Barack Obama: “Such knee-jerk disdain for government, this constant rejection of any common endeavor cannot rebuild our levees or our…”

It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say.

I think when we act on that basis, it doesn't always work out, but over time things do get better.

The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president.

It is a decision about how do we face and embrace this finite amount of time we have on the planet.