Lyndon B. Johnson Quotes
You've got just one year when Congress treats you right. Then they start worrying about themselves.
Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1908-1973, 36th President of the United States (Democrat, TX), Statement to staff, 1964
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
The reference was to President George W. Bush.
It has become so expensive for a member of Congress to conduct a campaign, for many members, raising money is their number one priority. To make matters worse, more and more members are being challenged in primaries for their own party’s nomination. In 2010, John McCain, the Republican Party presidential standard bearer, and veteran Senator was challenged for his party’s Arizona Senate nomination, He had to spend $20 million on his primary campaign in a small “inexpensive” state. Then he had to spend even more in the General election against his Democratic opponent. Almost everyone agrees that it is a terrible burden for the men and women of Congress, but no one quite knows how to solve the problem and still adhere to the First Amendment.
The President-elect was very circumspect with respect to Congress:
The sense of the word affair is the general purpose, and Smith was referring to the fact when he investigated any proposed or implemented public scheme or law, there was an objective of someone obtaining money as a consequence. As journalists say in covering politics, “follow the money.”
The President’s party in Congress stands election every two years, so the president only has a little more than a year to get tough things done. The mayor, in contrast, had a four term and because he was a bipartisan independent representing both parties, didn’t need to campaign for his party members on the City Council. Therefore, he thought, that it was easier for him to take a controversial position and spend the time to persuade the people and build support for the position.
While this is a common complaint in the American political dialogue at the beginning of the 21st century, it is interesting that this was the conclusion of a foreign political scholar studying that period—one who was generally a great admirer of America.
In general this is true when the public is aware and focused on an issue. However, most of the work of Congress is unknown to most voters and it is there that the money is so influential.
He made this quotation when he was a member of the Wisconsin State legislator. He was describing the influence and interaction that corporations had with the Wisconsin state legislative process.
Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to by his initials LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, in office from 1963 to 1969. He served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963 and assumed the presidency following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. A Democrat from Texas, Johnson was also a United States representative and later majority leader in the United States Senate. Johnson is one of only four people to have served, at various times, in all four federal elected positions.
