Policy Outcomes Quotes

We live in a stage of politics, where legislators seem to regard the passage of laws as much more important than the results of their enforcement.

If you can deregulate money in politics, then you can buy the policy outcomes you prefer.

Any reasonable person looking at the policy results... the substance... the facts would agree that the Trump presidency is one of the most successful in American history.

All policy is targeted in one way or another.

I think that politics could be a positive thing. My beef is that people focus on the personal aspect of a politician too much. They should focus on the results.

In fact, the whole thing about prohibition is this: it isn't the initial cost, it's the humidity.

Let me just say that while I personally am very fond of John Boehner, his record of predicting what would happen if certain policies, economic policies were instituted is abysmal, okay?

In the United States, one of the main topics of academic political science is the study of attitudes and policy and their correlation. The study of attitudes is reasonably easy in the United States: heavily-polled society, pretty serious and accurate polls, and policy you can see, and you can compare them.

I learned that you have to evaluate the effects of public policy as opposed to intentions.

After eight years in government, Mr Blair has precious little to show for his ambitious plans to heal the divisions in society.

The difference between a policy and a crusade is that a policy is judged by its results, while a crusade is judged by how good it makes its crusaders feel.

You have to have a sense of what it looks like, not from the point of view of the policymaker but from the point of view of those who are at the receiving end of your policies.

Every decision that they take has enormous consequences, and ripple out from the White House.

I have a track record of under-promising and over-delivering, whether it's on the economy, border protection, welfare reforms.

Carter's done a lot more good since he's been out of the White House than when he was in it.

Public policy is a study in imperfection. It involves imperfect people, with imperfect information, facing deeply imperfect choices - so it's not surprising that they're getting imperfect results.

Whether you agree or disagree with Barack Obama, he is getting some things done, though not in the way most Americans would prefer or what is actually best for them.

Spending is not caring. Spending is what politicians do instead of caring. Spending more does not guarantee success. Politicians like to measure spending because it is easier than measuring actual metrics of accomplishment.

Every plausible policy must be followed by the question 'And then what?'

With the policymaking process, you have an idea, and you try to sell other stakeholders on the idea. That's not much different than in business, where you're trying to find capital to make your idea a reality.

I think Obama has been skilled and farsighted in a lot of the stuff that he's done. And in other things, unskilled and not farsighted. On balance I'd say that he is doing most of what he said he'd do.

All laws have unintended consequences.

Washington - having spent a lot of time there, I grew up there and have spent a lot of time there recently - is largely defined by detailed analytical views and policy choices that are not very good. You know, each policy choice has a winner and a loser, right? Somebody's ox is getting gored.

The most effective executive branch officials try to help legislators develop explanations for the votes they are being asked to take.

Everything I did in politics affected somebody.