Politics Quotes

Skip the religion and politics, head straight to the compassion. Everything else is a distraction.

Talib Kweli

Politics and power is a realm of relative influence.

Fareed Zakaria

One thing I have frankly decided is that when it comes to political reform we have two conservative parties in British politics. Both the Labour and Conservative parties have constantly and repeatedly failed to honour promises they have made about reforming, cleaning, modernising our clapped-out system.

Nick Clegg

Successful democratic politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle, or otherwise manage to manipulate the demanding and threatening elements in their constituencies. The decisive consideration is not whether the proposition is good but whether it is popular -- not whether it will work well and prove itself but whether the active talking constituents like it immediately. Politicians rationalize this servitude by saying that in a democracy public men are the servants of the people.

Walter Lippmann

The ordinary politician has a very low estimate of human nature. In his daily life he comes into contact chiefly with persons who want to get something or to avoid something. Beyond this circle of seekers after privileges, individuals and organized minorities, he is aware of a large unorganized, indifferent mass of citizens who ask nothing in particular and rarely complain. The politician comes after a while to think that the art of politics is to satisfy the seekers after favors and to mollify the inchoate mass with noble sentiments and patriotic phrases.

Walter Lippmann

The chief element in the art of statesmanship under modern conditions is the ability to elucidate the confused and clamorous interests which converge upon the seat of government. It is an ability to penetrate from the na?ve self-interest of each group to its permanent and real interest. Statesmanship consists in giving the people not what they want but what they will learn to want.

Walter Lippmann

I'm no expert on American politics.

Bjorn Lomborg

When you've got them by their wallets, their hearts and minds will follow.

Fern Naito

A politician will do anything to keep his job - even become a patriot.

William Randolph

It's true that it's within the realm of cultural politics that young people tend to work through political issues, which I think is good, although it's not going to solve the problems.

Angela Davis

Politics is the profession of those who have neither trade nor art.

Muhammad Hijazi

Politics is a choice of enemas. You're gonna get it up the ass, no matter what you do.

George V. Higgins

Good thing we've still got politics in Texas - finest form of free entertainment ever invented.

Molly Ivins

We're seeing quite a lot of people who really would like a return to class-based politics.

Patricia Hewitt

I have simplified my politics into an utter detestation of all existing governments; and, as it is the shortest and most agreeable and summary feeling imaginable, the first moment of an universal republic would convert me into an advocate for single and uncontradicted despotism. The fact is, riches are power, and poverty is slavery all over the earth, and one sort of establishment is no better, nor worse, for a people than another.

Lord (George Gordon) Byron

There will be no politics, no ifs and buts if we see something and feel that work needs to be done, we will get people here we can rely on and ensure it is done in the same thorough way as our other projects.

Ian Botham

In Mexico an air conditioner is called a politician because it makes a lot of noise but doesn't work very well.

Len Deighton

One thing about a pig, he thinks he's warm if his nose is warm. I saw a bunch of pigs one time that had frozen together in a rosette, each one's nose tucked under the rump of the one in front. We have a lot of pigs in politics.

Eugene McCarthy

It is dangerous for a national candidate to say things that people might remember.

Eugene McCarthy

I'm not a political person. When I start to get into it, it just upsets me. I feel so powerless when it comes to politics. So I've just decided to be non-political and very, very pro-soldier.

Channing Tatum