“I saw in States' rights the only availing check upon the absolutism of the sovereign will, and secession filled me with hope, not as the destruction but as the redemption of Democracy.... Therefore I deemed that you were fighting the battles of our liberty, our progress, and our civilization, and I mourn for the stake which was lost at Richmond more deeply than I rejoice over that which was saved at Waterloo.” StatesFightingLostLibertyDemocracySawsRightsProgressCivilizationBattleDestructionFilledSavedChecksRedemptionStakesRejoiceSovereignMournConfederateAbsolutismSecessionWaterlooStates RightsRichmond Author:Lord Acton
“[In government] the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other-that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights.” MayGovernmentIndividualInterestRightsOfficeAimConstantChecksDividesSentinels Book:The Federalist Papers: The Making of the US Constitution Source: The Federalist Papers: The Making of the US Constitution
“How to check these unconstitutional invasions of rights by the Federal judiciary? Not by impeachment in the first instance, but by a strong protestation of both houses of Congress that such and such doctrines advanced by the Supreme Court are contrary to the Constitution; and if afterwards they relapse into the same heresies, impeach and set the whole adrift. For what was the government divided into three branches, but that each should watch over the others and oppose their usurpations?” IfsShouldFirstsWholeGovernmentThreeHouseStrongWatchesRightsConstitutionCourtCongressContrarySupremeChecksDoctrineInstanceBranchesDividedSupreme CourtInvasionHeresyJudiciaryUnconstitutionalImpeachmentRelapseAdriftUsurpation Author:Thomas Jefferson
“Too many Americans now believe that the checks they receive every month from the unemployment office - like the checks they get from the welfare office, from Medicare, from Social Security - are inalienable rights. They are not.” BelieveSocialRightsSecurityMonthsOfficeChecksWelfareUnemploymentSocial SecurityMedicareInalienable Rights Author:Ben Shapiro
“Human rights groups are locked in a fierce competition for big checks from wealthy donors and they need to generate big headlines.” NeedsHumansBigsRightsGroupsCompetitionHuman RightsChecksWealthyLockedFierceHeadlinesDonors Author:Paul Kagame
“She [Justice sandra Day O'Connor] wrote - and this is one we should all remember - she wrote that even war is not a blank check for the president when it comes to the rights of the nation's citizens. She held that even this president is not above the law.” ShouldWarRememberLawNationsPresidentJusticeRightsCitizensChecksBlankAbove The LawSandra Day O ConnorBlank Check Author:Patrick Leahy
“This is a time when the protections of Americans' liberties are directly at risk, as are the checks and balances that have served to constrain abuses of power for more than 200 years. The Supreme Court is relied upon by all of to us protect our fundamental rights.” YearsLibertyRightsRiskBalanceProtectAbuseFundamentalsCourtProtectionSupremeChecksSupreme CourtAbuse Of PowerConstrainFundamental Rights Author:Patrick Leahy
“Under the president's spying program, there are no checks and balances. There is no outside review of the legality of this brazen infringement on the civil rights and liberties of the American people. Undeterred by the public outcry, the president [George Bush] vows to continue spying on American citizens.” PeoplePresidentLibertyRightsBalanceCitizensProgramChecksCivil RightsReviewsVowAmerican CitizensBrazenLegalityInfringement Author:Samuel Alito