Andrew Jackson Quotes

We've seen a lot of dirty politics in Ireland.

It is true that power corrupts. The hope at the polling stations and the actions of the elected representatives, unfortunately, often turn to be opposite. The power of ballot turns into the power of wallet. Some law-makers become law-breakers.

Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.

The party of swindlers and thieves is putting forward its chief swindler and its chief thief for the presidency. We must vote against him, struggle against him.

If you look at weak democracies, the oligarchies that have taken undue control of them always seek to tamper with the vote. It is important for oligarchs to have elections to give their guy a veneer of legitimacy - and important for the vote always to turn out 'their way.'

The Reagan people want four more years, but the way they're going some of them will get ten to twenty.

Never in the history of the United States has a state legislature attempted to be the final arbiter of a Presidential election. It’s an insurance policy for George W. Bush. It’s over the line for the Governor to use the state legislature as an arm of the Bush campaign.

Was there ever such a bare-faced corruption in any country before?

The abuse of buying and selling votes crept in and money began to play an important part in determining elections.

The T. and P. folks are working hard on their bill. … They offered one M. C. one thousand dollars cash down, five thousand when the Bill passed and ten thousand of the bonds when they got them, if he would vote for the Bill.

With money we will get partisans, with partisans votes, and with votes money, is the maxim of our political pilferers.

Congress leaders will now come to offer you money. I suggest you take the money but don't vote for them.

As they say around the Texas Legislature, if you can't drink their whiskey, screw their women, take their money, and vote against 'em anyway, you don't belong in office.

It is a matter of common knowledge that the government of South Carolina is under domination of a small ring of cunning, conniving men.

Politics, as the word is commonly understood, are nothing but corruptions.

The American people might have a criminal syndicate running their government.

I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office.

Don't buy a single vote more than necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide.

The Philippines is a country in which a man of morals can't be president, in which a politician who hasn't been linked to any wrongdoing isn't assumed to be honest, but merely better at hiding his corruption.

I believe that cronyism is nothing more than welfare for the rich and powerful, and should be abolished.

The boss of all bosses operates like a shifty-eyed precinct captain on the make ... These are activities on would expect of a small-time ward heeler, not a figure of such influence and stature.

Those guys [congressmen] lived on the basis of getting their little tidbits and their perks.

Promise all that is asked and more if you can think of anything. Offer to build a bridge or a church, to divide a county, create a batch of new offices, make a turnpike, or anything they like. Promises cost nothing, therefore deny nobody who has a vote.

Politicians can be bought and often are.

We have a cancer within, close to the Presidency, that is growing. It is growing daily.