Archive

Quotes

Politics is the art of the possible.

—Otto von Bismarck, 1867

There is no method by which men can be both free and equal.

—Walter Bagehot, 1863

I say violence is necessary. It is as American as cherry pie.

—H. Rap Brown, 1967

The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

—Laozi

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

—Thomas Jefferson, 1787

The vice presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm piss.

—John Nance Garner, c. 1967

I’m president of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!

—George H. W. Bush, 1990

Whether for good or evil, it is sadly inevitable that all political leadership requires the artifices of theatrical illusion. In the politics of a democracy, the shortest distance between two points is often a crooked line.

—Arthur Miller, 2001

On the loftiest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own rump.

—Michel de Montaigne, 1580

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure it is right.

—Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Why has the government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.

—Alexander Hamilton, 1787

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

—Lord Acton, 1887

There is nothing more tyrannical than a strong popular feeling among a democratic people.

—Anthony Trollope, 1862