Denise Dresser Quotes

In Russia we are not fighting to win elections. We are fighting to have elections.

You can't keep a democracy going in a functional and constructive way if only 10 percent of the people you represent think your institution is functioning in an acceptable way. That's just not viable.

In a democracy, supposedly we hold power by what we do at the ballot box, so therefore the more we know about political power the better our choices should be and the better, in theory, our democracy should be.

Democratic elections by themselves do not assure that human rights will be enforced but they can put a country on the path to reform.

Free and fair elections does not mean democracy.

My government is committed to carrying out electoral reforms. It is our firm resolve to keep criminal elements away from power.

There is a severe shortage in our country of political parties where internal democracy is alive and kicking.

Mr. Obama's call to support genuine democracy has implications for the kinds of elections the international community promotes and endorses.

I regard the endorsement of both the objective and a method - which can differ from one country to another- of democratization by the parties in the region as a basic requisite of democratization in the Middle East.

However, democracy cannot be defined as the existence of parliaments and elections alone.

Therefore, the question is not whether such democratization is possible, but instead how to meet the yearning of the masses in the Middle East for democracy; in other words, how to achieve democratization in the Middle East.

Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what you think it is you want to hear.

Over the years, I've come to recognize that democratization in Ethiopia is not just a matter of choice. It's a matter of national survival. I am deeply convinced that we either democratize and have a good chance of surviving, or if we fail to do so, we disintegrate.

With regard to the ballot, it is worthy of remark that no meeting has been held in favour of Reform at which the ballot has not been strongly insisted upon.

People who don't vote have no line of credit with people who are elected and thus pose no threat to those who act against our interests.

The actual rulers in a parliamentary democracy are the class of professional politicians. In theory, they are supposed to represent the people, but in fact they rule over them.

Does any of you believe that we can solve our country's problems in five years? That is why we do not have this nonsense of elections.

Elections alone will never be enough to ensure good governance.

Our government rests in public opinion. Whoever can change public opinion can change the government practically just so much.

You wouldn’t need term limits if these [political] jobs don’t pay anything.

Citizens everywhere should be able to choose their leaders in climates free of fear.

You do not turn a country with no democratic tradition into a democracy by just having an election. You must also have democratic institutions like the rule of law.

The essential democracy of our Nation and the safety of our people depend not upon the absence of power, but upon lodging it with those whom the people can change or continue at stated intervals through an honest and free system of elections

For government to be chosen regularly in free elections, the losers must trust the winners not to abuse the power they have won.

We need a modern people's lobby that empowers all of us to choose our leaders and set our agenda. Imagine voting for a president we're truly excited about. Imagine a government that promotes capitalism and civil rights.