Paul Ryan Quotes

Politics doesn't matter, policy does.

Writing laws is easy, but governing is difficult.

I think there's a lot to learn from Rockefeller on how to pass legislation.

I know how to take good ideas and turn them into sensible law at great odds.

I did not love politics. As a matter of fact, I hated politics. I loved governing which is … a different thing.

One of the notable aspects of the democratic process is that one need not know anything about a subject in order to pass laws about it.

Government and politics isn't like a reality TV show. It's not about voting the bad guys out of the house. You know, it's about what do we need to take our country or our state or our city forward? And people, frankly, would be well advised to really get back into understanding politics.

There's a very big difference between campaigning and governing.

The challenge has been, we make policy in the world of politics.

I'd like to think I'm a serious legislator and trying to get things done.

I enjoyed the administrative work because it involved working with Congress, city council, and the mayor. I had never been a politician so it was fun - learning political maneuvering.

I really don't have tremendous political ambition. I have policy ambition.

The political status legislation which emerged in Congress in 1990 and 1991 did not receive the support needed for enactment into law during my tenure as Attorney General.

You do the policy, I'll do the politics.

As I've learned in my time in the state legislature, important legislation is always a work in progress.

I believe all universities should at least offer courses in politics and policy implementation.

Speaker Newt Gingrich has appointed a task force, which I'm on, and over the next couple months the task force is going to try to come up with legislation that does what we're all trying to do. I feel pretty good about the members that are on the task force.

I learned some valuable lessons about the legislative process, the importance of bipartisan cooperation and the wisdom of taking small steps to get a big job done.

Public policy has been a passion of mine. For three decades, I've had some involvement in the political process.

Being a cabinet minister is not like running a company. A country is not a company.

When you are President you have to get something done, and that often means compromise.

Government is not an exact science.

Governing is about selecting.

Running a government as chief minister and managing affairs of the nation are different things.

President Obama makes fantastic stump speeches, but putting together an actual agenda is more complicated.