I can't see any difference in government between Bush and Obama apart from the color of their skin.

If you were to come to Minnesota, I could have you locked up like that. That's power.

I love my country, not my government.

When I ran for governor of Minnesota, I only raised $300,000.

Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people

Patriotism to your country is something that comes from your heart. It should be taught to you by your parents.

If you tell the truth, you don't need a long memory.

Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers. It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business.

A vote is "wasted" when someone fails to vote their conscience.

A hero must be honorable, must have honor. And you can't have honor if you're a liar. There is no honor in lying.

There is much more to being a patriot and a citizen than reciting the pledge or raising a flag.

Books had taught me new ideas and had shown me ways of life that I would not have known about otherwise, and they offered a refuge when, like now, real life seemed too hard.

It was not lack of ability that limited my people, but lack of opportunity.

I guessed life was like that. You gained and you lost, and if you saved anything from the ruins, even if only a shred of self-respect, it was enough to take you through the next bit.

Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.

Russell Crowe is normally an actor who disappears so far into his characters you'd swear his DNA has been altered.

If there's no world 'out there' what are you reacting to? Ask yourself that question every moment of every day when your peace is disturbed.

Remembering now all those farewells (fake farewells, worked-up farewells), Irena thinks: a person who messes up her goodbyes shouldn’t expect much from her re-unions.

I think that there are good things that happen and bad things that happen.

I have the best husband a wife could possibly have. He's the best father my children could have.