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clarice

(5,504 posts) Fri Jun 26, 2015, 02:54 PM Jun 2015

Quotes from H.L. Mencken.....

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.
H. L. Mencken

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.
H. L. Mencken

The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.
H. L. Mencken

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
H. L. Mencken

It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man.
H. L. Mencken

If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner.
H. L. Mencken

When a new source of taxation is found it never means, in practice, that the old source is abandoned. It merely means that the politicians have two ways of milking the taxpayer where they had one before.
H. L. Mencken

16 replies

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Highlight:

Quotes from H.L. Mencken..... (Original Post) clarice Jun 2015 OP

The Sage of Baltimore KamaAina Jun 2015 #1

Glad you liked it. nt clarice Jun 2015 #8

This: CanSocDem Jun 2015 #2

Explains everything really JonLP24 Jun 2015 #5

Yep. nt clarice Jun 2015 #9

Sure does!. nt clarice Jun 2015 #11

Those are great clarice! CrawlingChaos Jun 2015 #3

Thanks...you know what's funny? Most people have never heard of Mencken.nt clarice Jun 2015 #12

I heard of him the first time today in-fact, several hours before I saw this thread JonLP24 Jun 2015 #15

My favorite cemaphonic Jun 2015 #4

Is that Mencken as well? nt clarice Jun 2015 #7

+1000 smirkymonkey Jun 2015 #6

Back atcha' nt clarice Jun 2015 #10

It's hard to beat H.L. Mencken when it comes to quotes about society, politics and smirkymonkey Jun 2015 #13

I know..but I think that most people don't appreciate his curmudgeonly humor. nt clarice Jun 2015 #14

Mencken on Big Business Wolf Frankula Jun 2015 #16

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)

1. The Sage of Baltimore

Reply to clarice (Original post)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 04:15 PM

Jun 2015

my home town.

clarice

(5,504 posts)

8. Glad you liked it. nt

Reply to KamaAina (Reply #1)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:47 PM

Jun 2015

CanSocDem

(3,286 posts)

2. This:

Reply to clarice (Original post)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 04:22 PM

Jun 2015

"The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable."
H. L. Mencken

Explains the war on pot smokers.

.

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)

5. Explains everything really

Reply to CanSocDem (Reply #2)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:24 PM

Jun 2015

From Saudi Arabia to private prisons -- the list would go on if I were inclined to make one.

clarice

(5,504 posts)

9. Yep. nt

Reply to CanSocDem (Reply #2)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:47 PM

Jun 2015

clarice

(5,504 posts)

11. Sure does!. nt

Reply to CanSocDem (Reply #2)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:48 PM

Jun 2015

CrawlingChaos

(1,893 posts)

3. Those are great clarice!

Reply to clarice (Original post)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:05 PM

Jun 2015

My favorite is: "It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man."

Of course the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the name Mencken is the Scopes Monkey Trial, so he certainly had cause to say it.

clarice

(5,504 posts)

12. Thanks...you know what's funny? Most people have never heard of Mencken.nt

Reply to CrawlingChaos (Reply #3)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:50 PM

Jun 2015

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)

15. I heard of him the first time today in-fact, several hours before I saw this thread

Reply to clarice (Reply #12)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 09:58 PM

Jun 2015

Here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026906385

I saw the name before but never knew the man. Don't know if the comment in post 3 is true but do know the quotes here selected are true.

cemaphonic

(4,138 posts)

4. My favorite

Reply to clarice (Original post)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:15 PM

Jun 2015

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”

clarice

(5,504 posts)

7. Is that Mencken as well? nt

Reply to cemaphonic (Reply #4)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:47 PM

Jun 2015

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)

6. +1000

Reply to clarice (Original post)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:40 PM

Jun 2015

clarice

(5,504 posts)

10. Back atcha' nt

Reply to smirkymonkey (Reply #6)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:48 PM

Jun 2015

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)

13. It's hard to beat H.L. Mencken when it comes to quotes about society, politics and

Reply to clarice (Reply #10)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:53 PM

Jun 2015

the human condition.

clarice

(5,504 posts)

14. I know..but I think that most people don't appreciate his curmudgeonly humor. nt

Reply to smirkymonkey (Reply #13)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:56 PM

Jun 2015

Wolf Frankula

(3,601 posts)

16. Mencken on Big Business

Reply to clarice (Original post)

Sat Jun 27, 2015, 09:46 PM

Jun 2015

"For Big Business, in America, is almost wholly devoid of anything even poetically describable as public spirit. It is frankly on the make, day in and day out, and hence for the politician who gives it the best chance. In order to get that chance it is willing to make any conceivable sacrifice of common sense and the common decencies."

Wolf

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