WIST Quotations

Gregory, Dick -- Dick Gregory’s Political Primer (1972)

Dave — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 15:05:21 +0000

There are two major kinds of promises in politics: the promises made by candidates to the voters and the promises made by the candidates to persons and groups able to deliver the vote. Promises falling into the latter category are loosely called “patronage,” and promises falling into the former category are most frequently called “lies.”

Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory (1932-2017) American activist, social critic, writer, comedian
Dick Gregory’s Political Primer (1972)

Fine, Janice -- Interview with Laura Orlando, “The Clean-Elections Movement,” Dollars and Sense (Jul/Aug 2000)

Dave — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 18:35:10 +0000

If a baseball player slides into home plate and, right before the umpire rules if he is safe or out, the player says to the umpire, “Here is $1,000,” what would we call that? We would call that a bribe. If a lawyer was arguing a case before a judge and said, “Your honor before you decide on the guilt or innocence of my client, here is $1,000,” what would we call that? We would call that a bribe. But if an industry lobbyist walks into the office of a key legislator and hands her or him a check for $1,000, we call that a campaign contribution. We should call it a bribe.

Janice Fine (contemp.) American political scientist, academic
Interview with Laura Orlando, “The Clean-Elections Movement,” Dollars and Sense (Jul/Aug 2000)

Kennedy, John F. -- Profiles in Courage, Introduction (1956)

Dave — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 13:52:37 +0000

Today the challenge of political courage looms larger than ever before. … Our political life is becoming so expensive, so mechanized and so dominated by professional politicians and public relations men that the idealist who dreams of independent statesmanship is rudely awakened by the necessities of election and accomplishment.

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) American politician, author, journalist, US President (1961–63)
Profiles in Courage, Introduction (1956)