Edward Kennedy People Quotations

The real transgression occurs when religion wants government to tell citizens how to live uniquely personal parts of their lives. The failure of Prohibition proves the futility of such an attempt when a majority or even a substantial minority happens to disagree. Some questions may be inherently individual ones, or people may be sharply divided about whether they are. In such cases, like Prohibition and abortion, the proper role of religion is to appeal to the conscience of the individual, not the coercive power of the state.

I hope for an America where neither "fundamentalist" nor "humanist" will be a dirty word, but a fair description of the different ways in which people of good will look at life and into their own souls.

Floating screw - that's what people used to call me.

The demand of our people in 1980 is not for smaller government or bigger government but for better government.

As we have seen from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's example, even one justice can profoundly alter the meaning of those words for our citizens. Even one justice can deeply affect the rights and liberties of the American people.

In the United States Senate, one of the things I observed in the early days - and it's still used - and that is that you take someone's argument and then you misrepresent it and misstate and disagree with it. And it's very effective. I've done it myself a number of times. But eventually, eventually people catch on.

Under the Bush administration, openness and accountability have been replaced by secrecy and evasion of responsibility. They abuse their power, conceal their actions from the American people, and refuse to hold officials accountable.

Never listen to a phone call that isn't meant for you. Never read a letter that isn't meant for you. Never pay attention to a comment that isn't meant for you. Never violate people's privacy. You will save yourself a lot of anguish.

Judges are appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. And it is our duty to ask questions on great issues that matter to the American people and to speak for them.

One of the things the American people are very concerned about is shabby work and that certainly is true about the families whose houses are going to be rebuilt and buildings that are going to be restored,

For years, under the Medicare system, it was a universal system in the sense that people would pay in all across this nation. Now that concept is being challenged and, I believe, undermined.

Our troops deserve better, Mr. Secretary. I think the American people deserve better, ... They deserve competency, and they deserve the facts. In baseball, it's three strikes and you're out. What is it for the secretary of defense?

Our armed forces are serving ably in Iraq under enormously difficult circumstances, and the policy of our government must be worthy of their sacrifice. Unfortunately, it is not, and the American people know it.

President Bush should provide the information ... rather than hiding behind a privilege that doesn't exist and encouraging Roberts to not answer questions, ... The American people deserve to know who John Roberts is and where he stands on the vital issues before the country.

The advertising, the appeal of 'Mr. Camel' that takes place outside of school yards all across this country is just enticing these young people into this action,

What the American people have seen is this incredible disparity in which those people who had cars and money got out, and those people who were impoverished died,

After all the buildup and the long wait, the American people had a right to expect a comprehensive plan. But all the administration released was a glossy brochure and a plan for a single agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Republicans are looking after the interests of the wealthiest people in this country and many of us believe that we should be debating what we are going to do to protect the hard working Americans that are making the minimum wage!

They won't tell American people what they want to know: when the Iraqi security forces will be fully capable of fighting on their own. That's the key to achieving victory.

Instead of reopening ideological battles, we should be focused on reopening schools and getting people the help they need.

But it is very important for the American people to understand who this justice is and what his views are on important constitutional issues, ... And this is magnified particularly when the administration has made a judgment and decision to restrict information about the nominee, for what reasons we do not know.

You can't separate safety and security in schools from the issue of the availability and the accessibility of guns. The public understands that school violence prevention is a complex issue. The American people are increasingly demanding that we take action.