John Bolton Quotes

when greed and fear are linked to power, you have a dangerous mix. We see that in political life. In part of the world, the mix of greed and fear means that those who get power become reluctant to give it back. One of the many things I like and admire in our democracies are the norms that make our leaders hand over power when voters tell them to

Once you've built the big machinery of political power, remember you won't always be the one to run it.

For better or worse, when I was director of public prosecutions I had to deal with every challenge that came up, and come up with an answer. Being in opposition, you're not taking the decisions; you're saying what you would do if you were in power, and that's deeply frustrating.

I think the policy makers like the idea of being the boss. I mean people who like to boss other people around like to go into politics so they can become the boss.

Authority is God ordained, but authoritarianism and raw power, in almost all forms, is dangerous.

As soon as politicians start climbing up the ladder, they suddenly become kings. I don't know how it works, but what I do know is that republics came to the world to make sure that no one is more than anyone else. The pomp of office is like something left over from a feudal past: "You need a palace, red carpet, a lot of people behind you saying, 'Yes, sir.' I think all of that is awful."

Why is everything always my decision?" I asked. Because you will not tolerate anything else." Oh, I remembered now. "Great", I whispered. - Anita to Jean-Claude

It's so much easier to throw rocks than it is to govern.

There are two kinds of power you have to fight. The first is the money, and that's just our system. The other is the people close around you, knowing when to accept their criticism, knowing when to say no.

Gotta watch out for directors.

I'm not the manager because I'm always right, but I'm always right because I'm the manager.

Bad leaders believe that they have to project control at all times.

We're taught Lord Acton's axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I believed that when I started these books, but I don't believe it's always true any more. Power doesn't always corrupt. Power can cleanse. What I believe is always true about power is that power always reveals.

It takes tremendous discipline to control the influence, the power you have over other people's lives.

When political and business leaders tell the public - any public - 'We don't trust you to make the right decision' - they prejudice that electorate against the very proposals they want it to accept and undermine public confidence in themselves.

If members of the security apparatus could, with impunity, keep from those elected by the people that which they're entitled to know - or worse, feed false information - those who could control the classified data could be the real decision makers.

Power has to be insecure to be responsive.

In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.

Every one, more or less, loves Power, yet those who most wish for it are seldom the fittest to be trusted with it.

The owner always has the final say. You have to decide who is going to be the best fit for the organization.

Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle.

At Athens, wise men propose, and fools dispose.

The President is going to benefit from me reporting directly to him when I arrive.

Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.

One of the sad truths about leadership is that, the higher up the ladder you travel, the less you know.