James Madison Quotes

How can we decide matters of public policy when we cannot understand them?

What is the first part of politics? Education. What is the second? Education. And the third? Education.

The typical citizen drops down to a lower level of mental performance as soon as he enters the political field. He argues and analyzes in a way which he would readily recognize as infantile within the sphere of his real interests. He becomes primitive again.

Human affairs require some combination of moral commitment with disciplined political action. And that is what keeps me intrigued and challenged and wanting to influence events.

Americans are good people, and at times we can be wise. But we're often under-informed by media, misinformed by our government and ill-served by both.

I think that citizens should be skeptical of government power. But I fear it's bled over to cynicism. It is something that is getting in the way of reasoned discussion, and I'm very concerned about how to change that trend of cynicism.

I think that literature has the important effect of creating free, independent, critical citizens who cannot be manipulated.

In democratic republics such as ours, citizens rely on public criticism of ideas and people to determine national policy.

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.

Politics isn't that difficult; it is about finding your conscience again. So, just do what is right.

In addition to the executive responsibility of handling and managing the government, the president has an important voice that sets the tone for much of our national discourse.

With politics, everyone - your neighbour, acquaintances, anyone you ever meet - has an opinion. Particularly about what Arvind Kejriwal should be doing.

I think we've lost the idea that politicians are part of the humanities. And we think of them as part of a natural science tradition, and we don't expect them to have the contact with literature, with history, with the richness of descriptive language that the humanities have always stood for. And I think that's a great loss.

I see myself as a former politician, and in that capacity, I say to other politicians, 'Hold back.'

I like debating policy.

Americans are calling for a return to common sense in how we solve problems and how the people communicate with their government.

Politicians have an arrogance that I just do not understand. I've seen more constructive debates in high school.

At the end of the day, politics is meant to do good to the society.

You know, I think it's something I want to teach my children, to ask questions and not be afraid to disagree with people in power. Always question, scrutinize everything they do, because they are leading the country, and it's important to me. That is patriotic.

To me, education is not a commodity. It is a public good, essential to any society with a claim to being civilised.

We have to be cultured in our criticism of a tall leader like our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

For all the talk about, and appeals to, Trump fans who wanted to watch the press corps bullied and bashed, most Americans don't want that. They never did. Most Americans want to know what is real and true so that they can make the best decisions for their families.

I'm passionate about politics.

I prefer social politics to politics.

Getting a lot more Americans interested in politics is not the same as getting a lot more Americans knowledgeable about the workings of democracy or government. It has brought the worldview associated with sports-talk radio to politics; you’ve got a team and you want that team to win, and the other team is always the worst, and the refs are always unfairly treating your side. Heaven forbid you concede that the other team played a better game.