Branches Of Government Quotes

• The people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches of government hold their power, is derived.

  James Madison

  Government, People, Liberty

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1852). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution: Written in 1788”, p.273

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• The Constitution is government's stop sign. It says, you - the three branches of government - can go so far and no farther.

  Michele Bachmann

  Government, Three, Branches

  "On the Beach, I Bring von Mises". Interview with Stephen Moore, www.wsj.com. June 11, 2011.

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• When the three branches of government have failed to represent the citizenry and the mass of the media has failed to represent the citizenry, then the citizenry better represent the citizenry.

  David Mamet

  Media, Government, Branches

  "David Mamet's Conservative Conversion". "Hannity" with Sean Hannity, www.foxnews.com. July 8, 2011.

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• [The purpose of a written constitution is] to bind up the several branches of government by certain laws, which, when they transgress, their acts shall become nullities; to render unnecessary an appeal to the people, or in other words a rebellion, on every infraction of their rights, on the peril that their acquiescence shall be construed into an intention to surrender those rights.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Rights, Government, Law

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• It matters enormously to a successful democratic society like ours that we have three branches of government, each with some independence and some control over the other two. Thats set out in the Constitution.

  Sandra Day O'Connor

  Successful, Two, Government

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• The dignity and stability of government in all its branches, the morals of the people, and every blessing of society depend so much upon an upright and skillful administration of justice, that the judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative and executive, and independent upon both, that so it may be a check upon both, as both should be checks upon that.

  John Adams

  Independent, Blessing, Government

  "Thoughts on Government" (1776)

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• If you want to right-size executive power relative to the other branches of government, the best way to do that is to have a healthy Congress in which the two parties are debating, disagreeing, but also occasionally working together to pass legislation.

  Barack Obama

  Party, Two, Government

  "NPR's Exit Interview With President Obama". Interview with Steve Inskeep, www.npr.org.

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• Constitutional interpretation is not the business of the Court only, but also properly the business of all branches of government.

  Edwin Meese

  Government, Branches, Court

  United States. Dept. of Justice, Edwin Meese (1989). “Major Policy Statements of the Attorney General: Edwin Meese III, 1985-1988”

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• Under the doctrine of separation of powers, the manner in which the president personally exercises his assigned executive powers is not subject to questioning by another branch of government.

  Richard M. Nixon

  Exercise, Government, President

  Nixon, Richard M. (1975). “Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon, 1973”, p.185, Best Books on

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• We're the only branch of government that explains itself in writing every time itmakes a decision.

  Byron White

  Writing, Government, Decision

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• As the people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches of government hold their power, is derived, it seems strictly consonant to the republican theory, to recur to the same original authority, not only whenever it may be necessary to enlarge, diminish, or new-model the powers of the government, but also whenever any one of the departments may commit encroachments on the chartered authorities of the others.

  James Madison

  Government, People, Branches

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1852). “The Federalist, on the new constitution, written in 1788, with an appendix, containing the letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the proclamation of neutrality of 1793, also the original articles of confederation and the constitution of the United States”, p.233

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• The Supreme Court and courts in general have been usurping the role of the legislative branch of government.

  Todd Akin

  Government, Roles, Branches

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• Watergate provides a model case study of the interaction and powers of each of the branches of government. It also is a morality play with a sad and dramatic ending.

  Bob Woodward

  Motherhood, Government, Play

  "Watergate: 25 Years Later". Interview, www.washingtonpost.com. June 17, 1997.

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• It is a misnomer to call a government republican in which a branch of the supreme power is independent of the nation.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Independent, Government, Branches

  Thomas Jefferson (2002). “Democracy”

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• The great object of my fear is the federal judiciary. That body, like gravity, ever acting, with noiseless foot, and unalarming advance, gaining ground step by step, and holding what it gains, is ingulfing insidiously the special governments into the jaws of that which feeds them.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Feet, Special

  Thomas Jefferson, Andrew M. Allison (1983). “The Real Thomas Jefferson”, Natl Center for Constitutional

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• What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes in any new branch of commerce when he knows not that his plans may be rendered unlawful before they can be executed?

  James Madison

  Hazards, Branches, May

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.288

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• A judiciary independent of a king or executive alone, is a good thing; but independence of the will of the nation is a solecism, at least in a republican government.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Kings, Independent, Government

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Late President of the United States”, p.346

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• [T]he opinion which gives to the judges the right to decide what laws are constitutional and what not, not only for themselves, in their, own sphere of action, but for the Legislature and Executive also in their spheres, would make the Judiciary a despotic branch.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Law, Judging

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”

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• The Three Branches of Government: Money, Television, and Bullshit

  P. J. O'Rourke

  Government, Bullshit, Three

  P. J. O'Rourke (2007). “Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government”, p.47, Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

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• Thank God for the founding fathers, who set up three separate branches of government. And the media acting as the Fourth Estate.

  Andre Carson

  Father, Government, Media

  Source: abcnews.go.com

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• We are sworn to uphold the Constitution and law. And it has to be consistent and agreed upon with three branches of government - one can't overrule the other two.

  Mike Huckabee

  Government, Law, Two

  "Mike Huckabee lays out path to 2016 Republican nomination; Amb. John Bolton talks NSA surveillance, growth of ISIS". "Fox News Sunday" with Chris Wallace, www.foxnews.com. May 24, 2015.

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• All government is a trust. Every branch of government is a trust, and immemorially acknowledged to be so.

  Jeremy Bentham

  Government, Branches, Public Trust

  Jeremy Bentham, John Bowring (1843). “Works”, p.423

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• We've never had our injustices rectified from the top, from the president or Congress, or the Supreme Court, no matter what we learned in junior high school about how we have three branches of government, and we have checks and balances, and what a lovely system. No. The changes, important changes that we've had in history, have not come from those three branches of government. They have reacted to social movements.

  Howard Zinn

  School, Government, Lovely

  "Howard Zinn Talks to Social Studies Teachers". Speech at the National Council for the Social Studies Conference in Houston, zinnedproject.org. November 16, 2008.

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• The federal judiciary is unlike the other branches of government. And once confirmed, a federal judge serves for life. And there's no court above the Supreme Court.

  Patrick Leahy

  Government, Judging, Branches

  U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Judge Samuel Alito's Nomination to the Supreme Court, www.washingtonpost.com. January 9, 2006.

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  What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.

  Terry Pratchett

  Men, Average, Criminals

  Terry Pratchett (2008). “Going Postal: (Discworld Novel 33)”, p.64, Random House

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