“I think that is the fight that we have to wage if we're to save the middle class. And I do have doubts about whether Hillary Clinton or whether any Republican candidate out there is prepared to take on the big money interests who control so much of our economy and as a result of Citizens United, our political process as well.” IfsThinkingWellsBigsPoliticalFightingProcessInterestUnitedResultsClassEconomyDoubtMiddleCitizensRepublicanPreparedClintonCandidatesMiddle ClassCitizens United Author:Lindsey Graham
“If you have reservations about the system and want to change it, the democratic argument goes, do so within the system: put yourself forward as a candidate for political office, subject yourself to the scrutiny and the vote of fellow citizens. Democracy does not allow for politics outside the democratic system. In this sense, democracy is totalitarian.” IfsWantDoePoliticalDemocracySubjectsCitizensOfficeArgumentVoteFellowsDemocraticCandidatesScrutinyReservations Author:J. M. Coetzee
“Is there any other democracy where the voters are as spoiled as they are in the United States? Especially, of course, in certain states, such as Iowa and New Hampshire, where the old joke is literally true about the citizens who say they haven't yet formed an opinion about a candidate because they've only met the fellow a few times.” StatesCertainCoursesUnitedOpinionUnited StatesDemocracyHavensCitizensMetsJokesFellowsCandidatesVotersLaw EnforcementSpoiledIowaHampshireNew HampshireOld Jokes Author:Michael Kinsley
“In the past, in order to continue as a candidate, a serious candidate, you had to be in the top three finishes in Iowa. You had to be in the top two out of New Hampshire. All our presidents elected in the past half-century finished either first or second in New Hampshire and in the top three in Iowa. That changed with the Citizens United, when we gave unlimited amounts of money.” FirstsTwoPastOrderThreePresidentUnitedHalfCenturyChangedSeriousAmountCitizensFinishedCandidatesUnlimitedIowaHampshireNew HampshireCitizens United Author:Mark Shields
“In the US, voters cast ballots for individual candidates who are not bound to any party program except rhetorically, and not always then. Some Republicans are more liberal than some Democrats, some libertarians are more radical than some socialists, and many local candidates run without any party identification. No American citizen can vote intelligently without knowledge of the ideas, political background, and commitments of each individual candidate.” IdeasRunningPoliticalIndividualPartyCitizensRepublicanCommitmentProgramVoteDemocratBoundsCastsLibertarianBackgroundsLocalsRadicalCandidatesVotersBallotsIdentificationAmerican Citizens Author:Ben Bagdikian
“No matter where you are on politics, I think it is wonderful to see candidates funding campaigns not by talking to a very small number of very rich people, but by reaching out to a very large number of citizens.” PeopleThinkingMatterNumbersTalkingRichWonderfulCitizensCampaignsCandidatesReachingWhere You AreReach OutFundingRich PeopleLarge NumbersSmall Numbers Author:David Brooks
“The citizen does not so much vote for a candidate as make a psychological purchase of him.” DoeCitizensVotePsychologicalCandidates Author:Joe McGinniss
“I'm not trying to push my political agenda on anybody. I'll do that like any other citizen by giving money to a party or candidate I believe in. I don't mind going out and endorsing somebody I believe in. But when we're talking about my films, I don't think my politics should have anything to do with it.” ThinkingGivingShouldTryingMindBelieveFilmPoliticalI BelievePartyTalkingCitizensShould HaveI Believe InCandidatesAgendasGoing OutPolitical AgendasGiving MoneyEndorsing Author:Sydney Pollack
“Unfortunately, every American citizen takes the same position... that we don’t like negative advertisements. But they work! And, as you see, many a candidate has prevailed by tearing down the reputation of an opponent in a more advantageous position.” PositionCitizensNegativeReputationOpponentsCandidatesAdvertisementsAmerican Citizens Author:Jimmy Carter
“Because the people of New Hampshire take their responsibilities as citizens of the Republic seriously, they keep it interesting for candidates who, believe it or not, can get a little tired of the mannered, predictable, and unimaginative qualities that typically afflict modern political campaigns.” PeopleBelieveLittlesPoliticalInterestingQualityResponsibilityModernCitizensTiredCampaignsCandidatesRepublicPredictableHampshireNew HampshirePolitical Campaign Author:John McCain
“[Several candidates talked of problems with the federal Medicare system, particularly concerns about whether it would cover prescription drug costs in the future.] We're asking senior citizens to make a choice between their health and their income, ... Medicare is probably the most difficult challenge we face in the next century, because it has a lot to do with other things besides money.” ProblemFacesChoicesNextDifficultChallengesCenturyCitizensCostDrugConcernAskingIncomeCandidatesSeniorPrescriptionsMedicarePrescription DrugsSenior CitizenChallenges We FaceDifficult Challenges Author:John McCain
“As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other billionaire families. These wealthy contributors can literally buy politicians and elections by spending hundreds of millions of dollars in support of the candidates of their choice. We need to overturn Citizens United and move toward public funding of elections so that all candidates can run for office without being beholden to the wealthy and powerful.” NeedsRunningMovingChoicesAbilityDecisionUnitedResultsPowerfulMillionsSupportDemocracyBrotherCitizensPoliticianOfficeElectionCourtDollarsSpendingSupremeCandidatesWealthySupreme CourtFundingBillionaireContributorsAmerican DemocracyCourt DecisionCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“There are many major crises facing our country. At the top of the list is the need to overturn Citizens United. If billionaires are able to buy elections and elect right-wing candidates, there is no way we will ever address climate change, college education, affordability, job creation, raising the minimum wage and taking on Wall Street.” IfsWayNeedsCountryAbleJobsUnitedStreetsCreationCollegeWallCitizensMajorsElectionCrisisWingsClimateClimate ChangeListsOur CountryCandidatesAddressesMinimumRight WingBillionaireMinimum WageCollege EducationJob CreationCitizens UnitedAffordability Author:Bernie Sanders
“I'm very proud that a woman, has finally been chosen as a candidate for the president of the United States, because I always felt women should be treated like first-class citizens.” ShouldFirstsStatesFeltPresidentUnitedClassUnited StatesProudCitizensChosenTreatedCandidatesFirst Class Author:Stevie Nicks
“Voters decided otherwise [on me as a president candidate] and I will focus on my work here in the Senate because I have nine months left. And after that, later, as a private citizen, I will continue looking for a way to contribute to the cause of political conservatism to help our state and our country and the issues that interest me. But I really don't want to be nor do I think that I will be invited to be any candidate's vice president.” ThinkingWayWantCountryStatesHelpingPoliticalLeftCausesPresidentInterestIssuesFocusMonthsCitizensDecidedVicesNineOur CountryCandidatesVotersSenateInvitedConservatismVice PresidentNine Months Author:Marco Rubio
“There's nothing in the 14th Amendment that says if you are born to a mother who is a citizen that you're automatically a citizen. It isn't there. Even some of our presidential candidates think that it is.” IfsThinkingMotherBornCitizensPresidentialCandidatesAmendmentsPresidential Candidate14th Amendment Author:Rush Limbaugh
“In Cuba the elections for the powers of the State comes from the people, first it comes from meetings of the citizens at the base. In Cuba we call them blocks, the divisions of a city that is the term we use. Several blocks of neighborhoods that live in the same area gather in assemblies that are stipulated by law. In those assemblies the people choose freely among themselves who will represent them. The criteria takes into account the candidates characteristics, including if they are hardworking, If they are good people, if they have a clean past, and money has no bearing on who is nominated.” PeopleIfsFirstsStatesUsePastLawTermCitiesCitizensAreasAccountsElectionCleanMeetingsIncludingBlockCharacteristicsCandidatesNeighborhoodDivisionGood PeopleCriteriaCubaAssemblyHardworking Author:Alejandro Castro Espin
“There is a lack of interest in voting in the United States, and that troubles me. It is very necessary that people get registered, study the issues and be aware of the politics of our country. We will really be set back if people don't take the time to learn about the candidates who are concerned about the well-being of all the citizens and vote.” PeopleIfsWellsCountryStatesInterestUnitedUnited StatesStudyIssuesTroubleCitizensConcernedVoteOur CountryWell BeingCandidatesVoting Author:Rosa Parks
“No matter what name we give it or how we judge it, a candidate's character is central to political reporting because it is central to a citizen's decision in voting.” GivingMatterCharacterPoliticalHouseNamesDecisionJudgingCitizensNo Matter WhatCandidatesVoting Author:Roger Mudd
“Here is what the practical impact of Citizens United means. What Citizens United means is that corporations call hundreds of millions of dollars into television ads, radio ads, and other forms of advertising to defeat those candidates who stand up and take them on.” MeanFormUnitedMillionsTelevisionCitizensImpactDollarsDefeatRadioPracticalsAdvertisingCorporationsCandidatesAdsCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders