Anti-Government Aphorisms
I stumbled onto some aphorisms (Usually an aphorism is a concise statement containing a subjective truth or observation cleverly and pithily written) stated by the late American President, Ronald Reagan.
Here they are:
“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
“The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them away.”
“How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.”
Each one of these gave me a chuckle, but what floored me was that they were all quotes from Ronald Reagan. I remember severely disliking the man because of my socialist leanings that I held at the time. How times have changed and so have I.
I can now see why Mr. Reagan was as vilified as he was by the Left. This is from a man who represented the state and called its limitations accurately. How refreshing.
Popularity: 17% [?]
“The problem with socialism is that, sooner or later, you run out of other people’s money.”
(Attributed to Margaret Thatcher)
Ha! Socialists need money to run their state, yet are clueless that wealth creation is the only way to pay for their state-run programs. It is a savage circle to be a socialist.
Capitalism is the vulgar side of the modern soul…
Capitalism is undoubtedly more accurate representation of human nature. But newsflash for you, human nature is vulgar at times. It is also self-sacrificing, strategic, ignorant, and a range of other qualities. But that is why capitalism works so well. Unlike socialism or any other mislead ideologies, it sees human nature for what it is and does not try to change it. Capitalism demonstrates the best and worst of human nature, but this offends those who choose to hold on to adolescent, fairy-tale views of human nature.
“Dance on Thatcher’s grave?” Huh? Look it up: Baroness Thatcher is still alive. She has no grave.
C’mon, man, you gotta finish the quote: “Capitalism is the vulgar side of the modern soul, socialism its tedious side.” (Source: Nicolis Gomez Divila a.k.a. Don Colacho at http://don-colacho.blogspot.com/2010/09/1855.html.)
In addition to being tedious, socialism has the further disadvantage that, sooner or later, it runs out of other people’s money. [See quote attributed to Margaret Thatcher above.)