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Democracy Quotes

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Democracy Quotes

“Look, America is no more a democracy than Russia is a Communist state. The governments of the U.S. and Russia are practically the same. There's only a difference of degree. We both have the same basic form of government: economic totalitarianism. In other words, the settlement to all questions, the solutions to all issues are determined not by what will make the people most healthy and happy in their bodies and their minds but by economics. Dollars or rubles.”

Source: Another Roadside Attraction

“Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it. It is a corrective to the sluggishness of "the proper channels," a way of breaking through passages blocked by tradition and prejudice. It is disruptive and troublesome, but it is a necessary disruption, a healthy troublesome.”

Way Law Democracy Healthy Essentials Tradition Prejudice Protest Passages Departure Disruption Troublesome Blocked Disruptive

Book:The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy

Source: The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy

“One of my beliefs very strongly is that any democracy depends on a free, healthy press.”

Belief Democracy Depends Healthy Presses Very Strong

Author:Steve Jobs

“Politicians that proclaim big words without meaning rule in democracy. At best they allow themselves to discover that it's better to be rich and healthy than sick and poor and that it is necessary to care for 'good of Poland" - clap clap, hurricane of clapping.”

Bigs Care Poor Democracy Rich Politician Healthy Sick Hurricanes Poland Clapping

Author:Janusz Korwin-Mikke

“I am still baffled by those who feel that criticizing America is unpatriotic, a view increasingly being adopted in the United States since 9/11 as an excuse to render suspect what has always been an American right. An active, brave, outspoken (and heard) citizenry is essential to a healthy democracy.”

Feels Stills States America United Views United States Democracy Heard Healthy Essentials Brave Excuse Active Suspects Criticize Adopted Citizenry Outspoken Baffled Unpatriotic Being Adopted

Book:My Life So Far

Source: My Life So Far

“One of the things we're going to have to discuss and debate is how are we striking this balance between the need to keep the American people safe and our concerns about privacy. Because there are some trade-offs involved. I welcome this debate, and I think it's healthy for our democracy.”

People Thinking Needs Democracy Balance Involved Healthy Safe Concern Trade Debate Welcome Privacy Nsa Trade Offs

Author:Barack Obama

“We all know that election reform takes time. That's because those who have benefited from the system are the ones who fight hardest to preserve it. So if we're going to succeed, we need an independent coalition of citizens who believe in reform, who believe that our election laws should treat every voter equally, who believe that low levels of competition and participation are not healthy for democracy. The Independence Party is helping to build that coalition and I am happy to join you in doing so.”

“The Founders understood that democracy was important, but if you didn't filter it through a republican system you'd be just as likely to end up with a tyranny of the majority as you would with a healthy society. Don't worry, I won't quote the Federalist Papers, but trust me, it's in there.”

“A functioning, robust democracy requires a healthy educated, participatory followership, and an educated, morally grounded leadership.”

Leadership Democracy Healthy Educated Grounded Robust Followership

Author:Chinua Achebe

“Even under the most perfect Social Democracy we should, without Communism, still be living like hogs, except that each hog would get his fair share of grub.... Whilst we are hogs, let us at least be well-fed, healthy, reciprocally useful hogs, instead of--well, instead of the sort we are at present.”

Should Wells Stills Social Perfect Democracy Share Healthy Fairs Socialism Communism Feds Hog Fair Share Social Democracy

Author:George Bernard Shaw

“Everything that we believe in and count on is really in question right now. Our safety net, public education, housing, health care, so many things that are fundamental to a healthy democracy, are under attack. So I think, in general we've got a lot of work to do.”

Thinking Believe Care Democracy Healthy Right Now Safety Fundamentals Health Care Housing Public Education Safety Net

Author:Ai-jen Poo

“But rather than trying to understand and rise above them, as leaders should, the [presedential] campaigns have often simply channeled these negative emotions. This has made the substance and tone of much of the discussion not only unpleasant and uninspiring, but the acrimony and divisiveness are not healthy for our democracy.”

Should Trying Made Emotion Leader Democracy Healthy Negative Campaigns Substance Discussion Tone Rise Above Negative Emotions Divisiveness Uninspiring Acrimony

Author:John I. Jenkins

“I think my most important advice is to understand what are the foundations of a healthy democracy and how we have to engage in citizenship continuously, not just when something upsets us; not just when there's an election or when an issue pops up for a few weeks. It's hard work.”

Thinking Important Hard Democracy Issues Week Advice Hard Work Healthy Election Foundation Pops Upset Citizenship

Author:Barack Obama

“Such a small percentage of our population carry the burden of knowing what's really going on in our country's name, and I think that unless that's out in the open and people are discussing it, then our healthy democracy is not so healthy.”

People Thinking Country Names Knowing Democracy Healthy Population Burden Our Country Percentages Discussing

Author:Lisa Ling