Great Throughts Treasury

"What you believe matters less than your capacity for belief - and your willingness to translate belief into constructive action."

"Whether on the floor of Congress or in the boardrooms of corporate America or in the corridors of a big city hospital, there is no body of professional expertise and no anthology of case studies which can supplant the force of character which provides both a sense of direction and a means of fulfillment. It asks, now what you want to be, but who you want to be."

"We believe in the dignity of every life, the possibility of every mind, the divinity of every soul. This is our true North."

"I am a firm believer in free but fair trade. However the United States should not be on the losing end of trade agreements that are not enforced. It is time that we make China play fairly."

" We must return teaching to the heart of the educational enterprise. Teaching needs to be supported, not only by rewarding excellence in teaching, but by placing the training of teachers at the center of our higher education system. If teaching is to become a prestigious profession, teachers must undergo rigorous training and hold prestigious degrees."

"In a single lifetime, I have seen Americans split the atom, abolish Jim Crow, eliminate the scourge of polio, win the Cold War, plant our flag on the surface of the moon, map the human genetic code, & belatedly recognize the talents of women, minorities, the disabled once relegated to the shadows. If we reaffirm these timeless and unchangeable truths, if we choose life and liberty, compassion and service, character and faith, we will honor those who came before us, and inspire the children of tomorrow. "

"Despite recent media reports that have clouded, or even misrepresented, the facts, there is compelling evidence that al-Qaida and Iraq have been linked for more than a decade."

"If our leaders are not worthy, we have the power to elect leaders who are."

"If we choose life and liberty, compassion and service, character and faith, we will honor those who came before us, and inspire the children of tomorrow."

"In liberating Iraq, we have rid the nation and the rest of the world from the danger of Saddam Hussein."

"Iraq is the central battleground in the war on terror. The terrorists certainly know what is at stake, which is why they are pulling out all the stops to derail our efforts there. They know that a free and democratic Iraq is a serious blow to their interests."

"Let me be clear, Mr. President, mistakes have been made in Iraq. And this operation has been far from perfect as evidenced by the fact that Zarqawi and other terrorists continue to wreak havoc throughout Iraq."

"Marriage between a man and a woman isn't something Republicans invented, but it is something Republicans will defend."

"My commitment is to strive to lean on the Lord with my whole heart, reading His word daily and earnestly seeking His will in my life."

"The benefits of homeownership for families, communities and the nation are profound. When individuals and families own their home, they establish roots in their communities and have a greater stake in the growth, safety and development of their towns and cities. It is through initiatives to further grow homeownership that we empower individuals and families by helping them build wealth and improve their lives."

"That would be a disaster for humanitarian organizations without that charitable deduction, and for a lot of homeowners without the mortgage deduction as well."

"The United States is the leader of the free world."

"We aim to give a 'wake-up call' to businesses, to alert them to the fact that the next 'fair-haired boy' of their organization just might be a woman."

"There is no doubt that now, more than ever, we must work to end our dependence on foreign oil sources. But we cannot do so by ignoring the wishes of the coastal communities that oppose drilling."

"My objective as Secretary of Labor is to look through the 'glass ceiling' to see who is on the other side, and to serve as a catalyst for change."

"The terrorists know what is at stake, which is why they are pulling out all the stops to derail our efforts. They understand that a free and democratic Iraq is a serious blow to their interests."

"The very idea of freedom incites fear in the hearts of terrorists across the world."

"We have learned that power is a positive force if it is used for positive purposes."

"What you always do before you make a decision is consult. The best public policy is made when you are listening to people who are going to be impacted. Then, once policy is determined, you call on them to help you sell it."

"Women share with men the need for personal success, even the taste of power, and no longer are we willing to satisfy those needs through the achievements of surrogates, whether husbands, children, or merely role models."