One seldom discovers a true believer that is worth knowing.

Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop.

On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

Morality is doing what is right, no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.

Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.

The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.

It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.

Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses.

[P]eople with self-respect have the courage of their mistakes. They know the price of things.

The first time Calypso came to check on [Leo], it was to complain about the noise.“Smoke and fire, ” she said. “Clanging on metal all day long. You’re scaring away the birds!”“Oh, no, not the birds!

The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.

You can do anything you put your mind to. I don't care what situation you're in.

The world should contemplate a nuclear weapons-armed Iran with the greatest of concern.

I think we're lucky to be living when we are, because things are going to get worse.

Sooner or later we will reach a point where communitarian socialism turns global because capitalism is not even the solution to capitalism itself.

I think all of us are shaped by the choices we make.

The wish to be able to fly is to be understood as nothing else than a longing to be capable of sexual performance.

I can still memory - taste the fresh buttermilk pancakes and hot buttermilk biscuits - both made with lard! - that were cooked on the top, or in the oven, of that ancient iron stove.