“Our purpose is not — and shall never be-either the quest for power or the desire to punish. We seek to increase the power of the people over all their governments, not to enhance the power of the Federal Government over any of the people. For the life of this Republic, our people have zealously guarded their liberty against abuses of power by their governments. The one weapon they have used is the mightiest weapon in the arsenal of democracy — the vote. This has been enough, for as Woodrow Wilson said, "The instrument of all reform in America is the ballot."”

— Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, Special message to Congress on the right to vote (1965)

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Lyndon B. Johnson 153

American politician, 36th president of the United States (i… 1908–1973

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James Madison (1751–1836) 4th president of the United States (1809 to 1817)

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Misattributed

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Context: We are a nation that has a government — not the other way around. And this makes us special among the nations of the Earth. Our Government has no power except that granted it by the people. It is time to check and reverse the growth of government which shows signs of having grown beyond the consent of the governed.
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