Life, as the signs in the liquor stores say, is too short to drink bad wine. And summer is too short to read bad books.

We all have more at stake in the rules of the game than we do in the outcomes of the game. When that changes, that's when you begin to lose democracy.

There are a lot of wonderful people in America who shouldn't be on the Supreme Court - and a lot who should be on the court who aren't such wonderful people.

[In politics,] when there is no reason to speak, there is a reason not to speak.

It's very important to understand that 21st century authoritarian rule does not look like 20th century authoritarian rule. You're not going to have people in parade ground formations. You're not going to have a police state. You're not going to people with decorative armbands bullying people on the sidewalks. And the leaders won't stand at microphones for hours ranting at people. All of that is so 80 years ago.

My mother cared more about how you reasoned than about the conclusions you reached.

If right and left are competing to be the biggest victim, who is competing to be the government?