“One of the most important virtues of the American character is our ability to approach the complexities that life presents us with common sense and decency, .. The considered judgment of the American people is not going to rise or fall on the fine distinctions of a legal argument but on straight talk and the truth. It is time for the president and the Congress to follow that common sense for the good of the country.” PeopleImportantCountryCharacterFallPresidentAbilityCommonVirtueFineJudgmentApproachArgumentCongressCommon SenseComplexityDistinctionDecencyAmerican Character Author:Dick Gephardt
“Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this should also present what they believe are public reasons for their argument. So their opinion is no longer just that of one particular party, but an opinion that all members of a society might reasonably agree to, not necessarily that they would agree to. What's important is that people give the kinds of reasons that can be understood and appraised apart from their particular comprehensive doctrines.” PeopleGivingShouldBelieveKindImportantReasonMightPoliticalReligiousPartyOpinionParticularMembersUnderstoodArgumentAgreeArguingDoctrineSecularComprehensiveWhat's ImportantPolitical Arguments Author:John Rawls
“Some conservatives have expressed outrage that the views of professors are at odds with the views of students, as if ideas were entitled to be represented in proportion to their popularity and students were entitled to professors who share their political or social values. One of the more important functions of college that it exposes young people to ideas and arguments they have not encountered at home is redefined as a problem.” PeopleIfsImportantIdeasProblemHomeYoungPoliticalValuesSocialViewsShareStudentsCollegeArgumentFunctionProportionProfessorsOddsPopularityEntitledOutrageSocial Values Author:Ellen Willis
“There are important arguments to be made about the relative merits of an hereditary or an elected head of state: but not at the level of the human frailties of particular monarchs or presidents. No one seriously contends that the American presidency should be abolished because Bill Clinton is a self-confessed adulterer. So why should the abolition of the British monarchy be contemplated because the same is true of Prince Charles?” ShouldHumansMadeImportantSelfStatesPresidentLevelsParticularArgumentBillsClintonBritishMeritRelativePresidencyMonarchyAbolitionMonarchsFrailtyBritish HistoryHereditaryHead Of StateHuman FrailtiesBritish Monarchy Book:History in Our Time Source: History in Our Time