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

Politics is the art of the possible.

Let him who desires peace prepare for war.

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

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

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.

It is a certain sign of a wise government and proceeding, when it can hold men’s hearts by hopes, when it cannot by satisfaction.

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

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

Envy is the basis of democracy.

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

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.

You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.