Just when we most need to be clearheaded, in order to face the hard facts before us, there is all too frequently a very real inclination to give way to dangerous tendencies merely as an escape from realities.
William Lyon Mackenzie KingRead
The politician's promises of yesterday are the taxes of today.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Political promises can lead to present burdens like taxes.
This quote suggests that promises made by politicians, often in the pursuit of gaining favor with the public, can result in real consequences for citizens in the form of taxes and obligations. It highlights the notion that what might seem appealing when promised may later become a burden that citizens have to bear, emphasizing the importance of accountability in political discourse.
Themes
PoliticsPromisesTaxesAccountabilityBurden
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate, a candidate could reference this quote to discuss fiscal responsibility.
More from William Lyon Mackenzie King
All quotes →It is what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts most in Government.
William Lyon Mackenzie KingRead
Far more has been accomplished for the welfare and progress of mankind by preventing bad actions than by doing good ones.
William Lyon Mackenzie KingRead
Similar quotes
I consider it…as subverting the fundamental and characteristic principle of the Government…and as bidding defiance to the sense in which the Constitution is known to have been proposed, advocated, and adopted. If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one.
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I have people ask me if I'm going to convince my daughters to be Democrats, and I say, 'I have yet to convince my daughters to close a door.' I don't how in the world I would ever convince them to be in a political affiliation.
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I'm not naive. All politics is about identity, right? Neighborhood politics, cultural politics, issue politics. It's not as though I don't get that. It's just - it has to be, I think, tempered in a way that is for our overall advancement and not to our detriment or obliteration. When I say 'our,' I don't mean just communities of color.
Ayanna PressleyRead
The Prime Minister has an absolute genius for putting flamboyant labels on empty luggage.
Aneurin BevanRead
If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools.
PlatoRead
Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.
Robert A. HeinleinRead