Humor brings insight and tolerance. Irony brings a deeper and less friendly understanding.

The diseases of the present have little in common with the diseases of the past save that we die of them.

The thinkers of the world should by rights be guardians of the world's mirth.

Edged tools are dangerous things to handle, and not infrequently do much hurt.

Being brave is what led to three rejections from Yale Law School before being accepted. It led to losing my 2010 race for U.S. Congress, and another failed bid for public office in 2013, this time for public advocate of New York City.

Fighting public corruption is essential to preserving a working democracy that people have confidence in. I said that time and again on the campaign trail, and that's why it's such a high priority for me.

Some things never change, suck up to the government and you get an honour.

I say this as a Democrat, for whom the Republican domination of government threatens many values that I hold to be important to America's role as a light among nations. But there are no values that matter to me that will not be gravely endangered if we lose this war.