Quotes About Government

Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

Friends and neighbors complain that taxes are indeed very heavy, and if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might the more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly.

A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for dinner. Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. (Misattributed)

Nothing is certain except death and taxes.

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

I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such: because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no Form of Government but what may be a Blessing to the People if well-administred; and I believe farther that this is likely to be well administred for a Course of Years and can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it, when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.

They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. —written for the Pennsylvania Assembly in its Reply to the Governor , 11 November 1755

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations get corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

A Republic Madam...if you can keep it.

I am apprehensive, therefore - perhaps too apprehensive - that the Government of these States may in futures times end in a monarchy. But this catastrophe, I think, may be long delayed, if in our proposed system we do not sow the seeds of contention, faction, and tumult, by making our posts of honor places of profit.

In free governments the rulers are the servants.

The constitution] can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.

There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government.

The Israeli government has proved over the past year its commitment to peace, both in words and deeds. By contrast, the Palestinians are posing preconditions for renewing the diplomatic process in a way they have not done over the course of 16 years.

He was the quintessential practitioner of Jabotinsky's formula: Influence governments through public opinion, influence public opinion by appealing to justice, influence leaders by appealing to interests.

It has ever been the tendency of power to add to itself, to enlarge its sphere, to encroach beyond the limits set for it; and where the habit of resisting such encroachment is not fostered, and the individual is not taught to be jealous of his rights, individuality gradually disappears and the government or State becomes the all-in-all.

If the individual has the right to govern himself, all external government is tyranny.

Unless we put medical freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize itself into an undercover dictatorship.

diminution of US government capacity that it is difficult to even know where to begin. Admitting the limits of American power, particularly the "hard power" of the US military and intelligence community, is also not a popular pastime. A politician would need to be unusually brave to publicly focus on the day after an act of nuclear terrorism instead of the days before. Accepting nuclear terrorism is an unacceptable position, his opponents would surely retort.

Civil marriage, like all civil rights provided by the government, must be provided equally to all Americans.

Aggression is simply another name for government.

Truman knew, Republicans would duck responsibility and attack the White House for partisan gain.

I think that having 24 people around the Cabinet table whose future depends upon maintaining the good will of one man is fundamentally undemocratic and it would be far better if Cabinet ministers were accountable to the Parliamentary Labour Party.

What we lack in Government is entrepreneurial ability.