Mark Shields Quotes

Washington is dominated by big money.

Now, the typical way you make good things happen in Washington is you find a bunch of wealthy companies who agree with you.

Money speaks louder than words in Washington.

Politics has become unbelievably and unfortunately way too much about how much money is involved rather than what kind of ideas are involved.

The appalling reality in American politics today is that, when ideology and money mix, truth is a mere inconvenience.

I have the most reliable friend you can have in American politics, and that is ready money.

The number one way of becoming powerful in Washington is by becoming the 'Washington Post.'

Have you ever seen a candidate talking to a rich person on television?

Washington's a cesspool of money.

People like Elizabeth Dole have given too much power to the special interests.

Obviously no one wants to give members of Congress a lot of money, because they barely do anything, and many of them are terrible, but a Congress that is made up of rich-but-not-super-rich people is going to be more corruptible than a Congress of really rich people.

Eventually, money wins in politics.

People correctly perceive that the most powerful thing in Washington is money.

Washington has political power combined with the insider illusion of being in control.

One usually obtains [diplomatic] influence through the press, and that costs money ... or through the purchase of prominent ... parliamentarians, for which one also needs a great deal of cash.

Washington can be a very lonely place for Congressman and Senators. Many acquaintances almost all of whom want something and very few friends.

Members of Congress don’t want anyone to have more influence than they have—that’s why they hated Harry Hopkins.

There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money, and I can't remember what the second one is.

Washington is rigged to favor people who have an army of lobbyists.

… lobbyist-larded Washington

We live in a country where Wall Street owns Washington.

There are three things that are important in politics today: money, money and money.

Honestly, the egos and the quest and thirst for power is very prevalent in Washington.

If you're looking for the phony in American politics, you could do worse than follow the money.

Let's face it, politics in this country is coin-operated. Does that really equate to a real democracy? It's very difficult to say.