Archive

Quotes

Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.

—E.B. White, 1944

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.

—Dean Acheson, 1970

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

—Anthony Trollope, 1862

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

—John Nance Garner, c. 1967

The U.S. presidency is a Tudor monarchy plus telephones.

—Anthony Burgess, 1972

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

—Michel de Montaigne, 1580

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

—H. Rap Brown, 1967

Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

—Ambrose Bierce, 1906

No human life, not even the life of a hermit, is possible without a world which directly or indirectly testifies to the presence of other human beings.

—Hannah Arendt, 1958

O citizens, first acquire wealth; you can practice virtue afterward.

—Horace, c. 8 BC

Out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made.

—Immanuel Kant, 1784

My people and I have come to an agreement that satisfies us both. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please.

—Frederick the Great, c. 1770

A real leader is somebody who can help us overcome the limitations of our own individual laziness and selfishness and weakness and fear and get us to do better, harder things than we can get ourselves to do on our own.

—David Foster Wallace, 2000