A monarchy is a merchantman which sails well, but will sometimes strike on a rock, and go to the bottom; a republic is a raft which will never sink, but then your feet are always in the water.

A democracy is a volcano which conceals the fiery materials of its own destruction. These will produce an eruption and carry desolation in their way.

The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and ignorant believe to be liberty.

Liberty is not to be enjoyed, indeed it cannot exist, without the habits of just subordination; it consists, not so much in removing all restraint from the orderly, as in imposing it on the violent.

The happiness of a people, and the good order and preservation of civil government, essentially depend on piety, religion, and morality.

[the framers of the Constitution] intended our government should be a republic, which differs more widely from a democracy than a democracy from a despotism.

No man can be a sound lawyer in this land who is not well read in the ethics of Moses and the virtues of Jesus.

The rights of conscience, of bearing arms, of changing the government, are declared to be inherent in the people.

I have heard it remarked that men are not to be reasoned out of an opinion they have not reasoned themselves into.

We are, heart and soul, friends to the freedom of the press...It is a precious pest, and a necessary mischief, and there would be no liberty without it.

All such men are, or ought to be, agreed, that simple governments are despotisms; and of all despotisms, a democracy, though the least durable, is the most violent.

Laughter rises out of tragedy when you need it the most, and rewards you for your courage.

Wise men don't feel companionless when they are not in the company of their egos.

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

My love for sports will never die. I love martial arts and I want to promote it in whichever way I can. I am a fighter first, then an actor.

Spin is overrated. It is strategy, not spin, that wins elections.

You're going to women? Don't forget your whip!

This European and really pro-Russian nationalism is seeping into America. It's very disturbing.

I rap for listeners, blunt heads, fly ladies and prisoners

I admit, I was fascinated by Adolf Hitler. He was a pleasant boss and a fatherly friend.

I believe that the existence of the classical "path" can be pregnantly formulated as follows: The "path" comes into existence only when we observe it.