Accountability to the People Quotes

Well, I think that those of us in public life that are trying to do a good job, and that are faced with this popular new game that the media has of being critical of everything that anybody in public office does probably are thin-skinned.

Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office, that the information they keep in secrecy belongs to all of us. Julian Assange took a courageous step by rightfully returning what belongs to the public domain. For that reason, I believe we need to stand behind him.

I think everybody in Washington could use a curfew, to be honest.

I fear some of our leaders today have lost the courage to stand up. What we have now are politicians. They won't offer real plans, and only stand up when they want to blame someone else.

The electorate will forgive you even for decisions that they do not agree with, but they will not forgive you for not deciding.

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.

As a member of Congress, I strongly believe I have a responsibility to be truthful, even if that means delivering difficult news.

I respect the office of the presidency, but I never worship at the shrines of our public servants... The Washington press corps has the privilege of asking the president of the United States what he is doing and why.

I fundamentally believe in term limits, for Congress, presidents, and board members.

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

Your public servants serve you right.

When all Americans believe that the people we elect deserve to be in power, that their conduct in office is worthy of respect, and that they can be held accountable for their decisions, our politics will finally be worthy of our great people.

Public trust is essential to public safety.

Distrust of authority should be the first civic duty.

You cannot influence a political party to do right if you stick to it when it does wrong.

There's something very interesting about world leaders promising hope and then carrying through on that.

In a democratic society, we politicians have to accept criticism, especially when it is founded.

The conduct and opinions of public men at different periods of their careers must not be curiously contrasted in a free and aspiring society.