James L. Buckley Quotes

The Watergate reforms did work well for many years, and if improved and broadened, these reforms can have real and major impact on the system today.

I believe transparency in government is key to restoring our nation's faith in its elected leaders.

Certainly accountability of government is what people are clamoring for; they want to know that when lawmakers make a promise or a proposal, you can actually accomplish it.

I have kept a steady focus on restoring public faith in our state government since taking office July 1. Now it is time to make even bigger and bolder gains through legislative action.

One of the ways to make sure policies are more transparent and to help restore people's confidence in politicians... is to ensure renewal at the highest level of office.

Montanans elected me to the Senate to do away with shady backroom deals and to make government work better.

I have one desire: That is to have a principle-based, member-driven Congress. Period. That's what I want.

Term limits aren't enough. We need jail.

And my whole life I've been focused on questions of anti-corruption laws, on constitutional law, and it's essential that the power of this office be maximized to stop corruption at the national level.

People have seen the Modi government's track record, and now they believe that if we say something, it will happen.

Fighting public corruption is essential to preserving a working democracy that people have confidence in. I said that time and again on the campaign trail, and that's why it's such a high priority for me.

We've gotta restore the American people's confidence in the ethics process by ensuring that political self-interest can no longer prevent politicians from enforcing ethics rules.

Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There's no particular virtue in that. Democracy isn't a gift. It's a responsibility.

I promised to run the most open and transparent administration in Britain. That is why, with this brutally honest and unprecedented progress report, I am determined to level with Londoners.

If our political leaders are to be always a lot of political merchants, they will supply any demand we may create. All we have to do is to establish a steady demand for good government.

There ought to be one day - just one - when there is open season on senators.

This is a matter of public health. The public was sick and tired of DeLay and his corruption.

I don't think people maybe think that the government does tell them the truth. I think they expect politicians who are going to tell them one thing and then when they get in office do something else.

One thing I have frankly decided is that when it comes to political reform we have two conservative parties in British politics. Both the Labour and Conservative parties have constantly and repeatedly failed to honour promises they have made about reforming, cleaning, modernising our clapped-out system.

Ever since I arrived in Washington in April 2009, I have been fighting for more transparency and accountability in government.

As we enter into the 110th Congress, it is imperative that we address ethics reforms needed to make this institution run correctly.

People's trust in their public institutions depends on their government getting results.

Today we must make a pact with each other to end this reckless conduct with the people's government.

Given the difficulty of resisting such temptations over the longer run, a proper concern for the welfare of congressional souls may well be the ultimate argument in favor of term limitations.

I think the record shows that as Speaker, I have taken the lead in cleaning up politics.