Bob Riley Quotes

You wouldn’t need term limits if these [political] jobs don’t pay anything.

I suspect that a lot of the frustration people feel about government would feel a lot better if we had corporate influence out of our politics and were running a democracy like the founding fathers intended.

I believe both parties are sending the wrong kind of people to Washington, D.C.

It starts with campaign finance reform.

The biggest issue that we have to contend with is campaign finance reform.

I think anyone who serves in public office should have a little bit of contempt for government in their heart.

I have gone from a proponent of campaign finance reform to a revolutionary during my time in public service.

There are too many politicians in the world and too few statesmen.

Our laws governing lobbying and campaign contributions have struck the right balance between the wishes of the people and those of private industry, so why are we so quick to doubt that the same great results can be achieved by putting the government's justice-dealing branch on the same market-based course?

Let's just do what is right for the American people. And those of us who are involved in politics and government know that our responsibility is to the American people, that we have a responsibility to find our common ground, to seek it and to find it.

There is this concept of politics as a dirty game. It's a difficult game, but it doesn't have to be dirty. I think this is what we need to bring to politics. I think politics around the world has very often been captured by big interests - 'lobbies' they call them in the States.

I don't want to run for governor, but I don't think anyone should put public service out of the question because that's not what a good citizen does.

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

If I weren't doing the politics, I wouldn't be doing my job.

If you chose to serve in Congress or on a congressional staff, you should be barred for life from working for any company, organization, or association which lobbies the federal government.

Public service used to be the highest of callings, until people like Madame Voldemort vilified it.

Government is not show business.

Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reason, and not just to mingle with the right people.

I don't think that Washington is a fundamentally bad or corrupt place.

Why the best men do not get into politics.

Public officers are the trustees of the people.

It has been my philosophy all my life that good government is good politics.

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.

Pubic business must be done. It will be done one way or another. If wise men refuse it, others will not. If honest men refuse it, others will not.

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