Brad Pitt Quotes

A democracy depends upon people getting brighter all the time. Democracies are delicate. They're not just ipso facto and just go on and on.

Democracy in the contemporary world demands, among other things, an educated and informed people.

A democracy depends on its people, the literate and the well read.

The Internet has done a wonderful thing for us. But democracy doesn't work unless people are well informed, and I don't know that we are. People just don't have the time.

I like to think of myself as an active American in our politics, but I get lost sometimes watching everything.

The survival of democracy depends on the ability of large numbers of people to make realistic choices in the light of adequate information.

No amount of charters, direct primaries, or short ballots will make a democracy out of an illiterate people.

Democracy is not just voting for your leaders; it's really premised upon ordinary citizens understanding the issues.

Without an educated populace, democracy cannot sustain itself.

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.

The great postulate of our democracy is confidence in the common sense of the people and in their maturity of judgment, even on great issues—once they know the facts.

A people without reliable news is, sooner or later, a people without the basis of freedom.

People need to be able to read what their rights are, to be able to participate and hold their governments to account.

Even if politicians spew confusing, convoluted jargon, these people are still meant to represent me, and the only way that happens is if I stay informed and vote.

The government should train and direct the people in their acquisition of political knowledge and ability, thereby enabling them to exercise the powers of election, recall, initiative, and referendum.

There is little doubt that our society is changing rapidly, but one thing will never change as long as we remain a democracy: the need for voters to know the essentials of our history and government.

There is a lack of interest in voting in the United States, and that troubles me. It is very necessary that people get registered, study the issues and be aware of the politics of our country. We will really be set back if people don't take the time to learn about the candidates who are concerned about the well-being of all the citizens and vote.

When we don't pay close attention to the decisions made by our leaders, when we fail to educate ourselves about the major issues of the day, when we choose not to make our voices and opinions heard, that's when democracy breaks down. That's when power is abused. That's when the most extreme voices in our society fill the void that we leave. That's when powerful interests and their lobbyists are most able to buy access and influence in the corridors of power - because none of us are there to speak up and stop them.

In a democracy, we have always had to worry about the ignorance of the uneducated. Today we have to worry about the ignorance of people with college degrees.

The way you get democracy to function is by informing the public.

Democracy can be sustained and developed only by people who understand its essence.

Democracy doesn't work unless the public is informed.

The real safeguard of democracy is education.

But, Jefferson worried that the people - and the argument goes back to Thucydides and Aristotle - are easily misled. He also stressed, passionately and repeatedly, that it was essential for the people to understand the risks and benefits of government, to educate themselves, and to involve themselves in the political process. Without that, he said, the wolves will take over.

In a democracy you cannot stop public access to that art that will most misinform the people. You cannot stop people from being misinformed. But what you can do is to educate the people to the point that they will throw the rascals out.