Daniel Patrick Moynihan

"Citizen participation is a device whereby public officials induce nonpublic individuals to act in a way the officials desire. "

"Somehow liberals have been unable to acquire from birth what conservatives seem to be endowed with at birth namely, a healthy skepticism of the powers of government to do good. "

"The issue of race could benefit from a period of benign neglect. "

"The single most exciting thing you encounter in government is competence, because it's so rare. "