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May 25, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t con a con man”

"You can't con a con man/artist" is sometimes used in political arguments. The cynical premise is that all politicians are con men (or women), so that one can't easily con them.…

January 31, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t evict an idea” (Occupy Wall Street slogan)

"You can't evict an idea" was a slogan used by the Occupy Wall Street movement in November 2011; although the occupiers were evicted, their ideas were to remain. "You can't…

August 21, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t fight city hall” (proverb)

"Go fight city hall" or "You can't fight city hall" means to take on the powerful -- usually, a thankless and a futile task. "City hall" means the city…

November 5, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t fix stupid, but you can vote it out”

"You can't fix stupid" is a saying of American stand-up comedian Ron White."You can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out" is a jocular saying that has been printed on…

November 21, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t inject health”

"Health is not injected" is an anti-vaccination saying that has been printed on many images. Health might come from many things, such as good food and exercise, but not, according to this…

June 2, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution”

"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The quote applies to both government and business.…

February 12, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t legislate morality/common sense/prosperity”

Legislation has its limits, and it has long been known that legislation alone cannot change the innate character of citizens. "You can neither legislate a man into virtue nor vice" was…

April 24, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t pick your friends’ noses”

It's a simple bit of civics: "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friends' noses." The silly saying has an unknown origin.…

September 6, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t put a crown on a clown and expect a king”

"You can't put a crown on a clown and expect a king" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The saying is often meant to refer to a United States president. The origin of…

October 19, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t reform fascism”

Many people believe that fascism is evil and that it must be overthrown, not reformed. "You can't reform fascism or strong-arm religious fascists" was posted on Twitter by Lulu on…

July 29, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spell ‘healthcare’ without THC”

"You can't spell 'healthcare' without THC" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "You can't spell healthcare without THC" was posted on Twitter…

July 29, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spell ‘pharma’ without ‘harm’”

"You can't spell 'pharma'/'pharmacy'/'pharmaceuticals' without (the word) 'harm'" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "you…

July 29, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spell ‘pharma” without the word ‘harm’”

"You can't spell 'pharma'/'pharmacy'/'pharmaceuticals' without (the word) 'harm'" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "you…

July 29, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spell ‘pharmaceutical’ without ‘harm’”

"You can't spell 'pharma'/'pharmacy'/'pharmaceuticals' without (the word) 'harm'" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "you…

July 29, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spell ‘pharmacy’ without ‘harm’”

"You can't spell 'pharma'/'pharmacy'/'pharmaceuticals' without (the word) 'harm'" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "you…

March 28, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spell virus without U and I” (pickup line)

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic resulted in some jocular pickup lines, but a popular one had been cited in print earlier. "You can't spell Virus without I" was on YouTube on April…

March 28, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spell virus without us” (pickup line)

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic resulted in some jocular pickup lines, but a popular one had been cited in print earlier. "You can't spell 'Virus' without…

February 28, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spend your way to prosperity” (“You can’t borrow your way to prosperity”)

"You can't spend your way to prosperity' (or, "You can't borrow your way to prosperity") means that the federal government can't achieve prosperity by…

January 28, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t spend yourself rich and you can’t vote yourself free”

"You can't spend yourself rich and you can't vote yourself free" is a saying popularized by Ukrainian-American author, podcaster, columnist, anarchist and media personality…

April 21, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t tax your way to prosperity. You can’t bomb your way to security. And you can’t ban your way to liberty”

"You can't tax your way to prosperity. You can't bomb your way to security. And you can't ban your way to liberty" was posted on X/Twitter by Alice Smith on December 9,…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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