#pol

One of the arguments that authoritarian governments use to ward off the call for greater political freedom is to argue that American-style democracy is no guarantee of good policy.... Over the years, I’ve grown used to these arguments, and my response has rarely wavered: Sure, we might make dumb choices sometimes, but we will defend, to the end, the right to make choices at all, because we believe that our collective conscience, freely expressed, will eventually lead us in the right direction. When it comes to guns, it is getting harder to muster that argument abroad. Every new shooting, every new failure of will and citizenship, slashes another hole in our credibility as a way of life. ↗

— Evan Osnos

#authoritarianism #credibility #democracy #government #gun-policy

collecting secrets was and is crucial to solving foreign policy puzzles. ↗

— Gregory F. Treverton

#politics #age

We must focus much more on developing countries' own policies and priorities, and increase policy and operational coherence between national, regional and multilateral actors. ↗

— Anna Lindh

#coherence #countries #developing #focus #increase

We need a reform of the Security Council. It must be perceived as truly representative by all the 191 member states, to uphold the credibility and legitimacy of the UN as the main political arena. ↗

— Anna Lindh

#council #credibility #legitimacy #main #member

Politicians all too often think about the next election. Statesmen think about the next generation. ↗

— Linda Lingle

#election #generation #next #next election #often

Throughout my political career, I've believed in the concept of home rule. Some call it local control. Whichever phrase you use, the concept is the same - the best decisions are those made closest to those who will be impacted by the decisions. ↗

— Linda Lingle

#best #call #career #closest #concept

Freight mobility and movement, while not a sexy policy issue, is a highly important one. Capacity constraints and congestion on our nation's freight rail system create many problems. ↗

— Bill Lipinski

#congestion #constraints #create #freight #highly

We are currently working on new policies to protect and create American jobs, particularly by improving education. We need more information in order to find the best solutions to this increasing concern for American families. ↗

— Dan Lipinski

#american families #american jobs #best #concern #create

It should be clear by now that my focus here is not freedom of speech or the press. This freedom is all too often an exaggeration. At the very least, blind references to freedom of speech or the press serve as a distraction from the critical examination of other communications policies. ↗

— Mark Lloyd

#clear #communications #critical #distraction #exaggeration

Our arguments - and those of hundreds more Venezuelans suffering the same injustice - are clear and forceful: political disqualification violates laws in Venezuela and throughout the continent. ↗

— Leopoldo Lopez

#continent #forceful #hundreds #injustice #laws