Slavery to Freedom

... knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom.

Source: Frederick Douglass, see Wikipedia entry for source
Taken From: LewRockwell.com, Blog post by Charles Burris, 2011/09/11

Absoulte power is kind of neat

Power corrupts.  Absolute power is kind of neat. 

Source:  John Lehman, former US Secretary of the Navy
Taken From: Superclass, David Rothkpf, 2008

On Working for the Lord and for Others

Much of the effort of modern politicians is devoted to convincing us that men serve best when they are serving one another.  But the one consideration which would make this true is left out; service to others is the best service when the effort of all is subsumed under a transcendental conception.  Material gratification does not provide this, and here one has the reason why a secularized state finally breeds an intense hatred of politicians, who are trying to get men to accept one another as taskmasters.  Work is not to be performed "as ever in my great Taskmaster's eye," but for my neighbor, whom I despise.

Source: Richard Weaver, Ideas Have Consequences 1948 

Political Finance

The real truth ... is, as you know and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the Government ever since he days of Andrew Jackson - and I am not wholly excepting the Administration of W.W. [Woodrow Wilson]

Source: Franklin Roosevelt in a letter to one of Woodrow Wilson's top advisors
Taken From: Superclass, David Rothkpf, 2008, pg 152

Education and Direction

Yet the prevailing conception is that education must be such as will enable one to acquire enough wealth to live on the plain of the bourgeoisie [middle class].  That kind of education does not develop the aristocratic virtues.  It neither encourages reflection nor inspires a reverence for the good.

Source: Richard Weaver, Ideas Have Consequences 1948

Secret Cabal

The only way I can get to sleep at night is by imagining a secret cabal of highly competent puppetmasters who are handling the important decisions while our elected politicians debate flag burning and the definition of marriage.

Source:  Scott Adams, unsourced
Taken From: Superclass, David Rothkpf, 2008, pg254