“The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor.”
Government shapes daily life in ways most people never think about. These quotes cover democracy, policy, power, corruption, civic duty, and the endless debate over how much government is too much — or not enough.
“If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep.”
“The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor.”
“Our government... teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law it invites every man to become a law unto himself it invites anarchy.”
“A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.”
“The control of information is something the elite always does, particularly in a despotic form of government. Information, knowledge, is power. If you can control information, you can control people.”
“All too often, government's response to social breakdown has been a classic case of 'patching' - a case of handing money out, containing problems and limiting the damage but, in doing so, supporting - even reinforcing - dysfunctional behaviour.”
“I believe in the America people's ability to govern themselves. If government would just get out of the way and allow them to lead their lives as they choose, they will succeed.”
“It would be foolish to suggest that government is a good custodian of aesthetic goals. But, there is no alternative to the state.”
“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.”
“All of us should have free choice when it comes to patriotic displays... a government wisely acting within its bounds will earn loyalty and respect from its citizens. A government dare not demand the same.”
“I'm not really conservative. I'm conservative on certain things. I believe in less government. I believe in fiscal responsibility and all those things that maybe Republicans used to believe in but don't any more.”
“All's the government should do is keep the taxes and regulations at a manageable rate, keep a decent standing army and get out of the way.”
“People should be free, people should be unencumbered by regulation as much as possible, that big government always goes corrupt and the truth shall always set you free.”
“Potentially, a government is the most dangerous threat to man's rights: it holds a legal monopoly on the use of physical force against legally disarmed victims.”
“Democracy is a form of government that substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.”
“One of my goals upon becoming Secretary of State was to take diplomacy out of capitals, out of government offices, into the media, into the streets of countries.”