All governments lie, but disaster lies in wait for countries whose officials smoke the same hashish they give out.
I. F. StoneRead
All governments are run by liars and nothing they say should be believed.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that governments are often dishonest and untrustworthy.
I. F. Stone's assertion highlights a deep skepticism towards government officials, implying that the information they provide may not be reliable. This perspective challenges citizens to critically evaluate governmental statements and recognize potential manipulation, promoting an informed and questioning attitude in the public discourse.
In practice
During a political debate, to emphasize the need for transparency in governance.
All governments lie, but disaster lies in wait for countries whose officials smoke the same hashish they give out.
The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those youβre going to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins.
The federal government did not create the states; the states created the federal government.
The political world is defined by relationships rather than transactions, and by numerous actors at home and abroad with independent power. Navigating such a world is difficult and precarious.
In a democracy, citizens pass judgment on their government, and if they are kept in the dark about what their government is doing, they cannot be in a position to make well-grounded decisions.
If we can deter the Soviet Union, if we can deter North Korea, why on earth can't we deter Iran?
It is an axiom of political science in the United States that the sole means of neutralizing the effects of newspapers is to multiply their number.
Australia can no longer afford to go down the path of confrontation and fragmentation which has embittered and disfigured so many aspects of the national life.
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