Ronald Reagan Quotes

Politics is the art of realizing what there is to realize.

I really don't think there's a world in which you can do anything with anybody. Because we're in the world of the White House, I think there are certain things you can do, and larger things that can happen, but I don't think you can do anything.

I think I can regard myself as a political decision-maker.

Politics is activity in relation to power.

All government, of course, is against liberty.

Politics is a good thing!

Speeches are not magic and there is no great speech without great policy.

Politics is the art of controlling your environment.

By definition, a government has no conscience. Sometimes it has a policy, but nothing more.

Politicians love regulating. That's part of the whole power structure.

It's nice to have boundaries, because as long as we have them, we can cross them a bit, and that's what perks interest. If you have full freedom, what do you do?

Politics is the art of the possible.

Power, in a nutshell, is the ability to get things done, and politics is the ability to decide which things need to be done.

Usually, in any revolution people are focused on who wants to have the most power. But the most important thing is the laws that are written during that time.

You may not be thinking about politics, but politics is thinking about you.

Traditional African tribal government was entirely different from Parliamentary democracy in the sense that we understand it. The essence of our system is we can change our Government, and therefore change or even reverse the policy it is pursuing, without bloodshed or violence, by the simple process of persuading our fellow citizens to put their vote in the ballot box. But once a Chief, after fullest consultation with his Council, had arrived at a decision, any further argument or opposition became treasonable. That is why in Africa you can never have a "loyal opposition". It follows from this that when the multi-party system of Parliamentary Government has been tried out in Africa, it has almost always become one-party rule.

If a democracy is to remain real and stable, the majority must be humane and farsighted enough to take care of minorities who have serious objections to the majorities point of view and who, because of lack of numbers, do not have the political strength to impose their own policy solutions through their own political power.

Win and keep the confidence of your leader. Never refuse or quash schemes he puts forward: but ensure that they are put forward in the first instance privately to you. Always approve them, and after praise modify them insensibly causing the suggestions to come from him, until they are in accord with your own opinion. When you attain this point, hold him to it, keep a tight grip of his ideas, and push him forward as firmly as possible, but secretly so that no one but himself (and he not too clearly) is aware of your pressure.

The limits of diplomacy must be acknowledged.

Knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can do.

Policy and politics are always mixed up.

Part of understanding power is understanding the limits of power.

What is politics but business?

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

Politics is economics in action.