Quotes About Policy

I want to make it clear that the lobbying sector does an important job. It is very useful to the government to hear the views of a broad range of groups to make sure we get the best.

It's hard for me to think about this, but I first went to Southeast Asia as a Marine more than 40 years ago, as a young Marine. I was on Okinawa and then in Vietnam. I've returned in many different hats, which I think has helped me to form my own views about policy out there. I've spent a good bit of time in this region as a journalist.

There's nothing wrong with any group of Americans using our democratic system in order to advance their policy views.

There is an apparatus set up to protect politicians, but those within that apparatus will have their own political views. I've got mates who are police officers and mates who are in the military, and they often have a very different view to the policy they're asked to carry out.

I chair cabinet, we have robust debates during cabinet meetings and we actually come to decisions as a consensus. It's very much people are very passionate about different views and everything, but that's what a cabinet should be like.

The relationship of Trump to Russia has been reported on, and the activity to change the Republican platform happened openly, and Trump's support for Russian policy - Russia's views of Europe and its views of NATO - have been stated. So it's not like this is secret.

The National Security Council assists the president by ensuring that he receives the best views and options from the various departments and agencies on any given issue. The ultimate policies are, as they should be, then decided upon by the president - not by the NSC staff or the national security adviser.

We have to be vigilant against protectionism and be constantly making the argument for free trade.

Despite the vigorous policy and legal debates surrounding same-sex marriage, there is little disagreement about this: If the United States Supreme Court holds that states must sanction same-sex marriage, then Florida's contrary laws must fall.

President Trump reversed the previous administration's disastrous policy of appeasing Cuba and has implemented a vigorous sanctions regime against Nicaragua. Our hope is that the people of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua will one day live in democracies like the rest of their neighbors.

Immigrants are illegal, since once they set foot on European soil, they have violated the law.

The state should say that there is place to maintain the Jewish majority even if it violates rights.

Out-of-control bureaucrats have put politics over common-sense policy with government mandates that force people to choose between earning a paycheck and violating their personal rights and beliefs.

I just always believe that we should not reward people with citizenship whose first act in this country was a violation of the law. And I continue to hold that view. But let me say, I think there is plenty of room here for compassion. And there's plenty of room here for crafting a solution that will deal with this issue in the long term.

Whether I'm reading a national publication or one of my local Chicago newspapers, I don't need to turn too many pages before I stumble upon another scandal. Not only do ethics violations deteriorate the public trust, but they also disrupt and undermine legitimate debate and policy.

Look, I support gay marriage from a policy/voting booth perspective. I also happen to think that gay marriage bans like Prop 8 are violations of the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection clause. And I suspect including gay marriage under the umbrella of 'marriage' will strengthen families.

You may gain temporary appeasement by a policy of concession to violence, but you do not gain lasting peace that way.

When you criminalize something, only criminals can deal with it. When criminals deal with it, there's no recourse to law, so there's only recourse to violence.

Gun violence in the U.S. is an epidemic.

Let's create a regime that makes sale of bullets to anybody not licensed to carry a gun illegal, makes resale illegal, micro-stamps bullets so they can be traced. No Second Amendment issues here. This would have a remarkable impact on both violence and the capacity to solve shooting crimes.

A vast majority of Republicans are on the record saying that they believe the Violence Against Women Act should be reauthorized. Let me be clear: I believe that Violence Against Women Act must be reauthorized.

Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.

During the Fox administration, Mexico turned into a more violent country than Colombia; Calderon's task is to recover lost ground and clean it up.

The Biden administration is not just letting a record number of illegal immigrants cross our border, they are bringing them here. They are prohibiting immigration authorities from deporting them, even ones with violent criminal records.