H. L. Mencken Quotes
The essential objection to democracy is that, with few exceptions, it imposes degrading acts and attitudes upon the men responsible for the welfare and dignity of the state.
H. L. Mencken, 1880-1956, Columnist & Journalist, Notes on Democracy, 1926
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
See 358821 for another expression of this idea.
The only soldier ever so honored. At the beginning of WWII, President Roosevelt and Churchill wanted the U. S. Army to invade German and Italian North Africa. Marshall, General Eisenhower, and all the other military men, advised that while it was possible, it would be a diversion from the strategic objective of invading Europe. None the less FDR ordered the invasion. The effect on the American people was wonderful, It showed that the Germans were not invincible, increased enlistment and morale at home, and developed more popular support for the war. Later, Marshall learned much about Democratic leadership and he, himself became a very effective government leader, and began to appreciate FDR’s approach but with a little cynicism about democracy.
Henry Louis Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, and contemporary movements. His satirical reporting on the Scopes Trial, which he dubbed the "Monkey Trial," also gained him attention.
