P. J. O'Rourke

The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop.

The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop.

I wonder how many of the people who profess to believe in the leveling ideas of collectivism and egalitarianism really read more

I wonder how many of the people who profess to believe in the leveling ideas of collectivism and egalitarianism really just believe that they themselves are good for nothing. I mean, how many leftists are animated by a quite reasonable self-loathing? In their hearts they know that they are not going to become scholars or inventors or industrialists or even ordinary good kind people. So they need a way to achieve that smugness for which the left is so justifiably famous. They need a way to achieve self-esteem without merit. Well, there is politics. In an egalitarian world everything will be controlled by politics, and politics requires no merit.

Traffic is like a bad dog. It isn't important to look both ways when crossing the street. It's more important read more

Traffic is like a bad dog. It isn't important to look both ways when crossing the street. It's more important to not show fear.

Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us.

Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us.

There's only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the read more

There's only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences.