Michael Nutter Quotes

What I try to keep an eye on is I don't work for the party bosses in Washington. I work for 26 million Texans.

Too many people in government seem to think they are above regular folks, and I said I would expect humility in the way each member of my team served- that they would recognize that the taxpayer is boss.

There are two rules for mayors: Be there and do something.

The job of elected officials is to answer to the people who sent them to Washington - not to scorn them, not to demean them, not to mock them, and not to sell their jobs and dreams to the highest bidder.

I am committed to making Georgia a model for open and honest government.

I'm one who demands a lot from people. I'm not afraid to look at alternative ways in city government. That's what I've done in my two years and will continue to do in the next four.

Ever since I arrived in Washington in April 2009, I have been fighting for more transparency and accountability in government.

This idea that you can't be an honest man and a Washington politician is a myth, a crock made up by sellouts and careerist hacks who don't stand for anything and are impatient with people who do. It's possible to do this job with honor and dignity.

I am committed to working towards a more transparent, accountable, and ethical federal government worthy of the public's trust.

The single most exciting thing you encounter in government is competence, because it's so rare.

After all, I have spent the better part of my adult life insisting that government be open... that government be accessible... and that government be held accountable to people who voted us into office.

The citizens of America expect more. They deserve and they want more than a recital of problems.

Politicians have to be committed to people in equal measures.

I don't think we've asked the right questions, the tough questions, at the right time, in Washington.

People want a grounded government. They want a government that's going to be responsible to them.

When I'm governor... I'll be the first governor with a listed telephone number.

My message to Washington is very simple. Face reality. Be leaders. Demonstrate accountability. Engage in principle compromise. And understand your job is to find solutions.

Conscious of our many problems, I seek today to lay a foundation to our public policy. My fundamental purpose is to devote my term of office to raising the standard of public service in New Jersey.

The accountability of state legislators is so much more than federal legislators.

Government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees; and both the trust and trustees are created for the benefit of the public.

When we like our new rulers we call them public servants. When we are mad at them we call them bureaucrats; but it is the business of self-government to see that they remain servants of the public instead of becoming its masters.

The more responsibility you can move toward local government, the better of you're going to be … City governments do better than their State governments in terms of accountability.

One of the greatest things that we provide in our democracy is the approachability of public officials.

The Prime Minister of this country should be 100 percent efficient at all time.

As a politician, you can run from your problems or run toward your problems.