Government Quotes

No group and no government can properly prescribe precisely what should constitute the body of knowledge with which true education is concerned.
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
No Government has the moral authority to dismantle the universally understood meaning of marriage.
– Keith O'Brien
Neither the wording of the amendment itself nor common practice challenged the widely held belief that government guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
– Linda Chavez
Nature is not simply a technical or economical resource, and human beings are not mere numbers. To suggest that one can somehow align all the squabbling institutions of science, environmental management, government and diplomacy in an alliance of convenience to regulate the global climate seems to me optimistic.
– James Buchan
Native Americans are the original inhabitants of the land that now constitutes the United States. They have helped develop the fundamental principles of freedom of speech and separation of powers that form the foundation of the United States Government.
– Joe Baca
My view is that good community management is like having good municipal government: You should be able to have dissenting opinions and so on, freedom of speech, but your grandmother should also be able to walk down the street at night without having to worry about getting mugged.
– Jimmy Wales
My philosophy is not a bean-counting, accounting 'look at this.' It is a philosophy that smaller government is better government, and government that is closer to the people is best of all.
– John Bolton
My hope is that the Chinese government will come to realise that it is futile to repress free speech, and that contrary to what they believe a regime's strength rests not its suppression of a plurality of opinions and ideas, but in its capacity and willingness to encourage them.
– Ma Jian
My government will respect the will of the people.
– Mwai Kibaki
My government, you can be assured, will be less focused on personalities. It is about treating people with respect. I think complaining about the community not being able to see the wisdom of our ideas is the wrong approach.
– Jay Weatherill
My father was a teacher, and there were teachers all around, his friends, they were working for the Government and their behaviour was within strictly limited areas.
– C. L. R. James
Motorists who want to save money on gas will demand and buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. We should not limit their freedom with more government regulations.
– Jim DeMint
Military hardliners called me a 'security threat' for promoting peace in South Asia and for supporting a broad-based government in Afghanistan.
– Benazir Bhutto
Man, I don't want to have nothing to do with computers. I don't want the government in my business.
– Erykah Badu
Look, the center right coalition in American politics today is best understood as a coalition of groups and individuals that on the issue that brings them to politics what they want from the government is to be left alone.
– Grover Norquist
Let me start with Yahoo. As we meet today, a Chinese citizen who had the courage to speak his mind on the Internet is in prison because Yahoo chose to share his name and address with the Chinese Government.
– Tom Lantos
Knowledge about the economy, ideas about capitalism and government, the future of the world and geopolitics were things I was never really interested in.
– Shia LaBeouf
Just as the left has to be more willing to question 'Government knows best,' the right has to rethink its laissez-faire attitude toward government.
– Jack Kemp
Julia progresses from cradle to grave, showing how government makes every good thing in her life possible. The weak economy, high unemployment, falling wages, rising gas prices, the national debt, the insolvency of entitlements - all these are fictionally assumed away in a cartoon that is produced by a president who wants us to forget about them.
– Mitt Romney
It's time to fundamentally change the way that we do business in Washington. To help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative. That will demand new thinking and a new sense of responsibility for every dollar that is spent.
– Barack Obama
It's a good thing we don't get all the government we pay for.
– Will Rogers
It must not be forgotten in fairness to the National Government that apartheid is not just a policy of oppression but an attempt - in my opinion an attempt doomed to failure - to find an alternative to a policy of racial integration which is fair to both white and black.
– Harry Oppenheimer
It is with obedience to your call that I take up the burden of government leadership for the final time.
– Kamisese Mara
It is time for corporate America to become 'the third pillar' of social change in our society, complementing the first two pillars of government and philanthropy. We need the entire private sector to begin committing itself not just to making profits, but to fulfilling higher and larger purposes by contributing to building a better world.
– Simon Mainwaring
It is our happiness to live under the government of a PRINCE who is satisfied with ruling according to law as every other good prince will - We enjoy under his administration all the liberty that is proper and expedient for us.
– Jonathan Mayhew
It is not the Government, the members of Parliament to whom the ultimate decision belongs, it is up to you to go forward sure of your sacred right of free opinion, sure of your patriotism.
– John Amery
It is just as important that business keep out of government as that government keep out of business.
– Herbert Hoover
It is false to suggest that medical breakthroughs come only through government research.
– Roger Wicker
It is amazing to think after all that has happened in this country in the last few years, the last few decades, that so many people have this blind faith that government is our friend and therefore, so we don't need protections against it.
– James Bovard
It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication and a government bureaucracy to administer it.
– Thomas Sowell
It is a sound principle of finance, and a still sounder principle of government, that those who have the duty of expending the revenue of a country should also be saddled with the responsibility of levying and providing it.
– Wilfrid Laurier
It can have a secular purpose and have a relationship to God because God was presumed to be both over the state and the church, and separation of church and state was never meant to separate God from government.
– Roy Moore
Is there any wonder why we are in such big trouble? Any question why the people don't trust their government anymore, and demand a change?
– Chris Christie
Insurgents have capitalized on popular resentment and anger towards the United States and the Iraqi government to build their own political, financial and military support, and the faith of Iraqi citizens in their new government has been severely undermined.
– Tom Lantos
In the name of the United States and President Bush, I want to thank the Mexican people, President Fox and his government for their friendship.
– Tony Garza
In the long term, the United States could greatly benefit Islam by uniquely freeing the religion from government constraints and permitting it to evolve in a positive, modern direction. But that's the long term.
– Daniel Pipes
In the government schools, which are referred to as public schools, Indian policy has been instituted there, and its a policy where they do not encourage, in fact, discourage, critical thinking and the creation of ideas and public education.
– Russell Means
In response to our fast-food culture, a 'slow food' movement appeared. Out of hurried parenthood, a move toward slow parenting could be growing. With vital government supports for state-of-the-art public child care and paid parental leave, maybe we would be ready to try slow love and marriage.
– Arlie Russell Hochschild
In fact, it works the other way: A government as big and bossy as this one is maintained on the backs of the middle class and those who hope to join it.
– Mitch Daniels
In Australia, they set up a special fund to kick films off. It was quite an enlightened sort of move. You could go to this government bureau with scripts and and get finance for films.
– Bruce Beresford
In any case, decisions on troop levels in the American system of government are not made by any general or set of generals but by the civilian leadership of the war effort.
– Bill Kristol
In all her history, from the formation of the federal government until the hour of secession, no year stands out more prominently than the year 1858 as evidencing the national patriotism of Virginia.
– John Sergeant Wise
In addition to removing our democratically elected government, Israel wants to sow dissent among Palestinians by claiming that there is a serious leadership rivalry among us. I am compelled to dispel this notion definitively.
– Ismail Haniyeh
If younger people see older people who haven't planned ahead and have to rely on charity, the young will be more likely to provide for the future. Today when someone plans poorly, the only consequence people see is a demand for more government.
– Harry Browne
If you want to change the way your banking system is regulated, if you want to learn the mistakes of what's gone wrong, then you have to change your government.
– George Osborne
If you spend enough time in or around Washington, you'll meet amazing people who work for the government.
– Judy Woodruff
If you set as your goal to roll back the size of government, you have an obligation to answer the tough questions and show real courage, not just appeal to ideology. Treat the voters like adults.
– Brian Baird
If you look at things that really affect people's lives - sport, the arts, charities - they were always at the back of the queue for government money - health, social security, defence, pensions were all way ahead. And each of those areas - sports, the arts, the lottery - got relatively petty cash from the government.
– John Major
If you look at the purported dangers of salt or fat, there is no consensus of support in scientific literature. So I would ask first: 'Is it possible to have an informed government that actually follows the science?' From what I've seen, it's not likely.
– Tim Ferriss
If we can return to a government that the Founders, in their wisdom, envisioned for us, we can return to a government that will allow our economy to thrive again, and our people to live in liberty.
– Nan Hayworth
If we all say the same thing, then I think the government has to listen. But because no one is saying it, I become singled out, even though what I'm saying is common sense. It's very essential values that we all have to protect. But in Chinese society, people are giving up on protecting these values.
– Ai Weiwei
If the states and territories do not sign up to fundamental reform, then my message is equally simple: we will take this reform plan to the people at the next election - along with a referendum by or at that same election to give the Australian Government all the power it needs to reform the health system.
– Kevin Rudd
If terror groups are to be defeated, it is national governments that will have to do so. In nations like India, governments will have to call on the patriotism of citizens to fight the terrorists. In a nation like Pakistan, the government will have to be persuaded to deal with those in their midst who are complicit.
– Bill Kristol
If Obamacare is allowed to stand - and Congress is allowed to make the purchase of government-endorsed health insurance compulsory - there will be no meaningful limit on Washington's reach into the lives of the American people. That is certainly not what the Founders intended.
– John Cornyn
If Liberia has failed, then, it is no evidence of the failure of the Negro in government. It is merely evidence of the failure of slavery.
– Carter G. Woodson
If government and media and all of us in the Australian tribe got together, and the rock industry, we'd just be the greatest cultural force the world has ever seen - we're such an amazing race.
– Yahoo Serious
If any foreign minister begins to defend to the death a 'peace conference,' you can be sure his government has already placed its orders for new battleships and airplanes.
– Joseph Stalin
I've criticized President Bush for his failure to use his veto pen. There's plenty of blame to go around. The question is how to solve problems. It's not bailouts. What made America great? Free markets, free enterprise, manufacturing, job creation. That's how we're gonna do it, not by enlarging government.
– Scott Brown
I'm a very brave person. I can go to North Vietnam, I can challenge my government, but I can't challenge the man I'm with if means I'm going to end up alone.
– Jane Fonda
I'm a latecomer to the environmental issue, which for years seemed to me like an excuse for more government regulation. But I can see that in rich societies, voters are paying less attention to economic issues and more to issues of the spirit, including the environment.
– David Frum
I wish the government and the Minister of Justice would address these legal and constitutional arguments, but they refuse to. They want Canadians to go blindly into their brave new world, but it is not wise for a society to move blindly in any direction.
– Stockwell Day
I was a government employee in the morning and a writer in the evening.
– Naguib Mahfouz
I want our government to encourage and protect freedom as well as our traditions of faith and family.
– Jesse Helms
I traveled the state of Florida for two years campaigning. I have never met a job creator who told me that they were waiting for the next tax increase before they started growing their business. I've never met a single job creator who's ever said to me I can't wait until government raises taxes again so I can go out and create a job.
– Marco Rubio
I thought I was gonna be an attorney, so I went to Dartmouth and I was a government major and I minored in environmental policy, and I didn't do anything academically around the arts.
– Aisha Tyler
I think you may see again a rise at the federal government level for a - a call for the federal constitutional amendment, because people want to make sure that this definition of marriage remains secure, because after all, the family is the fundamental unit of government.
– Michele Bachmann
I think the government has to reposition environment on top of their national and international priorities.
– Brian Mulroney
I think the American people have become more reliant upon government and less reliant upon themselves and that they now tend to put security ahead of freedom, but I think freedom is the most important aspect of our lives.
– Lyn Nofziger
I think that it's always appropriate for Americans and for American foreign policy to make clear why we feel that self-government is most compatible with peace, the well-being of people, and human dignity.
– Jeane Kirkpatrick
I think it true that, you know, sometimes things start to change even before a government changes and, actually, I think you can begin to see even the Labour machine beginning to understand that it has become over-reliant on targets and processes, that local governments have been over-bossed and bullied.
– David Cameron
I think government has a major role to play in helping us with the pursuit of happiness.
– William Weld
I think art education, especially in this country, which government pretty much ignores, is so important for young people.
– Mikhail Baryshnikov
I talked about the barriers created by monopolies. I said that it was the role of government to break up these monopolies and that we couldn't do it alone.
– Joichi Ito
I stand for limited government, fiscal responsibility, personal freedom, personal responsibility, so the Republican Party will support me.
– Rick Scott
I ran for president in order to be able to try to change Washington D.C. from the inside. Our federal government is broken.
– Herman Cain
I propose that the government should get out of the business of marrying people and, instead, only give legal status to civil unions.
– Tony Campolo
I personally believe that there's going to be a good case for the government preserving some type of guarantee to make sure that people have the ability to borrow to finance a house even in a very damaging recession. I think there's going to be a good case for that.
– Timothy Geithner
I oppose any attempt to grant homosexual unions the same legal privileges that civil government affords to traditional marriage and family life.
– Todd Akin
I love my government not least for the extent to which it leaves me alone.
– John Updike
I look forward to working with our leadership team to advance the causes of smaller government, lower taxes, eliminating terrorism, and providing affordable health care, among other issues.
– Howard Coble
I know what it's like to start a business. I know how extra ordinarily difficult it is to build something from nothing. I know how government kills jobs and, yes, I know how it can help from time- to-time.
– Mitt Romney
I hope there have been times when I made you all proud, or made you all smile or at least piqued your interest in this wonderful institution we call government.
– John Rowland
I hope that my government can help change Italian mentality.
– Mario Monti
I have never forgotten my days as an Eagle Scout. I didn't know it at the time, but what really came out of my Scouting was learning how to lead and serve the community. It has come in handy in my career in government.
– Lloyd Bentsen
I have never been afraid to stand up to the leadership on issues where we disagree. If you chose to keep Cambridge Labour, then I can continue to press the Government for the things that matter to you, in a way that members of the opposition are unable to.
– Anne Campbell
I happen to agree with many of the liberal emphasis on compassion, justice and equality. I just disagree that it's the government's role to provide everything.
– Rick Warren
I had someone call me this morning telling me they had somebody who would only work a certain number of hours a week because if they worked too many hours a week then they couldn't get their government assistance. And that person has multiple cell phones, and gets them new every month with new minutes.
– Timothy Griffin
I found that I was getting a warm reception for my message of freeing you from the income tax, releasing you from Social Security, ending the insane war on drugs, restoring gun rights, and reducing the federal government to just its constitutional functions.
– Harry Browne
I don't want to transform America. I want to restore to America the economic values of freedom and opportunity and limited government that has made us the powerhouse of the world.
– Mitt Romney
I don't think the government should be in the trailer-park business. I don't think they know how to run a trailer park.
– Billy Graham
I don't think it's government's job to find health care for people. I think it's the individual's job to find health care.
– Ted Cruz
I don't need to be looking at every failure of government, I need to be looking where failure of government needs reform.
– Darrell Issa
I don't imagine Heads of Government would ever be able to say I'm not an economist therefore I can't take decisions on matters of the economy I'm not a soldier I can't take decisions on matters of defence I'm not an educationist so I can't take decisions about education.
– Thabo Mbeki
I do see women voters shifting to the Republican Party and doing so significantly. And the issue that's doing this is the fear the federal government will prevail in making the Affordable Health Care Act permanent law and how that will hurt small businesses.
– Cathy McMorris
I believe we need to attract a new generation of the best and brightest to public service and I believe that government can be a source of inspiration, not degradation.
– Andrew Cuomo
I believe the American people have a genuine and justifiable fear of government intrusion in what they instinctively know is going to be an ever more intrusive world.
– Joe Biden
I believe that the Framers of the Constitution made their intent clear when they wrote the First Amendment. I believe they wanted to keep the new government from endorsing one religion over another, not erase the public consciousness or common faith.
– Nick Rahall
I became a Republican because I trust people more than I trust government.
– Heather Wilson
I ask the rights to pursue happiness by having a voice in that government to which I am accountable.
– Victoria Woodhull
I am not saying that during the Second World War Germany did not, under the leadership of the National Socialist government, commit crimes.
– Ernst Zundel