Small men, seeking great wealth or power, have too often and too long turned even the highest levels of public service into mere personal opportunity.
Interpretation
The pursuit of personal gain often corrupts the integrity of public service.
In this quote, Barry Goldwater criticizes individuals who, despite holding significant positions in public service, prioritize their personal ambitions over their civic responsibilities. He suggests that such tendencies distort the true purpose of serving the public and reduce honorable roles to platforms for self-enrichment.
In practice
During a speech about honesty in government, this quote highlights the dangers of self-serving politicians.
I say further that for this great legislative body to ignore the Constitution and the fundamental concepts of our governmental system is to act in a manner which could ultimately destroy the freedom of all American citizens, including the freedoms of the very persons whose feelings and whose liberties are the major subject of this legislation.
The conservative movement, to which I subscribe, has as one of its basic tenets the belief that government should stay out of people’s private lives. Government governs best when it governs least – and stays out of the impossible task of legislating morality. But legislating someone’s version of morality is exactly what we do by perpetuating discrimination against gays.
Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy. They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives.
None of us here in Washington knows all or even half of the answers ... If you love your country, don't depend on handouts from Washington for your information. If you cherish your freedom, don't leave it all up to big government.
A woman has a right to an abortion. That's a decision that's up to the pregnant woman, not up to the pope or some do-gooders or the Religious Right.
The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions. We have succeeded for 205 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn't stop now. To retreat from that separation would violate the principles of conservatism and the values upon which the framers built this democratic republic.
Press Freedom will never be under threat in South Africa for as long as the ANC is the majority party
Let there be an end to the arrogance of the big powers who miss no opportunity to put the rights of the people in question. Africa's absence from the club of those who have the right to veto is unjust and should be ended.
The White House is a bully pulpit.
Wherever the Government does not emanate...from the people, the principle of the Government, the esprit de corps, the point of honour, in all those connected with it, and raised by it to privileges above the law and above humanity, will be hatred to the people.
These niggaz ain't thugs, the real thugs is the government._x000D_ _x000D_ Don't matter if you Independent, Democrat or Republican,_x000D_ _x000D_ Niggaz politickin' the street, get into beef,_x000D_ _x000D_ Start blastin'...now a new cat is executive chief.
$100,000 donors buy access to Congress and the White House. We believe it's long past time to clean up Washington.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.