Three Thoughts for Inauguration Day 2013

H.L. Menken, 1880 - 1956

1) H.L. Menken wrote, "Every decent man is ashamed of his government."

Commander Kelly says, "Today more than ever."

Stendhal, 1783 - 1842
Bonapartist

2) Stendhal, a stout defender of the Bonapartes, wrote of Napoleon: "He made the mistake of being too surprised by his success...He drank great gulps of the poison of flattery.  He believed that there was nothing personally impossible for him.  He could no longer stand contradiction and soon the slightest remark appeared to him an impertinence and what was more, stupid.  As a result of his bad choice of men he was used to seeing only those things succeed which he did himself.  Very soon his ministers appeared to do no more than set down his ideas slavishly.  It is impossible, in this age, for genuine ability not to be allied to fairly liberal ideas."

Life of Napoleon, Stendhal, 1818 (www.amzn.com/0749296046)

Commander Kelly says, "Remember when President Obama said, "This Nation, Me" during the third Presidential debate with Mitt Romney?  We have re-elected Napo-Bama."

3) Finally, Commander Kelly says, "The second term of EVERY re-elected American President has been worse that the first.  Obama's is highly unlikely to be an exception".