One day I nearly dropped a bowl of oyster stuffing when I read with disbelief and disappointment that the average American family spent only $2.59 a person on Thanksgiving dinner in 1991, down from $.289 the year before, an undeniable sign of the decay of family and national values under two successive Republican administrations.

jeffrey steingarten, the man who ate everything, p.34

From this one can draw a general conclusion that will never (or hardly ever) be proved wrong: He who is the cause of someone else's becoming powerful is the agent of his own destruction; for he makes his protege powerful either through his own skill or through his own strength, and either of these must provoke his protege's mistrust once he has become powerful.

machiavelli, the prince, ch.3 p.14

The Romans always looked ahead and took action to remedy problems before they developed. They never postponed action in order to avoid a war, for they understood you cannot escape wars, and when you put them off only your opponents benefit.

machiavelli, the prince, ch.3 p.11

There is a general rule to be noted here: People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.

machiavelli, the prince, ch.3 p.10

compare to thucydides and his modern-day disciple donald kagan, who advise politicians to never take half measures. half measures led to the spartan defeat and the cuban missile crisis, and apparently, if machiavelli is to be believed, to every rebellion against a prince.

Augustine also witnessed direct conflict in Milan when Arian imperial troops attempted to seize a Catholic basilica, with Ambrose, the Catholic bishop, inside.

robert dodaro and margaret atkins, introduction to political writings by augustine, p.xiii

it's hard for me to see any pastor in the u.s. doing this. admittedly, my exposure is limited, but i can only think of a handful of men who would stand outside their church and calmly tell the armed marines outside that they couldn't come in.

Forty-five years ago Lyndon Johnson was President of the United States. Art Buchwald wrote the following:

“As soon as the President finished his State of the Union speech, I was ordered to get some public reaction. So I immediately called my father in Forest Hills, New York, and asked him what he thought of all the things the President wanted to do (The Great Society).

“If he’s got the money,” my father said, “let him go ahead.”

“I don’t think he has the money, Pop.”

“I knew there was a catch to it.”

via Pastor Jim Wilson