WORK OR WAIT FOR CHANGE

"Nothing is irreparable in politics."

Jean Anouilh, 20th century French playwright.

True in all forms of politics; office, personal, as well as governance.

The message is, whatever you don't currently approve of won't be around forever.

You have recourse.

You can work for change or wait for it, the choice is yours.

IT'S NOT JUST HILL AND DONALD, FAR FROM IT

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."

Plato, 5th century BC Greek philosopher.

An appropriate thought as we move closer to hearing the final death rattle of this year's US election season.

No matter what you do for a living, what church you attend, what sports team your child is on, regardless of which groups of humans you associate with, you experience politics.

If you think you don't, if you believe you can stay out of the political drama that impacts your groups, you will, as Plato says you will, ultimately be lead by those you consider to be your inferiors.

Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. 

Either way, if you don't participate in the governance of your groups, it is them, not you, who will govern you.

YOU CAN TRUST THIS

"He who does not trust enough will not be trusted."

Lao Tzu, 5th century BC Chinese philosopher

Ignoring the irony of this being said by a Chinese some 2,500 years before the current government of China came into being . . . 

A government that does not trust the citizens it attempts to govern, or management who does not trust those they attempt to manage, will ultimately fail.

NOT HAPPY? CHANGE IT OR LEAVE IT

"It's not wise to violate rules until you know how to observe them."

T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) American-English poet/playwright.

By "observe" he means obey.

If you don't like the system, whether it be in your business or personal life, work to change it.

If you don't want to do that, leave and join a different system.

I DON'T HAVE MY BACK

"There is no dependence that can be sure but a dependence upon one's self."

John Gay

18th century English poet/dramatist

Notice he did not how often we depend on ourselves.

Not often enough.

Instead, out of laziness or lack of confidence in our own capability, we look to others, including the government, for salvation.

How sad.

Government: More or Less

"Government regulations impose an enormous burden on large and small businesses in America, discourage productivity, and contribute substantially to our current economic woes."

"We don't need a weakened government but a strong government that would take responsibility for the rights of the individual and care for the society as a whole."

The above does a good job summarizing the national debate that is at the core of every country's struggle to address the economic problems affecting us all.

Each could have been said by any number of people on both sides of the question. More government or less?

What do you think?

Who made these statements?

The first, Ronald Reagan, Vladimir Putin the second.