Nancy Gibbs Quotes

Democracy is a daring concept - a hope that we'll be best governed if all of us participate in the act of government. It is meant to be a conversation, a place where the intelligence and local knowledge of the electorate sums together to arrive at actions that reflect the participation of the largest possible number of people.

Democracy means government by discussion, but it is only effective if you can stop people talking.

I trust the American people. They almost always get it right …

Democratic processes require time.

Democracy requires that those who bear the consequences of decisions have enough knowledge to hold the decision-makers accountable.

Democracy is much too important to be left to public opinion.

You can't keep a democracy going in a functional and constructive way if only 10 percent of the people you represent think your institution is functioning in an acceptable way. That's just not viable.

Only votes talk, everything else walks.

Let the people decide whom to vote for, who has more authority. And only people, only our citizens, are able to place the final emphasis, voting for this or that person or political force, or rejecting it. That's democracy.

It's a democracy and if I am outvoted, I have to accept the majority decisions.

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

By voting, we add our voice to the chorus that forms opinions and the basis for actions.

Power is action; the electoral principle is discussion. No political action is possible when discussion is permanently established.

I think the American people should express their preferences, and we'll accept their choice.

I came into American politics and into this political system proud of politics and the way we make decisions.

Anybody who asks for democracy to be introduced should respect the results of democracy.

As long as we're in a democracy, I have to give what I think the majority of people will enjoy.

Discussion is the bedrock of American democracy.

The freedom to persuade and suggest is the essence of the democratic process.

How many fools does it take to make up a public?

The great postulate of our democracy is confidence in the common sense of the people and in their maturity of judgment, even on great issues—once they know the facts.

If we could, somehow, get a vote of the people of Tennessee and have it result properly, it would be worth more to us than a battle gained. How long before we can get such a vote?

Roosevelt understood that democracy requires persuasion and consent

We are a democracy and I will go with the 51 percent wherever that leads us.

I’m not allergic to democracy. The only advice I have is let’s give it a different name and keep doing it.