[History Repeats]

I used to think that it was a Ben Franklin quote too, but I grabbed this off of FR the other day. It's the whole quote and the author. "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.” “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.” ― Alexis de Tocqueville

[apillar]

From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.

Yep, I'm just hoping the dictatorship is a right wing military lead one (think Starship Troopers) rather than a Communist one. If I must live under a dictatorship, I would rather it be one that I agree with philosophically. (And hey, let's face it, life in a dictatorship can be pretty good if your on the same side as the dictator...)

[mcmuffin]

“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.” ― Alexis de Tocqueville

Thanks HR!