Top 100 Quotes & Sayings by Michael Capuano

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American politician Michael Capuano.
Last updated on December 22, 2024.
Michael Capuano

Michael Everett Capuano is an American politician and attorney who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 1999 to 2019. A Democrat, his district included the northern three-fourths of Boston, as well as parts of Cambridge, his hometown of Somerville, and other communities immediately north and south of Boston. Prior to being elected to Congress, he served as an Alderman and Mayor of Somerville.

I am deeply disappointed in the way President-elect Trump attacked Rep. John Lewis, a personal friend and hero to so many Americans.
Ted Kennedy was in the Senate for 40 years. Tip O'Neill for 35 years. John Kerry in the Senate for 30 some odd years. It does take time to become effective.
We all rely on our infrastructure system even if we don't own a car or use public transportation. It impacts our economy and our quality of life. It is a key component of addressing inequality as well as creating a level playing field for all Americans and a pathway to sustainability.
If we create jobs, it's all for the good. — © Michael Capuano
If we create jobs, it's all for the good.
I've never been called shy by anybody.
When I say infrastructure it's not just roads and bridges and subways - it's also housing. It's also schools and fire departments and water departments and sewer departments. That's all infrastructure and it's all important. Little by little this country is crumbling and everyone knows it.
No one is entitled to anything.
In communities all over the country, commuters put up with heavy traffic and aging transit systems because they don't really have a choice. People need to get to work, bring their children to day care or school, care for an aging parent or simply attend to a few errands.
I can't support something I haven't read.
I think it's awfully difficult on the most important issues of the day... to remain silent, particularly when you've won a statewide election.
I judge people on who they are.
I wasn't going to say things just to get votes.
I won't impeach anybody the way they impeached Bill Clinton, for political reasons. No matter how much I don't like his politics, I won't do that.
No one likes to lose. Having been a person who's lost elections, it's not a fun thing to do and some people react by denying the facts of the situation. — © Michael Capuano
No one likes to lose. Having been a person who's lost elections, it's not a fun thing to do and some people react by denying the facts of the situation.
Everybody wants to fall in love with the perfect candidate.
If voters think Donald Trump is rough around the edges, wait until they really start hearing from Chris Christie.
No politician wants to be challenged. They all say they want to be, but we all want to be anointed.
I'm fighting Donald Trump every day.
Perfection is our enemy... not because we don't want perfect candidates, but because perfect candidates don't exist.
Look, I am as pro-choice as anybody.
I am truly grateful to have the support of Governor Patrick, a progressive champion and a leader on issues that truly impact the lives of our constituents.
I don't believe in open borders, I don't think that would work. I think economically they're a disaster. Therefore there's nothing wrong with strong borders.
I feel strongly that the Democratic body is supposed to be representing the average American who is unaware and incapable of defending themselves when it comes to things like Wall Street abusing them.
I like working in the shadows.
I don't measure people by whether they agree with me or not. I measure them by their sincerity. Sincerity, with as much reality as you can get. Sincerity with toughness, experience, and understanding of the issue - real understanding, not just academic and intellectual understanding. That takes some courage.
I always wanted to win or lose based on who I am.
Whether it was expanding healthcare, stimulating the local economy and job growth, innovating in the schools, or protecting our precious environmental resources, Deval focused every day on moving Massachusetts forward.
I like and respect the idea of people sticking with their friends.
I always think the Democratic Party is and should be a broad tent that welcomes people from all political issues.
I don't believe in purity tests.
I'm very proud of my record and I know that it's controversial to some, but I have as high a score as you can get from groups like the National Organization for Women, the NAACP, the League of Women Voters and on and on and on.
Ted Kennedy was not terribly effective when he first became a senator.
The policies being enforced are more important than the agency enforcing them.
When you start new programs there's always things you can't anticipate.
You can go on for days naming former elected officials who are now in the private sector getting paid lots of money for speeches.
I don't judge people on one vote.
I can't remember the last time, if ever, I voted for a Republican, you know.
I tell people in Washington that I'm not the most progressive person in my district and they are shocked.
Every time I've ever run, I've been outspent - every single time. — © Michael Capuano
Every time I've ever run, I've been outspent - every single time.
Who doesn't like the Olympics? Everyone does, but who is going to pay for it?
I think during a campaign it's perfectly OK to do what you need to do. But then the idea, I would argue is for former presidents to fall in line and do the best they can to support the current president, whoever that might be.
I am as pro-immigrant as you can get, I believe America needs immigrants. But I also believe in strong borders.
You can disagree with somebody and still think they're qualified.
Sincerity with innocence, though cute, though it makes good movies, makes for very bad government.
If you don't know anybody who is out of work, who needs housing, if you've never taken a call at 2 o'clock in the morning from a neighbor who is running out of heating fuel in the middle of February, then you don't know what you do in a tough situation. To me, that's the measure of whether you should be in public office.
In junior high, some would've seen me as a professional, a lawyer, a doctor, an engineer. Others would've seen me in jail. All depends on who you talked to.
We are not going to repeal Obamacare.
I voted against the creation of ICE. However, changing who enforces bad policy now doesn't fix that bad policy and it won't bring families back together.
I have never had more money than my opponents. — © Michael Capuano
I have never had more money than my opponents.
Democrats should be welcoming to anyone who shares our general values.
I will not deny health care to any single American.
If we open the borders tomorrow there would be 50 million people who came here, all good people, mostly good people. But they'd all want jobs. They'd drive wages down. Not because they intend to, that's not what they're coming for, but that would be the result.
I think Elizabeth Warren has done a great job, and I say that as a person who always has some doubts about a person who comes in to the political world from a high office with little experience.
It's great to want to go from point A to point B, sometimes you just can't make that and I just think Bernie will not be able to implement most of what he says he wants to do.
Anybody who puts himself on a ballot has to have a big ego, we have to have it.
All government is a mess. Democracy is always messy. It's meant to be messy because smooth, thoughtful, precise, effective government leads to dictatorship. Don't get me wrong, dictatorship is fine - as long as I'm the dictator. But if you're not the dictator, not so good.
There is one funding suggestion that should be part of any transportation discussion, but most people don't want to talk about it - raising the gas tax.
The whole purpose of me seeking public office is to make the world a better place. When I put my name on the ballot, I obviously think that I'm the best candidate to do that.
My statements and actions are pretty clear.
Money is important, but money doesn't buy you elections.
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