The danger inherent in reform is that the cure may be worse than the disease. Reform is an operation on read more

The danger inherent in reform is that the cure may be worse than the disease. Reform is an operation on the social body; but unlike medical surgeons, reformers are not on guard against unpredictable side effects which may divert the course of reform toward unwanted results. Moreover, quite often the social doctors become part of the disease.

[expressing John Locke's view]...whenever anyone threatens any other innocent human in a way that makes manifest an ignorance or disregard read more

[expressing John Locke's view]...whenever anyone threatens any other innocent human in a way that makes manifest an ignorance or disregard of the fundamental equality as regards the right to self-preservation, the creature in human shape who acts in this way is to be treated by any and all other rational humans as a wild, clever, and therefore very dangerous animal, to be destroyed (if necessary) in order to safeguard the rest.

The thing I enjoyed most were visits from children. They did not want public office.

The thing I enjoyed most were visits from children. They did not want public office.

We should...be able to see that our interest would be best served not by asking the state to promulgate our read more

We should...be able to see that our interest would be best served not by asking the state to promulgate our values but by forbidding the state to promulgate any values at all. If the state can espouse some value that we love, it can, with equal justice, espouse others we do not love.

When you're a lawyer, you expect your client to lie to you, but not when he is the president.

When you're a lawyer, you expect your client to lie to you, but not when he is the president.

If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.

If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.

A wise man learns more from his enemies than a fool from his friends.

A wise man learns more from his enemies than a fool from his friends.

Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them read more

Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them with others.

Freedom...refer[s] to a social relationship among people- namely, the absence of force as a prospective instrument of decision making. Freedom read more

Freedom...refer[s] to a social relationship among people- namely, the absence of force as a prospective instrument of decision making. Freedom is reduced whenever a decision is made under threat of force, whether or not force actually materializes or is evident in retrospect.