September 16, 2007

Let's Talk Politics


Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. Mark Twain


I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. Winston Churchill


A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. George Bernard Shaw


A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which he proposes to pay off with your money. G. Gordon Liddy


Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. James Bovard


Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from the poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. Douglas Casey, classmate of Bill Clinton


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


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


I don’t make jokes; I just watch government and report the facts. Will Rogers


If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free. P.J. O’Rourke


In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
Voltaire (1764)


Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you. Pericles (430 B.C. )


No man’s life, liberty or property is safe while the legislature is in session. Mark Twain


Talk is cheap except when Congress does it. Unknown


The government is like a baby’s alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. Ronald Reagan


The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill


The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. Mark Twain


There is no distinctly Native American criminal class… save Congress. Mark Twain


What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. Edward Langley, artist


A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have. Thomas Jefferson


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mark Twain knew what he was writing about. I like his satirical observations.

Anonymous said...

And here's another for the list:

The most terrifying words in the English language are "Hi. I'm from the government and I'm here to help"
:P

FHB said...

Those are all amazingly true. Fascinating how perceptive the founding generation was, even Voltaire.

Jan said...

" I like his satirical observations."

I do, too, Olivia...and I bet he never suffered from ulcers. :)

Jan said...

Morris..in our dreams! :)

Jan said...

~fathairybastard~..I know! I wonder what happened?

Btw..welcome!

Anonymous said...

Nice to know that some things never change, even over centuries!

Jan said...

rockync..religion, and politics, and people's reactiions to them..nope! :)

Rio Vista Boy said...

Mark Twain is one of my favorite people in history.
I wonderful story teller and an inciteful man.

Jan said...

Mine, too, vin!

I think he had a lot of what is commonly known as "horse-sense!"

GUYK said...

"Democracy is based upon the assumption that a million men are wiser than one man. How's that again? I missed something."



"Autocracy is based upon the assumption that one man is wiser than a million men. Let's play that over again, too. Who decides?"


Lazarus Long ( Heinlein)

Jan said...

guyk..and then it sometimes seems that there is not one wise man in a million.