25 Jeff Greenfield Quotes for You to Enjoy

Jeff Greenfield

American Journalist

Born: Jun 10, 1943

Debate First Life Me Thought You

Related authors: Ambrose Bierce Dave Barry Erma Bombeck Hunter S. Thompson Mignon McLaughlin Walter Cronkite William F. Buckley, Jr. William Lloyd Garrison

Men and women in my lifetime have died fighting for the right to vote: people like James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were murdered while registering black voters in Mississippi in 1964, and Viola Liuzzo, who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan in 1965 during the Selma march for voting rights. Jeff Greenfield

Vote Rights Women People Voting Black Men Men And Women Fighting Andrew Klan Lifetime Goodman Like Voters Voting Rights Mississippi Were Michael Died James While Registering Who March Right Viola

There are good people who are dealt a bad hand by fate, and bad people who live long, comfortable, privileged lives. A small twist of fate can save or end a life; random chance is a permanent, powerful player in each of our lives, and in human history as well. Jeff Greenfield

Life Good History People Fate Bad People Random Good People Long Live Our Our Lives Bad Small Powerful Well Comfortable Permanent Dealt Hand End Privileged Human Human History Who Each Lives Twist Player Chance Save

Something about her eyes or voice has always suggested the hint of a free spirit, trapped in a Peck and Peck cage, dreaming of making rude noises at public gatherings of Republicans. Jeff Greenfield

This is part of the involuntary bargain we make with the world just by being alive. We get to experiences the splendor of nature, the beauty of art, the balm of love and the sheer joy of existence, always with the knowledge that illness, injury, natural disaster, or pure evil can end it in an instant for ourselves or someone we love. Jeff Greenfield

Love Art Nature Knowledge Natural Joy World Evil Pure Beauty Alive Ourselves Someone Splendor Instant Part Disaster Involuntary Make Sheer Always Existence Balm End Get Just Being Experiences Natural Disaster Bargain Illness Injury

After immersing myself in the mysteries of the Electoral College for a novel I wrote in the '90s, I came away believing that the case for scrapping it is less obvious than I originally thought. Jeff Greenfield

Myself Thought College Mysteries Case Wrote Obvious Came Than After Electoral Electoral College Less Novel Originally Away Believing

These people have served a longer sentence than some people who have committed murder. Jeff Greenfield

People Some People Some Longer Than Committed Sentence Who Served

F.D.R. had to deal with Southern segregationists - and outright racists - who held power in Congress, so he had to yield to that power in order to get his New Deal legislation passed. Jeff Greenfield

Power Congress Outright Had He New New Deal Deal Passed His Yield Southern Get Legislation Order Held Racists Who

One of the litmus tests for judicial conservatism is the idea of judicial restraint - that courts should give substantial deference to the decisions of the political process. When Congress and the president enact a law, conservatives generally say, judges should avoid 'legislating from the bench.' Jeff Greenfield

Law Political Congress Bench Conservatism President Conservatives Say Restraint Give Generally Idea Judges Judicial Enact Courts Tests Political Process Substantial Process Litmus Decisions Should Avoid

If Obama's vision of the public sector is socialism, then so too were the visions of Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon. Jeff Greenfield

Socialism Vision Richard Nixon Too Lyndon Lyndon Johnson Harry Sector Visions Franklin Franklin Roosevelt Nixon Obama John John Kennedy Johnson Were Truman Dwight Eisenhower Public Roosevelt Richard Then Theodore Theodore Roosevelt Public Sector Kennedy

I grew up in New York City, where we played highly unorganized sports: stick ball, stoop ball, and the occasional game of baseball with no adult supervision. Jeff Greenfield

More things in politics happen by accident or exhaustion than happen by conspiracy. Jeff Greenfield

Politics Conspiracy Accident More Exhaustion Than Happen Things

I got into television because I hated it so. I thought, there's some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen. Jeff Greenfield

Nurture Thought Way Those Television Would Hated Fabulous Some Instrument Because Got Listen Who Using Watch

If the court strikes down the Defense of Marriage Act, is that a 'liberal' result enabling gay couples married in states where gay marriage is legal to enjoy the same economic advantages that federal laws now grant to straight couples? Or is it a 'conservative' ruling, limiting the federal government's ability to override state power? Jeff Greenfield

Government Gay Legal Marriage Conservative Result Power Down Enjoy Defense Liberal State Gay Marriage Strikes States Ruling Married Ability Laws Economic Federal Advantages Couples Court Enabling Limiting Override Same Where Straight Act Grant Now

In early 1961 a new president, John F. Kennedy, was told by military leaders and civilian officials that the Kingdom of Laos - of no conceivable strategic importance to the U.S. - required the presence of American troops and perhaps even tactical nuclear weapons. Why? Because if Laos fell, Asia would go red from Thailand to Indonesia. Jeff Greenfield

Military President Would Weapons John John F. Kennedy Kingdom Civilian Tactical Troops Leaders Red Indonesia New Perhaps Importance Fell Because Go Thailand American Officials Asia Required American Troops Strategic Even Why Nuclear Presence Kennedy Early Nuclear Weapons

Remember, the first presidential candidate to reject public financing for both the primary and general election was... Barack Obama, in 2008. He did it, in spite of a flat pledge to the contrary, because his campaign saw that it could vastly outspend John McCain. Jeff Greenfield

Remember Election First Presidential Saw Pledge Obama Financing John John McCain General General Election Both Spite Vastly Could He Primary Because His Campaign Contrary Did Candidate McCain Flat Barack Barack Obama Public Reject

It strikes me as a sound, honest statement for a prospective voter to say: 'Look, I haven't given this election a minute's thought, and it's just not fair for me to cancel out the vote of someone who actually gives a damn.' Indeed, it's not just sound and honest - it's the ethically responsible thing to do. Jeff Greenfield

Me Vote Election Thought Damn Strikes Statement Indeed Say Out Responsible Minute Someone Given Gives Prospective Voter Fair Look Sound Cancel Just Not Fair Ethically Who Actually Thing Honest

There is something discordant about a team of speechwriters and political operatives hammering away to create an image of the 'real, inner' candidate. And, to be blunt, there is no necessary connection between a moving life experience and the skills necessary for leadership. Jeff Greenfield

Life Leadership Experience Political Life Experience About Something Between Real Discordant Hammering Candidate Blunt Moving Create Skills Team Connection Away Image Inner Necessary

I got into writing and thinking about politics because I was told there would be no math. Jeff Greenfield

Politics Writing Thinking Would Would-Be About Because Got Math

Think about one of the most powerful influences on a young child's life - the absence of a father figure. Look back on recent presidents, and you'll find an absent, or weak, or failed father in the lives of Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Jeff Greenfield

Life You Father Young Richard Nixon Think Father Figure Lyndon Lyndon Johnson Back Presidents Weak Nixon Obama Find About Absence Absent Johnson Failed Powerful Look Most Most Powerful Reagan Clinton Child Influences Barack Barack Obama Ronald Reagan Richard Bill Bill Clinton Figure Lives Recent

When George W. Bush picked Dick Cheney, it was a reassuring sign that the Texas governor would have an experienced, prudent voice at his side. Jeff Greenfield

Side Sign Would Voice Picked Cheney George His George W Texas George W. Bush Dick Cheney Governor Prudent Experienced Bush Reassuring

When Al Gore picked Joe Lieberman, it was a clear declaration of independence from President Clinton; no Democrat had been more critical of Clinton's misconduct. Jeff Greenfield

Independence President President Clinton Critical Joe More Misconduct Had Picked Clear Democrat Gore Been Clinton Declaration Al Al Gore

When I listen to the complaints that follow just about every presidential debate, I'm reminded of the well-worn joke about the Jewish mother who buys her son two shirts. When he shows up at dinner wearing one, she says: 'What's the matter? You didn't like the other one?' Jeff Greenfield

You Son Mother Debate Matter Dinner Joke Every Other Complaints Presidential Says Follow Wearing About He Reminded Like She Up Shirts Listen Just Who Shows Her Buys Two Jewish

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