This insult may plunge our two countries into war. ibid.
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies. Groucho Marx
cf.
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy. Ernest Benn
The first forty-eight hours decide whether a Minister is going to run his office or whether his office is going to run him. Arthur Henderson, Labour politician
Are you a politician who says to himself: ‘I will use my country for my own benefit’? … Or are you a devoted patriot, who whispers in the ear of his inner self: ‘I love to serve my country as a faithful servant.’ Kahlil Gibran, The New Frontier, 1931
The right honourable Gentleman caught the Whigs bathing, and walked away with their clothes. Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-81, speech House of Commons 28th February 1845, re Peel’s abandonment of protection in favour of free trade
Protection is not a principle, but an expedient. Benjamin Disraeli, speech House of Commons 17th March 1845
A Conservative government is an organised hypocrisy. ibid.
England does not love coalitions. Benjamin Disraeli 1803-81, speech House of Commons 28th February 1859
Those wretched colonies will all be independent, too, in a few years, and are a millstone round our necks. Benjamin Disraeli, letter to Lord Malmesbury 13th August 1852
Finality is not the language of politics. Benjamin Disraeli, speech House of Commons 28th February 1859
Party is organized opinion. Benjamin Disraeli, speech Oxford 25th November 1864
We have legalized confiscation, consecrated sacrilege, and condoned high treason. Benjamin Disraeli, speech House of Commons 27th February 1871
I believe that without party, parliamentary government is impossible. Benjamin Disraeli, speech Manchester 3rd April 1872
No government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition. Benjamin Disraeli
An insular country, subject to fogs, and with a powerful middle class, requires grave statesmen. Benjamin Disraeli, Endymion
There is no act of treachery or meanness of which a political party is not capable; for in politics there is no honour. Benjamin Disraeli, Vivian Grey
All power is a trust ... from the people, and for the people, all springs, and all must exist. ibid.
I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole. Benjamin Disraeli, on becoming prime minister
Never complain and never explain. Benjamin Disraeli, attributions & variations
Yea, but our valuation shall be such
That every slight and false-derived cause,
Yea, every idle, nice, and wanton reason,
Shall to the King taste of this action. William Shakespeare, II Henry IV IV i 187-190, Mowbray
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong. Richard Armour
Politicians and diapers should be changed frequently and all for the same reason. José Maria de Eça de Queiroz
Take our politicians – they’re a bunch of yo-yos. The presidency is now a cross between a popularity contest and a high school debate, with an encyclopaedia of clichés the first prize. Saul Bellow
When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President; I’m beginning to believe it. Clarence Darrow
An election is coming. Universal peace is declared, and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry. George Eliot, Felix Holt
All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field. Albert Einstein
Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every political practitioner in the country – and then declares itself puzzled that America has lost trust in its politicians. Charles Krauthammer
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. Aesop
Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct. Thomas Jefferson
Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times. Winston Churchill
90% of the politicians give the other 10% a bad reputation. Henry Kissinger
There’s been a radicalism on both sides of the centre line ever since we’ve had a government in this country. But I’m not concerned about what we call the radical right in this country as I am about the radical left who are working in our government. Barry Goldwater
If I seem to take part in politics, it is only because politics encircles us today like the coil of a snake from which one cannot get out, no matter how much one tries. I wish therefore to wrestle with the snake. Mahatma Gandhi
People allowed elites to take over politics. And politics to be distorted and corrupted. So politics became even less capable of fulfilling people’s needs. Robert Reich, member of Clinton cabinet
A politician is a man who understands government, and it takes a politician to run a government. A statesman is a politician who’s been dead ten or fifteen years. Harry S Truman
Show me a man that gets rich by being a politician, and I’ll show you a crook. Harry S Truman
A playful moderation in politics is just as absurd as a remonstrative whisper to a mob. Leigh Hunt, 1808
We’re safer if we have politicians that are a bit self-interested and greedy than if we have these zealots. The greatest danger of course is the zealot who thinks that he knows best or she knows best for the rest of us. As opposed to being for sale, so to speak ... If our success depends on the goodness of politicians and bureaucrats then we are in trouble. Professor James Buchanan, televised interview
The illusion would be that our politicians are out there really seeking to do good for us. Not for themselves but do good for us. A kind of optimistic illusion that he is doing good for the public. ibid.
There is such a thing as insidious influence ... Does it involve bribery? And does it involve some sort of psychological domination of individuals? I don’t believe in this notion of some sort of secret societies controlling people. But of course in any political system there are sort of over the table and under the table arrangements. Zbigniew Brzezinski, televised interview
During this campaign I will be called many things by friends of the press, the media. Mick Jackson, A Very British Coup 1988 ***** starring Ray McAnally & Alan MacNaughton & Keith Allen & Geoffrey Beavers & Marjorie Yates & Jim Carter & Philip Madoc & Jeremy Young et al, Harry; viz also Chris Mullins novel
Harry Perkins, third generation steel worker, trade unionist, socialist, and leader of the Labour Party left his mother’s council flat here in Sheffield a few minutes ago. ibid. news
I think all people are first class, don’t you? ibid. Harry to interviewer
Whom the gods wish to destroy they first send to Sheffield. ibid. Secret Service guy