Monday, November 01, 2004

Political: Winston Churchill as 2004 Pundit

Some thoughts from my man Winnie as we enter Election Eve, or for the Jews among us, Erev Election:

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.

To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.

The best argument against democracy is a five minute talk with the average voter.

It is no use saying, "We are doing our best." You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.

I gather, young man, that you wish to be a Member of Parliament. The first lesson that you must learn is, when I call for statistics about the rate of infant mortality, what I want is proof that fewer babies died when I was Prime Minister than when anyone else was Prime Minister. That is a political statistic.

Short Story Long: I am still searching in my archives for any occasions when WC may have called someone a d*ck on national radio. No luck so far...

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