"I did not come to Washington to raise the electricity rates by as much as $40 per month, as this plan would do"
About this Quote
The $40 figure is doing heavy rhetorical lifting. It’s concrete enough to feel like a bill you can picture on the kitchen table, but not so granular that listeners demand the math. Monthly, not annual, is a choice: it turns an abstract regulatory debate into a recurring household penalty. “As much as” adds a lawyerly escape hatch while still planting the maximum in people’s minds. Even if the typical increase is smaller, the headline sticks.
Subtextually, the quote pulls Washington into the role of villain and locals into the role of potential victims. It’s populism in a tidy suit: the capital is where bad “plans” happen; representatives are supposed to stop them. The word “plan” itself is strategic vagueness, suggesting a top-down scheme without getting pinned to details that could be contested.
Context matters because rate hikes are politically radioactive, especially in regions where energy costs track anxieties about jobs, manufacturing, and household stability. Walden isn’t just debating utilities; he’s staking a claim on the oldest Washington currency: being the person who kept your life from getting more expensive.
Quote Details
| Topic | Money |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Walden, Greg. (2026, February 18). I did not come to Washington to raise the electricity rates by as much as $40 per month, as this plan would do. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-did-not-come-to-washington-to-raise-the-61559/
Chicago Style
Walden, Greg. "I did not come to Washington to raise the electricity rates by as much as $40 per month, as this plan would do." FixQuotes. February 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-did-not-come-to-washington-to-raise-the-61559/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I did not come to Washington to raise the electricity rates by as much as $40 per month, as this plan would do." FixQuotes, 18 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-did-not-come-to-washington-to-raise-the-61559/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
