WIST Quotations

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Autobiography, ch. 5 “Applied Idealism” (1913)

Dave — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:59:17 +0000

Civil Service Reform had two sides. There was, first, the effort to secure a more efficient administration of the public service, and, second, the even more important effort to withdraw the administrative offices of the Government from the domain of spoils politics, and thereby cut out of American political life a fruitful source of corruption and degradation.
The spoils theory of politics is that public office is so much plunder which the victorious political party is entitled to appropriate to the use of its adherents. […] Yet there were many flagrant instances of inefficiency, where a powerful chief quartered friend, adherent, or kinsman upon the Government. Moreover, the necessarily haphazard nature of the employment, the need of obtaining and holding the office by service wholly unconnected with official duty, inevitably tended to lower the standard of public morality, alike among the office-holders and among the politicians who rendered party service with the hope of reward in office.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer, US President (1901–1909)
Autobiography, ch. 5 “Applied Idealism” (1913)
(Source)

Stevenson, Adlai -- Speech (1952-09-18), “The Atomic Future,” Bushnell Memorial Auditorium, Hartford, Connecticut

Dave — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 21:13:36 +0000

If the voters of this nation ever stop looking at the record and the character of candidates, and look only at their party label, it will be a sorry day for healthy democracy.

Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965) American diplomat, statesman
Speech (1952-09-18), “The Atomic Future,” Bushnell Memorial Auditorium, Hartford, Connecticut
(Source)

Criticizing a comment from Eisenhower that a presidential candidate should support the party ticket, regardless of who was on it.

Hoover, Herbert -- Speech (1951-08-01), “On the Two-Party System,” Utah Republican Outing, Salt Lake City, Utah

Dave — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 23:14:49 +0000

The very basis of Representative Government is a two‐party system. It is one of the essential checks and balances against inefficiency, dishonesty, and tyranny.
An organized, effective opposition which insists upon disclosure of the facts and submits them to the anvil of debate is the one safety Representative Government has.
Moreover, the people must have alternative programs of action upon which they may decide at the ballot box.
Beyond this, any party in power accumulates barnacles and deadwood which can only be rid by a change in administration.

Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) American engineer, bureaucrat, US President (1929-33)
Speech (1951-08-01), “On the Two-Party System,” Utah Republican Outing, Salt Lake City, Utah
(Source)

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano -- Speech (1941-03-29), Jackson Day Radio Broadcast, U.S.S. Potomac

Dave — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 23:30:32 +0000

The dictators cannot seem to realize that here in America our people can maintain two parties, and at the same time maintain an inviolate and indivisible Nation. The totalitarian mentality is too narrow to comprehend the greatness of a people who can be divided in party allegiance at election time, but remain united in devotion to their country and to the ideals of democracy at all times.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) American lawyer, politician, statesman, US President (1933–1945)
Speech (1941-03-29), Jackson Day Radio Broadcast, U.S.S. Potomac
(Source)

Stanley, Jason -- How Propaganda Works, Introduction (2015)

Dave — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 16:12:52 +0000

Allegiance to the group identity forged by political party affiliation renders Americans blind to the essential similarities between the agendas of the two parties, similarities that can be expected to be exactly the ones that run counter to public interest, in other words, those interests of the deep-pocketed backers of elections to which any politician must be subservient in order to raise the kind of money necessary to run for national office.

Jason Stanley (b. 1969) American philosopher, epistemologist, academic
How Propaganda Works, Introduction (2015)
(Source)

Goethe, Johann von -- Conversation with Friedrich von Müller (29 Dec 1825)

Dave — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 16:54:22 +0000

In politics as on the sickbed, people toss from one side to the other, fancying that they will be more comfortable.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) German poet, statesman, scientist
Conversation with Friedrich von Müller (29 Dec 1825)
(Source)

In Biedermann, Goethes Gespräche, Gesamtausgabe, #2379 (1909). Usual variant: "In politics, as on the sickbed, people toss from one side to the other, thinking they will be more comfortable."

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- Speech, Fourth Annual Republican Women’s National Conference, Washington, DC (6 Mar 1956)

Dave — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 00:53:26 +0000

If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a political party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969) American general, US President (1953-61)
Speech, Fourth Annual Republican Women’s National Conference, Washington, DC (6 Mar 1956)
(Source)

Galbraith, John Kenneth -- The Affluent Society, ch. 13, sec. 4 (1958)

Dave — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:29:18 +0000

Few things are so immutable as the addiction of political groups to the ideas by which they have once won office.

John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) Canadian-American economist, diplomat, author
The Affluent Society, ch. 13, sec. 4 (1958)

Halifax, George Savile, Marquis of -- “Of Parties,” Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Thoughts and Reflections (1750)

Dave — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:41:18 +0000

Ignorance maketh most Men go into a Party, and Shame keepeth them from getting out of it.

George Savile, Marquis of Halifax (1633-1695) English politician and essayist
“Of Parties,” Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Thoughts and Reflections (1750)
(Source)

Tsongas, Paul -- Journey of Purpose, ch. 3 “Third Party” (1995)

Dave — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 19:06:05 +0000

The majority of Americans are clustered in the middle of the ideological spectrum. There is a passionate center. This core of America is not racist. It is not hostile to women. It is increasingly offended by gay bashing. Yet it abhors government waste. It believes strongly in fiscal responsibility such as balanced budgets. It is pro-economic growth. It is concerned about the environment. It is intolerant of people on welfare who disdain the notion of work. But it wants poor kids to have school lunches and it wants to spend money to have good schools. In sum, most Americans are sensible, good-hearted, and prudent. The issue, then, is whether there is a political party that can welcome them home.

Paul Tsongas (1941-1997) American politician
Journey of Purpose, ch. 3 “Third Party” (1995)
(Source)

Mencken, H. L. -- Minority Report (1956)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule — and both commonly succeed, and are right.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
Minority Report (1956)