Not For Any Particular Reason

But just because I can, I'm going to share some of my favorite P.J. O'Rourke quotes with you. He's been on my mind lately; I have always admired him as someone who can loathe the government with a smile on his lips (and a drink in his hand). I think it's the attitude we should all take.

Here are some of the best:

"Ideology, politics and journalism, which luxuriate in failure, are impotent in the face of hope and joy."

"America wasn't founded so that we could all be better. America was founded so we could all be anything we damned well pleased."

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." (Husband's all-time favorite)

"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences."

"There are just two rules of governance in a free society:

•Mind your own business.
•Keep your hands to yourself."

"Term limits aren't enough. We need jail."

"Bringing the government in to run Wall Street is like saying, 'Dad burned dinner, let's get the dog to cook.'"

"I'm so conservative that I approve of San Francisco City Hall marriages, adoption by same-sex couples, and New Hampshire's recently ordained Episcopal bishop. Gays want to get married, have children, and go to church. Next they'll be advocating school vouchers, boycotting HBO, and voting Republican."

" Ann Coulter ... has the look of a soon-to-be-ex wife who has just finished shouting."

"The second item in the liberal creed, after self-righteousness, is unaccountability. Liberals have invented whole college majors— psychology, sociology, women's studies— to prove that nothing is anybody's fault. No one is fond of taking responsibility for his actions, but consider how much you'd have to hate free will to come up with a political platform that advocates killing unborn babies but not convicted murderers. A callous pragmatist might favor abortion and capital punishment. A devout Christian would sanction neither. But it takes years of therapy to arrive at the liberal view."

"Advocating the expansion of the powers of the state is treason to mankind, goddamnit!"

"People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking don't need politics, they have jobs."

"Your money does not cause my poverty. Refusal to believe this is at the bottom of most bad economic thinking."