Federal Government Quotes

• The powers of the federal government are enumerated; it can only operate in certain cases; it has legislative powers on defined and limited objects, beyond which it cannot extend its jurisdiction.

  James Madison

  Wisdom, Government, Cases

  James Madison (1836). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. Together with the Journal of the Federal Convention, Luther Martin's Letter, Yates's Minutes, Congressional Opinions, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of '98-'99, and Other Illustrations of the Constitution”, p.95

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• The federal government did not create the states; the states created the federal government.

  Ronald Reagan

  Government, States

  First Inaugural Address, delivered 20 January 1981

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• It's not tyranny we desire; it's a just, limited, federal government.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Patriotic, Government, Desire

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• The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the State governments, in times of peace and security.

  James Madison

  War, Government, Important

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1831). “The Federalist on the New Constitution”, p.233

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• A government of laws, and not of men.

  John Adams

  Men, Law, Presidential

  "Novanglus Papers" no. 7 (1774). Almost certainly derived from James Harrington, but Adams's use of the phrase gave it wide circulation in the United States. He also used "government of laws, and not of men" in the Declaration of Rights drafted for the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780. See Cox 1; Gerald Ford 3; James Harrington 1

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  If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand.

  Milton Friedman

  Government, Years, Political

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• I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Mean, Thinking, Government

  Benjamin Franklin (1839). “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin”, p.85

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  Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.

  James Madison

  Education, Wisdom, Freedom

  1822; cited in U.S. Senate, Alleged Assassination Plots (1975).

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• We have, in this country, one of the most corrupt institutions the world has ever known. I refer to the Federal Reserve Board. This evil institution has impoverished the people of the United States and has practically bankrupted our government. It has done this through the corrupt practices of the moneyed vultures who control it.

  Louis Thomas McFadden

  Country, Government, Practice

  "100 Years Is Enough: Time to Make the Fed a Public Utility" by Ellen Brown, www.huffingtonpost.com. December 23, 2013.

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  Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.

  Thomas Paine

  Motivation, War, 4th Of July

  Common Sense (1776)

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• The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.

  James Madison

  Government, Nullification, Federalism

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.215

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• Democrats believe we must have comprehensive health care reform that includes giving the federal government authority to negotiate lower prices with drug companies.

  Jim Clyburn

  Believe, Government, Giving

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• On the same day I was sworn in as Prime Minister of Canada, I announced the most sweeping reform ever undertaken in the structure of our federal government.

  Kim Campbell

  Government, Reform, Canada

  Address at Progressive Conservative Brunch in Montreal, Quebec, www.canadahistory.com. August 22, 1993.

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• There are over 100 entities in the federal government that have something to do with homeland security.

  Andrew Card

  Government, Entity, Homeland Security

  "White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card". "PBS NewsHour" with Margaret Warner, www.pbs.org. June 7, 2002.

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• The term 'cost shifting,' as I use it, refers to those items in a university's budget that used to be reimbursed by the federal government but are no longer paid for by them.

  Charles M. Vest

  Government, Shifting, Cost

  "An Interview with MIT President Charles M. Vest". news.mit.edu. December 10, 1997.

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• But people that are worried about unborn babies are the same ones that vote against kindergarten programs in Indiana or school lunch funds out of the federal government.

  Birch Bayh

  Baby, School, Government

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• The reason that the unions and the other stakeholders have not cut a deal with the automakers is because they believe the federal government is going to bail them out.

  Tim Pawlenty

  Believe, Cutting, Government

  "Govs. Granholm, Pawlenty, Rendell, and Sanford on "Fox News Sunday"". "Fox News Sunday", www.realclearpolitics.com. February 22, 2009.

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• Why should a city be mandated to do something by the federal government or state government without the money to do it?

  Richard M. Daley

  Government, Cities, States

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• Democracies have been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their death.

  James Madison

  Freedom, Democracies Have, Rights

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.46

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• In his 4 years in the White House, President Carter worked to make the Federal Government more competent and compassionate and more responsive to the American people.

  Nathan Deal

  Government, Years, White

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• My belief has always been... that wherever in this land any individual's constitutional rights are being unjustly denied, it is the obligation of the federal government-at point of bayonet if necessary-to restore that individual's constitutional rights

  Ronald Reagan

  Rights, Government, Land

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• I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground that 'all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.' To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power not longer susceptible of any definition.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, People, Fields

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.556

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  The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Gun, Strong Arms, People

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.458, Penguin

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• The federal government seeks to control and regulate the Internet, but the last thing this Congress should be doing is trying to stifle public debate online.

  Dennis Hastert

  Government, Aggravation, Trying

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• The issuing power [of money] should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Taken, Democracies Have, Government

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