I’m working on edits to my next book, which ought to be out next year. One of the things I’ve recently decided is that a number of little skits and jokes were getting in the way of the story, so I’ve cut some of them out. I still like them though, so I’ll put a few of them on here….
“In the course of my life I have developed five little democratic questions. If one meets a powerful person--Adolf Hitler, Joe Stalin or Bill Gates--ask them five questions …” Tony Benn
“…. What power have you got?”
Considerable power over all aspects of political life. The power to bring down governments.
“Where did you get it from?”
It was effectively delegated to me as a consequence of many decisions, none of which had this outcome as their primary purpose.
“In whose interests do you use it?”
Exclusively in the interests of preserving my own short term (although not necessarily long term) stability.
“To whom are you accountable?”
The question is practically meaningless to ask. Nobody.
“And how can we get rid of you?”
You can’t. Only by causing a complete collapse of the global economic system.
“I now have a sixth question. Who or what the hell are you, anyway?”
" I used to think that if there was reincarnation, I wanted to come back as the president or the pope or as a .400 baseball hitter. But now I would like to come back as the bond market. You can intimidate everybody” – James Carville