On The Dole

Corruption, like a cancer … eats faster and faster every hour. The revenue creates pensioners, and the pensioners urge for more revenue. The people grow less steady, spirited, and virtuous, the seekers more numerous and more corrupt, and every day increases the circles of their dependents and expectants, until virtue, integrity, public spirit, simplicity, and frugality become the objects of ridicule and scorn, and vanity, luxury, floppery, selfishness, meanness, and downright venality swallow up the whole of society. - John Adams

..... What was corruption in John's day is now public policy.

Winds of Change

Politicians are a timid lot, and their backbones are no stiffer than the wind of public opinion. - Gus Van Horn

So, if you want to change the political situation don't work on the politicians, work on changing the wind of public opinion.

(Other posts on Politicians)

Progress is Natural

All progress is based upon a universal innate desire on the part of every organism to live beyond its income.
  - Samuel Butler


Politicians understand this best.


(Other posts on Progress)

Practical Politics

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. - H. L. Mencken


Yup, that's practical politics. What we need is principled politics.


(Other posts on Government)

Being Bribed With Your Own Money

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. - Alexis de Tocqueville 


We'll see how much bribery is required for his prediction to come true.


(Other posts on Government) 

Spreading Wealth

I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody. - Barack Obama 


It's called Socialism.


(Other posts on Wealth) 

Doing What You Are Told

Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude. - Alexis de Tocquevillle  


In other words; "We'll be fair in how we control what you do."


(Other posts on Liberty) 

Watch What You Say

I've had to abandon free market principles to save the free market. - President George W. Bush 


Be sure to never say anything this stupid.


(Other posts on Principles) 

Voting Results

 We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. - Aesop

 Very often the majority are those who hope to be the recipient of the spoils.


(Other posts on Politicians)

Trying On Faces

Don't laugh at a youth for his affectations; he is only trying on one face after another to find his own. - Logan Pearsall Smith 


(This does not apply if they are running for office.)


(Other posts on Politicians) 

Buying and Selling

When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators. - P. J. O'Rourke 


That's why we should have separation of economy and State.


(More posts on Government) 

White Lies

Those that think it permissible to tell white lies soon grow color blind. - Austin O'Malley


Hum....why do politicians come to mind?


(Other posts on Honesty)

Keeping a Level Head

Always hold your head up, but be careful to keep your nose at a friendly level. - Max L. Forman

Especially if you are a Presidential candidate.

Government Deficits

The government deficit is the difference between the amount of money the government spends and the amount it has the nerve to collect. - Sam Ewing

If politicians really cared about the people of this country they would attempt to extract as little as possible out of them.

Suffering the Consequences

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. - P. J. O'Rourke

There is a difference though: When we enable the government we are the ones who suffer the consequences.

Corruption

It's not money that corrupts--it's the lure of arbitrary political power. A true crusader against political corruption would not strip American citizens of their right to free speech; he would seek to put an end to the government's power to grant special favors to any group. - Yaron Brook

Any time you give an individual authority over other individuals, corruption is just around the corner.

It's Time

There comes a time in the affairs of man when he must take the bull by the tail and face the situation. - W. C. Fields

Remember that this election season.

Trust No Man With Your Liberty

There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty. - John Adams

Our quest for comfort and security have lead us to where we are.

Socialism Defined

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. - Winston Churchill

Advocates of socialism in its varied forms should remember that a healthy horse can only pull so much weight.

Not Nearly Enough

Some people regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look on it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon. - Winston Churchill

Not nearly enough.