Adlai Stevenson I Quotes

Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they are advocating, and I challenge the American people to demand this from their representatives.

The power to investigate is a great public trust.

I believe the relationship you have with your government is not so different to a love relationship.

By definition, a government has no conscience. Sometimes it has a policy, but nothing more.

I believe that as public servants, we have a shared goal - to deliver to Americans the service they deserve and expect.

Though the people support the government, the government should not support the people.

Public officers are the trustees of the people.

If you accept the privilege of public service, you had better understand the responsibilities of public service.

We as citizens should hold our government accountable for word and deed.

All public officials, including the secretary of state, must be held accountable.

Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.

The national will is the supreme law of the Republic, and on all subjects within the limits of his constitutional powers should be faithfully obeyed by the public servant.

As citizens of this democracy, you are the rulers and the ruled, the law-givers and the law-abiding, the beginning and the end.

We can only restore faith in government if the state itself becomes an efficient, effective and transparent ally of the people. Bureaucratic inefficiencies, abuses of power and the misappropriation of public funds must end.

Being a public servant, this is a serious job, not like a boxer, you're entertaining people.

The government is us; we are the government, you and I.

After all, I have spent the better part of my adult life insisting that government be open... that government be accessible... and that government be held accountable to people who voted us into office.

Public trust is essential to public safety.

No one in government should ever think that the citizens they work for can't or won't scrutinize their actions.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.

Too many people in government seem to think they are above regular folks, and I said I would expect humility in the way each member of my team served- that they would recognize that the taxpayer is boss.

The citizens of New Hampshire expect and deserve a government as clean as our mountain streams and as open as our blue skies. Today let us pledge together to make this government - the people's government - clean, open and honest.

Yes, I'm your governor now. I'll take care of you.

All political power is a trust.

At least the politicians are accountable to the voters.