Cinco de Obama or Bomber Biden

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage." --Lord Alexander Tytler on the fall of the Athenian republic.

Wow---that about sums it up, doesn't it? My wife found this gem and I think I can hardly add to it. So I won't!


In addition to the great historical context this quote frames for us, here is something contemporary and much more banal (is there is any longer a distinction in this Administration?) from our President (imagine how the 4th estate would have greeted this from GW Bush !):

In trying to enagage in a little word play with the Mexican Ambassador about Cinco de Mayo, yesterday (May 4), the President says Monday was "Cuatro de Cinco". When questioned about what he meant, he said it again, apparently never realizing what he was trying to say was "Cuatro de Mayo"---as silly as THAT was. A great intellect, truly and bilingual to boot. Not.

Meanwhile, the Veep says everyone should avoid trains and planes, so as to avoid H1N1- and then proceeds to take the train home! Such an example for the Nation. His spokesman says (really!), Joe Biden misconstrued what he meant to say.

Say what?

M.C.