--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not an arrogant government that…" description: "\"It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities, it's an irresponsible government that fails to choose.\" — Tony Blair" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/tony-blair-812_arrogant_it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-ch_1485454.jpg" --- # It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities… ![“It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities, it's an irresponsible government that fails to choose.” quote by Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/tony-blair-812_arrogant_it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-ch_1485454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/tony-blair-812_arrogant_it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-ch_1485454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/tony-blair-812_arrogant_it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-ch_1485454.jpg) > “It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities, it's an irresponsible government that fails to choose.” [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A government that avoids making hard choices is more dangerous than one that makes bold decisions. **In simple terms:** Avoiding choices leads to irresponsibility. Key Takeaway Make decisions, even if unpopular. Themes politics leadership responsibility Mood concerned critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - budget allocation - healthcare reform - foreign policy - environmental regulation Key Concepts public policy decision making governance Questions to Reflect On - What priorities are being ignored? - How can leaders balance boldness with consensus? A Different Perspective Choosing can alienate voters and cause backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Arrogant Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant-government-2726897/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Chooses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-chooses-5423383/) [Government Fails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-fails-1409326/) [Irresponsible Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresponsible-government-1523853/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Priorities Irresponsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities-irresponsible-5423382/) ## Related quotes > [Now let's get talking: reefer madness. Like some arrogant government can't, By any stretch of the imagination, outlaw a plant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/now-let-s-get-talking-reefer-madness-like-some-arrogant-government/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Many writers, including myself, have detailed how irresponsible government actions slow economic recoveries. Similar behavior by individuals impedes growth, too. If you can't find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/many-writers-including-myself-have-detailed-how-irresponsible/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In Washington, the accepted method for passing along information about how the government fails to meet real-world needs is to leak it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/in-washington-the-accepted-method-for-passing-along-information-about/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [When the private sector fails, the solution is more government. When the government fails, the solution is more government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/when-the-private-sector-fails-the-solution-is-more-government-when/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [I wanted to repeat we cannot vote confidence at any point on a confidence motion in a government that fails to have a climate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/i-wanted-to-repeat-we-cannot-vote-confidence-at-any-point-on-a/) [Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/) > [Sectarian politics gets votes in Iraq. But sectarian government fails in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-chalabi/sectarian-politics-gets-votes-in-iraq-but-sectarian-government-fails/) [Ahmed Chalabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-chalabi/) > [No government can be maintained without the principle of fear as well as duty. Good men will obey the last, but bad ones the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/no-government-can-be-maintained-without-the-principle-of-fear-as-well/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [That's the marvellous thing about seasteads; if a government fails, there's nothing much the people who live there can do about it. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-quirk/that-s-the-marvellous-thing-about-seasteads-if-a-government-fails/) [Joe Quirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-quirk/) > [“A government that fails to eradicate poverty is a worthless government, even if it does everything else right, because a poor person cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-government-that-fails-to-eradicate-poverty-is-a-worthless/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“In principle any revolt strengthens the government it fails to overthrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/in-principle-any-revolt-strengthens-the-government-it-fails-to/) [victor hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [It is correct that securing the border is a government function, but when the government fails, it has a specific and significant impact on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kobach/it-is-correct-that-securing-the-border-is-a-government-function-but/) [Kris Kobach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kobach/) > [The Declaration of Independence says when government fails, the people have the right to replace it. Well, New York State government has failed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/the-declaration-of-independence-says-when-government-fails-the-people/) [Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/) > [You know why there's a Second Amendment? In case the government fails to follow the first one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-know-why-there-s-a-second-amendment-in-case-the-government-fails/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted . . . . If a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/if-the-citizens-neglect-their-duty-and-place-unprincipled-men-in-2/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [If the government fails to listen to your demands, then you will decide what is best for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muqtada-al-sadr/if-the-government-fails-to-listen-to-your-demands-then-you-will/) [Muqtada al Sadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muqtada-al-sadr/) ## More by Tony Blair > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I have absolutely no doubt at all that we will find evidence of weapons of mass destruction programmes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-have-absolutely-no-doubt-at-all-that-we-will-find-evidence-of/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I mean, you can agree or disagree with Iraq or Afghanistan, but by the way, now the great campaigning cause out there is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-mean-you-can-agree-or-disagree-with-iraq-or-afghanistan-but-by-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [My dad was a militant atheist, or is a militant atheist. My mum was sort of bought up in a religious family because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/my-dad-was-a-militant-atheist-or-is-a-militant-atheist-my-mum-was/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Politics may be the art of the possible, but at least in life, give the impossible a go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/politics-may-be-the-art-of-the-possible-but-at-least-in-life-give-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I also, as I think most people do, have a healthy instinct that if we upset the balance of nature, we are in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-also-as-i-think-most-people-do-have-a-healthy-instinct-that-if-we/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [It is not a sensible or intelligent response for us in Europe to ridicule American arguments and parody their political leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-is-not-a-sensible-or-intelligent-response-for-us-in-europe-to/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I am absolutely delighted to give my full support to Gordon as the next leader of the Labour Party and as prime minister and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-am-absolutely-delighted-to-give-my-full-support-to-gordon-as-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Society works by putting opportunity and responsibility together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/society-works-by-putting-opportunity-and-responsibility-together/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The great advantage of the Lib Dems is precisely that no-one knows what they stand for](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-great-advantage-of-the-lib-dems-is-precisely-that-no-one-knows/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [People know where I stand in the Labour party and what I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/people-know-where-i-stand-in-the-labour-party-and-what-i-believe-in/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The only society that works today is also one founded on mutual respect, on a recognition that we have a responsibility collectively and individually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-only-society-that-works-today-is-also-one-founded-on-mutual/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [How do we deal with not just the acts of violence, but the extremist ideology that lies behind them? Because though the numbers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/how-do-we-deal-with-not-just-the-acts-of-violence-but-the-extremist/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The public think the politicians don't know or care about their lives; and the politicians feel misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-public-think-the-politicians-don-t-know-or-care-about-their-lives/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I think it's important for people like me to evaluate and reevaluate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-think-it-s-important-for-people-like-me-to-evaluate-and-reevaluate/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) [Explore all 363 Tony Blair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) ## More Arrogant quotes > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I absolutely hate arrogant people, irks me to no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-absolutely-hate-arrogant-people-irks-me-to-no-end/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Mourinho is a bit arrogant, but you've got to like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/mourinho-is-a-bit-arrogant-but-you-ve-got-to-like-him/) [Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [I was spoiled and I was arrogant. I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-was-spoiled-and-i-was-arrogant-i-was-very-demanding-had-an/) [Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/) > [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) > [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“He was a man. Handsome as sin, arrogant as fuck, and in need of at least one woman to prove he wasn’t God’s gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/he-was-a-man-handsome-as-sin-arrogant-as-fuck-and-in-need-of-at-least/) [Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/) > [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's amusing how arrogant people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amusing-how-arrogant-people-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,146 Arrogant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities, it's an irresponsible government that fails to choose.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Blair" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-chooses-priorities-it-s-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arrogant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-chooses-priorities-it-s-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/tony-blair-812_arrogant_it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-ch_1485454.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/tony-blair-812_arrogant_it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-ch_1485454.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/tony-blair-812_arrogant_it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-ch_1485454.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities, it's an irresponsible government that fails to…” — Tony Blair", "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": "Tony Blair", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not an arrogant government...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-chooses-priorities-it-s-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-is-not-an-arrogant-government-that-chooses-priorities-it-s-an/#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 } } ] } ```