[governance] Obama on Civil Society

["Kleinwächter, Wolfgang"]

Here is a nice statement President Obama made in a meeting with Russian Civil Society Groups during his recent meeting in Moscow:
 
Obama: "Make no mistake: Civil society -- civil groups hold their governments to high standards. And I know -- because this audience includes Americans who've been critical of me for not moving fast enough on issues that are of great importance. They've said it to my face. In the Oval Office. While I was President. (Laughter.) They told me I was wrong. And in some cases they changed my mind; in some cases they didn't. And that's okay, because we're not going to agree on everything -- but I know this: Their voices and their views and their criticism ultimately will make my decisions better, they will make me ask tougher questions and ask my staff tougher questions. And we'll find out: Are there ways of doing what we need to do that conform to our deepest held values and our ideals, and that are sustainable over the long term? That makes our country stronger in the long term, and I wouldn't want it any other way."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/REMARKS-BY-THE-PRESIDENT-AT-PARALLEL-CIVIL-SOCIETY-SUMMIT/
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