Systems are to be appreciated by their general effects, and not by particular exceptions.

All that a good government aims at... is to add no unnecessary and artificial aid to the force of its own unavoidable consequences, and to abstain from fortifying and accumulating social inequality as a means of increasing political inequalities.

A monarchy is the most expensive of all forms of government, the regal state requiring a costly parade, and he who depends on his own power to rule, must strengthen that power by bribing the active and enterprising whom he cannot intimidate.

Systems are to be appreciated by their general effects, and not by particular exceptions.

Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving the citizen as much freedom of action and of being as comports with order and the rights of others, the institutions render him truly a freeman. He is left to pursue his means of happiness in his own manner.

America owes most of its social prejudices to the exaggerated religious opinions of the different sects which were so instrumental in establishing the colonies.

It is a misfortune that necessity has induced men to accord greater license to this formidable engine, in order to obtain liberty, than can be borne with less important objects in view; for the press, like fire, is an excellent servant, but a terrible master.

Party leads to vicious, corrupt and unprofitable legislation, for the sole purpose of defeating party.

The tendency of democracies is, in all things, to mediocrity.

Candor is a proof of both a just frame of mind, and of a good tone of breeding. It is a quality that belongs equally to the honest man and to the gentleman.

It is a besetting vice of democracies to substitute public opinion for law. This is the usual form in which masses of men exhibit their tyranny.

Ignorance and superstition ever bear a close and mathematical relation to each other.

All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never have any other than an existence of mediocrity.

Slavery is no more sinful, by the Christian code, than it is sinful to wear a whole coat, while another is in tatters, to eat a better meal than a neighbor, or otherwise to enjoy ease and plenty, while our fellow creatures are suffering and in want.

The disposition of all power is to abuses, nor does it at all mend the matter that its possessors are a majority.

Whenever the government of the United States shall break up, it will probably be in consequence of a false direction having been given to public opinion.

The common faults of American language are an ambition of effect, a want of simplicity, and a turgid abuse of terms.

They who have reasoned ignorantly, or who have aimed at effecting their personal ends by flattering the popular feeling, have boldly affirmed that 'one man is as good as another;' a maxim that is true in neither nature, revealed morals, nor political theory.

The very existence of government at all, infers inequality. The citizen who is preferred to office becomes the superior to those who are not, so long as he is the repository of power, and the child inherits the wealth of the parent as a controlling law of society.

The affairs of life embrace a multitude of interests, and he who reasons in any one of them, without consulting the rest, is a visionary unsuited to control the business of the world.

It is the besetting vice of democracies to substitute public opinion for law. This is the usual form in which the masses of men exhibit their tyranny.

No civilized society can long exist, with an active power in its bosom that is stronger than the law.

It is a governing principle of nature, that the agency which can produce most good, when perverted from its proper aim, is most productive of evil.

Superstition is a quality that seems indigenous to the ocean.

Being a public servant, this is a serious job, not like a boxer, you're entertaining people.

Write your sad times in sand write your good times in stone.

It's extremely hard to build a company with a product that everyone loves, is free and has no business model, and then to innovate a business model. I did that with Kazaa, had half a billion downloads but that wasn't a sustainable business.

I had the perfect job for a gamer. From February to October, I'd get up at 7 in the morning with nothing to do but play games until I had to be at the park around 1 or 2 o'clock. When I got back after the game, I played until 3 or 4 in the morning.

The thing is, comedy's gone in a weird direction. People are really into ironic comedy and fakeness and cleverness.

By asking the question 'Am I happy?,' and via the answer setting out what I mean by happiness, there is a political route that can be taken, by asking another question - 'Can politics deliver happiness, and should it try?'

I love designing costumes that I can actually construct, working to create an environment that people want to be in.

Kids always act up the most before they go to sleep.

My grandmother would start making her meat sauce at 7 in the morning on Sunday, and within five or six hours, that smell would be all through the house.

In New York there isn't that weird palpable competitive thing where it's friendly but everyone isn't trying to top one another with jokes when you're just hanging around.

To be admitted to Nature's hearth costs nothing. None is excluded, but excludes himself. You have only to push aside the curtain.

Only man can be absurd: for only man can be dignified.

It is incredible how far women have come and women in sports have come.

I just have a relationship with my imagination. It's like my friend, almost.

I've had 60 years of ups and downs, and all of the downs that I've had, I'm happy that I've had them because it's taught me to appreciate all the ups.

I'm an inexperienced reporter, and I'm still learning.

I try to catch them right on the tip of his nose, because I try to punch the bone into the brain.

It is impossible to advance new theories... when you are under the influence of a particular view, or under the pressure of a particular dogma.

A country should be defended not by arms, but by ethical behavior.

Being myself includes taking risks with myself taking risks on new behavior trying new ways of being myself so that I can see who it is I want to be.

I was the first Blunt ever elected to anything.

I'm going into politics because I think that the kind of discourse taking place in Israel is leading this country to oblivion, and I want to change it.

One had to build shelters. One had to make pockets and live inside them.

Ten years ago, Republicans decided it was time to reform our broken welfare system and give welfare recipients the tools they needed to escape the system and build a better life.