James L. Buckley Quotes

I don't think that political history is full of a whole lot of tremendously honest people. I have never found any fault about that as far as Mr. Trump is concerned in my relationship with him.

The elected officials should be working for the voters who elected them. Money corrupts the process. Why would you be giving a candidate money unless you expect something in return?

Living in Washington, you can't take politics too seriously. I draw the line at honesty. I have no time for political hacks who say things they don't believe because they get paid to.

A prime minister must not promise things that can't be fulfilled.

I'm not going to reduce the choices of Canadians at the ballot box by backroom deals or secret arrangements. I think that's a cause for cynicism more than anything else.

Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.

I'm the only honest person in Washington.

It is hard for any one to be an honest politician who is not born and bred a Dissenter.

If a large city can, after intense intellectual efforts, choose for its mayor a man who merely will not steal from it, we consider it a triumph of the suffrage.

All the people you’ve killed—all the lies you’ve told have come back to haunt you. The best thing the Labour Party can do is to sack you.

Twenty five years in Washington has taught me never to tell a lie to a reporter.

[Defining an honest politician:] ... a bastard who will stay bought.

Certainly he [Richard M. Nixon] is not of the generation that regards honesty as the best policy.

Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall, when the wise are banished from the public councils, because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people in order to betray them.

I’d love to say that politicians who lie should be indicted, but lying except under oath is not a crime—it’s a moral crime however.

Surely we don’t want the President to lie, we don’t want our senators to lie, we don’t want our congressmen to lie. But sometimes they do.

Donations to political parties, candidates and elected officials should not be a means to gain personal or policy favours or buy access to politicians or civil servants…. Political parties, candidates and politicians should disclose assets, income and expenditure to an independent agency.

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

Governor [Myron] Herrick is not a bad man; he is simply weak. He is one of those men who can do dishonest things honestly.

You can't adopt politics as a profession and remain honest.

We need to ban outside income for elected officials. Transparency alone is not enough; it doesn't solve the problem of creating outside dependencies.

You show me a politician with his heels ten feet in the air, and by Judas priest, Ill show you an honest politician.

We need some honesty and sincerity instead of corrupt government in Washington.

I really felt Mitt Romney was a - not my candidate. I didn't exactly like his policies, but I thought he was an honest guy. I didn't think that he would engage in corruption. He wasn't involved in some of the things that the administration, I felt, was involved with.

People are drooling for the truth. They want honesty from politicians, and they're not getting it.