Americanism is a question of principle, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace, or creed, or line of descent.
Theodore RooseveltRead
It is difficult to make our material condition better by the best law, but it is easy enough to ruin it by bad laws.
Interpretation
Good laws are essential for improving society, while bad laws can easily lead to harm.
The quote by Theodore Roosevelt emphasizes the importance of law in shaping society. While a well-crafted law may not immediately transform or improve the material conditions of people, poor legislation can quickly have detrimental effects, showcasing the delicate balance between governance and societal well-being. This highlights the need for careful legislative processes and the responsibility of lawmakers.
In practice
In a legal discussion about the importance of legislation, this quote can illustrate the impact of laws on society.
Americanism is a question of principle, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace, or creed, or line of descent.
It tires me to talk to rich men. You expect a man of millions, the head of a great industry, to be a man worthhearing; but as a rule they don't know anything outside their own business.
No man should receive a dollar unless that dollar has been fairly earned.
Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.
Conservation means development as much as it does protection._x000D_ _x000D_ A man's usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals insofar as he can.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
People constantly speak of 'the government' doing this or that, as they might speak of God doing it. But the government is really nothing but a group of men, and usually they are very inferior men. They may have some better man working for them, but they themselves are seldom worthy of any respect.
The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race and raise the prospect of a transfer of nuclear know-how to terrorists. Its president denies the Holocaust and threatens to wipe Israel off the map. The danger from Iran is grave, it is real.
American politics is a struggle, not of men but of forces. The men become every year more and more creatures of force, massed about central power houses.
Republicans don't like people to talk about depressions. You can hardly blame them for that. You remember the old saying: Don't talk about rope in the house where somebody has been hanged.
Elections exist for the sake of the House of Commons and not the House of Commons for the sake of elections.
It is from weakness that people reach for dictators and concentrated government power. Only the strong can be free. And only the productive can be strong.
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