Now, I’m not naive. I never thought that the mere fact of my election would usher in peace and harmony — and some post-partisan era. I knew that both parties have fed divisions that are deeply entrenched. And on some issues, there are simply philosophical differences that will always cause us to part ways. These disagreements, about the role of government in our lives, about our national priorities and our national security, they’ve been taking place for over 200 years. They’re the very essence of our democracy.
BARACK OBAMA, State of the Union Address, Jan. 27, 2010
“But the other essence of democracy is ‘winner take all’. I won, and now I’m a-takin'”
“I’ve got a pen, and I’ll have a place to put it as soon as I remove my thumb from there.”