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.

source: - "A Congressional Exit Interview". Interview with Josh Tyrangiel, www.bloomberg.com. June 22, 2012.

Topics: Country, Animal, People, Purgatory

I am always fascinated by India.

Topics: India

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

Topics: People, Making Money, Rich, No Sympathy

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.

source: - "Rep. Ackerman Warns of Terrorist 'Platoon of Lesbians'". Gary Ackerman's remarks during House Foreign Affairs Committee on the State Department budget at the United States Capitol in Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., www.foxnews.com. February 7, 2007.

Topics: Military, Gay, People, Gay People

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.

source: - "Code Pink Targets Congressman Gary Ackerman's Boat". "Hannity & Colmes", www.foxnews.com. July 10, 2008.

Topics: Thinking, Perspective, Important, Beijing, Castro

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.

Topics: Blessed, Kids, Elderly, Needy, Blessed Life

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.

Topics: Party, America, People, Dumbing Down

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.

source: - "A Congressional Exit Interview". Interview with Josh Tyrangiel, www.bloomberg.com. June 22, 2012.

Topics: Confused, Philosophy, Hockey, Stirring

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.

Topics: Hands, Luxury, People, Streamlining, Trimming

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.

Topics: Party, Rights, Government, States Rights, Federalism

We're not looking at banning all weapons.

Topics: Weapons

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

source: - "Rep. Gary Ackerman Wants To Tread On Tea Party License Plates In Arizona" By Michael McAuliff, www.huffingtonpost.com. April 20, 2011.

Topics: Government, Political, Agendas, Political Agendas

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

Topics: Media, Lazy, Checks

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

Topics: India, Doe, Needs

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

source: - "WABC Special - Interview With Congressman Gary Ackerman". "The John Batchelor and Paul Alexander Show", www.jonathanpollard.org. July 29, 2001.

Topics: Pride, People, Sometimes, Higher Standards

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

Topics: America, World, Regulation, Rules And Regulations

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

Topics: Immigration, Needs, Favors

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

Topics: America, Risk, Democracy, Under Siege

Every gun sold should require a background check, period.

source: - "Third gun control bill proposed since Tucson shootings" by Sahil Kapur, www.rawstory.com. January 13, 2011.

Topics: Gun, Checks, Should, Background Checks

Patriots don't let their nation default.

source: - "Patriots Don’t Let Their Nation Default" by Gary Ackerman, www.huffingtonpost.com. June 3, 2011.

Topics: Patriot, Default

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.

Topics: Thirds, Fourth

Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and inhumane.

source: - "House Hunting in the West Bank" by Gershom Gorenberg, prospect.org. June 4, 2009.

Topics: Children, People, Unthinkable, Inhumane

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.

Topics: Real, Thinking, People

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

Topics: Moving, Order, Progress