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Mencken: Rascal, Knave, Jackass, Shabby, Scurvy and Other Kind Words for Professional Politicisns
The Book: The Impossible H. L. Mencken and Free Republic ^ | August 19, 1935 | H. L. Mencken

Posted on 03/11/2022 7:26:04 AM PST by poconopundit

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1 posted on 03/11/2022 7:26:04 AM PST by poconopundit
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To: Liz; V K Lee; LilFarmer; qaz123; Lazamataz; SunkenCiv; GOPJ; rlmorel; HarleyLady27; alloysteel
A brilliant little essay on corrupt politicians by H. L. Mencken.  Not much has changed since 1935.  Only the names have changed — and the amounts stolen are many times greater.
2 posted on 03/11/2022 7:29:38 AM PST by poconopundit (Hard oak fist in an Irish velvet glove: Kayleigh the Shillelagh we salute your work!)
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To: poconopundit

Read my profile.


3 posted on 03/11/2022 7:34:04 AM PST by Viking2002 (Whatever.)
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To: poconopundit

Today Mencken would be canceled at once.


4 posted on 03/11/2022 7:36:45 AM PST by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: poconopundit

.


5 posted on 03/11/2022 7:41:20 AM PST by sauropod (Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.)
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To: poconopundit

Shades of 17th century Algernon Sidney.

Paraphrasing, it wise to assume everyone in government is a rogue and knave whose first purpose is his own enrichment.


6 posted on 03/11/2022 7:41:54 AM PST by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: poconopundit

“...but what discover is a body of functionaries at least as well qualified as those they are used to meeting in stores and banks...”

Try going to Chicago City Hall.


7 posted on 03/11/2022 7:43:01 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: poconopundit

Mencken is my favorite author when I’m angry.


8 posted on 03/11/2022 7:43:06 AM PST by blackdog ("Hey there congress, you's is some real 10-ply.")
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To: poconopundit
That profit represents the income of the professional politicians, nine-tenths of whom are simply professional rogues.

He may have underestimated.

9 posted on 03/11/2022 7:46:29 AM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Suppo)
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To: poconopundit

If I had a nickel for every honest politician, I’d be in deep debt....................


10 posted on 03/11/2022 7:47:04 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: poconopundit

Sorry about the private reply earlier. Eyes are crossed
this AM = wrong key hit

Mencken is far too kind w/his words.
These days, it’s more like withered, pork bellied, fat ass, thieves/murders.

On the bright side, a true man of the people will be
gathering patriots to his side come Saturday night.
Can’t happen soon enough

Jussie got justice How sweet it is.


11 posted on 03/11/2022 7:47:27 AM PST by V K Lee (Our CONSTITUTION. Written with DIVINE assistence by very wise men. A document unlike any other.)
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To: Bonemaker

His point is, the worker bees get it done because they have to. And they tend to be the most knowledgeable. While their bosses are some of the laziest and dumbest of all, especially the crooked ones that are elected and/or appointed.


12 posted on 03/11/2022 7:51:11 AM PST by qaz123
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To: Viking2002

Ah! Great, another Mencken fan. Many here appreciate the Sage of Baltimore. I’ll try to step up the frequency of posts from his essays.

Taken all together, Mencken is what most every FR commentator would like to be: Brilliant, insightful, witty, honest, and humorous.


13 posted on 03/11/2022 7:57:35 AM PST by poconopundit (Hard oak fist in an Irish velvet glove: Kayleigh the Shillelagh we salute your work!)
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To: V K Lee

Mencken is far too kind w/his words.
These days, it’s more like withered, pork bellied, fat ass, thieves/murders.

* * *

Nice, V K. And I would say your reply has that signature Mencken brazen and irreverent quality to it.


14 posted on 03/11/2022 8:03:31 AM PST by poconopundit (Hard oak fist in an Irish velvet glove: Kayleigh the Shillelagh we salute your work!)
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To: poconopundit

The political appointees number around 4,000 which an incoming administration can appointee, of which about 1,200 require Senate confirmation. Note that’s a 2016 number.

In my experience, incoming Rat administrations increase the number, incoming GOP adiministrations leave the raw number they find alone but usually if not lazily replace with their own supporters. I will say GOP’ers rarely try and reduce it, I never heard of it happening.

They fall into these categories

1.Presidential appointments with Senate confirmation (PAS): These are the highest level officers of the United States. As of 2020, there were 1,118 PAS positions in all.[5]: 212 These include the Cabinet secretaries and their subordinates at the Deputy Secretary, Under Secretary, and Assistant Secretary levels; and the heads of most independent agencies.

It also includes the 93 United States Attorneys and 93 United States Marshals (one for each federal judicial district), roughly 189 ambassadors and various special envoys for particular regions or issues.

2. Presidential appointments without Senate confirmation (PA): As at 2016, there were 353 PA positions, most of which were in the Executive Office of the President; as of 2020, there were 354 such positions.

3. Non-career Senior Executive Service (NA): means an individual in a Senior Executive Service position who is not a career appointee, a limited term appointee, or a limited emergency appointee.

4 Schedule C appointments (SC): subordinate to the other appointees in short lickspittle positions for lower level party strap hangers. 2020 numbers 1656 such positions.

I know it doesn’t sound like like a lot but the positions have a lot of power over the career staff. Such as budgets, assignments, performance reviews, step increeases & promotions. That’s a big club when you consider the cost of living in the DC area. Its gravy if you’re FedGov outside of the DC area. However tose outside the DC area do report to the DC area, so rebels are not rewarded.


15 posted on 03/11/2022 8:11:50 AM PST by Reily
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To: poconopundit

Anyone know if Kemp has been confronted about the new owner of Rivian Motors and what steps, if any, will be taken to combat the coming tsunami of Soros influence in Georgia? He and his son already have Stacy Abrams in their hip pockets.


16 posted on 03/11/2022 8:12:49 AM PST by qaz123
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To: Reily

PING. Thank you for this valuable and alarming data, Reily.

We see stories of Senate approval of presidential appointments, but I never knew we’re talking about 4,000 offices. It’s outrageous!

Where can we find a list of all these PA offices?


17 posted on 03/11/2022 8:34:34 AM PST by poconopundit (Hard oak fist in an Irish velvet glove: Kayleigh the Shillelagh we salute your work!)
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To: poconopundit

From the old movie, “One-eyed Jack” staring Marlon Brando:

“You big gob of spit.”
“You tub of guts.”


18 posted on 03/11/2022 8:34:54 AM PST by Portcall24
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To: poconopundit
I can't think of any worse epithet than ‘’politician’’.
19 posted on 03/11/2022 9:39:42 AM PST by jmacusa (America. Founded by geniuses. Now governed by idiots. )
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To: poconopundit

POLITICIAN

The only four letter word spelled with ten letters
20 posted on 03/11/2022 10:04:08 AM PST by Roccus (First we beat the Nazis........Then we defeated the Soviets....... Now, we are them.)
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