I believe that the NATO alliance serves [U.S.] interests because it spreads the burden of collective security across many member states and doesn’t just put the burden on the United States. I also believe firmly about the importance of U.S. leadership in this institution: it matters; it’s important.”
Ambassador Julianne Smith, U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO. Arthur Vandenberg Lecture, “NATO today: Confronting the crisis in Ukraine and adapting to meet global challenges,” March 28, 2023.
Where voters come in is through voting … in presidential elections and in U.S. Senate elections. Their hands aren’t a hundred percent tied when it comes to Supreme Court justices. … Anybody who is happy or unhappy about this decision, your redress is at the ballot box.”
Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt, Ohio’s 10th District Court of Appeals and Towsley Policymaker in Residence. “Post-Affirmative Action ruling: Understanding the implications,” July 6, 2023.
If there’s going to be dislocation for workers, we have to be there for them. Train them, provide pathways into another kind of job. And historically we haven’t done a good job of that. As a country, we have programs to do that, but I think if we honestly assess the effectiveness of those programs, they haven’t been very effective.”
Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Policy Talks @ the Ford School, September 22, 2023.
There is something bigger going on right now than politics. … If democracy goes out the window, there is nothing else. … It is fragile. There are countries in the world that used to have democracy and now don’t. It happens. I’m not saying it’s gonna happen in this country, but it has happened to places. And once democracy goes, it’s really tough to get it back.”
Jake Tapper, CNN anchor and Chief Washington correspondent. Democracy in Crisis Lecture Series, November 3, 2023.
“Self-mastery is all we are talking about. Training yourself to talk very specifically to yourself. How do you talk to yourself? … I told Tom Brady, ‘I don’t care what your coaches believe. What do you believe?’ What did I teach Tom Brady? To trust himself.”
Greg Harden, MSW, long-time U-M assistant athletic director for counseling and motivational speaker. Community conversation on leadership, “Stay sane in an insane world,” November 6, 2023.
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