Best Ordinary Citizens Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“The America I know is great - not because government made it great but because ordinary citizens like me, like my father and like you are given the opportunity every day to do extraordinary things.”

Knows Made Government America Father Opportunity Given Like You Citizens Ordinary Extraordinary Like Me Made It Extraordinary Things Ordinary Things Ordinary Citizens

Author:Mia Love

“If we want to keep farmers in business, it's time for all of us, ordinary citizens and policy makers alike, to begin learning how that might be done. Sharing the Harvest is a great place to start.”

Ifs Want Done Might Policy Citizens Ordinary Makers Farmers Harvest Policy Makers Ordinary Citizens

Author:Joan Dye Gussow

“What is called “apathy” is, I believe, a feeling of helplessness on the part of the ordinary citizen, a feeling of impotence in the face of enormous power. It’s not that people are apathetic; they do care about what is going on, but don’t know what to do about it, so they do nothing, and appear to be indifferent.”

People Knows Believe Feelings Care Faces I Believe Citizens Ordinary Enormous Apathy Indifferent Helplessness Impotence Apathetic Ordinary Citizens

Author:Howard Zinn

“From the time of the Revolutionary War, when citizens stood forward to defend their liberties against the depredations of tyranny. All the way through Civil War, through the great World Wars, this nation has been defended by the tradition of common ordinary folks who come from behind the plow, come from the store-clerking, come from the classrooms, and so forth to get on the battlefields - ordinary citizens turned into heroes in defense of their liberty, because that's the potential of freedom.”

“In a democracy, every ordinary citizen is effectively a king--but a king in a constitutional democracy, a monarch who decides only formally, whose function is merely to sign off on measures proposed by an executive administration. This is why the problem with democratic rituals is homologous to the great problem of constitutional monarchy: how to protect the dignity of the king? How to maintain the appearance that the king effectively makes decisions, when we all know this not to be true?”

Source: First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

“The importance of the ordinary citizen is very greatly underestimated - not so much by those in authority as by the ordinary citizen himself.”

Democracy Citizens Authority Ordinary Importance Underestimated Ordinary Citizens

Book:A pocketful of pebbles

Source: A pocketful of pebbles

“It's clear the CIA was trying to play 'keep away' with documents relevant to an investigation by their overseers in Congress, and that's a serious constitutional concern. But it's equally if not more concerning that we're seeing another 'Merkel Effect,' where an elected official does not care at all that the rights of millions of ordinary citizens are violated by our spies, but suddenly it's a scandal when a politician finds out the same thing happens to them.”

“Our efforts will only be effective if ordinary citizens in other countries have confidence that the United States respects their privacy too. And the leaders of our close friends and allies deserve to know that if I want to learn what they think about an issue, I will pick up the phone and call them, rather than turning to surveillance.”

“Our intelligence agencies will continue to gather information about the intentions of governments - as opposed to ordinary citizens - around the world, in the same way that the intelligence services of every other nation does. We will not apologize simply because our services may be more effective.”

World Way May Doe Government Nations Information Citizens Ordinary Intention Around The World Agency Apologizing Nsa Intelligence Agencies Ordinary Citizens Intelligence Services

Author:Barack Obama

“I certainly think its very important that writers as citizens - not necessarily as writers, but just as ordinary citizens - should talk about things that matter to them.”

Thinking Should Important Matter Citizens Ordinary Things That Matter Ordinary Citizens

Author:Vikram Seth

“We live today in a world where most of the really important developments in everything from math and physics and astronomy to public policy and psychology and classical music are so extremely abstract and technically complex and context-dependent that it's next to impossible for the ordinary citizen to feel that they (the developments) have much relevance to her actual life.”

“Is this not true--That in proportion to the value of their estates the extremely wealthy pay far less taxes than those of moderatemeans? Compare the amount paid by millionaires with the amount paid by ordinary citizens. I believe that in proportion to their estates they pay less than half as much as ordinary citizens, whereas they ought to pay more.”

Believe Values I Believe Pay Half Ought Amount Citizens Taxes Ordinary Paid Compare Proportion Wealthy Estates Millionaire Ordinary Citizens

Author:Rutherford B. Hayes

“The right of ordinary citizens to possess weapons is the most extraordinary, most controversial, and least understood of those liberties secured by Englishmen and bequeathed to their American colonists. It lies at the very heart of the relationship between the individual and his fellows, and between the individual and his government.”

Heart Government Lying Individual Liberty Citizens Weapons Ordinary Understood Fellows Extraordinary Englishmen Controversial Second Amendment Secured Ordinary Citizens Colonists

Book:To Keep and Bear Arms: The Origins of an Anglo-American Right

Source: To Keep and Bear Arms: The Origins of an Anglo-American Right

“The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.”

Different Can Do Citizens Ordinary Crisis Climate Average Different Things Ordinary Citizens

Author:Lawrence Bender

“What people don't understand is this is something that we only have in America. There is no other country in the world where the ordinary citizen can go out and enjoy hunting and fishing. There's no other nation in the world where that happens. And it's very much a part of our heritage.”

People World Country Happens America Nations Enjoy Citizens Ordinary Fishing Heritage Hunting Other Countries Ordinary Citizens Hunting And Fishing

Author:Norman Schwarzkopf

“Ordinary citizens are so accepting of what is going on, grumbling when their material interests were affected, but seemingly accepting the spiritual poverty so characteristic of today.”

Today Spiritual Interest Accepting Poverty Materials Citizens Ordinary Characteristics Affected Ordinary Citizens Grumbling

Author:Charles Handy

“The rule of law does not guarantee freedom, since general law as well as personal edicts can be tyrannical. But increasing reliance on the rule of law clearly played a major role in transforming Western society from a world in which the ordinary citizen was literally subject to the arbitrary will of his master to a world in which the ordinary citizen could regard himself as his own master”

Source: There's no such thing as a free lunch

“Our great progressive struggles have been waged to make sure ordinary citizens, and not just the rich and privileged, share in the benefits of a free society.”

Has Beens Struggle Rich Share Citizens Benefits Ordinary Progressive Privileged Free Society Ordinary Citizens

Author:Bill Moyers

“Big money buys access in Washington, and access purchases influence. It is as simple as that. And they have basically given a green light, a further green light, after Citizens United, to the biggest money to have the bigger voice in our politics, and to sound out and drown out the voice of just ordinary citizens.”

Bigs Light Given Sound Voice Simple United Influence Citizens Ordinary Bigger Green Access Ordinary Citizens Green Lights Citizens United

Author:Mark Shields

“Although I was born to famous parents, I know and feel the problems of ordinary citizens.”

Knows Feels Problem Parent Born Citizens Ordinary Ordinary Citizens

Author:Benigno Aquino III

“As always with any discussion of elite immunity, it's crucial to note that what makes this development such a particularly warped travesty is that the very same elites who enjoy this immunity have created the world's largest, and the Western world's most oppressive and merciless, penal state for ordinary citizens.”

World States Enjoy Development Citizens Ordinary Notes Western Discussion Crucial Elites Western World Immunity Ordinary Citizens Travesty

Author:Glenn Greenwald

“The income tax has spawned an intrusive bureaucracy, creating so much complexity and red tape that millions of ordinary citizens have to go get some accountant to fill out the forms for them - and then sign under penalty of perjury that it was done right. If you knew how to do it right, you wouldn't have to go to somebody else to have it done, would you?”

Ifs Done Form Millions Citizens Taxes Creating Ordinary Red Income Complexity Tape Penalties Bureaucracy Income Tax Accountants Red Tape Perjury Ordinary Citizens

Author:Thomas Sowell

“A criminal has a kind of freedom by definition that the ordinary citizen doesn't have. The criminal's able to realize himself in ways not available to the general population, if you want to put it that way. They're interesting and unpredictable. Characters always have to break some sort of bound or other to be interesting. It also helps if they're paradoxical.”

Ifs Way Want Kind Character Helping Able Realizing Interesting Break Citizens Ordinary Bounds Population Definitions Available Criminals Unpredictable Paradoxical Ordinary Citizens

Author:William Monahan

“There is nothing beyond the reach of ordinary citizens doing the daily work of democracy, and no problem too great to tackle with the power of active citizenship.”

Problem Democracy Citizens Ordinary Active Citizenship No Problem Daily Work Ordinary Citizens Active Citizenship

Author:Joan Claybrook

“The communications revolution has given millions of people both a wider and more detailed understanding of the world. Because of technology, ordinary citizens enjoy access to information that formerly was available only to elites and nation-states. One consequence of this change is that citizens have become acutely conscious of environmental destruction, entrenched poverty, health catastrophes, human rights abuses, failing education systems, and escalating violence. Another consequence is that people possess powerful communication tools to coordinate efforts to attack those problems.”

“When greedy people are given gold, they are bitter that they haven't gotten jewels; when they are made barons they are resentful that they haven't been made lords. Though powerful and rich, their attitude is that of beggars. For those who know how to be content, simple fare is more delicious than rich delicacies, a cloth coat is warmer than fox fur, and an ordinary citizen does not defer to a king or a lord.”

“I consider it my patriotic duty as an ordinary citizen - not as Secretary of State - to ask questions. I think we have to ask ourselves the tough questions.”

Thinking States Asks Duty Citizens Ordinary Tough Patriotic Secretary Ordinary Citizens Tough Questions

Author:Madeleine Albright

“There are these two strands, the Dionysian and the Appollonian, and in the same theater grew up from these folks who during the day were just ordinary citizens, and at night they would sneak off to the woods and party.”

Two Night Party Grew Citizens Grew Up Ordinary Theater Folks Woods Sneak Strands Ordinary Citizens

Author:Howard Rheingold

“My central focus is creating employment for the ordinary citizen.”

Focus Citizens Creating Ordinary Employment Ordinary Citizens

Author:Narendra Modi

“Drafts of domestic legislation must be published, debated and publicly voted on, which gives ample opportunities to civil society organizations and ordinary citizens to at least understand what's being proposed and to voice and to organize opposition before the decision is made.”

Giving Made Opportunity Voice Decision Citizens Ordinary Organization Opposition Organize Legislation Civil Society Ordinary Citizens

Author:Thomas Pogge

“Often vastly more important, international agreements are not routinely published in draft form or publicly debated, and civil society organizations and ordinary citizens often learn of important global institutional design decisions only after they have already been finalized and adopted. The only reliable way to be kept informed and to exert timely influence is by lobbying and paying the politicians and their negotiators.”

Way Important Form Decision Influence Design Citizens Politician Ordinary Organization International Agreement Adopted Civil Society Timely Lobbying Ordinary Citizens

Author:Thomas Pogge

“The role of social media is critical because it helps to spread cognitive dissonance by connecting thought leaders and activists to ordinary citizens rapidly expanding the network of people who become willing to take action.”

“My dreams were always small and puny. All I ever needed was a little house with a little picket fence by the sea. Little did I know that I would live in Malacanang Palace for 20 years and visit all the major palaces of mankind. And then also meet ordinary citizens and the leaders of superpowers.”

Knows Years Littles Dream House Leader Sea Mankind Needed Citizens Majors Ordinary Fence Palaces Superpower Ordinary Citizens Picket Fences

Author:Imelda Marcos

“The president felt that it was important to send an ordinary citizen to experience the excitement of space travel as a representative for all Americans.”

Important House Felt President Space Citizens Travel Ordinary Excitement Representatives Funny Travel Space Travel Ordinary Citizens

Author:Christa McAuliffe

“I was brought up in a very ordinary family, in fact, a worker's family. Both my father and mother were ordinary citizens.”

Facts Mother Father Citizens Ordinary Workers Ordinary Citizens

Author:Vladimir Putin

“An artist may have burdens the ordinary citizen doesn't know, but the ordinary citizen has burdens that many artists never even touch.”

Knows May Artist House Citizens Ordinary Burden Ordinary Citizens

Author:Patti Smith

“King's response to our crisis can be put in one word: revolution. A revolution in our priorities, a reevaluation of our values, a reinvigoration of our public life and a fundamental transformation of our way of thinking and living that promotes a transfer of power from oligarchs and plutocrats to everyday people and ordinary citizens.”

“Democracy is not just voting for your leaders; it's really premised upon ordinary citizens understanding the issues.”

Understanding Leader Democracy Issues Citizens Ordinary Voting Ordinary Citizens

Author:Howard Rheingold

“Revealingly, the central function of the Constitution as law--the supreme law--was to impose limitations not on the behavior of ordinary citizens but on the federal government. The government, and those who ran it, were not placed outside the law, but expressly targeted by it. Indeed, the Bill of Rights is little more than a description of the lines that the most powerful political officials are barred from crossing, even if they have the power to do so and even when the majority of citizens might wish them to do so.”

“It is in a way a mystery that, instead of demanding that their governments give primary attention to their own needs and aspirations, most of the citizens of big counties-those, that is, that have the status of being "powers" in the world-far from being self-centered or materialistic as they are commonly credited with being, the ordinary citizen and his elected representative all too often turn out to be romantics, ready and eager to sacrifice programs of health, education and welfare for the power and pride of the nation.”

“[T]he strike is inherently dangerous to the rich, and to the corporations who have brought this country to her knees, because it is the only defense the ordinary citizen has.”

Country Struggle Rich Dangerous Citizens Ordinary Defense Strikes Corporations Knees Ordinary Citizens

Author:Keith Olbermann

“It will not be enough to rely on experts. Ordinary citizens must become experts too. It will take public opinion on a wide scale to ensure that world leaders act.”

World Enough Leader Opinion Communication Citizens Ordinary Wide Scales Experts Rely Public Opinion World Leader Ordinary Citizens

Author:Mikhail Gorbachev

“The ruling class doesn't care about public safety. Having made it very difficult for States and localities to police themselves, having left ordinary citizens with no choice but to protect themselves as best they can, they now try to take our guns away. In fact they blame us and our guns for crime. This is so wrong that it cannot be an honest mistake.”

“As for cages themselves, an ordinary citizen who kept dogs in similar conditions for their entire lives would risk prosecution for cruelty. A pig producer who keeps an animal of comparable intelligence in this manner, however, is more likely to be rewarded with a tax concession or, in some countries, a direct government subsidy.”

Source: Animal liberation: a new ethics for our treatment of animals

“If I have any regrets, I could say that I'm sorry I wasn't a better writer or a better singer...When I was younger, I felt it was my duty to wake people up. I thought poetry was asleep. I thought rock 'n' roll was asleep...An artist may have burdens the ordinary citizen doesn't know, but the ordinary citizen has burdens that many artists never even touch.”

People Ifs Knows May Artist Felt Rocks Regret Duty Citizens Ordinary Sorry Burden Singers Songwriting Rock N Roll I'm Sorry Ordinary Citizens

Author:Patti Smith

“In a word, removing control farther away from the ordinary citizen and taxpayer is tantamount to giving the intelligent, far-sighted and public spirited elements in society a longer lever to work with.”

Giving Democracy Citizens Elements Ordinary Intelligent Taxpayers Spirited Levers Ordinary Citizens

Author:Edward Alsworth Ross

“I am afraid the ordinary citizen will not like to be told that the banks can, and do, create money...And they who control the credit of the nation direct the policy of Governments and hold in the hollow of their hands the destiny of the people.”

People Hands Government Nations Destiny Policy Citizens Ordinary Direct Jew Credit Hollow Bankers Monetary System Bankers And Banks Ordinary Citizens Banks And Money

Author:Reginald McKenna

“The American elite is almost beyond redemption. . . . Moral relativism has set in so deeply that the gilded classes have become incapable of discerning right from wrong. Everything can be explained away, especially by journalists. Life is one great moral mush--sophistry washed down with Chardonnay. The ordinary citizens, thank goodness, still adhere to absolutes.... It is they who have saved the republic from creeping degradation while their 'betters' were derelict.”

“Architects today tend to depreciate themselves, to regard themselves as no more than just ordinary citizens without the power to reform the future.”

Today Design Citizens Ordinary Regard Architecture Reform Architect Reformation Ordinary Citizens Depreciate

Author:Kenzo Tange

“There is a denial of the value of the individual. Christianity affirms the value of each individual soul. Nazism denies it. The individual is sacrificed to the idol of the German Leader, German State or the German race. The ordinary citizen is allowed to hear and think only as the rulers decree.”

Thinking Soul States Values Individual Race Leader Christianity Citizens Ordinary Deny Denial Idols Rulers Nazism Decree Ordinary Citizens

Book:War comes to Britain: speeches of the Rt. Hon. C. R. Atlee, M.P.

Source: War comes to Britain: speeches of the Rt. Hon. C. R. Atlee, M.P.

Ordinary Citizens Quotes

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Ordinary Citizens Quotes