“I call this The Dictator Syndrome. You see suffering or danger, and in your imagination you see a government program eliminating it. But in the real world the program would operate as you expect only if you were an absolute dictator—having at your disposal all the government's power to compel everyone to do things your way.”

Part One, chapter 5, page 20
Why Government Doesn't Work (1995)

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Harry Browne18

American politician and writer 1933–2006

Ralph Smart

“Everyone in the world was programmed by the place they were born, hemmed in by their beliefs, but you had to at leastto grow your own brain.”

Scott Westerfeld book Pretties

Source: Pretties

“Between death on the field and death by starvation, I do not know that the American people will see any great difference. The end, if successfully reached, would be death in either case. Gentlemen, you have it in your power to kill this government; you have it in your power, by withholding these two bills, to smite the nerve-centers of our Government.”

James A. Garfield (1831–1881) American politician, 20th President of the United States (in office in 1881)

1870s, Speech (1879)

“Socialists must be in favor of an aristocratic form of government. We must have the best men for the job... In the dictator you must have a man who has not only the power to govern but the force of character to impose himself as dictator whether you like him or not.”

George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish playwright

“Socialism urged to find dictator,” Berkeley Daily Gazette (Nov. 30, 1927)
1890s

“I can never consent to being dictated to as to what I shall or shall not do. I, as President, shall be responsible for my administration. I hope to have your hearty co-operation in carrying out its measures. So long as you see fit to do this, I shall be glad to have you with me. When you think otherwise, your resignations will be accepted.”

John Tyler (1790–1862) American politician, 10th President of the United States (in office from 1841 to 1845)

Cabinet meeting (1841), as retold by John Alexander Tyler.

“What if God provided everything for everybody all the time and you never had to work a moment in your life. All we would do is sit around and think up ways to get into trouble. That's one of the problems of welfare. The Bible says God's welfare program is real simple. If you don't work, you don't eat. That was my welfare program with my kids when they were growing up; if you don't work, you don't eat. It doesn't take long for them to get their chores done. In the morning you give them a list to do. You know, you make your bed, do your homework, clean your room, etc. You sit down for supper, you all pray together, "Lord, bless the bunch as they crunch their lunch. Amen." And you go, "Stop, before anybody eats, let's see. I noticed son that your bedroom is not clean, and daughter, your homework is not done, so you guys go finish that and come back and eat when you are done." You only have to do that once to get their attention. If you don't work, you don't eat. That's God's welfare program. But in America today, we have a serious problem because we pay people to not work. And God said, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake." Work is one of the best things for you. It's a wonderful therapy.”

Kent Hovind (1953) American young Earth creationist

Creation seminars (2003-2005), The Hovind theory

“You simply have to turn your back on a culture that has gone sterile and dead and get with the program of a living world and the imagination. ”

Terence McKenna (1946–2000) American ethnobotanist

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely; and if you surrender your personal responsibility to a government which promises to take care of you, they will only take care of themselves.”

Howard Nemerov (1920–1991) Poet

“What is perceived is dictated by the instrument. If you had other eyes, or another mind, you would see all things otherwise.”

Gene Wolfe (1931–2019) American science fiction and fantasy writer

Source: Fiction, The Book of the New Sun (1980–1983), The Urth of the New Sun (1987), Chapter 40, "The Brook Beyond Briah" (p. 285)

“Personal affection is a luxury you can have only after all your enemies are eliminated. Until then, everyone you love is a hostage, sapping your courage and corrupting your judgment.”

Orson Scott Card book Empire

Source: Empire

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