Clara Schumann Quotes

The toughest thing to do in politics is to do the right thing when your supporters think the right thing is something else.

I've always said there is a boulevard that exists between compromising your principles and getting everything you want. Now, we should never compromise our principles. And I never have. Those are the things that people vote for you on, that's the core of who you are. But there's always a boulevard between that and getting everything you want.

But on the big things, I'm not going to trim in order to win public opinion. Because I really don't want to serve in the Senate if I arrive there without permission to do the things I think need to be done.

I will not change my beliefs to win votes. I will offer a choice, not an echo.

I am not asking to be Governor of Illinois ... I have in my composition that which I have declared to the world as my views upon religion. My position I would not, under any circumstances, not even for my life, seem to renounce. I would rather refuse to be President of the United States than to do so. My religious belief is my own. It belongs to me, not to the State of Illinois. I would not smother one sentiment of my heart to be the Emperor of the round world.

I would not compromise my principles for politics. You're saying, will it become politically unpopular to have the position I'm having? If it does, so be it. I don't compromise my principles for politics.

Politics is compromise, by its very nature. But we never compromise on our values and beliefs.

I believe in the people of our state and making sure the voices of the people of our state are heard in Washington. And that frankly stands in contrast to some of what we've seen out of Sen. Tillis.

What I will stand up for is what I think is right and for the best interests of the citizens of the state of Iowa.

I totally understand everyone else's view. They are obviously different to mine and I respect that but what I don't want to do is compromise what I believe in.

I've been so willing to stay strong and stick to my guns for so long when it comes to my beliefs.

To those who accuse us of being populists, we respond that if this means listening to the people, then yes, we are!

I still want to hold on to my beliefs, and as long as I have that, I won't stray too far from politics.

You do what you believe in.

A lot of people like me who worked in Republican politics had a personal set of beliefs on issues that were at variance with the candidates that we worked for.

The perspective of people who truly believe that abortion is wrong. I understand that, I'm empathetic to that, I get it. But the place where I think we need to come to some kind of an understanding is that... you have your ability to have your own beliefs but the government doesn't play a role in that.

I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.

I'm realizing this more and more that it's one thing to get involved with your own political beliefs and stand behind you believe in personally.

I know who I am, I know what I believe, that's all I need to know. From there, you do what you need to do.

We manifest character when self-sacrifice for the sake of our principles becomes more important than compromise for the sake of popularity.

You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.

Stand up for what you believe. Follow your gut, which most of the time is your heart talking. This has been my hardest lesson. I have given this advice and not always followed it myself. The truth is, there is no other way.

Give me the benefit of your convictions, if you have any; but keep your doubts to yourself, for I have enough of my own.

The public, with its mob yearning to be instructed, edified and pulled by the nose, demands certainties; it must be told definitely and a bit raucously that this is true and that is false. But there are no certainties.

I decide on the basis of conscience. A genuine leader doesn't reflect consensus, he molds consensus.