Home / Topics / Government Quotes

Government Quotes

Browse 15620 quotes about Government.

Government Quotes

“Our laws governing lobbying and campaign contributions have struck the right balance between the wishes of the people and those of private industry, so why are we so quick to doubt that the same great results can be achieved by putting the government's justice-dealing branch on the same market-based course?”

People Government Law Courses Wish Justice Results Doubt Industry Balance Campaigns Branches Contribution Governing Lobbying Great Results Campaign Contributions

Author:Thomas Frank

“Compelling a man by law to pay his money to elect candidates or advocate law or doctrines he is against differs only in degree, if at all, from compelling him by law to speak for a candidate, a party, or a cause he is against. The very reason for the First Amendment is to make the people of this country free to think, speak, write and worship as they wish, not as the Government commands.”

People Ifs Thinking Men Writing Firsts Country Reason Government Law Speak Wish Causes Party Pay Liberty Degrees Worship Doctrine Command Candidates Amendments Compelling First Amendment

Author:Hugo Black

“The very reason for the First Amendment is to make the people of this country free to think, speak, write and worship as they wish, not as the Government commands.”

People Thinking Writing Firsts Country Reason Government Speak Wish Liberty Worship Command Amendments First Amendment

Author:Hugo Black

“My government currently runs things only because the people 'allow' them to run things. It is my responsibility that I do everything I can to keep tabs on my government, keep them honest and make sure that they always act for the good of the people. They must be reminded that they hold no power over the people that the people do not wish for them to hold. If the government begins working in a way that the people don't agree with, they must be made to know that we will rip it to its very foundations and replace it with something that does.”

People Ifs Knows Way Doe Made I Can Government Running Politics Wish Responsibility Honest Agree Foundation Rip

Author:Derek R. Audette

“Every man wishes to pursue his occupation and to enjoy the fruits of his labours and the produce of his property in peace and safety, and with the least possible expense. When these things are accomplished, all the objects for which government ought to be established are answered.”

Men Government Wish Enjoy Objects Produce Ought Safety Property Fruit Every Man Pursue Accomplished Labour Expenses Occupation

Author:Thomas Jefferson

“It is easy to know when a government wishes for peace by observing the character of the person sent to negotiate for it.”

Knows Persons Character Government Wish Easy Negotiation Observing

Author:Napoleon Bonaparte

“I believe that the essence of government lies with unceasing concern for the welfare and dignity and decency and innate integrity of life for every individual. I dont like to say this and wish I didnt have to add these words to make it clear but I willregardless of color, creed, ancestry, sex or age.”

Believe Government Age Lying Individual I Believe Wish Sex Clear Color Integrity Concern Dignity Essence Add Welfare Creeds Innate Decency Ancestry Government Lies

Author:Lyndon B. Johnson

“Every person, whether in wartime or not, should keep a pistol and rifle in his house at all times. If a person is not going to protect himself, and wishes the government to do it for him, how can he complain when the government decides to protect itself against him, and executes him?”

Ifs Should Persons Government House Wish Protect Complaining All Time Rifles Pistols Wartime

Author:William Powell

“Government is violence, Christianity is meekness, non-resistance, love. And, therefore, government cannot be Christian, and a man who wishes to be a Christian must not serve government.”

Men Government Christian Wish Christianity Violence Resistance Meekness

Book:The Complete Works of Leo Tolstoy: Novels, Short Stories, Plays, Memoirs, Letters & Essays on Art, Religion and Politics: Anna Karenina, War and Peace, Resurrection, The Death of Ivan Ilych, A Confession, The Cossacks, Correspondences with Gandhi, The Kreutzer Sonata, Fables and Stories for Childrenand Many More

Source: The Complete Works of Leo Tolstoy: Novels, Short Stories, Plays, Memoirs, Letters & Essays on Art, Religion and Politics: Anna Karenina, War and Peace, Resurrection, The Death of Ivan Ilych, A Confession, The Cossacks, Correspondences with Gandhi, The Kreutzer Sonata, Fables and Stories for Childrenand Many More

“I am distinctly opposed to visibly arrogant and arbitrary extremes of government--but this is simply because I wish the safety of an artistic and intellectual civilisation to be secure, not because I have any sympathy with the coarse-grained herd who would menace the civilisation if not placated by sops.”

Ifs Government Wish Intellectual Safety Extremes Secure Artistic Arrogant Arbitrary Herds Civilisation Menace Coarse

Book:Against Religion: The Atheist Writings of H.P. Lovecraft

Source: Against Religion: The Atheist Writings of H.P. Lovecraft

“The people = government doctrine is equivalent to political infantilism -- an agreement to pretend that the citizen's wishes animate each restriction or exaction inflicted upon him.”

People Government Political Wish Citizens Doctrine Agreement Restriction

Book:Freedom in Chains: The Rise of the State and the Demise of the Citizen

Source: Freedom in Chains: The Rise of the State and the Demise of the Citizen

“Wooden-headedness, the source of self-deception, is a factor that plays a remarkably large role in government. It consists in assessing a situation in terms of preconceived fixed notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs. It is acting according to wish while not allowing oneself to be deflected by the facts.”

Source: The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam