When a government is arrived to that degree of corruption as to be incapable of reforming itself, it would not lose much by being new moulded.

It is necessary from the very nature of things that power should be a check to power.

The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.

We receive three educations, one from our parents, one from our school-masters, and one from the world. The third contradicts all that the first two teach us.

There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.

Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

In the state of nature... all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.

A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century.

For a country, everything will be lost when the jobs of an economist and a banker become highly respected professions.

Liberty... is there only when there is no abuse of power.

Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness; but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.

Awaken the divinity of a sacred self.

Familial betrayal is, to me, the most heartbreaking kind - because if you can't trust your family to love you and protect you, who can you really trust?

It holds for good polity ever, to have that outwardly in vilest estimation, which inwardly is most dear to us.

I wouldn't be able to act like Al Pacino or play the piano like Dr. John, But I could probably act better than Dr. John and play the piano better than Al Pacino.

I really like to communicate to my fans. I have a fan club president who I've had for over 15 years.

Don't you know that everybody's got a Fairyland of their own?

I debated free trade in college. I came out as a free trader. I'm a free markets guy. I'm an Adam Smith guy.

I don't choose between my house phone and my mobile. I don't choose between my laptop and my notebook. And I don't intend to choose between my e-reader and my bookshelf.

When the enemy has no face, society will invent one.

Plenty and peace breed cowards; hardness ever of hardiness is mother.