Quotessence
Home / Books / America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

Book by Jon Stewart · 3 quotes · 2004, Congress, Humor

Filter quotes by topic

All2004CongressHumorAnarchyAntonin ScaliaClarence ThomasDemocracyFascismLegislaturePoliticsScotusSupreme CourtVoting

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction Quotes

“1. Society needs laws. While anarchy can often turn a humdrum weekend into something unforgettable, eventually the mob must be kept from stealing the conch and killing Piggy. And while it would be nice if that "something" was simple human decency, anybody who has witnessed the "50% Off Wedding Dress Sale" at Filene's Basement knows we need a backup plan—preferably in writing. On the other hand, too many laws can result in outright tyranny, particularly if one of those laws is "Kneel before Zod." Somewhere between these two extremes lies the legislative sweet-spot that produces just the right amount of laws for a well-adjusted society—more than zero, less than fascism.”

CongressAnarchyFascismLegislature2004
Book:America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction
Create image

“As heirs to a legacy more than two centuries old, it is understandable why present-day Americans would take their own democracy for granted. A president freely chosen from a wide-open field of two men every four years; a Congress with a 99% incumbency rate; a Supreme Court comprised of nine politically appointed judges whose only oversight is the icy scythe of Death -- all these reveal a system fully capable of maintaining itself. But our perfect democracy, which neither needs nor particularly wants voters, is a rarity. It is important to remember there still exist other forms of government in the world today, and that dozens of foreign countries still long for a democracy such as ours to be imposed on them.”

HumorPoliticsDemocracyCongressVotingSupreme Court
Book:America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction
Create image