Bruno Prior's Quotes

Ronald Reagan, Politics

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a close resemblance to the first.

Ronald Reagan

Harold Macmillan

"As usual, the Liberals offer a mixture of sound and original ideas. Unfortunately, none of the sound ideas is original and none of the original ideas is sound."

Harold Macmillan

Boswell & Johnson

Boswell: "So, Sir, you laugh at schemes of political improvements."
Johnson: "Why, Sir, most schemes of political improvement are very laughable things."

James Boswell & Samual Johnson

Ambrose Bierce (1)

"Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage", The Enlarged Devil's Dictionary (1967)

Ambrose Bierce

Bernard Brauch

"Vote for the man who promises least; he'll be the least disappointing."

Bernard Brauch

Herbert Asquith (1)

"[The War Office kept three sets of figures:] one to mislead the public, another to mislead Cabinet, and the third to mislead itself."

Herbert Asquith

Henry Brooks Adams (1)

"Practical politics consists in ignoring facts", The Education of Henry Adams (1907)

Henry Brooks Adams

John Redwood

"Gordon Brown is a bit like someone who takes great pride in how clean they leave the washing up, hoping we won't notice that they break and throw away all the really dirty plates and cups."

John Redwood

Don Marquis

"did you ever
notice that when
a politician
does get an idea
he usually
gets it all wrong."
archys life of mehitabel (1933)

Don Marquis

P.J. O'Rourke, Santa Claus

"I have only one firm belief about the American political system, and that is this: God is a Republican and Santa Claus is a Democrat", Parliament of Whores (1991)

P.J.O'Rourke