Brian J. White Quotes

The challenge has been, we make policy in the world of politics.

Politics is about explanations.

I did not love politics. As a matter of fact, I hated politics. I loved governing which is … a different thing.

Government is about priorities.

You have to spend your political capital on great causes for your country.

I think there's a lot to learn from Rockefeller on how to pass legislation.

The political status legislation which emerged in Congress in 1990 and 1991 did not receive the support needed for enactment into law during my tenure as Attorney General.

You do the policy, I'll do the politics.

Forget the consultants, the pundits and the pollsters; good policy is good politics.

Government is not an exact science.

Governments propose, and oppositions dispose.

Congress, rather than administrative agencies should fashion any policy that is not only of great economic importance but also one that has divided the faiths and loyalties of classes of people.

There is something wrong with the way in which we make our decisions. The Government listen too much to the pollsters and the party managers. The trouble is that they are not even very good at politics, and they are entering too much into policy decisions. As a result, there is too much short-termism, too much reacting to events, and not enough shaping of events. We give the impression of being in office but not in power. Far too many important decisions are made for 36 hours' publicity.

What I love to do is the policy. The politics, I'm brand-new at.

I do politics in order to do policy.

Politics is the science of urgencies.

Good ideas are the backbone of good government.

I think I can regard myself as a political decision-maker.

The choice between a Labour government and a Tory one is sharpening minds.

The art of politics is knowing what to do next.

I know how to take good ideas and turn them into sensible law at great odds.

Politics is a good thing!

I don't order laws, I propose them.

The essence of government is control, or the attempt to control.

When you look at our world, the truth is that we're all under the influence of politics.