Michael Beschloss Quotes

Senators will do what they think they need to do to represent their constituents.

Is it not natural that a man who is a candidate for the favor of the people, and who is dependant on the suffrages of his fellow-citizens for the continuation of his public honors, should take care to inform himself of their dispositions and inclinations…? This dependant [creates] strong chords of sympathy between the Representative and the constituent.

When it comes to listening to my constituents or to the governor's staff, who are more interested in their pet projects and their government cars, I'll vote for my constituents every time.

It is a tenet of representative democracy that MPs are not delegates for their constituents. This means that their decisions and actions are ultimately governed by putting the best interests of all their constituency before all else.

As an MP, my first duty is to act in the national interest, regardless of party affiliation.

Aren't we supposed to believe that if you are an elected official, if you serve in Congress, you are representing all the people of your district not just the people who voted for you, not [just] the people who you agree with?

Most people who get in trouble in politics usually get in trouble because they're disconnected from the people they serve, and I don't think anybody in Tennessee, even people who won't vote for me, would accuse me of that.

We've got to get back to old-fashioned politics that's in touch with the people we seek to represent and to avoid self-inflicted wounds.

You don't support politicians in their elections if whoever's seeking money only has a goal to stay in office or get in office. You have to pick the people who are going to do the best job.

Bangalore needs a honest, passionate and hard-working MP, and I will be that MP.

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

I have no intention of disowning my record as a member of the McGuinty government.

If you think too much about being re-elected, it is very difficult to be worth re-electing.

There have been 2000 Americans who have served in Congress. The people who serve in Congress are no better nor no worse than those in any other American institution.

One never expected from a Congressman more than good intentions and public spirit.

The House [of Representatives] is composed of sober, solid, old-charter folks.... There are few shining geniuses; there are many who have experience, the virtues of the heart, and the habits of business. It will be quite a republican assembly.

The Members of the Parliament shall be bound solely by their own conscience and not by any directions given by their electors.

Most people who serve in Congress just want to do the right thing.

Well. I'm here, and I damn near got killed getting here by airplane in time to vote, as I did on another occasion. I don't think the bill amounts to a tinker's damn, and I expect to be kicked in the ass just as I have in the past in return for my services. I don't want a Goddamned thing. My vote is not for sale. I vote my convictions, just as I always have, but I think the President ought to have the decency to treat me like the Senator from Missouri and not like a goddamned office boy, and you can tell him what I said. If he wants me to. I'll come down and tell him myself.

… the marketplace, in which we regard our representatives in Congress as our designated shoppers.

Honorable party service will certainly not be esteemed by me a disqualification for public office, but it will in no case be allowed to serve as a shield of official negligence, incompetency, or delinquency.

We don’t trust government, but we need government….Government didn’t land here from Mars. We elected them.

The job of elected officials is to answer to the people who sent them to Washington - not to scorn them, not to demean them, not to mock them, and not to sell their jobs and dreams to the highest bidder.

Some city-council people are really awesome, but most are uninspired.

I knew that our community needed a very clear voice. and I think we deserved representation that rejected lobbyist funds and put our voters and our community first.