Cass Sunstein Quotes

Calculated risks of abuse are taken in order to preserve higher values.

Life is a right, not collateral or casual.

Efforts to approach zero risk through exhaustive pre-release testing are extremely expensive and time-consuming. New drugs are delayed in reaching those who need them, and marginal drugs may not be developed at all.

The costs of not doing these things dwarf the costs of doing them. The problem is that people don’t think about ‘Oh you saved my life’ and they don’t say thank you for that—and they don’t want to spend any money for the possibility of saving their life unless they are actually facing something. What government should be about is leading from the front and explaining … that people don’t want to spend any money, but … it costs more money to not do it... New York City’s average life expectancy is three years longer than any place else in America.

When a government faces an evil that might be avoided, the usual pattern is to first debate whether or not the evil is real or imagined; then determine how evil it really is; then is it an appropriate function of government to avoid it? Then what are the alternative ways to avoid it? Then what are the costs to avoid it? And finally, is the benefit of avoiding the evil worth the cost? In those cases where it is, it is by this time too late to avoid the evil and discussions shift to ameliorating the evil.

Reducing future risks requires paying some immediate costs.

If I get sued for keeping people safe and getting people in from the cold because they were endangering themselves, then so be it.

I want to be an independent and responsible voice for Arizonans, and it would be unwise to endorse a specific approach before the costs and benefits of these options can be evaluated.

You don't have to wait for a tragedy to occur to rush to help those in need.

Lawmakers must stand up for companies that choose public safety over profit margins.

We have ourselves begun to put our house in order by banning some experiments that may contain a risk for mankind. We would like to see society take a similar attitude, abandoning selfish practices that are dangerous for society itself.

Police have to have one of the most difficult jobs in society today. But at the same time, I think, a person in that position - their responsibility has to be high as well.

Obviously, we have to do a far better job on keeping our community safe, and that's where I'm going to put a significant amount of input.

The health and safety of our neighbors and our communities should be our top priority - nothing is more important.

People determine the laws. But I do wish they would pass laws that enhance health, not jeopardize it.

Having a police presence on public transport is vital to ensuring customers are safe.

The issue comes down to this: The NSA metadata-collection program costs lots of money, and had funds not been expended on it, they could have been used to support other programs that might have been far more effective in saving American lives.

Business has a responsibility and opportunity to be the driving force for the advancement of universal human rights.

My highest priority is the safety of all Oregonians and their communities.

My primary goal is to eradicate poverty; I believe it is immoral and a stain on our society. And so when I despair or get angry, I take the time to think about how I can best achieve that goal - and then I get to work.

As your Governor, I will not stand complicit to a policy that places the citizens of Alabama in harm's way.

I've always been passionate about human rights in general. I think anyone who knows me can attest to that.

Those of us who were lucky enough to be born in the right countries have a moral obligation to reduce poverty and ill health in the world.

If we are to assess the rationality of government expenditures to protect the lives of Americans through massive domestic surveillance, we need to compare this program to others aimed at saving American lives.

One of my most memorable moments serving the community was after I built the Live Civil Playground in Haiti, and I visited an orphanage and gave away shoes to all the kids. I also sat with them and helped them design their shoes. The smiles on their faces were priceless.