Daniel Patrick Moynihan Quotes

The Prime Minister of this country should be 100 percent efficient at all time.

I like organised things. I don't like the corruption and slowness of Greece.

He [the king] must also appoint other officials, men of integrity, who are wise, firm, well able to collect money, and well tried.

[Describing the White House:] ... temple of inconvenience.

I thought I was going to go into politics, but that became disheartening. You see that a lot of stuff doesn't get done, people walk around all self-important, and it's just depressing.

I believe in professionalism, less in politicians.

After Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, I was heartened to see him issue an Open Government Initiative on his first full day in office.

I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a congress.

I am committed to making Georgia a model for open and honest government.

I'm one who demands a lot from people. I'm not afraid to look at alternative ways in city government. That's what I've done in my two years and will continue to do in the next four.

I'm not a politician. I don't want to be a politician, because politicians do what is politically expedient. I want to do what's right.

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

I am committed to working towards a more transparent, accountable, and ethical federal government worthy of the public's trust.

And one of the things I've tried to do in my first months in office is to give more Georgians - reporters and members of the general public alike - a closer look at how their government works.

Ethics in government has always been important to me.

People do not want politicians they know to be corrupt.

Well, you could take several stories off the buildings of most U.S. government agencies and we'd all probably be better for it too.

The world's greatest city - New York City - deserves a government that works for all New Yorkers. That starts with a mayor who is independent from party bosses and special interests, who isn't afraid to be honest with the people, and who is focused on the issues New Yorkers care about most.

After all, I have spent the better part of my adult life insisting that government be open... that government be accessible... and that government be held accountable to people who voted us into office.

Politicians have to be committed to people in equal measures.

Too many people in government seem to think they are above regular folks, and I said I would expect humility in the way each member of my team served- that they would recognize that the taxpayer is boss.

It's good that they've seen it, but how can I be satisfied after working for two years making a film which I hope will make a difference, when the government sees the film and does nothing about it?

An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.

A government is the only vessel that leaks from the top.

People want a grounded government. They want a government that's going to be responsible to them.