Sheldon Whitehouse Quotes

Good people can disagree - all you want is honesty, because you know, if I disagree, I'm willing to debate you on that, and then let the public decide what's good policy and bad policy.

So I think it's important to communicate with the people in terms of what the real facts are on these proposals and try to have a discussion and a dialogue that gives people information. I think they're hungry for that rather than just political rhetoric.

The word 'tolerance' once meant we all have the right to argue rationally for our deepest convictions in the public arena. Now it means those convictions are not even subject to rational debate.

My own thinking is often clarified and extended by talking with students.

When I see something that's sensitive, I go, 'You've got to put that out there.' You need to keep the dialogue going and shine a light on the bad guys. If you sweep it under the carpet, people forget about it. People stop talking about it.

The better the information it has, the better democracy works. Silence and secrecy are never good for it.

Useless knowledge can be made directly contributory to a force of sound and disinterested public opinion.

That's what we're missing. We're missing argument. We're missing debate. We're missing colloquy. We're missing all sorts of things. Instead, we're accepting.

I always say the strength of democracy lies in criticism. If there is no criticism, that means there is no democracy. And if you want to grow, you must invite criticism. And I want to grow; I want to invite criticism.

Maybe politically it wasn't wise but when people have different view points I think the public has a right to hear it and the public has a right to make decisions based on those view points.

We have the duty of formulating, of summarizing, and of communicating our conclusions, in intelligible form, in recognition of the right of other free minds to utilize them in making their own decisions.

My dream of politics all my life has been that it is the common business, that it is something we owe to each other to understand and discuss with absolute frankness.

Questioning is the great strength of democracy; the ability to doubt without losing face

Dialoging is the first principle of good government.

We gain by intelligent discussion of public questions carried on, … not from a standpoint of partisanship, but of good citizenship.

An open society invests in people and new ideas, rewards talent and hard work, values dialogue and learns from dissent, operates to high standards with transparent information, looks for common ground, sees problems as opportunities for creative change, and encourages those who are fortunate to help others get the same chance, because service is the highest ideal.

When we speak freely, let us speak plainly, for plain speech is wholesome; especially, plain speech about public affairs and public men.

American democracy depends on the public's ability to remain accurately informed on our state of affairs.

I want to encourage open conversation, which allows people to discuss issues and learn from each other.

We want to strike the right balance between the governments and our users. If there are concerns, we can work together.

When you have that privilege of being able to talk directly with your chairman, like I've had with Daniel Levy, that make things a lot easier. Afterwards, I know what we've said to each other, and we have a relationship built on trust.

I want people to have conversations, to have controversy because it creates dialogue and builds bridges.

Americans are calling for a return to common sense in how we solve problems and how the people communicate with their government.

If you're going to have an exchange of ideas, the only thing you can do is to meet people face-to-face in front of a crowd who may think differently than you do. I mean, that's what democracy is about, isn't it?

There's nothing better than people talking to each other, sharing best practices, and opening up communications.