Governmental Accountability Quotes

How can a president not be an actor?

Historically, Congress hasn't paid much attention to the confines the Constitution establishes.

Judicial, Legislative and Executive departments ought to be commensurate

Sir, I wish to understand the true principles of the Government. I wish them carried out. I ask nothing more.

It is the duty of the President to propose and it is the privilege of the Congress to dispose.

It may be truly said of every government, as well as of that of the United States, that it has only a right to pass such laws as are necessary and proper to accomplish the objects entrusted to it. For no government has a right to do merely what it pleases

The Office of Attorney General should be independent and the Office of Attorney General should have the power to investigate without the approval of the governor of the state of New York. It's absolutely critically important.

I can think of no better reason to vote against Obama than the prospect of an administration where any criticism of the President is treated as racism.

The interest of the people lies in being able to join organizations, advocate causes, and make political "mistakes" without being subjected to governmental penalties.

A constitutional power may not be delegated

Questions of policy and expediency are unsusceptible of judicial cognizance and decision

Once you have become the centre of a conflict in a complex governmental enterprise you have the obligation to resign.

I've never been an MP in government unfortunately and only know what it's like to be in opposition.

Most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and office-holders—serve the state chiefly with their heads; and ... are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God.

The Constitution was framed fundamentally as a bulwark against governmental power, and preventing the arbitrary administration of punishment is a basic ideal of any society that purports to be governed by the rule of law.

The doctrine of separation of powers as adopted by the [Constitutional] Convention of 1787 not to promote efficiency but to preclude the exercise of arbitrary power. The purpose was not to avoid friction, but, by means of the inevitable friction incident to the distribution of the governmental powers among three departments, to save the people from autocracy.

The shape and composition of the government is important. We haven't reached a point where politics and economics have been totally divorced from each other.

The government is what you've got. Politics is what you want.

I ran on the platform of moderation and won the election by a large margin. By virtue of the strong mandate that I received from the electorate, I am committed to operating in the framework of moderation, which calls inter alia for a balance between realism and the pursuit of the ideals of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The judicial power of every well-constituted government must be coextensive with the legislative, and must be capable of deciding every judicial question which grows out of the Constitution and laws.