The following quotes from Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) give insight into the state of American politics:
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<li>The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
<li>The vulgar crowd always is taken by appearances, and the world consists chiefly of the vulgar.
<li>Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived.
<li>…he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived.
<li>Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.
<li>Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.
<li>Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.
<li>There is no avoiding war, it can only be postponed to the advantage of your enemy.
<li>Men never do good unless necessity drives them to it; but when they are free to choose and can do just as they please, confusion and disorder become rampant.
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Note, Machiavelli is coming at political philosophy from a secular humanist perspective.<p>
<i>Never assume the enemy wants to agree with you.</i> - Randy Lucas