy direction politics Mood reflective analytical Type advice metaphorical When to use this quote - campaign planning - legislative negotiation - policy advocacy - voter outreach Key Concepts gear metaphor decision making Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure your political strategy aligns with your goals? - What gear represents compromise in politics? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex political dynamics to a single metaphor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [If you got into a taxi and the driver started driving backward, would the taxi driver end up owing you money?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-you-got-into-a-taxi-and-the-driver-started-driving-backward-would/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“We always have to go backward to move forward. Whether it’s to face our own missteps or reach the end of our lives with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-rachiele/we-always-have-to-go-backward-to-move-forward-whether-it-s-to-face/) Amy Rachiele > [It is out of fashion in these days to look backward rather than forward. About the only American given to it is some unreconstructed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowe-ransom/it-is-out-of-fashion-in-these-days-to-look-backward-rather-than/) [John Crowe Ransom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowe-ransom/) > [It causes havoc on set anytime a director wants to go backward rather than forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/it-causes-havoc-on-set-anytime-a-director-wants-to-go-backward-rather/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [“We continually move backward and forward in time as we use our stories to describe who we were, who we are, and what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-swinton/we-continually-move-backward-and-forward-in-time-as-we-use-our/) John Swinton > [I suppose real old age begins when one looks backward rather than forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/i-suppose-real-old-age-begins-when-one-looks-backward-rather-than/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [“...but one cannot look backward, only forward. What has passed has passed forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/but-one-cannot-look-backward-only-forward-what-has-passed-has-passed/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [“For backward or forward, eternity is the same; already have we been the nothing we dread to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/for-backward-or-forward-eternity-is-the-same-already-have-we-been-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“I have found that sometimes in the quest for knowledge, you must go backward before you can move forward" -Abia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-grabenstein/i-have-found-that-sometimes-in-the-quest-for-knowledge-you-must-go/) [Chris Grabenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-grabenstein/) > [I loved you backward and forward in time. I loved you beyond boundaries of time and space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-loved-you-backward-and-forward-in-time-i-loved-you-beyond/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“Running a business is like driving. Keep adjusting the steering wheel, because no road is straight until you hit the highway. Drift, make sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-rim/running-a-business-is-like-driving-keep-adjusting-the-steering-wheel/) [J.R. Rim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-rim/) > [Life is like driving a car. You have to look left or right before you turn to your path, however you just have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-ntuli/life-is-like-driving-a-car-you-have-to-look-left-or-right-before-you/) [Simphiwe Ntuli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-ntuli/) > [I love driving the cool cars, but there is nothing like driving a pickup truck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-love-driving-the-cool-cars-but-there-is-nothing-like-driving-a/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“Living is like driving," my grandmother used to say. "You have to pick a lane." Have I chosen the right lane? It feels like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-flinn/living-is-like-driving-my-grandmother-used-to-say-you-have-to-pick-a/) [Kathleen Flinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-flinn/) > [My real thinking and planning gets done when I'm doing something else like driving or walking or taking the shower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/my-real-thinking-and-planning-gets-done-when-i-m-doing-something-else/) [Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/) ## More by Tom Harkin > [The Gulf War was like teenage sex. We got in too soon and out too soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/the-gulf-war-was-like-teenage-sex-we-got-in-too-soon-and-out-too-soon/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [The President must stop gambling with taxpayers' money and get the country back on the path of fiscal sanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/the-president-must-stop-gambling-with-taxpayers-money-and-get-the/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [I've always been for immigration reform; in 2007 I just didn't feel it had enough protections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/i-ve-always-been-for-immigration-reform-in-2007-i-just-didn-t-feel-it/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [The burning issue of our time is the growing inequality in income and wealth in our country, and it's got to be addressed. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/the-burning-issue-of-our-time-is-the-growing-inequality-in-income-and/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [ You \[the Gallaudet students\] have brought the deaf community together… You are my heroes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/you-the-gallaudet-students-have-brought-the-deaf-community-together/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [Today, only two groups in the United States have total immunity from lawsuits: foreign diplomats and HMOs. We believe it's time to end diplomatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/today-only-two-groups-in-the-united-states-have-total-immunity-from/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [The planes were hijacked, the buildings fell, and thousands of lives were lost nearly a thousand miles from here. But the attacks on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/the-planes-were-hijacked-the-buildings-fell-and-thousands-of-lives/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [I am a Democrat and I love my party and I want them to have good policies and good candidates, so I hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/i-am-a-democrat-and-i-love-my-party-and-i-want-them-to-have-good/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [If we are serious about combating the childhood obesity epidemic and improving child nutrition, then everyone must chip in -- parents, schools, and yes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/if-we-are-serious-about-combating-the-childhood-obesity-epidemic-and/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [There is no such thing as a pro-nuclear environmentalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-pro-nuclear-environmentalist/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [It's been years, but I still say that I went out with the same progressive values and liberal ideals that I went in with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/it-s-been-years-but-i-still-say-that-i-went-out-with-the-same/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [Stem cell research holds enormous promise for easing human suffering, and federal support is critical to its success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/stem-cell-research-holds-enormous-promise-for-easing-human-suffering/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [When you dig down, people are pretty progressive, by and large. I guess, I've said it many times - that a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/when-you-dig-down-people-are-pretty-progressive-by-and-large-i-guess/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [There's no one silver bullet, but money really is the root of all evil. The single biggest problem is how much more money is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/there-s-no-one-silver-bullet-but-money-really-is-the-root-of-all-evil/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) > [I fully support President Bush's decision to strike Al Qaeda's terrorist network. Now more than ever, we must stand united as a nation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harkin/i-fully-support-president-bush-s-decision-to-strike-al-qaeda-s/) [Tom Harkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) [Explore all 32 Tom Harkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harkin/) ## More Backward quotes > [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [“Thus the thoughtless drift backward toward slavery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/thus-the-thoughtless-drift-backward-toward-slavery/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [“Whoever said that the past isn’t dead had it backward. It’s the future that’s already dead, already played out. This whole night has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/whoever-said-that-the-past-isn-t-dead-had-it-backward-it-s-the-future/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Honestly, if you were any slower, you’d be going backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-if-you-were-any-slower-you-d-be-going-backward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I learn things in a backward way. I learn all those limitations, and slowly my brain soaks them up, and if things go right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/i-learn-things-in-a-backward-way-i-learn-all-those-limitations-and/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [“It took us a while to discover that we do effectively think, but that we more readily narrate backward in order to give ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-took-us-a-while-to-discover-that-we-do-effectively-think-but-that/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Our habit of wishing backward from what is to what might have been is the soft but persistent tapping that cracks the crystal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/our-habit-of-wishing-backward-from-what-is-to-what-might-have-been-is/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [The thing I love most about my job is watching people age backward, becoming more lively and energetic as they free themselves from situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/the-thing-i-love-most-about-my-job-is-watching-people-age-backward/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [“Dreaming her way backward in time, resurrecting images, the young girl realized, with wonder, that the absent are always present, that you don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-shields/dreaming-her-way-backward-in-time-resurrecting-images-the-young-girl/) [Carol Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-shields/) > [“Us ballplayers do things backward. First we play, then we retire and go to work. —CHARLIE GEHRINGER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-wilde/us-ballplayers-do-things-backward-first-we-play-then-we-retire-and-go-2/) [Lori Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-wilde/) > [This was the Darker Life, where every truth was written backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/this-was-the-darker-life-where-every-truth-was-written-backward/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!I am so weary of toil and of tears,-Toil without recompense, tears all in vain!Take them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chase-allen/backward-flow-backward-o-tide-of-the-years-i-am-so-weary-of-toil-and/) [Elizabeth Chase Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chase-allen/) > [I loved you backward and forward in time. I loved you beyond boundaries of time and space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-loved-you-backward-and-forward-in-time-i-loved-you-beyond/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead; that is where your future lies. Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/nobody-gets-to-live-life-backward-look-ahead-that-is-where-your/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [“Life, too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward." from CUTTING FOR STONE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/life-too-is-like-that-you-live-it-forward-but-understand-it-backward/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) Browse all 340 Backward quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Politics is like driving. 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