The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.
—LaoziQuotes
Politics is the art of the possible.
—Otto von Bismarck, 1867If you must take care that your opinions do not differ in the least from those of the person with whom you are talking, you might just as well be alone.
—Yoshida Kenko, c. 1330You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.
—Henrik Ibsen, 1882Sic semper tyrannis! The South is avenged.
—John Wilkes Booth, 1865A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.
—Martin Luther King Jr., c. 1967Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
—Ambrose Bierce, 1906The vice presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm piss.
—John Nance Garner, c. 1967Why 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, 1787He may be a patriot for Austria, but the question is whether he is a patriot for me.
—Emperor Francis Joseph, c. 1850I am no courtesan, nor moderator, nor tribune, nor defender of the people: I am myself the people.
—Maximilien Robespierre, 1792Every country has the government it deserves.
—Joseph de Maistre, 1811All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.
—Al Smith, 1933