Gary Ackerman quotes:

You can compromise between good, better, and best, and you can compromise between bad and worse and terrible. But you can't compromise between good and evil. And now people look at the other side as a completely different kind of animal and say, 'They are taking the country down the road to purgatory.' It's complete intolerance.

The media has changed. We now give broadcast licenses to philosophies instead of people. People get confused and think there is no difference between news and entertainment. People who project themselves as journalists on television don't know the first thing about journalism. They are just there stirring up a hockey game.

I've had meetings with Fidel Castro. I've had meetings with Kim Il-Sung. I've had meetings with other dictators. I've met with the Butcher of Beijing. You know, I think it's important to hear, you know, each other's perspective.

If a jerk burns the flag, America is not threatened, democracy is not under siege, freedom is not at risk.

It used to be you had real friends on the other side of the aisle. It's not like that anymore. Society has changed. The public is to blame as well. I think the people have gotten dumber.

Sometimes people who are Jewish are held to a higher standard which sometimes we take great pride in.

Whether rich people make money or lose money, they get no sympathy from the public.

I've personally demanded that tyrants let their people go. I've tried to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, protect the elderly and infirm, and defend the needy from the aggressively greedy. I've led a blessed life. What a kick for a kid from the projects.

Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and inhumane.

From the U.S. Capitol Building to the White House, our national symbols that represent freedom to so many of us, were built by people who were anything but free.

There's a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying in to Washington, D.C., and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hands saying that they're going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses. There's a message there.

I just thought it was unconscionable for the Congress to insert itself into this debate. We are particularly unqualified to make that decision and to intrude ourselves into the lives of this family.

Patriots don't let their nation default.

Every gun sold should require a background check, period.

As a state senator and then a congressman, I've had the privilege of trying to do good things for people to whom I owe so much and can never fully repay.

For some reason, the military seems more afraid of gay people than they are against terrorists, but they're very brave with the terrorists... If the terrorists ever got a hold of this information, they'd get a platoon of lesbians to chase us out of Baghdad.

India is a regional power. It does not need anything to establish it.

And it's absolutely hypocritical for the political party that talks about states rights, to suddenly ignore states rights, that say that the federal government or federalism has no business in this kind of business.

People more than ever since I can remember are concerned about being out of step and out of line with their political party and won't cross over. There is nobody, man or woman, who wants to be left out, and people are fearful of that. People are fearful of their leadership as well.

Without a musket to raise, a barricade to storm, a flag to wave, the question hit me in the face like the cold air: 'Who am I?'

Using official government resources to help bankroll an explicit political agenda - whether on the right or left - is flat out wrong.

We have to have some rules and regulations in America, or the world would empty out here.

I am always fascinated by India.

The media's gotten lazy. They don't check anything out. You report what he reports.

The ability to convince people of the wackiest notions - and both parties can do it - it's part of the dumbing down of America that's really highly problematic.

We're not looking at banning all weapons.

Looking forward, it might prove constructive to examine the true historical record of an issue prior to assuming the worst of anyone's motive and deconstructing and questioning anyone's Democratic bona fides. After all, we liberals got feelings.

I'm in favor of immigration but we also need rules.

It used to be you had real friends on the other side of the aisle. Its not like that anymore. Society has changed. The public is to blame as well. I think the people have gotten dumber.

Politics was my third act. But I could have a fourth. I don't know what that will be yet, but there will be one.

Sometimes in order to make progress and move ahead, you have to stand up and do the wrong thing.