Quotes from Jared Polis

I've started several small businesses myself and know that it is tough out there for the little guy in the global economy. I came to the conclusion that, oftentimes, the best thing the government can do for small business is to stay out of the way.

I am a Democrat. But first and foremost, I am a Coloradan and an American who wants government to function and solve the challenges we face as a country, then make way for people to pursue their dreams without interference.

If becoming a member of Congress is like going to college, then crafting legislation is our homework.

Enterprise zones have succeeded in attracting needed capital to our urban poverty centers. Businesses and investors that wouldn't otherwise give these blighted areas a second glance react to the incentives and invest.

In the business world, if you're not looking ahead, you're missing something.

I always try to follow my moral compass.

The most important thing to keep in mind in being effective is focus.

Someone who is wrongfully accused needs to do their best to put it behind them and move on.

My favorite part of the experience of serving in Congress is knowing that my time and effort are spent for the greater good and for the betterment of our nation.

In order to create real, long-lasting reform, we must create a pathway to legal status for the millions of undocumented immigrants who have made lives for themselves and their families in the United States.

The life of a congressional spouse is harder than the life of the member. They do all the work and get none of the recognition.

No one should be denied the opportunity to choose his or her spouse. It is a basic human right and deeply personal decision.

With the policymaking process, you have an idea, and you try to sell other stakeholders on the idea. That's not much different than in business, where you're trying to find capital to make your idea a reality.

Without net neutrality protections, the Internet would no longer be a free and open ecosystem for innovation.

Big food companies have their priorities, which include selling cheap, unhealthy foods at high profits.

Churches should be able to decide what kinds of unions are sanctified by their denomination, but not what kinds of unions are accepted in the civil arena.

You have 435 people in the United States House of Representatives trying to get along.

There is a great deal of innovation occurring in Colorado, with some of the most brilliant minds and creative startup companies in the world formulating climate-change solutions right in our backyard.

In the absence of federal leadership, Coloradans should take our rightful role as leaders seriously and work with other states and countries to reduce carbon emissions.

There are a lot of children in our country that, because of their neighborhood or socio-economic status, do not have the opportunity to attend a good school that will prepare them for life's challenges.

I have taken my outside-the-box, innovative, and sometimes unorthodox approach to Congress.

Trying to enforce our out-of-touch laws is as foolish and impossible as trying to enforce a law requiring that water flow uphill.

Far too many of our elected officials are chained to an ideology that is rooted in the past. They are keepers of normalcy who embrace things as they've always been.

When I first arrived, I likened Congress to being back in school again as a freshman. Well, just like school, we have an 'August recess,' but don't let the name fool you - it's not even close to a vacation.