Steve Hilton Quotes

I think that less presidential interference the better.

The Congress is getting too powerful.

There are certain people within the new government who have a slightly disturbing tendency toward authoritarianism, but there are so many checks and balances that in that way their noises are just noises.

Today, the most important political instrument in the hands of the opposition is the presidential veto.

We are the only institution in our society that can question a president on a regular basis and make him accountable. Otherwise, he could be king.

In America the president reigns for four years, and journalism governs for ever and ever.

I would dare to dispute the integrity of the President on any occasion my country's welfare demanded it.... The President is neither an absolute monarch nor a descendant of a sun goddess.

For one branch of government to control each of the other two is not a good thing.

At present the direction of our affairs, foreign and domestic, has again come to be almost wholly in the hands of the Senate, because there are in the Senate a few courageous men who have dared to take control from the Executive.

There can only be one government, and the president has certain roles and duties, which are to hold the second key on money and on people but not to go and check the government or tell the government what it is supposed to do.

Our Founding Fathers created the Executive Branch to implement and enforce the laws written by Congress, and vested this power in the president.

The office of the president is the most powerful in the world. It is also, at times, the most powerless.

We, Norton I, do hereby decree that the offices of President, Vice President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives are, from and after this date, abolished.

In my day, the president ruled with authority before the law, but now all that is lost.

Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly has been disturbed over what he sees as the erosion of presidential powers since the Watergate scandal and has urged Bush to take a stronger stand against what Cheney sees as congressional intrusions into the executive branch.

Only that Swiss in the heart want still a king or at least a strong Upper House of Parliament. Swiss long themselves for less democracy and more dictatorship.

To hear some men talk of the government, you would suppose that Congress was the law of gravitation, and kept the planets in their places.

But let's be clear. We're talking about a country where there's no opposition. As leader he can ignore Parliament and - sorry that's Tony Blair isn't it? Um, so he doesn't even have to ask the country before he goes to war - sorry that's still Tony Blair.

You can't become a dictator through checks and balances.

I suppose this [Watergate] is an example of the dangers of letting down your guard against increased executive powers–no matter what the circumstances. Not that the danger was not real, but in this case the risk of the remedy was as great as the disease. There was a willingness to accept without challenge the Executive's claim to increased power. That's why we acted as we did, and it was a mistake.

The Turkish state has neither a crowned head nor a dictator.

If I could only be President and Congress too, for just 10 minutes.

Separation of powers means that the president cannot control Congress.

This administration seems intent on accumulating unchecked power.

The government is formed and the seat of power is safe.