Quotes About Government

If an artist of the caliber of Leonardo or Michelangelo was paid a hefty commission for a new private piece of art, that artwork had to be a constant delight and stimulus for the rest of the patron's life, and then usually go on to become a family heirloom. If an artwork was commissioned by the government, it had to serve as a permanent expression of that society's ethos and values.

This is a country for, of, and by the people not for, of, and by the government. If we turn it over to them we cannot complain about what they're doing because this is a natural course of men and we have to hold their feet to the fire.

Nobody is starving on the streets. We've always taken care of them. We take care of our own we always have. It is not the government's responsibility.

Health care is one-sixth of our economy. If the government can control that, they can control just about everything. We need to understand what is going on, because there are much more economic models that can be used to give us good health care than what we have now.

I want the government to provide the military so we don't get invaded by somebody and destroyed. I want the government to provide the roads so I can get from point A to B. In terms of taking care of my day to day needs, I want to do that myself. I want my community to do that.

People spending more of their own money on routine health care would make the system more competitive and transparent and restore the confidence between the patients and the doctors without government rationing.

Every time government attempts to handle our affairs, it costs more and the results are worse than if we had handled them ourselves.

If political authority is not limited, the division of powers, ordinarily the guarantee of freedom, becomes a danger and a scourge.

A government that spoke of military glory as an aim would betray ignorance of, or contempt for, the spirit of nations and the age. It would be an error by a thousand years. Even if it should initially succeed, it would be interesting to see who in the end would win this odd wager, our own century or the offending government.

Whenever is found what is called a paternal government, there is found state education. It has been discovered that the best way to ensure implicit obedience is to commence tyranny in the nursery

Governments do not govern, but merely control the machinery of government, being themselves controlled by the hidden hand.

No government can be long secure without formidable opposition.

The world is weary of statesmen whom democracy has degraded into politicians.

Wherever is found what is called a paternal government, there is found state education. It has been discovered that the best way to insure implicit obedience is to commence tyranny in the nursery.

England is governed not by logic but by parliament.

Power has only one duty--to secure the social welfare of the people.

Political institutions, founded on abstract rights and principles, are mere nullities.

The messenger from the Republics of the West now prostrated himself before the Statue. He informed it that two parties had, unfortunately, broken out in these countries, and threatened their speedy dissolution; that one party maintained that all human government originated in the wants of man; while the other party asserted that it originated in the desires of man. That these factions had become so violent and so universal that public business was altogether stopped

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.

They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security

Idleness and pride tax with a heavier hand than kings and parliaments

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

A republic, if you can keep it.

Idleness and pride tax with a heavier hand than kings and parliaments. If we can get rid of the former, we may easily bear the latter.