Politics
Benjamin Franklin on Liberty
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759 US author, diplomat, inventor, physicist, politician, & printer (1706 – 1790)
Napoleon Bonaparte on Politics
“He who knows how to flatter also knows how to slander.” Napoleon Bonaparte
W. L. George on War
“Wars teach us not to love our enemies, but to hate our allies.” W. L. George
Voltaire on Beliefs
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 – 1778)
Douglas Adams on Politics
“Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.” Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy English humorist & science fiction novelist (1952 – 2001)
Winston Churchill on Law
“If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law.” Winston Churchill
H. L. Mencken on Politics
“Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.” H. L. Mencken US editor (1880 – 1956)
Sir Barnett Cocks on Politics
“A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.” Sir Barnett Cocks (1907 – 1989)
George Carlin on Nature
“Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.” George Carlin US comedian and actor (1937 – 2008)
Benjamin Franklin on Government
“There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government.” Benjamin Franklin US author, diplomat, inventor, physicist, politician, & printer (1706 – 1790)
Marquis de Flers Robert and Arman de Caillavet on Democracy
“Democracy is the name we give the people whenever we need them.” Marquis de Flers Robert and Arman de Caillavet
Al McGuire on Politics
“I think the world is run by ‘C’ students.” Al McGuire
Ronald Reagan on Government
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.'” Ronald Reagan 40th president of US (1911 – 2004)
Dan Rather on Americans
“Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn’t block traffic.” Dan Rather US television newscaster (1931 – )
Winston Churchill on Business
“I am certainly not one of those who need to be prodded. In fact, if anything, I am the prod.” Winston Churchill
William S. Burroughs on Politics and Science Fiction
“After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say ‘I want to see the manager.’ “ William S. Burroughs US author (1914 – 1997)
Henry Kissinger on Politics
“Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation.” Henry Kissinger US (German-born) diplomat & scholar (1923 – )
Robert Frost on Law
“A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer.” Robert Frost, (attributed) US poet (1874 – 1963)
Mogens Jallberg on Democracy vs. Feudalism
“In democracy it’s your vote that counts; In feudalism it’s your count that votes.” Mogens Jallberg
Thomas Jefferson on Politics
“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.” Thomas Jefferson 3rd president of US (1743 – 1826)
John F. Kennedy on Politics
“The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were.” John F. Kennedy
Caskie Stinnett on Diplomacy
“A diplomat… is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.” Caskie Stinnett, Out of the Red (1960)
Glaser and Way on Law
“The problem with any unwritten law is that you don’t know where to go to erase it.” Glaser and Way
John Lehman on Power
“Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat.” John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy, 1981-1987 US administrator (1942 – )
Bob Wells on Government
“For every action there is an equal and opposite government program.” Bob Wells
King Farouk of Egypt on Politics
“The whole world is in revolt. Soon there will be only five Kings left–the King of England, the King of Spades, The King of Clubs, the King of Hearts, and the King of Diamonds.” King Farouk of Egypt, 1948 king of Egypt 1936-1952 (1920 – 1965)
Laurence J. Peter on Politics
“Democracy is a process by which people are free to choose the man who will get the blame.” Laurence J. Peter
Thomas Sowell on History and Society
“Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good.” Thomas Sowell, Is Reality Optional?, 1993 (1930 – )
Cullen Hightower on Politics
“We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex–but Congress can.” Cullen Hightower
P. J. O’Rourke on Politics and Luck
“A little government and a little luck are necessary in life, but only a fool trusts either of them.” P. J. O’Rourke US humorist & political commentator (1947-2022)
Dwight D. Eisenhower on Television
“I can think of nothing more boring for the American people than to have to sit in their living rooms for a whole half hour looking at my face on their television screens.” Dwight D. Eisenhower 34th president of US 1953-1961 (1890 – 1969)
William Shakespeare on Peace
“A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.” William Shakespeare
Ronald Reagan on Economy
“The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” Ronald Reagan 40th president of US (1911 – 2004)
Tom Stoppard on Democracy
“It’s not the voting that’s democracy, it’s the counting.” Tom Stoppard, Jumpers (1972) act 1 British dramatist & screenwriter (1937 – )
John F. Kennedy on Politics
“Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.” John F. Kennedy
Eugene McCarthy on Bureaucracy
“The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is inefficiency. An efficient bureaucracy is the greatest threat to liberty.” Eugene McCarthy, Time magazine, Feb. 12, 1979 US politician (1916 – 2005)
Lyndon B. Johnson on Politics
“If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read ‘President Can’t Swim’.” Lyndon B. Johnson 36th president of US (1908 – 1973)
George Orwell on Writing
“In certain kinds of writing, particularly in art criticism and literary criticism, it is normal to come across long passages which are almost completely lacking in meaning.” George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language”, 1946 English essayist, novelist, & satirist (1903 – 1950)
Bernard Baruch on Politics
“Vote for the man who promises least; he’ll be the least disappointing.” Bernard Baruch
Robert Bakker on Taxes
“I want to find a voracious, small-minded predator and name it after the IRS.” Robert Bakker, paleontologist
George Bernard Shaw on Politics
“Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” George Bernard Shaw Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)
Irving Kristol on Equality
“Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions – it only guarantees equality of opportunity.” Irving Kristol
Bertrand Russell on Politics
“There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action.” Bertrand Russell British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 – 1970)
Aristotle on Politics
“Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.” Aristotle
Mark Twain on Patriotism
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” Mark Twain
George Bernard Shaw on Democracy
“Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.” George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903) “Maxims for Revolutionists” Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)
Frank Dane on Politics
“Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything.” Frank Dane
Herbert Hoover on Honor and Politics
“Honor is not the exclusive property of any political party.” Herbert Hoover
Napoleon Bonaparte on Politics
“In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.” Napoleon Bonaparte French general, politician and emperor (1769 – 1821)
Larry Hardiman on Politics
“The word ‘politics’ is derived from the word ‘poly’, meaning ‘many’, and the word ‘ticks’, meaning ‘blood sucking parasites’.” Larry Hardiman