Why has the government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.

The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all.

It is a certain sign of a wise government and proceeding, when it can hold men’s hearts by hopes, when it cannot by satisfaction.

Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.

Every country has the government it deserves.

People revere the Constitution yet know so little about it—and that goes for some of my fellow senators.

The Revolution is made by man, but man must forge his revolutionary spirit from day to day.

To be turned from one’s course by men’s opinions, by blame, and by misrepresentation shows a man unfit to hold office.

I’m president of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure it is right.

Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.