Molly Ivins Quotes

We’re blessed here in Florida with a group of politicians who for the most part are putzes.

I find politicians globally are somewhat disappointing, not just in Ireland.

What people in Washington worry about - they forget about the people. They forget the mission.

There ought to be one day - just one - when there is open season on senators.

We have come to expect campaigns to be mean and stupid and politicians to be unresponsive, self-seeking and for sale to the highest bidder. We make jokes about our vice president, and all we ask of a president is that he be likeable. We seem to have given up on the Pentagon's corrupt use of our tax dollars.

What is true is that if we do not change the culture of Washington, D.C., the United States of America will cease.

It has been the great fault of our politicians that they have all wanted to do something.

Too often government responds to the whispers of lobbyists before the cries of the people.

I ask you: turn a deaf ear to the special interests. Let politics stand down for a while. don't waste anytime thinking about future elections until we've done our jobs here.

It is in the public interest to know what our governors are up to. If they are up to doing good, then they are only too happy to let us know. When they are up to no good, they want that kept secret.

I know the activists I deal with, we sort of try and check each other to make sure that we haven't gone native, that you come to Washington thinking it's a cesspool, you don't want to end up thinking it's really a hot tub and getting used to it. So that's something one has to keep an eye on all the time.

What this country needs is more unemployed politicians.

And I am saying, how about the other two branches? And putting the pressure on our representatives in the Senate and the Congress, and the court system. They should be counter-acting this corruption, but they are sitting there silent.

The political class has failed you.

I never will ascribe to this government [Liberal Party] such wrongdoing as mere stupidity will explain.

As much as Americans like to talk about local control, so many state and local governments are still so corrupt and uninspired.

Politics is a profession as certainly as base ball.... The only difference is that base ball is on the square; no base ball hero claims he is working in the interest of the crowd in the bleachers.

To me the political game did not at all seem to answer the needs of the time.

When the [political] clubhouse gets control of the seat of government, invariably the private interest outweighs the public interest, and corruption sets in.

There is nothing more frightening to a political satirist than an honest administration.

We have three people in the State Legislature facing trial. Four of the last seven governors have gone to jail. And we’re a fiscal train wreck.

To have you turn your searchlight on Washington politics is better than anything our guardian angel could do for us—on earth at least.

The moment I decided to blow the whistle on a lot of the corruption going on in the White House, there are protections that are afforded to me.

I'm focused on bringing real change to Washington because the career politicians have screwed things up so badly.

People have completely lost confidence in our public officials in Jefferson City.