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February 23, 2017
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy dies in darkness”

"Democracy dies in darkness" is a slogan of the Washington (DC) Post that first appeared in February 2017. Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward popularized the saying, but claimed…

November 4, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame”

"Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame" is a one-line saying that has been cited in print since at least 1968, when it was included…

November 11, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is just crowdfunded tyranny”

"Democracy is just crowdfunded tyranny" is a saying that has been printed on an image. "DEMOCRACY IS JUST CROWDFUNDED TYRANNY" (shown on an image) was posted on Facebook by…

December 6, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is mob rule (but with income taxes)”

"Democracy is mob rule" was not said by the founding fathers of the United States, although they did make similar critical comments about pure democracy. "Democracy is nothing more…

June 10, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is not a spectator sport”

"Democracy is not a spectator sport" is a saying that is often used in politics to encourage people to participate, whether by voting, by donating money, or by other means. The saying was…

August 23, 2018
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is the suggestion box for slaves”

"Voting is the slave's suggestion box" (or "Voting is the suggestion box for/of slaves") is an anti-voting saying that has been printed on many images. The various forms of…

May 28, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch”

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb/sheep voting on what to have for lunch/dinner" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Although it has often been credited (since about 2000)…

January 28, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is when people vote the way I tell them to”

A political joke is that "democracy works" when one's side wins. "Democracy is when people vote the way I want them to (vote)" is a saying. "Democracy is when people…

January 28, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is when people vote the way I want them to”

A political joke is that "democracy works" when one's side wins. "Democracy is when people vote the way I want them to (vote)" is a saying. "Democracy is when people…

April 28, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is when people who can’t run their own life, run yours”

"Democracy is when people who can't run their own life, run yours" was posted on Twitter by Pope of Capitalism on April 26, 2021. "Corrected version: Democracy is when people…

April 28, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy is when people who can’t run their own lives, ruin yours”

"Democracy is when people who can't run their own life, run yours" was posted on Twitter by Pope of Capitalism on April 26, 2021. "Corrected version: Democracy is when people…

February 10, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democracy: because minorities are always wrong”

In a pure democracy, the will of the majority always wins and minorities always lose. Because of this tyranny of the majority. a democracy is not a preferred form of government. "Democracy:…

August 24, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democratic Socialism: Everyone votes for the state to forcibly take your money”

Two similar memes about democratic socialism have been printed on many images. The following meme was posted by The Atlas Society on Twitter and Facebook on February 12, 2019: "Teacher:…

January 1, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democrats fall in love; Republicans fall in line”

"Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line" has been a political saying since 2003. In 1999-2000, many people commented that Al Gore (the vice president and Democrat presidential…

February 5, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democrats haven’t been this angry since we freed their slaves”

"I haven’t seen Democrats this mad since Republicans freed their slaves" is a political saying that has been printed on many images. The saying, in several forms, became popular with…

February 3, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democrats haven’t been this mad since Lincoln freed the slaves”

"I haven’t seen Democrats this mad since Republicans freed their slaves" is a political saying that has been printed on many images. The saying, in several forms, became popular with…

November 16, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democrats initiate, Republicans consolidate”

"Democrats initiate, Republicans consolidate" was written by William Norman Grigg in The New American magazine (a publication of the John Birch Society) in the December 4, 2000 issue.…

June 12, 2018
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democrats vote on Tuesday, Republicans vote on Wednesday” (joke)

U.S. presidential elections are held the first Tuesday in November. A joke has voters being told that "Republicans vote on Tuesday, Democrats vote on Wednesday," or "Democrats vote…

September 15, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democrats will give you the shirt off my back”

"Democrats will give you the shirt off my back" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Give you the shirt off my back" is an expression that means to give someone…

January 27, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Democrats: A bunch of rich people convincing poor people to vote for the rich people…”

"Dimocrats: Rich people convincing poor people the other rich people are the reason they're poor" was posted on Twitter by Joel on May 29, 2014. "Democrats: Rich people telling…

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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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