Legitimate Government Quotes

• The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Freedom, 4th Of July, Thinking

  Thomas Jefferson, Henry Augustine Washington (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State”, p.379

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• The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but can not do at all, or can not so well do, for themselves – in their separate, and individual capacities.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Government, People, Community

  Abraham Lincoln, Mario Matthew Cuomo, G. S. Boritt (2004). “Lincoln on Democracy”, p.64, Fordham Univ Press

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• It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Life, God, Religious

  Notes on the State of Virginia, query 17 (1781 - 1785)

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• The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Religious, Atheist, Government

  Notes on the State of Virginia, query 17 (1781 - 1785)

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• The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Religious, Government, Political

  Thomas Jefferson (1854). “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Inaugural addresses and messages. Replies to public addresses. Indian addresses. Miscellaneous: 1. Notes on Virginia; 2. Biographical sketches of distinguished men; 3. The batture of New Orleans”, p.400

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• The error seems not sufficiently eradicated, that the operations of the mind, as well as the acts of the body, are subject to the coercion of the laws. But our rulers can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Government, Law, Errors

  Thomas Jefferson, Richard Holland Johnston, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the United States “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”

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• The will of the people is the source and the happiness of the people the end of all legitimate government upon earth.

  John Quincy Adams

  Gratitude, Government, People

  John Quincy Adams, William Harwood Peden (1946). “The Selected Writings of John and John Quincy Adams”

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• God ordained and established civil government, but only to serve the common good. A civil government that oppresses its people and acts contrary to the people's interests deposes itself, ceases to be a legitimate government, and, therefore, citizens are no longer obligated by Scripture to obey it.

  Daniel L Dreisbach

  Government, People, Scripture

  Source: www.biblegateway.com

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• The only legitimate government in the world, is the Iranian government.

  Ali Meshkini

  Government, World, Iranian

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• Throughout the world, the very moment a legitimate government starts fascist implementations, it loses its legitimacy! When a government becomes illegitimate, it is no longer a government but an outlaw!

  Mehmet Murat Ildan

  Government, World, Moments

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• At no time in the past, now or in the future has or will Russia take any part in actions aimed at overthrowing the legitimate government. I'm talking about something else right now - when someone does this, the outcome is very negative. Libya's state is disintegrated, Iraq's territory is flooded with terrorists, it looks like the scenario will be the same for Syria, and you know what the situation is in Afghanistan.

  Vladimir Putin

  Past, Talking, Iraq

  "Interview to American TV channel CBS and PBS". Interview with Charlie Rose, en.kremlin.ru. September 29, 2015.

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• Respecting the sovereignty means preventing coups, unconstitutional actions and illegitimate overthrowing of the legitimate government. All these things should be totally prevented.

  Vladimir Putin

  Mean, Government, Action

  Source: www.russianembassy.org

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• There is no other way to settle the Syrian conflict other than by strengthening the existing legitimate government agencies, support them in their fight against terrorism and, of course, at the same time encourage them to start a positive dialogue with the "healthy" part of the opposition and launch political transformations.

  Vladimir Putin

  Fighting, Agency, Government

  "Interview to American TV channel CBS and PBS". Interview with Charlie Rose, en.kremlin.ru. September 29, 2015.

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• The main objects of all science, the freedom and happiness of man. . . . [are] the sole objects of all legitimate government. A plaque with this quotation, with the first phrase omitted, is in the stairwell of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Men, Liberty, Pedestal

  Letter to General Thaddeus Kosciusko, February 26, 1810.

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• The war in Yemen is not a war that we wanted. We had no other option - there was a radical militia allied with Iran and Hezbollah that took over the country. It was in possession of heavy weapons, ballistic missiles and even an air force. Should we stand by idly while this happens at our doorstep, in one of the countries in which al-Qaida has a huge presence? So we responded, as part of a coalition, at the request of the legitimate government of Yemen, and we stepped in to support them.

  Adel al-Jubeir

  Country, War, Government

  Source: www.spiegel.de

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• We consider ISIS and extremism to be a threat to all of us in the region. . . . Our position is that we help the legitimate governments in the region that have representation in the United Nations. We help the Iraqi government on their request through advisers; we help the Syrian government on their request to help with advisers to fight extremists. . . . So it's both lawful and legitimate.

  Mohammad Javad Zarif

  Fighting, Government, Isis

  "Iran's Javad Zarif on Syria, Russia, and Donald Trump". Interview with Robin Wright, www.newyorker.com. December 18, 2015.

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• It is my belief that industry and government around the world should work even more closely to protect the privacy and security of Internet users, and promote the exchange of ideas, while respecting legitimate government considerations.

  Bill Gates

  Government, Ideas, World

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• The Holy Ghost carries on the whole Christian system in this earth. Not a Baptism, not a Marriage, not a Sacrament can be administered but by the Holy Ghost... There is no Authority civil or religious: there can be no legitimate Government but what is administered by this Holy Ghost. There can be no salvation without it. All, without it is Rebellion and Perdition, or in more orthodox words Damnation.

  John Adams

  Christian, Religious, Government

  John Adams' letter to Benjamin Rush (December 21, 1809), as quoted in "No, Mr. Beck, John Adams Did Not Think Governments Must Be Administered by the Holy Ghost" by Chris Rodda, www.huffingtonpost.com. June 16, 2010.

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• I have great respect for the Taiwanese. They have done an extraordinary job. But it was not a sustainable position to say that the legitimate government of China resides in Taiwan, which at that time didn't have much contact with the mainland.

  Henry A. Kissinger

  Jobs, Government, Taiwan

  Source: www.pbs.org

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• Russia has not taken part and is not going to take part in any actions aimed at removing legitimate government.

  Vladimir Putin

  Taken, Russia, Government

  Source: www.cbsnews.com

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• All legitimate government is a mutual insurance company, voluntarily agreed upon by the parties to it, for the protection of their rights against wrong-doers. In its voluntary character it is precisely similar to an association for mutual protection against fire or shipwreck.

  Lysander Spooner

  Party, Character, Fire

  Lysander Spooner (2004). “An Essay on the Trial by Jury”, p.242, The Minerva Group, Inc.

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• Information technology alone cannot provide us an absolute shield against its evil twin disinformation technology. Our only protection is law, and that protection is available to us only if legitimate governments have the power to govern.

  Paul Starr

  Technology, Government, Law

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