Quotes About Engagement

No good ever came from not talking.

It is not the function of government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.

The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible.

I participated on debating teams and in student government, and served as senior class president.

We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.

The true slogan of a true democracy is not 'Let the Government do it' but rather, 'let's do it ourselves'.... This is the spirit of a people dedicated to helping themselves and one another.

Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.

You're a sovereign as a citizen. If you're not involved in your government, you're not doing your job. In the long run that's very bad for the Republic.

I know that government doesn't have the all solutions that real solutions do not come from the top down. Instead, the ways to end poverty come from all of us. We are part of the solution.

Self-government can succeed only through an instructed electorate.

Any participation, even in the smallest public function, is useful.

When those who are governed do too little, those who govern can - and often will - do too much.

Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from...the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government, from their carelessness and negligence.

The concept of active cooperation has taken the place of opposition to the new form of government and of dreamy resignation entranced with the beauty of times past.

It is hard to feel individually responsible with respect to the invisible processes of a huge and distant government.

The value of government to the people it serves is in direct relationship to the interest citizens themselves display in the affairs of state.

Democracy cannot meaningfully function without an informed citizenry, and such a citizenry is impossible without broad public access to information about the operations of government.

My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on.

There is a need for more effective dialogue... between the government and the international community.

Government can contribute to a shared sense of purpose on the part of the citizenry; that's its highest and best application.

Part of my role, I suppose, is to run government business in the House of Representatives, and try to ensure that people know exactly what's going on in the Chamber is an important part of that.

If the private sectors are about markets and the public sectors are about governments, then the plural sector is about communities.

For decades, our differences with Iran meant that our governments almost never spoke to each other. Ultimately, that did not advance America's interests.

But as important as the job to be done by government in the neighborhoods, the people must also be involved.