George Papandreou Quotes

We want an instrument of government which, however much talk is put into it, will grind out decisions at the other end.

I feel a degree of regret that Marshall did not push on and say 'abolish the GLC' because I think it would have been a major saving and would have released massive resources for productive use.

I will be ruthless in cutting out waste, streamlining structures and improving efficiency.

I think it's fine when the mayor of the biggest city in Russia consults the president.

Tomorrow a new era starts for Greece.

County government can be simplified greatly by reorganizing and consolidating some of the offices, making others appointive, and reducing salaries in keeping with the salaries paid by private business for the performance of similar duties.

Most Russian programs and policies had had just the opposite effect of what was intended. The reason is hyper-centralization of power.

I have sworn to the nation to govern it under a constitutional system. But if, through the vices of its organization or the passions of its agents, it wants to convert itself into an instrument of anarchy, the nation itself in use of its sovereign rights will give a new representation, and I will be the first to invoke it.

Our women have minds too. Let them show their faces to the world, and see it with their eyes…Don’t be afraid. Change is essential, so much so that, if need be, we are prepared to sacrifice lives for its sake.

More than fifty cents on the dollar in our public school system in the United States is spent on Administration. If you know of a private industry that spends more than fifty cents on the dollar on administration and is still making a profit, I would like to know what it is.

I'm surprised that a government organization could do it that quickly.

We must strike a balance between speed and thoroughness, between the need for time frames and the avoidance of mistakes which will later cost us dearly.

Change: In politics, the substitution of one disappointment for another.

The moment responsibilities of any community, particularly in economic and social questions, are shifted from any part of the nation to Washington, then that community has subjected itself to a remote bureaucracy.... It has lost ... control of its own destiny.

There is nothing like proposals for intelligence reform to activate the anti-bodies of the affected agencies.

Our health care system has 21st century operating rooms and 19th century administrative rooms.

It is essential to reduce taxes on employment and wealth creation in order to enhance our economy's competitiveness. But I don't think it's sensible today to write a Conservative budget … with specific pledges on tax reduction.

The enjoyment of civil rights, would be best and soonest obtained if every county in the land were made a little Commonwealth and their chief town a city, where the nobility and chief gentry may build houses or palaces, befitting their quality, may bear part in the government, make their own judicial laws and execute them by their elected judicatures without appeal in all things of civil government between man and man.

Armed with purity of intentions and firmness of purpose, I may reasonably entertain the hope of being able to clear the administrative agency of all corruption and incompetency, and impart to it the maximum of honesty and efficiency. I now warn my officials of all ranks that I have fully made up my mind to put down corruption and intrigue wherever they may be found.

No altered system will work a miracle. Any wild experiment will only add to the confusion. Our best assurance lies in efficient administration of our proven system

The precondition of all happiness…and particularly of economic and commercial development is tranquility, security and order beyond the reach of any violation.

Those who care for democracy should be more concerned with ending land tenancy in this country; reviving local government and merchandising; protecting the small industrialist, who is often more efficient than the large one, and welcoming a vigorous, responsible trade unionism.

They have under invested in fire for so long that the catch up costs seem staggering. The traditional inclination is to rely on emergency interventions rather than systemic reforms.

The question of our time is rapidly becoming can government get things done?

China’s rulers … have come to see their purpose less as generating enormous change and more as maintaining the system and enhancing their performance.