favorite "political" quotes

[pucho812]

here are a few quotes I find most accurate

"in politics nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way" - FDR


"loyalty to country always, loyalty to government when it deserves it" - mark twain


"politicians and diapers should be changed frequently and all for the same reason" - jose maria de eca de quieroz

 

[JohnRoberts]

Yes, starting with the vote that created the stupid amendment that grants US citizens the right to bear arms.

Cheers

ian

Understandable... those armed colonists were pesky....

here are a few quotes I find most accurate

"in politics nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way" - FDR

I don't give them that much credit

"loyalty to country always, loyalty to government when it deserves it" - mark twain

smart

"politicians and diapers should be changed frequently and all for the same reason" - jose maria de eca de quieroz

Exactly....

JR

 

[pucho812]

I don't give them that much credit



JR

I do but to be specific, they plan things out purely for political gain these days. For example if you see something on the news you were supposed to see it in the hopes it gives them favor. No different then a PR team for an artist(I use that term loosely) who has the artist in the news for any number of reasons.

 

[crazydoc]

H.L. Mencken is my favorite.

The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

The central belief of every moron is that he is the victim of a mysterious conspiracy against his common rights and true deserts.

QED Anno Domini 2020-2022

 

[JohnRoberts]

I do but to be specific, they plan things out purely for political gain these days. For example if you see something on the news you were supposed to see it in the hopes it gives them favor. No different then a PR team for an artist(I use that term loosely) who has the artist in the news for any number of reasons.

That is what politicians always try to do. We see embarrassing things in the news that were not planned to play out that way. Admittedly you probably don't see them twice on friendly media channels.

That said there is an uncanny coordination of talking points across multiple media outlets, almost as if someone was sending out marching orders to everybody. Today's talking point was that "Mar-a-Lago was not raided".

JR

 

[pucho812]

That is what politicians always try to do. We see embarrassing things in the news that were not planned to play out that way. Admittedly you probably don't see them twice on friendly media channels.

That said there is an uncanny coordination of talking points across multiple media outlets, almost as if someone was sending out marching orders to everybody. Today's talking point was that "Mar-a-Lago was not raided".

JR

Of course not. Just like my fedex package was not stolen

 

[cyrano]

Stay on your side of the pond, then.

Cheers,
Person not fearful of actual freedom

Fear is the key...

If you're not afraid of your fellow citizens, or your own govt, or your own police force, there really is no need for arms.

 

[cyrano]

That said there is an uncanny coordination of talking points across multiple media outlets, almost as if someone was sending out marching orders to everybody.

I'll have to agree. A few days ago, on AM Business Network, an online paper, the newest Chinese virus came up. Other media are unaware, or have chosen to ignore it. Even scientific publishers don't have anything about it.

And that's like most of the news this outlet produces. As funding for this seemingly large network is shady, one could suspect a CIA operation. After all, who would invest in a new media channel these days, as they're all struggling financially?

 

[Tubetec]

I've had a chance ,though internet to chat to many gun owning Americans ,
mainly people with an interest in collecting , many who also feel the need for personal protection .
I think looking at the American situation with from an Irish or English perspective we may fail to grasp the real dangers in outback USA ,we wiped out most of the dangerous creatures from these isles many generations ago after all. I met a girl from Wash state online before , the reality of life was once in a while a mountain lion would come down from the hills and try and rip her moms sheep apart , if she wasnt ready with the rifle dolly was going end up gored .
I know a few others , by their own word ,from very humble backrounds , life wasnt always easy , a few mortal enemies might have been made along the way , if the other guy thought for one moment someone had given up their arms they could be in serious danger ,
One man who came through this situation and found peace is of course the great Willie Nelson , one of his great quotes was to the effect of if he didnt start smoking weed and get guns and moonshine out of his life he'd have been dead or in jail long ago.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Fear is the key...

If you're not afraid of your fellow citizens, or your own govt, or your own police force, there really is no need for arms.

You mock what you do not understand. Do you have smoke detectors/alarms in your house because you fear fire? Do you have life insurance because you fear death? Do you have a savings account because you fear the future?

Checks and balances only work when the citizens have the final power to say "no." I'm guessing you're an urbanite there in Europe and that you've never been to any rural area or small town in the USA. Maybe you haven't been to one of our crime-infested inner cities either. You have zero basis for judging us, much less deciding what's best for us.

 

[cyrano]

I can only admire the sheer stupidity that keeps getting repeated...

 

[JohnRoberts]

I can only admire the sheer stupidity that keeps getting repeated...

I had a funny (IMO) retort, but did not post it because that would be unkind.

Let's try a little harder to be nice to each other. We are more alike that different.

Bad actors are working to divide us, and having some success.

JR

 

[AnalogPackrat]

I can only admire the sheer stupidity that keeps getting repeated...

Back at you. Have you noticed how most Americans here aren't constantly telling the Europeans how terrible their elected leaders are? Nor are we carping about your various forms of government and how they could be improved. Or how terrible and broken your societies are. Mind your own damned business. You don't understand and you apparently never will. Learn to live with it (i.e., demonstrate tolerance).

 

[cyrano]

Have you noticed how most Americans here aren't constantly telling the Europeans how terrible their elected leaders are?

You might want to tell that to the people of Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, Venezuela...

Also, recently, a Dutch woman, mother of two young children, of Sudanese descent was delivered to US justice and convicted to years of prison for donating 300$ over the course of several years to a Sudanese Islamic entity that's listed by the USA as being terrorist. Note that no country in Europe lists them as terrorists and the organisation was even mentioned on a Dutch gov website as a humanitarian organisation.

Can you imagine this happening the other way around?

How about Saudi Arabia, a longtime US ally convicting a woman to 34 years in prison for expressing herself in a few tweets? Where's the "freedom of speech"?

How about the WP reporter that was murdered in Turkey with the aid of Israel, another longtime ally?

I don't dislike most Americans. In fact, I love some of them. Just like any other people. But I do dislike US external relations. They're driven by money, not by human feeling.

Even if I think others are making an obvious, stupid mistake, it's their mistake to make. And as my grandfather always said, you learn the most from your own mistakes.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Back at you. Have you noticed how most Americans here aren't constantly telling the Europeans how terrible their elected leaders are? Nor are we carping about your various forms of government and how they could be improved. Or how terrible and broken your societies are. Mind your own damned business. You don't understand and you apparently never will. Learn to live with it (i.e., demonstrate tolerance).

This line of thought fails miserably in consideration of global affects of US politics and may be what’s wrong with our politics in the first place. With great power comes great responsibility. Considering outsider thought and how you can help mankind, helps you.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

This line of thought fails miserably in consideration of global affects of US politics and may be what’s wrong with our politics in the first place. With great power comes great responsibility. Considering outsider thought and how you can help mankind, helps you.

Yes, but that doesn't make us obligated to solve all the world's problems nor be blamed for them. If we can build a successful and powerful nation from a small collection of former colonies, so can the Europeans who've been at it for much longer. Our success doesn't excuse their failures or inability to be as successful or powerful.

 

[JohnRoberts]

You might want to tell that to the people of Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, Venezuela...

you can probably tell them as they sneak across our southern border, while geography is not that friendly to distant nations.

The democratic (cough) government of Afghanistan was chased out of Kabul by the Taliban (or fled). If you want to defend that government (and I use the term government loosely) enjoy. Cuban refugees are trying to reach America by boat and being collected by coast guard(?). Numerous Venezuelans are in the parade coming across the southern border.

“In just two weeks, more than 740 individuals from African nations – primarily family units -- have been apprehended in Del Rio sector alone, compared to only 108 who crossed the southern border in the first eight months of the fiscal year,” she said.

She went on to say that families from countries such as Brazil, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Peru, Romania and Vietnam are taking the same pathways as migrants from Central America and taking advantage of legal loopholes in the U.S. system. In April, Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rodolfo Karisch told Senate lawmakers that his sector had apprehended people from countries including China, Bangladesh, Turkey and Egypt.

I wish these illegal immigrants would listen to you and not want to come here.

Also, recently, a Dutch woman, mother of two young children, of Sudanese descent was delivered to US justice and convicted to years of prison for donating 300$ over the course of several years to a Sudanese Islamic entity that's listed by the USA as being terrorist. Note that no country in Europe lists them as terrorists and the organisation was even mentioned on a Dutch gov website as a humanitarian organisation.

Can you imagine this happening the other way around?

You can imagine for both of us.

How about Saudi Arabia, a longtime US ally convicting a woman to 34 years in prison for expressing herself in a few tweets? Where's the "freedom of speech"?

then you will love the Taliban in Afghanistan.

How about the WP reporter that was murdered in Turkey with the aid of Israel, another longtime ally?

Huh? I will ASSume you are talking about Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, journalist, columnist for The Washington Post, former editor of Al-Watan and former general manager and editor-in-chief of the Al-Arab News Channel, was assassinated by agents of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. FWIW he was not an innocent reporter he was an anti-Saudi dissident given the opportunity to trash the saudis via wapo editorial page. Of course that does not justify his killing, but lets try to provide the full context.

Erdogan just reopened relations with Israel... uh-oh.

I don't dislike most Americans. In fact, I love some of them. Just like any other people. But I do dislike US external relations. They're driven by money, not by human feeling.

and we love you too...

Even if I think others are making an obvious, stupid mistake, it's their mistake to make. And as my grandfather always said, you learn the most from your own mistakes.

Some do, and some don't. If smart we can learn from other people's mistakes before we make them too...

JR

 

[cyrano]

you can probably tell them as they sneak across our southern border, while geography is not that friendly to distant nations.

Yes, John, we have the exact same problem in Europe. Too many refugees and immigrants. But we didn't cause that. It's the USA that ruins countries' economies by enforcing blockades. And by war. Where are Iraq's WMDs, John? Wasn't it enough to have your own dictator in that country? You really had to cough up some lies to destroy that country?

Of course, in some cases, some European countries supported that policy. But isn't it high time the Cuba blockade should be ended?

The saddest thing is, you paved the road for the Chinese who are taking Africa without war. Kadhafi was going to finance a pan-African development council. The 1 billion $ in gold put aside for that vanished during the Iraq war. But you need to read an Asian paper to even be aware of how big this blunder was. Western press completely avoided that news item.

The democratic (cough) government of Afghanistan was chased out of Kabul by the Taliban (or fled). If you want to defend that government (and I use the term government loosely) enjoy. Cuban refugees are trying to reach America by boat and being collected by coast guard(?). Numerous Venezuelans are in the parade coming across the southern border.

Most refugees are fleeing their countries for economic reasons. In the case of Afghanistan and some other countries, it's also the violence they're fleeing from. But in essence, can we blame them?

History has shown the best way to avoid people fleeing their country is to make sure they have a future in their country. That's not always possible, of course, but destroying these countries will surely not help at all.

I wish these illegal immigrants would listen to you and not want to come here.

It's that really all you're capable of?

You can imagine for both of us.

See above.

then you will love the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Idem ditto.

Huh? I will ASSume you are talking about Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident, journalist, columnist for The Washington Post, former editor of Al-Watan and former general manager and editor-in-chief of the Al-Arab News Channel, was assassinated by agents of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. FWIW he was not an innocent reporter he was an anti-Saudi dissident given the opportunity to trash the saudis via wapo editorial page. Of course that does not justify his killing, but lets try to provide the full context.

I was, just couldn't remember his name.

Trash the Saudi's?
A dictatorial regime almost as bad as the Taliban, that puts people in jail for decades for something they said?
A regime that tracks down dissidents with the aid of Israeli spy software and kills them?

That software was developed by ex-NSA employees. Do you think they didn't consult their former employer before working for Saudi Arabia and next Israel?

The USA is squirming to find a way to buy back NSO Group, but seemingly nobody wants to burn their fingers since NSO also sold that same software to druglords and other dictators, besides Saudi Arabia. And it's been used to spy on the government of democratic NATO countries too. Allies, John.

Where are your famous founding father's freedoms now, John?

Maybe they're only valid for the right kind of US citizen?

Erdogan just reopened relations with Israel... uh-oh.

So?

Erdogan isn't exactly an example of a wise democratic leader, is he?

 

[rob_gould]

Back at you. Have you noticed how most Americans here aren't constantly telling the Europeans how terrible their elected leaders are? Nor are we carping about your various forms of government and how they could be improved. Or how terrible and broken your societies are. Mind your own damned business. You don't understand and you apparently never will. Learn to live with it (i.e., demonstrate tolerance).

Isn't that because most Americans here (perhaps also in general?) DGAF about politics in Europe because the influence of European politics in America is much smaller than the influence of American politics in the rest of the world?

You can argue that non-americans have a worse understanding of US politics than Americans, and in some cases you might be right. But we have a vested interest in what happens in your country because America's actions, both domestically and internationally, cause *huge* ripples throughout the rest of the world.

And you might take issue with this characterisation, but *lots* of people in *lots* of countries would say that American foreign policy is one long catalogue of sticking its nose in without permission, mostly for its own benefit.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Yes, but that doesn't make us obligated to solve all the world's problems nor be blamed for them. If we can build a successful and powerful nation from a small collection of former colonies, so can the Europeans who've been at it for much longer. Our success doesn't excuse their failures or inability to be as successful or powerful.

Regardless, most of the time, listening, smiling, and saying thank you for change shows a lot more. Do what you wish with unsolicited opinion, but the rhetoric is just f-ing ugly and is quite a bad look.