Quotes on Politics

The FDA calls certain substances "controlled." But there are no "controlled substances," there are only controlled citizens.

[It was] the poverty caused by the bad influence of the English bankers on the Parliament which has caused in the colonies hatred of the English and . . . the Revolutionary War.

Never in the history of the world has there been a situation so bad that the government can't make it worse.

Successful crime is dignified with the name of virtue; the good become the slaves of the wicked; might makes right; fear silences the power of the law.

A psychopath can tell what you're thinking but what they don't do is feel what you feel. These are people without a conscience.

Exploitation and manipulation produce boredom and triviality; they cripple man, and all factors that make man into a psychic cripple turn him also into a sadist or a destroyer.

'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.

Political institutions are a superstructure resting on an economic foundation.

When you've spent half your political life dealing with humdrum issues like the environment, it's exciting to have a real crisis on your hands.

One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies.

A war for a great principle ennobles a nation.

I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. It should be repealed and I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor. I will also oppose any proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying.

The fact that my 15 minutes of fame has extended a little longer than 15 minutes is somewhat surprising to me, and a matter of bewilderment for my wife.

In our brief national history we have shot four of our presidents, worried five of them to death, impeached one and hounded another out of office. And when all else fails, we hold an election and assassinate their character.

When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.

The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it.

In republican governments, men are all equal; equal they are also in despotic governments: in the former, because they are everything; in the latter, because they are nothing.

My fear was not of death itself, but a death without meaning.

Freedom is messy. In free societies, people will fall through the cracks - drink too much, eat too much, buy unaffordable homes, fail to make prudent provision for health care, and much else. But the price of being relieved of all those tiresome choices by a benign paternal government is far too high. Big Government is the small option: it's the guarantee of smaller freedom, smaller homes, smaller cars, smaller opportunities, smaller lives.

A Republic, if you can keep it.