Quote of the Day: Patricia Schroeder on Politics & Power

Notice the word “measure.” Not “judge,” not “attack,” not “praise”, measure. Measurement implies a standard you can refine, a result you can improve, and a humility that says, “Let’s look at what’s actually happening.” Then comes the clear yardstick: “You measure a government by how few people need help.”

Read carefully: this isn’t a victory lap over smaller caseloads. It’s a challenge to build conditions where fewer people are pushed to the edge in the first place. The best systems aren’t the ones that brag about denying aid; they’re the ones that quietly reduce emergencies through steady work, jobs that pay, schools that teach, health care that doesn’t bankrupt, housing that’s stable, and rules that don’t punish bad luck. In that world, help exists, but it’s not the default setting.

For your own life, “measure” is equally useful. Don’t evaluate your week by how many fires you put out, evaluate it by how many fires never started. Where could you invest in prevention: a budget that creates margin, habits that protect your energy, relationships that are honest early instead of dramatic late? Real leadership looks like guardrails, not heroics.

Patricia Schroeder earned the right to talk about outcomes. Serving Colorado in Congress for 24 years, she pushed for family leave, children’s welfare, and sharper accountability, proof that policy can be both compassionate and practical.

June 28 also marks the start of the Stonewall uprising in 1969, a reminder that dignity isn’t a slogan, it’s a standard society must build toward. Today, pick one “preventive investment” you can make: schedule a health appointment you’ve delayed, automate a small savings transfer, or send one message that opens a door for someone who needs a ladder. May you measure progress by the steadiness you create, for yourself and for others’ freedom.