“I would argue that in times of war, sealed lips sink entire democracies. If we don't have access to vital information, we lose everything.” IfsWarLosesDemocracyInformationLipsAccessArguing Author:Ted Gup
“Meiklejohn's position is that free speech in a democracy is not an absolute flowing from the boundless source of some presumed 'natural right.' It is a practical necessity of 'self-government by universal suffrage,' for if the citizens are not permitted to argue out the issues of government, how can they be what they must be in a democracy - the rulers as well as the ruled?” IfsWellsSelfGovernmentNaturalDemocracyIssuesAtheismPositionSourceCitizensSpeechUniversalAbsolutesArguingPracticalsRulersFree SpeechBoundlessSuffrageSelf-governmentUniversal Suffrage Author:Max Lerner
“Scholars have been arguing for a long time whether the Soviet Union could have been turned into some kind of social democracy. I doubt it myself. I think what Gorbachev didn't quite understand, until it was too late, is that his efforts at change unleashed new, certrifical forces he hadn't counted on. He opened the door a crack and a huge wind blew it open.” ThinkingKindLongHas BeensForceSocialEffortDemocracyDoubtDoorsWindHugeLateLong TimeUnionsArguingToo LateCracksSovietScholarSoviet UnionCould Have BeenUnleashedGorbachevSocial Democracy Author:David Hoffman
“Look at all of the great strengths of America: entrepreneurialship, work ethic, natural resources, a democracy, a transparency, a willingness to be critical. Around the world, they look at us, and they say, "Why are you criticizing yourself? Why are you people arguing during the political process to elect a president or somebody else?" That's the great strength of this country.” PeopleWorldLooksCountryAmericaPoliticalProcessPresidentNaturalDemocracyEthicsResourcesCriticalArguingAround The WorldWillingnessCriticizeWork EthicTransparencyNatural Resources Author:Michael Bloomberg
“We have an absolute right in a democracy to argue about a war.” WarDemocracyAbsolutesArguing Author:Norman Mailer
“In battle, combatants engaged in war against America get no due process and may lawfully be killed. But citizens not in a battlefield - however despicable - are guaranteed a trial by our Constitution. No one argues that Americans who commit treason shouldn't be punished. The maximum penalty for treason is death. But the Constitution specifies the process necessary to convict.” MayWarRealityAmericaFatherPoliticsProcessCommunityJusticeHistoryTechnologyDemocracyViolenceGenerationsPolicyCitizensBattleEqualEthicsConstitutionHuman RightsTerrorismDuesArguingTrialsCommitIdeologyEngagedFree SpeechPenaltiesMaximumEqual RightsDeath PenaltyBattlefieldsTreasonDespicableConvictsDue Process Author:Rand Paul
“There are those who argue that the concept of human rights is not applicable to all cultures. We in the National League for Democracy believe that human rights are of universal relevance. But even those who do not believe in human rights must certainly agree that the rule of law is most important. Without the rule of law there can be no peace.” BelieveHumansImportantLawCultureDemocracyRightsConceptsUniversalAgreeHuman RightsArguingLeagueRelevanceRule Of Law Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
“Creative accounting is an absolute curse to a civilization. One could argue that double-entry bookkeeping was one of history's great advances. Using accounting for fraud and folly is a disgrace. In a democracy, it often takes a scandal to trigger reform. Enron was the most obvious example of a business culture gone wrong in a long, long time.” LongCultureGoneCreativeDemocracyExampleCivilizationLong TimeAbsolutesObviousArguingReformCurseFollyFraudScandalTriggersDisgraceEntryAccountingEnronBookkeepingEnron Scandal Author:Charlie Munger
“The question is, how do you stop the power elite from doing as much damage to you as possible? That comes through movements. It's not our job to take power. You could argue that the most powerful political figure in April of 1968 was Martin Luther King. And we know Johnson was terrified of him. We have to accept that all of the true correctives to American democracy came through these movements that never achieved formal political power and yet frightened the political establishment enough to respond.” KnowsEnoughJobsPoliticalPowerfulAcceptingDemocracyFiguresMovementKingsArguingDamageMost PowerfulFrightenedEstablishmentElitesFormalTerrifiedLutherAprilJohnsonPolitical PowerAmerican Democracy Author:Chris Hedges