Quotes on Government
No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent.
-- Abraham LincolnSometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?
-- Thomas JeffersonMight is a fine thing, and useful for many purposes; for one goes further with a handfull of might than with a bagfull of right.
-- Max StirnerOhio claims they are due a president as they haven't had one since Taft. Look at the United States, they have not had one since Lincoln.
-- Will RogersOnce upon a time, government budgets were balanced, our money was sound, the streets were safe, and taxes imposed by all levels of government took less than 10% of our income.
-- Harry BrowneOur government... teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.
-- Justice Louis Dembitz BrandeisOur political institutions work remarkably well. They are designed to clang against each other. The noise is democracy at work.
-- Michael NovakPeople come to Washington believing it's the center of power. I know I did. It was only much later that I learned that Washington is a steering wheel that's not connected to the engine.
-- Richard GoodwinPeople often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing.
-- Walter H. JuddPower tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Today we can declare: Government is not the problem, and government is not the solution. We, the American people, we are the solution.
-- Lord Acton
-- Bill ClintonUnder capitalism man exploits man; under socialism the reverse is true.
-- Polish ProverbWashington is a place where politicians don't know which way is up and taxes don't know which way is down.
-- Robert OrbenWe are going to tax and tax, spend and spend, elect and elect.
-- Franklin D. RooseveltWe have the power to do any damn fool thing we want to do, and we seem to do it about every 10 minutes.
-- J. William FulbrightWe should all be obliged to appear before a board every five years, and justify our experience...on pain of liquidation.
-- George Bernard ShawWere we to be directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread.
-- Thomas JeffersonWhen government accepts responsibility for people, then people no longer take responsibility for themselves.
-- George PatakiWhenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.
-- Harry S. TrumanYou can't give the government the power to do good without also giving it the power to do bad - in fact, to do anything it wants.
-- Harry Browne