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" Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was - by a taxpayer. "
Donald Rumsfeld
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" Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't divide the world into 'them' and 'us.' Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the press, the Congress, rivals, or opponents. Accept them as facts. They have their jobs and you have yours. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Your performance depends on your people. Select the best, train them and back them. When errors occur, give sharper guidance. If errors persist or if the fit feels wrong, help them move on. The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last. All the pressures are to the contrary. "
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" If you develop rules, never have more than ten. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Look for what's missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what's proposed or what's gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn't there. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" One of your tasks is to separate the 'personal' from the 'substantive.' The two can become confused, especially if someone rubs the President wrong. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" There are a lot of people who lie and get away with it, and that's just a fact. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't say 'the White House wants.' Buildings can't want. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Simply because you do not have evidence that something exists does not mean that you have evidence that it doesn't exist. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" First rule of politics: you can't win unless you're on the ballot. Second rule: If you run, you may lose. And, if you tie, you do not win. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Preserve the President's options. He may need them. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact and tone. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Visit with your predecessors from previous Administrations. They know the ropes and can help you see around some corners. Try to make original mistakes, rather than needlessly repeating theirs. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Plan backwards as well as forward. Set objectives and trace back to see how to achieve them. You may find that no path can get you there. Plan forward to see where your steps will take you, which may not be clear or intuitive. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" The way to do well is to do well. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision and also a precedent. Pose issues so as to evoke broader policy guidance. This can help to answer a range of similar issues likely to arise later. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps engender the support decisions need to be successfully implemented. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If in doubt, move decisions up to the President. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" The Secretary of Defense is not a super General or Admiral. His task is to exercise civilian control over the Department for the Commander-in-Chief and the country. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If in doubt, don't. If still in doubt, do what's right. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate their egos. "
Donald Rumsfeld