Abraham Lincoln Quotes

What is the government? Nothing, unless supported by opinion.

The administrative control of the government remains everywhere. You can't have a government within the country and not have control over everything that's happening in the country... Even in the Election Commission there is some extent of administrative control.

We carry out our work under the leadership of the government.

Temporary teams of trusted people are generally sent to all Departments and to major agencies of government to assist in planning and to acquaint the incoming administration with the civil servants and bureaucracy that will remain in place in the new Administration.

Every cook or every laborer cannot govern the state.

No government, be it the most perfect, can stand without strong executive authority.

Legislative power is always superior to the executive.

Presidents ... become hermits only at their peril. Running the executive branch is now a team sport. It is operated best by politicians who thrive on command, possess a fine and sure touch for the levers of power and enjoy the company of those who serve them.

The Executive Branch, when they put the point on the spear, can get things done.

Great Council

Presidents may go to the seashore or to the mountains. Cabinet officers may go about the country explaining how fortunate the country is in having such an administration, but the machinery at Washington continues to operate under the army of faithful non-commissioned officers, and the great mass of governmental business is uninterrupted.

I don't want to tell Gov. Brewer what to do; she can do what's best for her state.

Ultimately, there is no entity called 'government'; there are only people forming themselves into groups called 'governments' and acting in a 'governmental' manner.

I don't think that attorneys should be in any way running for governor.

There's value in checks and balances. And there's value in having independence in the governor's office with respect to the legislature.

The civil servants will always be there to look after this country. So don't worry... Any political party taking power will have to work with the civil servants who are very well acquainted with running this country.

The government is a machinery manned by human beings.

The separation of powers is about legislative powers. It isn't about discussion or words.

The bulk of government is not legislation but administration.

The Administration of the United States is such dread I almost feel paralyzed.

Governors have to balance budgets. And they have to make decisions. And they have to do things that sometimes aren't popular. And they also have to bring people together to try to solve problems.

The business of government is justice.

I too am a government.

Political power means the capacity to regulate national life through national representatives.

The supreme function of statesmanship is to provide against preventable evils.