Politics & Power Quote by John Linder

The line tries to bottle a comforting myth about American democracy: that the real muscle lives in the precinct, not the K Street suite. As a politician, John Linder is doing two things at once. First, he’s testifying. “I have seen the times” is credibility language, a witness statement meant to quiet cynicism and imply there’s a proven pathway for ordinary people to win. Second, he’s outsourcing responsibility. “The grassroots are going to have to do it” shifts the burden from elected officials to voters: if change isn’t happening, it’s because the public hasn’t pushed hard enough.

That subtext matters because it flatters constituents while insulating power. The claim “We listen way more often to our constituents than the lobbyists” is less a verifiable fact than a strategic reassurance, especially in an era when money-in-politics narratives dominate public suspicion. It’s a rhetorical counterweight to the idea that Congress is purchased: not “ignore what you see,” but “trust what I’m telling you I’ve lived.”

Contextually, this kind of statement typically surfaces when a member of Congress is defending an unpopular stance, trying to rally support for a bill, or preempting accusations of being captured by special interests. It invites civic mobilization, yes, but on terms that protect the institution: pressure Congress, don’t indict it. The genius of the phrasing is its political jiu-jitsu. It turns democratic frustration into fuel for participation while quietly implying that the system is responsive enough that, if you lose, you simply didn’t organize.