A man who mistakes applause for affection soon discovers that crowds are easier to summon than respect is to earn. Vanity may fill a ballroom with mirrors, but it cannot fill an arena with admirers.

Show Post

A statesman answers an argument with reason. A demagogue answers it with outrage. The distinction is seldom more apparent than after midnight.

Show Post

The trouble with inventing a noble ancestry is that history, unlike a political rally, permits the facts to speak. A man ashamed of his own roots should exercise greater humility when judging the roots of others.

Show Post

When the demand for transparency becomes the offense, secrecy has become the governing principle. Some men profess to defend liberty, yet cannot endure a citizen exercising it within earshot.

Show Post

The republic requires a steady hand, a sound judgment, and a clear purpose. A running commentary upon mysterious popping noises was not among the qualifications envisioned. In my day, a gentleman who heard strange noises investigated the chimney. He did not summon the nation to discuss them.

Show Post