Remnick finds that excuse wanting, and indicative of a weakness in American political culture: People do actually act on on principle once in a while!
For President Bush and Congress, this is one final chance to act on principle for a nation they have so often neglected and disappointed.
And I will act on principle.
Sometimes you act on principle simply because it's the right thing to do.
Mr. DiFrancesco's spokesman, Tom Wilson, said Mr. Schundler and Mr. McGreevey should "act on principle" and decline the added money.
McMaster notes, however, that this failure to act on principle haunted Johnson for the rest of his life.
"At times, you must act on principle and not ask what cost, what are the chances of success," he said.
He taught me that success is never final nor defeat fatal, as long as you have the courage to act on principle and take the heat.
They could not bring themselves to believe that he had done what normal voters are crying out for politicians to do – act on principle and conviction.
And it is instructive that his pledge to audiences that he would never be guided by opinion polls but would always act "on principle" applies only to national security matters.
