“A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought.”

“An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. ”

“Public opinion is the worst of all opinions.”

“But there was no room at the inn"; the inn is the gathering place of public opinion; so often public opinion locks its doors to the King.”

“The key obstacle to reforming aid is public opinion.. Public opinion drives them into the "I care" photo opportunities that dominate aid.”

“More intriguingly, in poll after poll, when Americans are asked what public institutions they most respect, three bodies are always at the top of their list: the Supreme Court, the armed forces, and the Federal Reserve System. All three have one thing in common: they are insulated from the public pressures and operate undemocratically. It would seem that Americans admire these institutions, preciselly because they lead rather than follow.”