Quote

Today's citizen is obliged to find his freedom only in the narrow ruts pre-approved by his bureaucratic overlords. Risk-free liberty is the ideal of the Welfare State: citizens are permitted only liberties which have been declawed, defanged, neutered, certified and wrapped in benevolent restrictions.

James Bovard

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

James Bovard
Age: 68
Born: 1956
Born: July 22
Author
Journalist
Writer
Ames
Iowa
Free
Ideal
Approved
States
Welfare
Restriction
Overlords
Today
Ideals
Permitted
Neutered
Find
Citizens
Wrapped
Certified
Risk
Liberties
Bureaucratic
Liberty
Obliged
Ruts
State
Narrow
Restrictions
Freedom
Citizen
Benevolent

More quotes by James Bovard

Image
Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about the Bill of Rights most of the time.
James Bovard
Image
American democracy is capsizing as a result of the vast increase in the number of government dependents and government employees.
James Bovard
Image
If so many Americans are looking for the government to save them, then it is hard to have a dignified search for a shepherd in chief.
James Bovard
Image
The more people expect from government, the more biased they become against limiting government power.
James Bovard
Image
As we learned from the Clinton administration and much of the media, a machine gun in the hands of a federal agent is now a symbol of benevolence and concern for a child's well-being.
James Bovard
Image
There has been so much power concentrated. There is no leash on that power anymore and Americans face the situation that this power is getting momentum with each passing year with each presidency.
James Bovard
Image
The more freedoms Americans lose, the more dangerous government becomes.
James Bovard
Image
Well, one of the first things is to restore the rule of law, to place the government back under the cage of law. Another thing is to stop falling for the myth of democracy.
James Bovard
Image
Government aid programs have been endlessly expanded, and the government has sought to maximize the number of people willing to accept handouts..... Roughly half of all Americans are dependent on the government, either for handouts, pensions, or paychecks.
James Bovard
Image
Dependency is the highest political good - at least for politicians. Since the 1930s, politicians have striven to leave no vote unbought.
James Bovard
Image
It has been surprising to me that so few conservatives have voiced concern over the precedence that are being set in favor of suppression by this so-called conservative administration.
James Bovard
Image
Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
James Bovard
Image
Freedom is whatever the president says it is, pending revision.
James Bovard
Image
We are asking the wrong question. The issue is not who should be trusted with all the power of the Presidency. Instead, we must ask how much power any candidate can be trusted with.
James Bovard
Image
Not only has the number of government employees multiplied in recent decades, but the rise of government unions further stacks the political odds against private citizens.
James Bovard
Image
The Federal Government is exploiting public fear to redefine the relationship between the rulers and the American people.
James Bovard
Image
It is amazing to think after all that has happened in this country in the last few years, the last few decades, that so many people have this blind faith that government is our friend and therefore, we don’t need protections against it.
James Bovard
Image
As soon as people drop the reins on government, government will leash the people.
James Bovard
Image
Throughout history, politicians have used other people's property to buy themselves power. That is the primary achievement of the welfare state.
James Bovard
Image
If an election is simply a one-day snapshot of transient mass delusions, then this is not a very noble form of government.
James Bovard