“The right thing to do never requires any subterfuge, it is always simple and direct.”

You can display no greater wisdom than by resisting proposals for needless legislation. It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.

The attempt to regulate, control, and prescribe all manner of conduct and social relations is very old. It was always the practice of primitive people.

Governments do not make ideals, but ideals make governments.

One of the greatest favors that can be bestowed upon the American people is economy in government.

Economy is the method by which we prepare today to afford the improvements of tomorrow.

Doubters do not achieve; skeptics do not contribute; cynics do not create.

Never go out to meet trouble. If you just sit still, nine cases out of ten, someone will intercept it before it reaches you.

There have been great men with little of what we call education. There have been many small men with a great deal of learning. There has never been a great people who did not possess great learning.

We cannot permit any inquisition either within or without the law or apply any religious test to the holding of office. The mind of America must be forever free.

Freedom is not only bought with a great price; it is maintained by unremitting effort.

The most common commodity in this country is unrealized potential.

No matter what anyone may say about making the rich and the corporations pay taxes, in the end they come out of the people who toil.

I sometimes wish that people would put a little more emphasis upon the observance of the law than they do upon its enforcement.

No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.

Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.

When people are bewildered they tend to become credulous.

Good governance depends on ability to take responsibility by both administration as well as people.

I’m not really conservative. I’m conservative on certain things. I believe in less government. I believe in fiscal responsibility and all those things that maybe Republicans used to believe in but don’t any more.

Cleaning up the country cannot be the sole responsibility of sweepers. Do citizens have no role in this? We have to change this mindset.

It is India’s responsibility to display its strength to the World through knowledge and innovations.

Teaching is one of the noblest of professions. It requires an adequate preparation and training, patience, devotion, and a deep sense of responsibility. Those who mold the human mind have wrought not for time, but for eternity.

In any real democracy, magistracy isn’t a benefit—it’s a burdensome responsibility that can’t fairly be imposed on one individual rather than another.

Blessed is the person who sees the need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.

Political action means taking on responsibility. This cannot happen without power. Power is to serve responsibility.