My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on

My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on

Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.

Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.

The punishment which the wise suffer, who refuse to take part in government, is to live under the government of read more

The punishment which the wise suffer, who refuse to take part in government, is to live under the government of worse men.

Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far read more

Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.

No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will.

No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will.

Christmas is the time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults read more

Christmas is the time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell government what they want and their kids pay for it.

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.

The best minds in government? If any were, business would hire them away.

The best minds in government? If any were, business would hire them away.

In order to rally people, governments need enemies. They want us to be afraid, to hate, so we will rally read more

In order to rally people, governments need enemies. They want us to be afraid, to hate, so we will rally behind them. And if they do not have a real enemy, they will invent one in order to mobilize us.