John Engler Quotes

Manufacturers employ more than 14 million Americans doing what Americans do best, making things, building things, transforming raw materials into finished products.

Manufacturers account for nearly 60 percent of all industrial research and development.

I've gone from being one of the youngest governors to now the longest consecutive serving governor in the country.

I've been in the legislative branch and now the executive branch and in each case I felt it was important we use our constitutional responsibilities to the fullest.

I'm very pleased with the job President Bush is doing and he's off to a terrific start.

I'm a compassionate conservative.

I wish we could have acted quicker on Detroit or other failing schools.

I think we've got outstanding teaching in Michigan classrooms.

I kept telling everyone I wasn't going to Washington to stay. I go to visit.

I just have a position that any child that's in a failing school should be able to get out, or be in a position to have that school fixed.

I have an old saying that the harder I work, the luckier I get.

I expect my next job to be outside government.

I don't put labels on myself.

I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution.

I care about the children of Detroit.

Despite these hurdles, manufacturers in the U.S. and their employees are doing remarkable work.

Believe me, I'm not going to try to get into testing.

As you look around the country there are still a significant number of states where their whole school debate is over school funding and we've been focused on the quality debate for most of the '90s.

As governor, I learned the importance of having an agenda.

And there should not be a limit on the creation of new public schools. We ought to expand choices for parents.

All 50 states had the same national economy. And on virtually any measurement you wish to look at, Michigan has moved up and improved against the others.

I had made a decision early on that we were going to do the right things and that if they worked we were going to be very successful. And if for some reason they didn't, all the claims and the protestations and the excuses wouldn't make any difference.

You win by working hard, making tough decisions and building coalitions.

Given the professionalism of Michigan teachers, I think they're not teaching because of the financial rewards.

Sometimes it is better to begin the journey, to get under way, then it is to sit back and wait until such time that you're convinced that all conditions are perfect and that there'll be no surprises along the route.