Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Politics -- Words from the Wise and Not So Wise

We've been talking politics nonstop for months and perhaps we need a little mental hotfoot from those who have come before us to keep our perspective. Here are some quotes from some very wise -- and sometimes funny -- people y'all may find pertinent as the election approaches. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!

* I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's. -- Mark Twain

* Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. -- Plato

* Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is. -- Mahatma Gandhi

* Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it, and then misapplying the wrong remedies. -- Groucho Marx

* In politics stupidity is not a handicap. -- Napoleon Bonaparte

* Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed. -- Mao Tse-tung

* Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first. -- Ronald Reagan

* In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia. -- George Orwell

* Politics and the fate of mankind are shaped by men without ideals and without greatness. Men who have greatness within them don't go in for politics. -- Albert Camus

* The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other. -- Will Rogers

* All the contact I have had with politics has left me feeling as though I had been drinking out of spittoons. -- Ernest Hemingway

* Politics have no relation to morals. -- Niccolo Machiavelli

10 comments:

  1. Good quotes. Unfortunately, many of them, like the one from Machiavelli are all too true. It's why I'm not a politican. http://straighttalkonmccain.blogspot.com/

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  2. I am reminded of Mahatma Gandhi's response to a question put to him by a journalist. When asked "What do you think of Western civilization?" he replied "I think it would be a very good idea".
    As we watch the last of eight long Bush years wilt away, I think of the above quote and nod to myself on how true Gandhi was.

    David

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  3. STOM: It's why I thought these quote were a good idea.

    Dave: I love that Gandhi quote, too! My favorite from him is: I like your Christ; he is so unlike your Christians.

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  4. Kay, you hit the nail on the head with these quotes today. Thanks for posting them. Yes, I too love that other quote from Gandhi in your comments to Dave about Christ being unlike Christians.

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  5. lovely post! many thanks...i like the gandhi quotes in the comments especially.

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  6. Thanks Annie and M.E.:

    I collect quotes and have a huge database. I use it especially to get perspective on a topic or issue. And I thought, at this point in this longggggg campaign, perspective was greatly needed.

    Gandhi is one of my heroes. A genuinely good man who saw the world more clearly than most of us.

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  7. Thanks for posting the very apt quotes. They are all good - even Ronald Reagan's ;). Will Rogers and Mark Twain are always good for a laugh at the irony of any situation.

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  8. Gotta love Will and Mark -- they always cut through the B.S.

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  9. I gotta go with Reagan and Orwell's observation

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  10. GFB: I liked all of them. The ones I published here are my favorites of many, many more!

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