“The Roman Republic fell, not because of the ambition of Caesar or Augustus, but because it had already long ceased to be in any real sense a republic at all. When the sturdy Roman plebeian, who lived by his own labor, who voted without reward according to his own convictions, and who with his fellows formed in war the terrible Roman legion, had been changed into an idle creature who craved nothing in life save the gratification of a thirst for vapid excitement, who was fed by the state, and directly or indirectly sold his vote to the highest bidder, then the end of the republic was at hand, and nothing could save it. The laws were the same as they had been, but the people behind the laws had changed, and so the laws counted for nothing.”
- President Theodore Roosevelt
Submitted by Hiswiserangel
Great quote, forwarded to everyone I know, thats about two people but still great quote.
ReplyDeleteI'm not real sure that TR is the right guy to cite.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing he was one of the original " progressives"
Gotta say my ignorance is pretty impressive on his political actions after getting elected.
Guy did have a set of stones on him and was a pretty effective military leader.
@markshere2, it seems being in D.C. too long tends to do that to people. Must be that piss water in the potomac that they drink.
ReplyDeleteSpot on mark, he's the father of the progressive party. Just liked the tone of the quote as it fits our current entitlement state.
ReplyDeleteThe ultimate reason that Rome fell was that it could not secure its borders. Does this sound familiar to you?
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