Michelle Obama Quotes

Government is not a bottom line enterprise. You can get yourself elected ... but you can't fire the legislature if they won't do what you want.

Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.

The people who own the country ought to govern it.

To lead a country, you must periodically hold a national consultation in which people representing different programmes can make a bid for power.

It is the healthiest thing in a democracy when the people who are elected exert power.

Hoover was a patriot in his heart, but he definitely exceeded his power.

You must see the persons who are in charge - persons you can punish or vote for.

The public has to have a head, and if the President takes the heads away, the public will have his.

Are the governors such exceptionally gifted men as to enable them … to represent the masses and act in the interests of all men better than all men would be able to act for themselves?

The wisdom and discretion of Congress ... are the restraints on which the people must often rely solely, in all representative governments

The process of our democracy must not be imperiled by the denial of essential powers of free government.

... we, the people, elect leaders not to rule but to serve.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.

Somebody is going to be making the laws for this entire country. It could be you. Will it be you?

The Sudanese people decide who rules them.

Look, the people will elect the government they think best.

I think most people realize that our problems are our government, not me and you individually, except that we can - must have some sort of responsibility, because they're in there and they were elected, so we have to defend ourselves on those lines.

Democracy is when the people keep a government in check.

I've been reading this little book. It's called the Russian constitution. And it says that the only source of power in Russia is the people. So I don't want to hear those who say we're appealing to the authorities. Who's the power here?

I do strongly believe myself that members of the government who sit in the House of Lords should be accountable to the elected House because otherwise there is a democratic deficit, and that is wrong.

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

Voting is the foundational act that breathes life into the principle of the consent of the governed.

The civilized world needs to think about a decision when single politicians are not allowed to stay in power.

One person alone can't do anything as important as bringing genuine democracy to a country.

I'm beginning to think that you should only be allowed to serve two terms, before madness sets in.