Peter MacKay Quotes

On the show, we are not trying to get people to eat their vegetables; we are not trying to get people to become Democrats. We are basically trying to encourage people to get involved with public life so that politics isn't left to the wealthy and privileged.

We need to get young people excited about politics, excited about government.

We cannot comfort ourselves with the idea that young people will take a greater interest in our politics as they establish themselves in a job, in their communities or in their family life.

I never stood for any president in my life, never voted, before Barack Obama. It changed my life to vote. It starts there with me. I never cared for politics before Barack Obama. I never thought it mattered to people like me.

I engage with local politics because it affects people I love. And I engage in national politics because it affects people I love.

So few people vote these days, and I think it's partly because they don't feel like the institution really means anything to them. If you want them to vote, give them opportunities to do something else other than vote, to help.

In general people feel more relaxed about participating in politics. They aren't frightened as they used to be.

I've had Republicans come to me and say, 'Tell me how I should talk to young people!' as if it's some foreign language or something.

I think what's fascinating is how many people are playing in politics who maybe haven't played before.

I remember my dad supporting everyone on the local and national level. I was pretty much born into it. I saw the importance of politics firsthand. It gave you a chance to be at the table.

I'm not going to talk like I know about politics, because I'm a total amateur, but maybe I can be a spokesperson for people who aren't normally interested in politics.

I was surprised by the response of young people because there is a perception that those younger than the 1988 generation are not interested in politics.

Most people working day in and day out do not have the time to come to Washington to look out for their interest. Moreover they don’t know how.

Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local level.

One of the more important things the Bernie Sanders campaign did is reach people who are political but not electorally political. They're political in either non-profits or community groups, but didn't see how important it was to get involved in electoral politics.

I've reached out to independents and minorities that have traditionally voted Democrat but that are conservative on a lot of questions. We talk to young people, folks that typically aren't voting on a consistent basis. I'm proud of that.

I think all politics is local.

I think it's lovely when people are more involved in local politics.

I've been reaching out to voters across the political spectrum from the very beginning.

I started in politics as a fresh graduate wanting to make a difference, by bringing more political awareness and interest to young people.

I have been going into the underserved neighborhoods and talking to people and letting them know that the conservative message does work. Conservatives need to realize that you actually have to go in there and ask for the vote.

In my opinion, mature political action is the type of action that that involves a program of re-education and information that will enable the black people in the black community to see the fruits that they should be receiving from the politicians who are over them and, thereby, they are then able to determine whether or not the politician is really fulfilling his function.

There's people coming in who've never done any politics at all, who've never been in a trade union, they've never been in a political party, they've never done anything, but they do feel a kind of urgency.

Without the political parties and the volunteering work of their members day in, day out, we would have a very different sort of politics and society.

People feel politics isn't about their lives.