Archive

Quotes

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

—Judge Learned Hand, 1944

The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all.

—G.K. Chesterton, 1908

Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.

—Paul Valéry, 1943

I am invariably of the politics of the people at whose table I sit, or beneath whose roof I sleep.

—George Borrow, 1843

Let him who desires peace prepare for war.

—Vegetius, c. 385

The more corrupt the republic, the more numerous the laws.

—Tacitus, c. 117

You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.

—Henrik Ibsen, 1882

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

—George H. W. Bush, 1990

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

—H. Rap Brown, 1967

You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.

—Mario Cuomo, 1985

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

—John Nance Garner, c. 1967

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.

—George Bernard Shaw, 1944

An appeal to the reason of the people has never been known to fail in the long run.

—James Russell Lowell, c. 1865