Centuries Apart!

17 Aug 09

Centuries apart!

"A nation can survive fools, even ambitious ones. But, it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gate is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banners openly. The traitor moves freely among those within our gates. His sly whispers rustling through galleys, heard in the very hall of government itself, for the traitor appears as a friend. He speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and wears their face and garments. He appeals to the despicability that lies deep in the hearts of all men and thus rots the soul of a nation. He works secretly to undermine the pillars of the City. He contaminates the body politic, so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared."

Cicero, 42 BC

"I have little interest in 'streamlining' government, nor in making it ' more efficient,' for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to ' promote welfare,' for I propose to extend Freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution, or have failed their purpose, or that impose on the people unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is 'needed' before I have first determined whether it is Constitutionally permissible. And, when attacked for ' neglecting my constituents' 'interests,' I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is Liberty, and in that cause I am doing the best I can."

Barry Goldwater, 1960

"It is often said that power corrupts. But, it is equally important to realize that weakness corrupts too! Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many. Hatred, malice, rudeness, intolerance, and suspicion are faults of the weak. Resentment on the part of the weak springs not from injustice done to them, but from their own sense of inadequacy and impotence."

Eric Hoffer, 1980

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