The test of a real comedian is whether you laugh at him before he opens his mouth.
George Jean NathanRead
Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the responsibility of citizens to vote, hinting that their inaction leads to poor leadership.
This quote by George Jean Nathan underscores the critical role that voter participation plays in the democratic process. It suggests that when good citizens fail to engage in elections, they inadvertently allow unfit leaders to be chosen, thus highlighting a direct connection between civic duty and the quality of governance.
Themes
VoteCitizenshipResponsibilityLeadershipDemocracy
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate, one might say this quote to encourage audience members to participate in upcoming elections.
More from George Jean Nathan
All quotes βBeauty makes idiots sad and wise men merry.
George Jean NathanRead
It may be said that artist and censor differ in this wise: that the first is a decent mind in an indecent body and that the second is an indecent mind in a decent body.
George Jean NathanRead
It is the mark of a superior person that, left to themselves they are able endlessly to amuse, interest and entertain themselves out of their personal stock of meditations, ideas, criticisms, memories, philosophy, humor and what not.
George Jean NathanRead
Politics is the diversion of trivial men who, when they succeed at it, become important in the eyes of more trivial men.
George Jean NathanRead
All that is necessary to raise imbecility into what the mob regards as profundity is to lift it off the floor and put it on a platform.
George Jean NathanRead
Similar quotes
When government programs fail, it is often because public officials are clueless about how human beings think and act.
Cass SunsteinRead
We cannot run a democracy without a strong middle class.
Elizabeth WarrenRead
Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.
John LewisRead
The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy.
Woodrow WilsonRead
We do not deny any nation's legitimate interest in security. But protecting the security of one nation by robbing another of its national independence and national traditions is not legitimate. In the long run, it is not even secure.
Ronald ReaganRead
We should stop going around babbling about how we're the greatest democracy on earth, when we're not even a democracy. We are a sort of militarised republic.
Gore VidalRead