Wendy Long Quotes

Powerful Wendy Long for Daily Growth

About Wendy Long

Wendy Long, born on June 16, 1958, is an acclaimed American poet, essayist, and novelist. Raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, her interest in literature blossomed early, influenced by her parents' extensive book collection and her grandmother's stories about her time as a war correspondent during World War II. Long attended Bryn Mawr College, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in English Literature. After college, she moved to New York City and worked as an editor at various publishing houses before pursuing a career as a writer. Her debut novel, "The Distance Between Us" (1992), was a critically acclaimed work that explored themes of love, loss, and identity. Throughout her career, Long has been recognized for her evocative and deeply personal writing style. Her poetry collections, such as "Housekeeping in a Dream" (1987) and "The Sea-God's Wife" (2005), have received numerous awards, including the National Poetry Series and the Walt Whitman Award. In addition to her literary works, Long has also made significant contributions to the field of creative nonfiction. Her essay collection, "Mother Country: A Journey" (1996), was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. The book chronicles her return to her family's ancestral home in Ireland and explores themes of heritage, belonging, and the complexities of identity. Today, Wendy Long continues to write and teach at various institutions across the country. Her work remains celebrated for its emotional depth, poetic beauty, and insightful exploration of the human condition.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is more inside you than you know."

This quote encourages self-belief and trust in one's inner potential. It suggests that each individual possesses hidden strengths, talents, and capabilities beyond their current understanding or awareness. The quote serves as a reminder to embrace confidence in oneself, recognizing personal value and worth, and to continually strive towards personal growth and discovery of these hidden capacities.

"Don't live someone else's life and don't expect others to live yours."

This quote encourages individuality and self-discovery, urging people not to conform to societal expectations or emulate others' lives blindly. It also implies a level of respect and understanding that everyone has unique paths and experiences, so it's important not to impose one's life choices onto others. Instead, focus on your own journey and let others pursue theirs, fostering a more harmonious and diverse world.

"The greatest power we have as human beings is our ability to choose, to make the decision about what kind of person we want to be and what kind of life we want to lead."

This quote emphasizes that humans possess a unique attribute - free will. It underscores the importance of personal choices in shaping one's character and life trajectory. In essence, it implies that each individual has the power to decide their identity, values, and the path they wish to follow, thus creating their own destiny.

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

The quote "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself" emphasizes the idea that personal growth, self-discovery, and identity are not predetermined but rather actively constructed over the course of one's life. It encourages us to view ourselves as works in progress and suggests that we should continuously shape our character, values, beliefs, and aspirations through the experiences, choices, and relationships we have. This perspective invites us to take responsibility for our lives and embrace the opportunities for growth and change that come our way, instead of passively waiting to "find" ourselves.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." (This quote was originally by Winston Churchill, but it's often associated with Wendy Long in her work)

This quote emphasizes the resilience and determination required for success. It suggests that temporary triumph or failure do not define one's character or potential for continued growth. Instead, the true measure of a person lies in their courage to persist through challenges and setbacks, transforming experiences into stepping stones towards greater achievements.

We've always said a filibuster is not appropriate for judicial nominees. A filibuster is a legislative tool designed to extract compromises. A judicial nominee is a person. You can't take the arm or leg of a nominee.

- Wendy Long

Always, Appropriate, Compromises

I guess I was a little idealistic and thought if you are honest and you're well-qualified and capable of waging a good fight, you can raise money. And what I learned is that our campaign finance laws are really a great big incumbent protection act.

- Wendy Long

Thought, Big, Capable, Idealistic

Having been on the front lines of the confirmation battles involving Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, I know firsthand what is at stake when the Senate exercises its 'advise and consent' power over federal judges.

- Wendy Long

Been, Chief Justice, Advise, Confirmation

How great would it be to have a native son lead us out of turmoil and trouble to peace and justice? Someone who follows the rule of law and not the rule of mob... This is the path Donald Trump has set for our great nation, and it's the same path I'm on.

- Wendy Long

Mob, Trump, Donald, Turmoil

How does a religious employer's decision not to offer health plans with abortion coverage dictate to anyone what to do with her own body?

- Wendy Long

Religious, Coverage, Dictate

The America I love is slipping away.

- Wendy Long

Love, Slipping, I Love, Love Is

I converted to Catholicism at age 35, after being raised as a Congregationalist in a New England Yankee family.

- Wendy Long

New, England, Yankee, Converted

The American people have made clear that they want justices who have proven records of judicial restraint - exactly the kind of justices that Obama and Biden cannot abide.

- Wendy Long

Kind, Records, Made, Justices

Republicans can nominate bad Justices, too. Earl Warren, William Brennan, Harry Blackmun, David Souter... the list goes on.

- Wendy Long

Bad, Goes, Republicans, Justices

New York City is the financial capital of the world. The Dodd-Frank Act, I think, is going to change that. It's going to send jobs to London and Geneva and Hong Kong and Sydney instead of keeping New York the financial center of the world.

- Wendy Long

London, I Think, Capital, Dodd-Frank

I would drastically revise much of the Dodd-Frank financial-reform legislation, which I call the 'Bureaucrat Full Employment Act.'

- Wendy Long

Employment, Call, Which, Dodd-Frank

Conservatives who care about nominations of judges who practice judicial restraint are, constitutionally, restrained people themselves.

- Wendy Long

People, Practice, About, Restrained

New York is a place where people have strong convictions.

- Wendy Long

Strong, New York, New, Convictions

As New York's United States Senator, I promise to reinstate the Moynihan 'Fisc Report' and work every day to address the imbalance of payments, first by focusing on reducing the amount of taxes we send to Washington, and second, by ensuring that funding formulas don't disadvantage New York.

- Wendy Long

Every Day, United, Imbalance, Report

Paul Ryan has been a responsible legislator and public servant, almost alone among members of Congress in his belief that we need to strengthen and save our social entitlements.

- Wendy Long

Been, Ryan, Almost, Entitlement

I'm kind of a small-town girl.

- Wendy Long

Girl, Kind, Small-Town

The Supreme Court overrules, distinguishes, and upholds prior precedents. Sometimes it ignores them. But it does not - cannot - 'defy' them.

- Wendy Long

Sometimes, Supreme, Them, Distinguishes

The whole idea behind the EB-5 visa was to help create jobs in economically disadvantaged areas. But where big bucks are involved, corruption soon follows, and with Chuck Schumer and the EB-5 visa program, you need to follow the money.

- Wendy Long

Behind, Big, Bucks, Visa

Serious people need to work hard to reduce the debt, reduce taxes, and slash regulation on the small businesses and families that are the lifeblood of new jobs and innovation in our state.

- Wendy Long

Innovation, Small, Reduce, Businesses

If we can be sure of anything, it's that the immense challenges faced by our country and our nation cannot be solved by the same people in the same offices, casting the same votes for the same failed policies.

- Wendy Long

Challenges, Country, Sure, Faced

I would end the EB-5 program altogether, if we cannot establish that it can be used only to bring development to impoverished places where it otherwise truly would not occur under normal American market forces.

- Wendy Long

American, Bring, We Cannot, Establish

Obama and Biden want a bench crammed full of liberal judicial activists, and it's up to the American people to tell them 'no.'

- Wendy Long

Bench, Want, Tell, Activists

Government has crowded out the role of many social institutions, including the Church, that have been a great force for good in public life.

- Wendy Long

Role, Been, Including, Social Institutions

The #NeverTrump crowd is running out of steam - and time. All of its attacks - that he's as liberal as Hillary Clinton, anti-immigrant, or a con man who will say anything to be elected - have failed.

- Wendy Long

Will, Crowd, Con, Steam

Good judges do not side with anyone. They rule impartially and blindly based upon the law.

- Wendy Long

Law, Side, Based, Judges

The best way to have empathy for people and the best way to have empathy for our Constitution is to appoint judges who will rule based on the law and to have empathy, if you will, for the law only and to rule based on the law.

- Wendy Long

Empathy, Best Way, Based, Judges

I will stand up for judges who faithfully follow the law as it is written.

- Wendy Long

Law, Will, Faithfully, Judges

Judges should follow the law in deciding cases - not their own values, good or bad.

- Wendy Long

Law, Deciding, Cases, Judges

In a nation based on the 'consent of the governed,' judges are supposed to apply the laws the people have assented to.

- Wendy Long

Nation, Laws, Based, Judges

Mainstream America, in the long run, will always stand for highly qualified, impartial judges and for a fair process and for senators who do their jobs and vote - not who unfairly smear good men like Judge Alito.

- Wendy Long

Run, Fair, Qualified, Judges

The thing is that Chuck Schumer, for all his power and influence, is a pretty pathetic figure. You go around New York State, and people make jokes about him and talk about how he shows up at the New York State Fair and has a staffer carrying a big sign saying 'Come meet Chuck Schumer.'

- Wendy Long

Big, Sign, About, Jokes

Senator Gillibrand is good at saying things that sound nice but have little substance. I don't think we elect our public officials to avoid taking a stand or a difficult position on anything.

- Wendy Long

Think, Sound, Substance, Officials

Whether it's federal highway funds for the Thruway or Tappan Zee bridge project or the corrupt Cornhusker deal, Senator Gillibrand is willing to sell out our hardworking families. She has failed to address the problem that taxpayers in New York send much more to Washington that we get back.

- Wendy Long

Deal, Willing, Taxpayers, Send

If Roe v. Wade were overturned tomorrow, nobody would even notice, because the states are legislating their own laws about abortion, completely independent.

- Wendy Long

Independent, Abortion, Laws, Notice

Many Americans have sensed there is a very corrupt pay-to-play system going on in Washington.

- Wendy Long

Corrupt, System, Very, Sensed

The power of incumbency and the power of money is just overwhelming.

- Wendy Long

Money, Power, Just, Overwhelming

Judge Sotomayor is a liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law as written.

- Wendy Long

Law, More, Activist, Agenda

With so many serious issues and responsibilities before the United States Senate, I think New York needs an independent senator who thinks for herself, not someone who just rubberstamps the Obama agenda or checks with Chuck Schumer and says, 'Me too.'

- Wendy Long

Independent, I Think, Before, Agenda

Lady Justice doesn't have empathy for anyone. She rules strictly based upon the law, and that's really the only way that our system can function properly under the Constitution.

- Wendy Long

Empathy, Law, Based, Strictly

Thinking of ourselves as members of 'this group' or 'that group,' I think that's a recipe for division.

- Wendy Long

Think, Division, I Think, Members

Chuck Schumer is the face of the ruling class.

- Wendy Long

Face, Ruling Class, Ruling, Chuck

I believe in the idea of sacrifice and fighting for what's right and giving something back to the country that's given me so much.

- Wendy Long

Country, Idea, Given, I Believe In

It's a sacrifice for me. It's not really something I want to do. I don't love the idea of being a U.S. senator; I love the idea of being a mother.

- Wendy Long

Love, Want, Idea, Senator

New York voters agree on this: There is too much corruption in government - federal, state, and local.

- Wendy Long

New, Agree, Voters, Federal

If you have empathy for both sides, then that's the same as having no empathy at all.

- Wendy Long

Empathy, Both Sides, Same, Sides

We are in desperate need of a return to limited, constitutional government.

- Wendy Long

Government, Need, Desperate, Return

There is regressivity built into the tax code by virtue of its complexity.

- Wendy Long

Complexity, Code, Built, Tax Code

I'm here to speak for those who say the American Dream isn't working for them, because I know it isn't. I'm here to say it's not your fault: the ruling class... has failed you.

- Wendy Long

Here, Fault, Ruling Class, Ruling

What I do know is that liberal Democrat policies in our big cities are not helping anybody, especially our big cities.

- Wendy Long

Big, Cities, Helping, Liberal

Christians are being persecuted, not just in the Middle East but here in this country.

- Wendy Long

Country, Here, East, Persecuted

I've enjoyed the benefits of this country, which has been very good to me.

- Wendy Long

Country, Benefits, Which, Enjoyed

The immigration laws of the United States should not be used to buy and sell political favors.

- Wendy Long

Immigration, United States, Favors

Looking at the history of our country, we have been and we are pro-immigrant, but we aren't going to be much of a country if we don't take care of our own people first and if we don't observe the rule of law.

- Wendy Long

Law, Country, Been, Observe

There are no George Baileys anymore.

- Wendy Long

Anymore, George

Kirsten Gillibrand and I are very similar in our biographies. We're both mothers, we're both lawyers. But we couldn't be more different in our beliefs, in our principles, in our politics.

- Wendy Long

Politics, Very, Similar, Principles

Our government is corrupt.

- Wendy Long

Government, Our, Corrupt

A judge is supposed to have empathy for no one but simply to follow the law.

- Wendy Long

Empathy, Law, Supposed, Judge

I think Republicans make a mistake when they seek to be 'Democrat light.'

- Wendy Long

Mistake, Think, I Think, Democrat

We have to have legal immigration, which has to be something that benefits our country.

- Wendy Long

Country, Benefits, Which, Legal Immigration

My son was 8 or 9, and he really wanted a gun. It was Christmas, and I said to my husband, 'It's time for a gun.'

- Wendy Long

Husband, Christmas, Really, Gun

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