Charles Evans Hughes Quotes

The work of being a citizen is hard and annoying, but it can pay off.

My task as a citizen is to get the government to do more good and less inefficient and wasteful work.

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

Any participation, even in the smallest public function, is useful.

It is through states that the American people get the job done every day, often in spite of a deeply flawed bureaucratic federal government.

Since 9/11, there has been a huge leap in people wanting to get personally involved in public service and international affairs.

The cooperation of government at its different levels is important and can only be achieved as long as the people of Chicago are directly involved in our efforts and supportive of our goals.

Good government only happens when the people working in it do their jobs, and do them well.

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.

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

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.

As a citizen, you need to know how to be a part of it, how to express yourself - and not just by voting.

As a citizen of a community, if you never vote or engage, don't be surprised when the outcome doesn't serve your interests; you've never done anything to push things in the right direction.

The people want government that works for them at every level.

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

Whatever we do in government, teaches.

Administration is the essence of government, and its quality is a prime condition of civic comfort.

The policy of the public authorities of never taking an initiative, and always waiting to be urged to do their duty, is fatal in a ward where there is no initiative among the citizens.

The New Englander is attached to his township because it is strong and independent; he has an interest in it because he shares in its management; he loves it because he has no reason to complain of his lot; he invests his ambition and his future in it; in the restricted sphere within his scope, he learns to rule society; he gets to know those formalities without which freedom can advance only through revolutions, and becoming imbued with their spirit, develops a taste for order, understands the harmony of powers, and in the end accumulates clear, practical ideas about the nature of his duties and the extent of his rights.

To speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.

For me, getting young people engaged in politics and public service is really one of the most fun things that I get to do.

I have my own vision to lead the Seoul City, but whether or not I can display it totally depends on the citizens.

I think it's lovely when people are more involved in local politics.

One of my philosophies is that citizens are the mayor... so we have citizens play an integral role in making policies and implementing them.

You should absolutely get involved, especially those local politics like school board seats. That's really where America happens.