If you want to understand your government, don't begin by reading the Constitution. (It conveys precious little of the flavor read more

If you want to understand your government, don't begin by reading the Constitution. (It conveys precious little of the flavor of today's statecraft.) Instead, read selected portions of the Washington telephone directory containing listings for all the organizations with titles beginning with the word National.

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.

Support a compatriot against a native, however the former may
blunder or plunder.

Support a compatriot against a native, however the former may
blunder or plunder.

Which government is best? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.

Which government is best? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.

A government is like fire, a handy servant, but a dangerous master.

A government is like fire, a handy servant, but a dangerous master.

A goverment that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away.

A goverment that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away.

Wherever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.

Wherever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.

They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program.

They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program.

The primary function of the government is - and here I am quoting directly from the U.S. Constitution - "to read more

The primary function of the government is - and here I am quoting directly from the U.S. Constitution - "to spew out paper."