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Constitution Quotes

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Constitution Quotes

“Most impediments to scientific understanding are conceptual locks, not factual lacks. Most difficult to dislodge are those biases that escape our scrutiny because they seem so obviously, even ineluctably, just. We know ourselves best and tend to view other creatures as mirrors of our own constitution and social arrangements. ( Aristotle , and nearly two millennia of successors, designated the large bee that leads the swarm as a king.”

Source: Bully for Brontosaurus: Reflections in Natural History

“We know nothing accurately in reality, but [only] as it changes according to the bodily condition, and the constitution of those things that flow upon [the body] and impinge upon it.”

Knows Body Reality Conditions Flow Constitution

Author:Democritus

“Practically all we know is that thousands of native Haitians have been killed by American Marines, and that many of our own gallant men have sacrificed their lives at the behest of an Executive department in order to establish laws drafted by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. ... I will not empower an Assistant Secretary of the Navy to draft a constitution for helpless neighbors in the West Indies and jam it down their throats at the point of bayonets borne by U.S. Marines.”

“I do not know how Vladimir Putin will be esteemed by the future history, but I have no doubt that among his successes and advantages for Russia historians shall absolutely note the fact of his not altering the constitution, for he created a precedent. And afterwards, no matter who might become president, it shall be extremely difficult to alter the constitution exactly on that point. Extremely difficult.”

Knows Matter Facts Might Difficult President Know How Doubt Advantage Constitution Notes Russia No Doubt Historian Putin Precedent

Author:Vladimir Posner

“In reading over the Constitutions of all fifty of our states, I discovered something which some of you may not know: there is in all fifty, without exception, an appeal or a prayer to the Almighty God of the universe. Through all fifty state Constitutions, without exception, there runs this same appeal and reference to God who is the Creator of our liberties and the preserver of our freedoms.”

Knows May States Running Universe Reading Prayer Liberty Constitution Creator Appeals Fifty Exception Almighty Almighty God

Author:D. James Kennedy

“I think that there's been a lot of people in Congress that didn't know all the ins and outs of the Constitution. I think we have a whole roomful of people that have record legislation in terms of quantity of pages that didn't read it.”

People Thinking Knows Whole Term Records Pages Constitution Congress Quantity Legislation

Author:Rick Santelli

“It's no trifle at her time at her time of life to part with a doctor who knows her constitution.”

Knows Doctors Constitution Doctor Who Trifles

Book:Scenes of Clerical Life

Source: Scenes of Clerical Life

“I do not think everyone is created equal. In fact, I know they're not. [The Constitution] means that everyone should have the same laws as everyone else. It doesn't mean that everyone's as smart or as cute or as lucky as everyone else.”

Thinking Knows Should Mean Facts Law Lucky Equal Smart Should Have Constitution Equality Cute

Author:Fran Lebowitz

“We plant a tree that won't be big enough to climb until we're too old to climb trees, we write constitutions to protect the rights of people who won't be born for another hundred years and may not be worth the trouble anyway, and we try to take care of our sick, though we all suffer from a disease for which there is no cure and no hope for one. We will not last and we know we will not - and still we write, carve, build, paint and plant to last. We are, it seems to me, very, very brave.”

“I've been involved in the intelligence side of the federal government for a long time. We all know that we have to have a balance between security to protect the American people and liberty. We take an oath to protect and defend the constitution and the American people.”

People Knows Long Government Sides Liberty Security Balance Involved Protect Long Time Constitution Federal Government Oath

Author:Barack Obama

“I get very little sleep. But I try to stay constantly busy. My fear is that if I stop working I'll, like, die. So throughout my life I've always tried to remain busy, and I sort of know no other way. I think if my heart rate slowed it would affect my constitution, strangely. I've been trained to do that.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Way Trying Heart Littles Dies Sleep My Heart Constitution Rate Busy Heart Rate

Author:Matthew Gray Gubler

“Why is it that some people, you know, think we should obey the Constitution sometimes and not other times.”

People Thinking Knows Should Sometimes Constitution

Author:Ron Paul

“But for the present I would lie there and know I didn't have to get up, and feel the holy emptiness and blessed fatigue of a saint after the dark night of the soul. For God and Nothing have a lot in common. You look either one of Them straight in the eye for a second and the immediate effect on the human constitution is the same.”

Knows Feels Humans Looks Soul Eye Lying Night Dark Common Effects Holy Constitution Blessed Saint Get Up Emptiness Fatigue Dark Night Dark Night Of The Soul

Book:All the King's Men

Source: All the King's Men

“We know that the Constitution wisely separates church from state, but remember: the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.”

Knows States Remember Church Constitution Scary Guarantees Freedom Of Religion

Author:Joe Lieberman

“The Constitution of the United States is not a mere lawyers' document. It is a vehicle of life, and its spirit is always the spirit of the age. Its prescriptions are clear and we know what they arebut life is always your last and most authoritative critic.”

Knows States Age Lasts Life Is Spirit United United States Clear Constitution Mere Critics Lawyer Vehicle Documents Prescriptions Constitution Of The United States

Author:Woodrow Wilson

“At my years, and with my disposition, or rather, constitution, one gets to care less and less for everything except downright goodfeeling. Life is so short, and so ridiculous and irrational (from a certain point of view) that one knows not what to make of it, unless--well, finish the sentence for yourself.”

Knows Life Years Wells Feelings Care Life Is Certain Views Constitution Sentences Point Of View Ridiculous Cynicism Irrational Disposition Good Feeling Life Is So Short

Book:Correspondence

Source: Correspondence

“I don't know whither we are drifting, but I do know where every real thinking patriot will stand in the end, and that's by the Constitution.”

Thinking Knows Real Ends Constitution Patriotism Patriot Drifting

Author:William Howard Taft

“I don't want to know about the constitution of the rapist--I want to kill him! I don't care if he is white or black, if he is middle-class or poor, if his mother hung him from the clothesline by his balls: I only want to kill him! Any woman who has been raped will agree.”

Ifs Knows Want Has Beens Care Mother Black White Poor Class Middle Balls Constitution Agree Don't Care I Don't Care Middle Class Hung Clotheslines

Author:Diamanda Galas

“Men and women are brothers and sisters; they are not of different species; and what need be obtained to know both, but to allow for different modes of education, for situation and constitution, or perhaps I should rather say, for habits, whether good or bad.”

Knows Men Needs Should Different Imagination Situation Psychology Brother Habit Men And Women Constitution Species Brothers And Sisters

Book:The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, Author of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Selected from the Original Manuscripts, Bequeathed by Him to His Family, to which are Prefixed, a Biographical Account of that Author, and Observations on His Writings

Source: The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, Author of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison: Selected from the Original Manuscripts, Bequeathed by Him to His Family, to which are Prefixed, a Biographical Account of that Author, and Observations on His Writings

“The real essence, the internal qualities, and constitution of even the meanest object, is hid from our view; something there is inevery drop of water, every grain of sand, which it is beyond the power of human understanding to fathom or comprehend. But it is evidentthat we are influenced by false principles to that degree as to mistrust our senses, and think we know nothing of those things which we perfectly comprehend.”

“It's a funny thing, in the US we all believe that we have a right to go to school. We have a right to a good education. And we don't. The U.S. Constitution contains no right for a child to go to school, let alone for a child to go to a good school. And yet, we know that if they don't go to a good school, they're less likely to be able to realize all that this country has to offer.”

Ifs Knows Believe Children Country Able School Realizing Offers Constitution Funny Things Good Education Good School

Author:Benjamin Jealous

“I know people who are embarrassed to be American. They don't like showing their passports. It's becoming a scary place. It takes someone very brave not to be quiet, someone who doesn't mind death threats, their life being turned upside down, news cameras outside their door. There is no freedom of speech in America anymore. They are not living up to the constitution. There's so much fear in America and control.”

People Knows Mind America Doors Becoming Quiet Speech News Constitution Cameras Brave Threat Scary Freedom Of Speech Embarrassed Upside Down Passports

Author:Gillian Anderson

“If our free society is to endure, and I know it will, those who govern must recognize that the Framers of the Constitution limited their power in order to preserve human dignity and the air of freedom which is our proudest heritage.”

Ifs Knows Humans Order Air Dignity Constitution Endure Preserves Heritage Free Society Human Dignity Framers

Author:William J. Brennan

“A lot of people are talking about defunding planned parenthood, as if that's a huge game changer. I think it's time to do something even more bold. I think the next president ought to invoke the Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the constitution now that we clearly know that that baby inside the mother's womb is a person at the moment of conception.”

“I'm in love with this country called "America." I'm a huge fan of America. I'm one of those annoying fans - you know, the ones that read the cd notes and follow you into bathrooms and ask you all kinds of annoying questions about why you didn't live up to that. I'm that kind of fan. I've read the Declaration of Independence, and I've read the Constitution of the United States, and they are some liner notes, dude.”

“Keep in mind our Constitution predates the Industrial Revolution. Our founders did not know about electricity, the train, telephones, radio, television, automobiles, airplanes, rockets, nuclear weapons, satellites, or space exploration. There's a lot they didn't know about. It would be interesting to see what kind of document they'd draft today. Just keeping it frozen in time won't hack it.”

“Simply according artistic works the same protection as nonartistic works may not be sufficient to protect creativity. After all, the very essence of artistic expression is invention and artists necessarily draw on their own experience. But if the rules of liability are unclear, artists will not be able to know how much disguise is sufficient to protect their claims from the claims of those who may see themselves in the portrayals.”

“Yeah, it's legal in the United States. It's part of our Constitution. You know, the right to bear arms is because that's the last form of defense against tyranny. Not to hunt. It's to protect yourself from the police.”

Knows States Lasts Form United United States Arms Bears Protect Constitution Police Yeah Defense Tyranny Hunts Right To Bear Arms Protect Yourself

Author:Ice T

“To the security of a free Constitution it [knowledge] contributes in various ways: by teaching the people themselves to know and to value their own rights, to discern and provide against invasions of them, to distinguish between oppression and the necessary exercise of lawful authority, between burdens proceeding from a disregard to their convenience and those resulting from the inevitable exigencies of society.”

People Knows Way Values Rights Teaching Security Exercise Authority Constitution Various Burden Oppression Inevitable Invasion Convenience Disregard Proceeding

Author:George Washington

“Are we reading the Constitution and pondering it? Are we aware of its principles? Are we abiding by these principles and teaching them to others? Could we defend the Constitution? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound? Do we know what the prophets have said about the Constitution and the threats to it?”

Knows Said Law Reading Principles Teaching Constitution Threat Prophet Abiding Pondering

Book:The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson

Source: The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson

“Now, I am not caring today, for myself, anything at all about a political party tag. So far as I am concerned, I want to know what the man stands for....When I find out these things, then I know who it is who should receive my support, and I care not what his party tag is....Today, our duty transcends party allegiance; our duty today is allegiance to the Constitution as it was given to us by the Lord.”

Knows Men Want Should Care Today Political Given Party Lord Support He Man Duty Concerned Constitution Caring I Care Political Parties Allegiance Tag Not Caring

Author:J. Reuben Clark

“The Constitution and laws of the United States resemble a theocracy more closely than any government now on the earth, or that ever has been, so far as we know, except the government of the children of Israel to the time when they elected a king.”

Knows Children Has Beens States Government Earth Law United United States Kings Constitution Israel Theocracy

Author:Brigham Young

“The principle of allegiance to the Constitution is basic to our freedom....when you see government invading any of these realms of freedom which we have under our Constitution, you will know that they are putting shackles on your liberty, and that tyranny is creeping upon you, ...no matter what the reason and excuse therefore may be.”

Knows May Matter Reason Government Liberty Principles Constitution No Matter What Excuse Tyranny Realms Allegiance Shackles Invading

Author:J. Reuben Clark

“I know that applause is food for the arts, but it ceases to be wholesome if administered indiscriminately; and the nutrition is so rich that, far from strengthening the constitution, it disturbs and enfeebles it. Stage beginners are similar to those children totally spoiled by the blind affection of their parents.”

Ifs Knows Children Art Parent Rich Stage Constitution Blind Affection Cease Nutrition Applause Spoiled Strengthening Beginners

Author:Jean-Georges Noverre

“I loved the old government in 1861. I loved the old Constitution yet. I think it is the best government in the world, if administered as it was before the war. I do not hate it; I am opposing now only the radical revolutionists who are trying to destroy it. I believe that party to be composed, as I know it is in Tennessee, of the worst men on Gods earth - men who would not hesitate at no crime, and who have only one object in view - to enrich themselves.”

Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Trying Believe War Government Earth Hate I Believe Views Party Worst Crime Objects Constitution Radical Opposing Tennessee

Author:Nathan Bedford Forrest

“I know the constitution in Oregon was passed in 1859. Free expression of opinion.”

Knows Opinion Expression Constitution Oregon Free Expression

Author:Bill O'Reilly

“What's sad is that nobody knows the constitution of the ecosystem that has just been destroyed. Is it an important future food? Is it an important medicine? What can it do for future generations - or present generations?”

Knows Important Generations Constitution Medicine Destroyed Future Generation Nobody Knows Ecosystems

Author:Horst Rechelbacher

“Supreme Court nominees should know that this exercise of judicial restraint is the key ingredient of being good judge, as the Constitution constrains judges every bit as much as it constrains we legislators, executives and citizens in their actions.”

Knows Should Action Bits Judging Keys Citizens Exercise Constitution Court Be Good Supreme Executives Ingredients Restraint Supreme Court Judicial Legislators Constrain Good Judges

Author:Chuck Grassley

“The Constitution provides for one democratic moment, Judge, before a lifetime of judicial independence, when the people of the United States are entitled to know as much as we can about the person that we're about to entrust with safeguarding our future and the future of our kids.”

People Knows Persons States Moments Kids United United States Judging Constitution Independence Democratic Lifetime Our Future Entitled Judicial Safeguarding

Author:Joe Biden

“I'm a constitutionalist. You know, does faith matter to me? Sure. But the beauty of the Constitution, the beauty of the First Amendment, it protects everyone's faith.”

Knows Firsts Doe Matter Protect Constitution Amendments First Amendment

Author:Ted Cruz

“I know for a fact that Ted Cruz every day uses two checklists - to guide him through his personal and professional life - and that is the Bible and the U.S. Constitution.”

Knows Two Facts Use Constitution Guides Cruz Professional Life Checklists Personal And Professional Life

Author:Rick Perry

“If you've worked together with somebody very well, leave-taking is very difficult. But we are all politicians. We all know that democracy lives off change. So, in the United States of America, the Constitution has very clear stipulations on this. It's a tough rule. Eight years and that's it, out goes the president and a new one comes in.”

Ifs Knows Years Wells States Together America Difficult President United United States Democracy Clear Politician Tough Constitution Eight United States Of America Stipulations

Author:Angela Merkel

“The irony is that [Barack] Obama was a law professor at the University of Chicago. He would, most of all, know that what he is doing weakens the Constitution.”

Knows Law Constitution University Barack Irony Chicago Professors

Author:Nat Hentoff

“Now that is dangerous, when the people don't know what's happening to their Constitution.”

People Knows Dangerous Happenings Constitution

Author:Nat Hentoff

“What I know is it is a disservice to those who continue to serve to think that there's going to be a civil-military breakdown because those who serve, they know who they serve. They know what their loyalties are, that's why you take an oath to the Constitution and your loyalty lies in the chain of command and your buddies. That's always been there. We are a professional military.”

Thinking Knows Lying Military Constitution Loyalty Command Chains Buddy Oath Breakdown Disservice Chain Of Command

Author:Michael T. Flynn

“I don't know why you should isolate women in this regard. If you have a traditional leader who says 'I am the sole exclusive ruler, I am the autocrat', it will affect everybody in the area, whether they are men or women. The challenge that South Africa faces, and it is not a new challenge, a whole range of African countries have faced this challenge, is that where you have institutional traditional leadership, which in our country is protected by the Constitution, how does that institution function side by side with a democratic system?”

“It's not that unusual for presidents to take strong positions on cases decided by the court. But you know, Lesley, that's why the Constitution wisely gave us life tenure. They can talk about us, but they can't remove us.”

Knows Strong President Cases Position Decided Constitution Court Remove Unusual Tenure

Author:Alex Kozinski

“The Constitution is constant. There's not one elected official who has the power to change it. There is a way to amend the Constitution, and the Constitution spells out the procedures that must be taken to change it. Presidents cannot. Now, I know this is gonna shock many of you in the low-information community.”

Knows Way President Community Taken Information Lows Constitution Constant Officials Shock Spells Procedures Power To Change Elected Officials

Author:Rush Limbaugh

“So the majority of Americans are conservatives. They believe in things like the Constitution. I know that's weird to some people but they believe in it.”

People Knows Believe Constitution Majority

Author:Marco Rubio

“Popularity makes no law invulnerable to invalidation. Americans accept judicial supervision of their democracy - judicial review of popular but possibly unconstitutional statutes - because they know that if the Constitution is truly to constitute the nation, it must trump some majority preferences.”

Ifs Knows Law Nations Accepting Democracy Trump Constitution Majority Reviews Popularity Preference Judicial Statutes Supervision Unconstitutional Judicial Review

Author:George Will