Political Quotes
The greatest danger in any argument is that real issues are often clouded by superficial ones, that momentary passions may obscure permanent realities.
-Mary Ellen Chase

I like this one. Everytime the flaws in the system start to show in mainstream news sources, something seems to come out that gets people swept away from the heart of the matter. It may be another news item completely like a celebrity murder that citizens shouldn't be as concerned about as they usually are or some action that the government takes regarding this issue to make us all feel good while not changing anything. For example, for a little bit there the question was coming out "Does Big Business have too much power over Washington?" People we're seriously starting to look at how Big Business (Enron mainly) was involved in shaping national policies that profited the corporations while hurting the masses. Next thing you know, we are being told that it is just a few bad eggs and Bush does a big hoop-la about Corporate Responsibility and passing all sorts of bills. Focus is put on the criminals and taken off of the billion dollar question.

People on the whole are simpleminded, in whatever country one finds them. They are so simple as to take literally, more often than not, the things their leaders tell them.
-Pearl Buck

Generally, I have high regard for the human race. I believe people are generally good. Still, anyone who takes what a politician or anyone in power literally and doesn't try and see the true motives is a fool. Many (if not most) politicians are fighting for their own agendas which are not usually to help the common man.

The distinction between a democracy and a dictatorship tends to disappear during war.
-Frieda Wunderlich

Bush wants a war that shows no sign of an end. He wants a war against an invisible enemy with no national boundaries. He wants us to be scared and give him (and his administration) more power to fight the war. Congress has already given him the blank check for the war. He fights against the creation of an international court that could bring the against the US charges for any warcrimes it will commit in this war. His administration has pushed to change the law to allow the military to act as police, a military that answers directly to the Commander-in-Chief and that has the power to detain someone indefinately without charges. He is trying to give himself the powers of a dictator.