Laura Chinchilla Quotes

It is vain to expect a well-balanced government without a well-balanced society.

Good political leadership is good government. What we need is more good political leadership.

In a really equal democracy, every or any section would be represented, not disproportionately, but proportionately. ... Unless they are, there is not equal government, but a government of inequality and privilege: one part of the people rule over the rest: there is a part whose fair and equal share of influence in the representation is withheld from them, contrary to all just government, but, above all, contrary to the principle of democracy, which professes equality as its very root and foundation.

The people ask much, often more than any government can give. We must resist the temptation to promise solutions to all problems.

With proper governance, life will improve for all.

It's not the voting that's democracy; it's the counting.

The American people deserve truthfulness, not more political campaigning. The American people deserve a responsible government that seeks to address their needs, not more ideological dogma.

Most people in this country are very fair-minded; they understand we're in the middle of a very difficult journey of repairing, rescuing, restoring our British economy, and they want us, and they want particularly Liberal Democrats in government, to fight for the fairest possible way of doing that.

We need a government that is what we are at our best. Smart, efficient, pragmatic and compassionate.

The American people expect and deserve a government that works and leaders who work together.

I will work with anyone that wants to get America back on track and make sure that the government is the servant and no longer the master.

The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating.

Fear Allah and protect the rights of the Muhajireen and the Ansar. Take from the rich and give to the poor. Treat the non-Muslims well and always keep your word

History would bear witness that as an administration we have always striven, in all our policy decisions, to build the foundation of lasting democracy, not the temporary show of excitement and manipulation by an over-articulate section of the elite and its captive audience.

The Congress must regain the will to govern.

With any bureaucracy, an accountable bureaucracy, we need the press and we need critics to keep us on our toes…. we do wish the press to continue to report and continue to criticize because it is only in that way that the government can continue to improve and meet the aspirations of an increasingly affluent society.

I've fought very hard against populism throughout my political career. I'm very happy that Greece now has a moderate, results-oriented, non-populist government.

We believe in a government that is characterized by fairness and reasonableness, a reasonableness that goes beyond labels, that doesn't distort or promise to do things that we know we can't do.

We established however some, although not all its [self-government] important principles . The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves, in all cases to which they think themselves competent, (as in electing their functionaries executive and legislative, and deciding by a jury of themselves, in all judiciary cases in which any fact is involved,) or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

The center has had the challenge of always having to be reasonable, balanced. If you're on the right, you can reach to the right; and on the left, you can reach left. But the center hasn't always sold as well in politics - it doesn't fit neatly on a bumper sticker. But what we're seeing is that citizens in countries around the world are realizing that, no, it's more important to be responsible and optimistic and thoughtful about the solutions and not feed knee-jerk, negative emotions.

They should rule who are able to rule best.

In walking through the world there is a choice for a man to make. He can choose the fair and open path, the path which sound ethics, sound democracy, and the common law prescribe, or choose the secret way by which he can get the better of his fellow man.

Democracy is perhaps the most promiscuous word in the world of public affairs.

Taxes are the flip side of expenditures. The same issues apply on both sides. There are questions of fairness and justice as much in the way you take money away as in the way you disburse it.

If we resort for a criterion to the different principles on which different forms of government are established, we may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure for a limited period, or during good behavior.