Jon Stewart Quotes

You can't ignore politics, no matter how much you'd like to.

Freedom isn't free. It shouldn't be a bragging point that 'Oh, I don't get involved in politics,' as if that makes someone cleaner. No, that makes you derelict of duty in a republic. Liars and panderers in government would have a much harder time of it if so many people didn't insist on their right to remain ignorant and blindly agreeable.

I had a lot of friends in high school who said, 'Louie, I don't care what the government does as long as they leave me alone.' Well, guess what, when you don't care what the government does, it does not leave you alone.

I feel a real responsibility to my community and so right now there has been this bizarre myth in our community how our vote doesn't count. I'm trying to get out there and re-educate on how the government works and break that myth and talk about the importance of being involved.

You have citizens who don't understand how government works and they're kind of soured on it. All they do is criticize. They have no idea that they can make things happen.

Scotland has been re-energized, and people all over the country have become involved in - and informed about - politics and government in a way that I have never known before. In short, we have put ourselves firmly in control of our country.

You can study government and politics in school, but the best way to really understand the process is to volunteer your time.

I think politics is important. It's how we run our society. I think it should be natural to have an interest in the subject, and I almost don't understand why some people don't.

I believe that engaging in the political process is part of being a good person.

We do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics is a man who minds his own business; we say that he has no business here at all.

In every country, politics is considered to be a waste of time.

If you sit back and simply allow your country to be, it is highly unlikely to be the kind of country you want. You have to be active.

I've spoken about politics a lot over the years and my main issue that I championed was just general engagement in politics.

We cannot comfort ourselves with the idea that young people will take a greater interest in our politics as they establish themselves in a job, in their communities or in their family life.

I grew up at a time where I think most people had a social and political conscience. Some of the biggest changes in our country's political history happened at the time I was growing up, so I was raised to be a part of those things and to participate and I will continue to do that as much as I can.

An Athenian citizen does not neglect his state because he takes care of his own household; even those of us who are engaged in business have a very fair idea of politics. We do not regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs as harmless. We do not say that such a man 'minds his own business'. Rather we say he has no business here at all.

The stakes ... are too high for government to be a spectator sport.

I think we all have a tendency to feel like, "Well, what can I do? I can't influence the government or politics in my country."

We're not going to fix government until we fix citizenship.

It's a national failing to think of politics as something that goes on in Parliament. It isn't; it's something that goes on inside us.

As I watch government at all levels daily eat away at our freedom, I keep thinking how prosperity and government largesse have combined to make most of us fat and lazy and indifferent to, or actually in favor of, the limits being placed on that freedom.

I think my most important advice is to understand what are the foundations of a healthy democracy and how we have to engage in citizenship continuously, not just when something upsets us; not just when there's an election or when an issue pops up for a few weeks. It's hard work.

Now people are really inspired to do a lot, and the fire got lit under our asses to be more politically aware and be more politically involved in our community and pay more attention to what's going on.

If Ivanka Trump called, I think good people need to serve.

Good citizenship and defending democracy means living up to the ideals and values that make this country great.