Good ideas and innovations must be driven into existence by courage and patience.

Be ever questioning. Ignorance is not bliss. It is oblivion. You don't go to heaven if you die dumb. Become better informed. Lean from others' mistakes. You could not live long enough to make them all yourself.

All new ideas begin in a non-conforming mind that questions some tenet of the conventional wisdom.

Nothing so sharpens the thought process as writing down one's arguments. Weaknesses overlooked in oral discussion become painfully obvious on the written page.

Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous impatience.

When doing a job — any job — one must feel that he owns it, and act as though he will remain in that job forever.

I do not have regrets. I believe I helped preserve the peace for this country. Why should I regret that? What I accomplished was approved by Congress -- which represents our people. All of you live in safety from domestic enemies because of security from the police. Likewise, you live in safety from foreign enemies because our military keeps them from attacking us.