Common Defense Quotes

• To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.

  George Washington

  Inspirational, Leadership, Motivation

  1790 First Annual Address, 8 Jan.

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• Among the many interesting objects which will engage your attention that of providing for the common defense will merit particular regard. To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

  George Washington

  War, Mean, Interesting

  George Washington (1849). “Lives of the heroes of the American Revolution: comprising the lives of Washington and his generals and officers who were the most distinguished in the War of the Independence of the U. S. A. : also embracing The Declaration of Independence and signers' names, The Constitution of the United States and amendments...together with the inaugural, first annual and farewell addresses of Washington”, p.333

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• I support development and deployment of a limited national missile defense. Few if any of our duties surpass our obligation to provide for the common defense of our nation.

  Joe Lieberman

  Deployment, Support, Defense

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• The great leading objects of the federal government, in which revenue is concerned, are to maintain domestic peace, and provide for the common defense.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Defense, Conservative

  Alexander Hamilton, John Church Hamilton (1850). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Miscellanies, 1774-1789: A full vindication; The farmer refuted; Quebec bill; Resolutions in Congress; Letters from Phocion; New-York Legislature, etc”, p.456

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• The Constitution, when it says, "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America," meant just what it said without reference to color or condition, ad infinitum.

  Joseph Smith, Jr.

  Freedom, Blessing, Order

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• This power ought to be coextensive with all the possible combinations of such circumstances; and ought to be under the direction of the same councils which are appointed to preside over the common defense.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Defense, Common, Combination

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.111, Coventry House Publishing

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• Government can have no more than two legitimate purposes - the suppression of injustice against individuals within the community, and the common defense against external invasion.

  William Godwin

  Government, Two, Community

  William Godwin (2015). “Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence On Morals And Happiness”, p.466, Penguin UK

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• Well, first let's say that the fundamental responsibility of any government is national security - in the preamble to the Constitution, provide for the common defense and insure domestic tranquility.

  Angus King

  Responsibility, Government, Defense

  "Congress Should Decide Encryption Issue, Sen. Angus King Says". "Morning Edition" with Steve Inskeep, www.npr.org. February 19, 2016.

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• The principal purposes to be answered by union are these the common defense of the members; the preservation of the public peace as well against internal convulsions as external attacks; the regulation of commerce with other nations and between the States; the superintendence of our intercourse, political and commercial, with foreign countries.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Country, Political, Unions

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.111, Coventry House Publishing

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• To refer the power in question to the clause "to provide for the common defense and general welfare" would be contrary to the established and consistent rules of interpretation, as rendering the special and careful enumeration of powers which follow the clause nugatory and improper. Such a view of the Constitution would have the effect of giving to Congress a general power of legislation instead of the defined and limited one hitherto understood to belong to them, the terms "common defense and general welfare" embracing every object and act within the purview of a legislative trust.

  James Madison

  Views, Giving, Special

  James Madison (1819). “The Writings of James Madison: 1808-1819”, p.387

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• A common defense among obituary-fanciers such as myself is that the obit is not about death at all. It is about life. This is true since an article about the condition of deadness would make for turgid reading at best.

  Tom Rachman

  Reading, Defense, Common

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• I think what Secretary Ash Carter is seeing, and I'm glad he is, is that we got to get NATO back working for the common defense. We've got to do more to support our partners in NATO, and we have to send a very clear message to Putin that this kind of belligerence, that this kind of testing of boundaries will have to be responded to. The best way to do that is to put more armor in, put more money from the Europeans in so they're actually contributing more to their own defense.

  Hillary Clinton

  Thinking, Support, Way

  Source: www.washingtonpost.com

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• We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

  Gouverneur Morris

  Blessing, Order, America

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