Quotes By Franklin D. Roosevelt

Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are.

The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize.

But while they prate of economic laws, men and women are starving. We must lay hold of the fact that economic laws are not made by nature. They are made by human beings.

Our national determination to keep free of foreign wars and foreign entanglements cannot prevent us from feeling deep concern when ideals and principles that we have cherished are challenged.

If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace.

The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great qualities a sense of humor and a sense of proportion.

I am a Christian and a Democrat, that's all.

It takes a long time to bring the past up to the present.

We must lay hold of the fact that economic laws are not made by nature. They are made by human beings.

Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.

If we can boondoggle ourselves out of this depression, that word is going to be enshrined in the hearts of the American people for years to come.

There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.

It is the duty of the President to propose and it is the privilege of the Congress to dispose.

Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.

War is a contagion.

The virtues are lost in self-interest as rivers are lost in the sea.

Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.

The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the goverment.

It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.

Not only our future economic soundness but the very soundness of our democratic institutions depends on the determination of our government to give employment to idle men.

It isn't sufficient just to want - you've got to ask yourself what you are going to do to get the things you want.