24 Quotes About Political Commentary

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know–and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me–has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby. H.l. Mencken

If the surprise outcome of the recent UK referendum - on whether to leave or remain in the European Union - teaches us anything, it is that supposedly worthy displays of democracy in action can actually do more harm than good. Witness a nation now more divided; an intergenerational schism in the making; both a governing and opposition party torn to shreds from the inside; infinitely more complex issues raised than satisfactory solutions provided. It begs the question 'Was it really all worth it' ? . Alex Morritt

The Delores tank rolled on inexorably, “You get a mortgage to buy a house, a larger mortgage than the previous owner because the price of the house has been artificially increased by the market, which is controlled by the banks. Then you live in the house for a few years paying a lot more in mortgage payments than you would if you were renting a similar property. But hey, you ‘own’ it and can ‘do things to it’… things that cost even more money, by the way… so you maintain its upkeep, improve it with say a new kitchen or bathroom; the more salubrious the neighbourhood the more expensive the kitchen would need to be — a Küche & Cucina, say; impressing your cleaner is very important after all and at the end you sell it to someone else for more than you paid for it so they’ll need an even bigger mortgage. And all the while everyone is paying all this money to the banks and the banks give the money to their shareholders, the biggest of whom are the incredibly rich. This, when you boil it all down, means that you’re taking a large sum out of your wages and passing it across to some rich person to live large, whilst you and others like you struggle to make their monthly payments. Basically you’ve been screwed, Doc, but somehow they’ve convinced you that you own a bit of England, when the truth is you don’t really own anything, you’re just renting it at a higher cost and they can take it back from you any time they want. It’s all just a card trick, Doc. All just ‘smoke and mirrors’ and that’s what’s getting to me. Arun D. Ellis

The premise that America’s power and influence was rooted in its wealth was wrong to begin with. To the contrary, our strength comes from America’s magical stuff. It is something intangible, something invulnerable, something no measure of evil, no amount of violence or bloodshed can destroy. Rick Elkin

Democracy is not simply a license to indulge individual whims and proclivities. It is also holding oneself accountable to some reasonable degree for the conditions of peace and chaos that impact the lives of those who inhabit one’s beloved extended community. Aberjhani

Let's stop kidding ourselves that Greek debt is the Euro's key problem. With Greece gone, who's next ? Alex Morritt

A lot of lip service gets paid to being honest, but no one really wants to hear it unless what's being said is the party line. Colin Quinn

A very, in a sense, terrifying aspect of our society, and other societies, is the equanimity and the detachment with which sane, reasonable, sensible people can observe [war]. I think that's more terrifying than the occasional Hitler or LeMay or other that crops up. These people would not be able to operate were it not for this apathy and equanimity..and therefore I think that it's, in some sense, the sane and reasonable and tolerant people who share a very serious burden of guilt that they very easily throw on the shoulders of others who seem more extreme and violent. Noam Chomsky

By making the government a combination of elected officials and citizen-backed initiatives and referenda, there can truly be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Victoria Stoklasa

Have you ever found yourself saying, "There ought to be a law against this, " or, "Somebody should do something"? Well, here’s the good news - you can be the one to do something. You can be the one to make the law. Victoria Stoklasa MA

If you have the right to influence the laws that are made in your community, why not take the opportunity to do something good? Victoria Stoklasa

Too often people mistake monsters for gods. Monique Snyman

What interests me, personally, is work which in some way, speaks the truth to power… I don’t think we speak the truth to power for power’s ear, but for the ear and the imagination of future generations, who would seek to live in a world free from the malign and self-serving influence of those who wield it. Irvine Welsh

We are all born to love people and use things. Unfortunately, we grow to love things and use people... T. Rafael Cimino

Mounting tensions in Eastern Europe send shivers down the spine. Barely a quarter of a century after the end of the Cold War we seem to be sliding inexorably towards another. Alex Morritt

Bernie Saunders is like a fly buzzing around a bowl of rotten fruit. Long hail this fly! Marge Simon

Do you prefer to be with people who glow with love and compassion or those who burn with anger fueled by religious doctrine or political ideology? Jeff Rasley

A mother was thinking of how to keep her naughty child in line she tried using the boogey man it didn't work. .. she thought and thought then said "the Politician is going to get you" and he was never naughty again Rassool Jibraeel Snyman

Invisible violence in Pakistan, violence against brown people, ongoing violence in Iraq – that's got to be quantified in the same way as the cinematic glamorous violence that happens in recognisable cities. Russell Brand