A SIMPLE THOUGHT TO MULL OVER.

[cloud_chaser1]

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president
represents, more and
more closely, the inner soul of the people. 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."
-- H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)


BY GOLLY, HE WAS RIGHT!

[NYCGirl]

1. Here's the entire quote:

The larger the mob, the harder the test. In small areas, before small electorates, a first-rate man occasionally fights his way through, carrying even the mob with him by force of his personality. But when the field is nationwide, and the fight must be waged chiefly at second and third hand, and the force of personality cannot so readily make itself felt, then all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most easily adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.

The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. 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.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/mencken.asp

[CottonBear]

2. I had that quote posted on the back window of my truck for months.

I got perplexed questions from the owners of vehicles with W stickers about the quote. They never knew who Mencken was and they didn't know if I posted the quote because I didn't like Bu$h. One guy said "I like this quote." Then he asked what my FW sticker meant. Bwahahahahahah! :rofl:

[Chan790]

3. I love a good Mencken quote

Could you imagine if we had someone writing today with that kind of biting wit? Will Rogers, H.L Mencken or Mark Twain would reduce Scotty McClellan to quivering jelly in 10 minutes flat and have the Presidunce polling at 1%.

Some others to think over:

"Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. .... The truly civilized man is always skeptical and tolerant, in this field as in all others. His culture is based on "I am not too sure."

"It is only the savage, whether of the African bush or of the American gospel tent, who pretends to know the will and intent of God exactly and completely."

"Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage."