George Orwell Quotes

Taking power is fine. But what do you do when you are in power?

Luckily, I'm a governor - so I get to tell you what I've already done not just what I'm going to do.

Certainly I shall not be one of those who, having gained power, do not wish to use it.

Every decision that affects our lives will be made by the person who has the power to make that decision, not the 'right' person or the 'smartest' person or the 'best' person. Make peace with this fact.

Advisers advise, and ministers decide.

It's so much easier to throw rocks than it is to govern.

To govern is to choose. To appear to be unable to choose is to appear to be unable to govern.

In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.

At Athens, wise men propose, and fools dispose.

You know, one of the things I think you understand as president is you're held responsible for everything, but you don't always have control of everything, right?

One of the sad truths about leadership is that, the higher up the ladder you travel, the less you know.

The person who manages the state is me.

I don't feel qualified to be President either, but I've got the job.

Leadership means that the person in charge gets second guessed by every little twit with a mouth.

In my position as prime minister, I bear the highest responsibility for decisions.

Leadership is important in politics.

Why is everything always my decision?" I asked. Because you will not tolerate anything else." Oh, I remembered now. "Great", I whispered. - Anita to Jean-Claude

The position of power and having to make decisions that you don't necessarily want to make is always good conflict and good drama.

As a commander-in-chief what you do and what you say has real consequences.

Our responsibility is one of decision, for to govern is to choose.

I was a very senior minister in the Howard government and I sat around this particular table [in the prime ministerial office] in many discussions. The difference between being a senior minister and the prime minister is that ultimately the buck does stop with the prime minister and in the end the prime minister has to make those critical judgement calls and that's the big difference.

I'm never nervous when I go to meet heads of state. I feel they should be nervous, because they are the ones who'll be held accountable for the lives their decisions will impact the most.

By the time you become the leader of a country, someone else makes all the decisions.

To rule is easy, to govern difficult.

Power should be reserved for weightlifting and boats, and leadership really involves responsibility.