Jennifer Pahlka Quotes

It's our duty as leaders in Washington to keep the government running.

All I wanted was to be involved in politics and government.

I actually think that working in the federal government, or state or local, is one of the most significant things that a technical person can do.

When I came to Congress, I came to bring what I thought was a real-world business perspective to government because, in the business world, I spent over 20 years in the high-tech industry, but it certainly was not unique.

I have had a career in public service.

It is often said by reformers that government should be conducted upon business principles.

Government workers often get a bad rap, but it's rare for them to receive much appreciation when government works.

I have the experience and ability to step in on day one in Washington and start working on the challenging problems facing our country.

The best, most interesting years of my life were spent in government and politics.

Government is not for the short-winded.

I really enjoyed my time in state government. I thought we made a difference. I liked being a part of that effort. I had a different experience in Washington.

Hillary Clinton's time in the Senate indicates she is happier being a policy workhorse than a show horse.

So much of politics is about the daily grind of political business: the people to see, the myriad different facets of government, the remorseless agenda of this part of the media or that.

[Peter] Drucker says that modern government can do only two things well: wage war and inflate the currency. Its the aim of my administration to prove Mr Drucker wrong.

Government and politics isn't like a reality TV show. It's not about voting the bad guys out of the house. You know, it's about what do we need to take our country or our state or our city forward? And people, frankly, would be well advised to really get back into understanding politics.

I'd like to think I'm a serious legislator and trying to get things done.

I really don't have tremendous political ambition. I have policy ambition.

I believe that smaller government is better government. But I also believe that in the areas where government does play a legitimate role, we should demand that it is done better.

I want to be part of a different kind of celebrity, one that thinks not just about charity but policy.

I am a partisan and artisan of Europe. But I draw the lessons of my experience in government.

I think President Obama wanted to have the right fit for his different cabinet positions, and I believe that experience is what mattered most to him. In my case, I have been working to improve the overall quality of life for working families for most of my adult life, and I think that experience resonated with the president.

There is nothing wrong with becoming more ambitious along the way, but I think what the government has asked the council to do is a perfectly good starting point.

Making government more efficient and more effective need not be a partisan issue.

Congress is full of good, decent, smart people who have devoted their lives to public service.

My task as a citizen is to get the government to do more good and less inefficient and wasteful work.