“The first maxim of a man who loves liberty, should be never to grant to rulers an atom of power that is not most clearly and indispensably necessary for the safety and well being of society.” ~ Richard Henry Lee
"He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man.” ~ Samuel Adams
"Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers..." ~ Exodus 18:21
“Politics ruins the character.” ~ Otto von Bismarck
Rulers "never undertake an unjust policy - without prefacing it with some - speech concerning public welfare and common good.” ~ LaBoétie
“Here is an old tradition badly in need of return: You have to earn your way into politics. You should go have a life, build a string of accomplishments, then enter public service. And you need actual talent: You have to be able to bring people in and along. You can't just bully them, you can't just assert and taunt, you have to be able to persuade.” ~ Peggy Noonan
"Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote." ~ George Jean Nathan
“In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate -- look to his character. . . . When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country.” ~ Noah Webster
"Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptionable characters."
~ Samuel Adams
"Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens." ~ George Mason
“Great necessities call forth great leaders.” ~ Abigail Adams
“Rulers are no more than attorneys, agents, and trustees for the people; and if the cause, the interest and trust, is insidiously betrayed, or wantonly trifled away, the people have a right to revoke the authority that they themselves have deputed, and to constitute abler and better agents, attorneys, and trustees." ~ John Adams
“In a president, character is everything. A president doesn't have to be brilliant... He doesn't have to be clever; you can hire clever... You can hire pragmatic, and you can buy and bring in policy wonks. But you cant buy courage and decency, you cant rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with him. He needs to have, in that much maligned word, but a good one nonetheless, a vision of the future he wishes to create. But a vision is worth little if a president doesn't have the character – the courage and heart – to see it through.” ~ Peggy Noonan
"He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man.” ~ Samuel Adams
"Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers..." ~ Exodus 18:21
“Politics ruins the character.” ~ Otto von Bismarck
Rulers "never undertake an unjust policy - without prefacing it with some - speech concerning public welfare and common good.” ~ LaBoétie
“Here is an old tradition badly in need of return: You have to earn your way into politics. You should go have a life, build a string of accomplishments, then enter public service. And you need actual talent: You have to be able to bring people in and along. You can't just bully them, you can't just assert and taunt, you have to be able to persuade.” ~ Peggy Noonan
"Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote." ~ George Jean Nathan
“In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate -- look to his character. . . . When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country.” ~ Noah Webster
"Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptionable characters."
~ Samuel Adams
"Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens." ~ George Mason
“Great necessities call forth great leaders.” ~ Abigail Adams
“Rulers are no more than attorneys, agents, and trustees for the people; and if the cause, the interest and trust, is insidiously betrayed, or wantonly trifled away, the people have a right to revoke the authority that they themselves have deputed, and to constitute abler and better agents, attorneys, and trustees." ~ John Adams
“In a president, character is everything. A president doesn't have to be brilliant... He doesn't have to be clever; you can hire clever... You can hire pragmatic, and you can buy and bring in policy wonks. But you cant buy courage and decency, you cant rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with him. He needs to have, in that much maligned word, but a good one nonetheless, a vision of the future he wishes to create. But a vision is worth little if a president doesn't have the character – the courage and heart – to see it through.” ~ Peggy Noonan
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