Everybody wants to eat at the government's table, but nobody wants to do the dishes.

Everybody wants to eat at the government's table, but nobody wants to do the dishes.

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.

The American wage earner and the American housewife are a lot better economists than most economists care to admit. They read more

The American wage earner and the American housewife are a lot better economists than most economists care to admit. They know that a government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.

Despotism tempered by assassination, that is our Magna Carta.
[Fr., Le despotisme tempere par l'assassinat, c'est notre magna
read more

Despotism tempered by assassination, that is our Magna Carta.
[Fr., Le despotisme tempere par l'assassinat, c'est notre magna
charta.]

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.

Government is an association of men who do violence to the rest of us.

Government is an association of men who do violence to the rest of us.

Applause, mingled with boos and hisses, is about all that the average voter is able or willing to contribute to read more

Applause, mingled with boos and hisses, is about all that the average voter is able or willing to contribute to public life.

For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.

For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery.

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