Grover Cleveland Quotes

It has now become the doctrine of a large class of politicians that political honesty is unnecessary, slow, subversive of a man's interests, and incompatible with quick onward movement.

I am sorry to say I do doubt the honesty of many men that are called good at home, that have given themselves up to serve a party.

Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it.

A statesman cannot afford to be a moralist.

You can’t set aside … values in the name of political expediency.

The American people cannot be divided into parties on a question of simple morals or of common honesty.

Be sensible, that is, cease to be honest.

No man can serve two masters. No man can serve his people and the [party] caucus.

Party service does not require intelligent, independent action, and politics today stands for party fealty more than for governmental ethics

Ask what is it that the people need rather than what is good for our party.

He too, liked his party, and was fond of loyal men; but he had learned at last that all loyalty must be built on a basis of self-advantage. Patriotism may exist without it, but …loyalty in politics was simply devotion to the side which a man conceives to be his side, and which he cannot leave without danger to himself.

Statements of honesty in Washington can only go so far when you are employed.

Both parties act in their political self-interest. Indeed, that's the purpose of a political party. But unlike Democrats, at least Republicans are honest about it.

There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.

Republicans have to move to a point of greater unity.

Damn your principles! Stick to your party.

Honor is not the exclusive property of any political party.

In order to remain true to oneself one ought to renounce one's party three times a day.

For the merchant, even honesty is a financial speculation.

Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing.

I think the record speaks for itself. These are two individuals who have been for the war when the headlines were good and against it when their poll ratings were bad.

Is self-interest a bad thing? We want our leaders to be pure and good, but at the same time we want them to be effective, and to be effective you often have to be ruthless and not bound by ideology or the same morals that we pretend to hold ourselves to.

Politics are about preserving relationships at the end of the day, and it has nothing to do with the greater good for humanity. It's just all about business.

Incivility is not the disease. It is the symptom. Partisanship is the disease…. When your highest duty is to your party, the public interest becomes subservient.

As for life within a Legislature,— who can tell how warped and bent and twisted, and accommodated to the exigencies of party struggle become the faculties of belief?