Commencement oratory must eschew anything that smacks of partisan politics, political preference, sex, religion or unduly firm opinion. Nonetheless, there must be a speech: Speeches in our culture are the vacuum that fills a vacuum.

Quote by John Kenneth Galbraith

Topics: Politics Quotes, Speech Quotes

Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is...

Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is...

In central banking as in diplomacy, style, conservative tailoring, and an easy association with the...

In central banking as in diplomacy, style, conservative tailoring, and an easy association with the...

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

We have escapist fiction, so why not escapist biography?

We have escapist fiction, so why not escapist biography?

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need...

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need...

A bad book is the worse that it cannot repent. It has not been the...

A bad book is the worse that it cannot repent. It has not been the...

There are few ironclad rules of diplomacy but to one there is no exception. When...

There are few ironclad rules of diplomacy but to one there is no exception. When...

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

Much literary criticism comes from people for whom extreme specialization is a cover for either...

Much literary criticism comes from people for whom extreme specialization is a cover for either...

A person buying ordinary products in a supermarket is in touch with his deepest emotions.

A person buying ordinary products in a supermarket is in touch with his deepest emotions.

You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does...

You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does...

Wealth is not without its advantages and the case to the contrary, although it has...

Wealth is not without its advantages and the case to the contrary, although it has...

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that...

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that...

Wisdom itself is often an abstraction associated not with fact or reality but with the...

Wisdom itself is often an abstraction associated not with fact or reality but with the...

If it is dangerous to suppose that government is always right, it will sooner or...

If it is dangerous to suppose that government is always right, it will sooner or...

There is something wonderful in seeing a wrong-headed majority assailed by truth.

There is something wonderful in seeing a wrong-headed majority assailed by truth.

Power is not something that can be assumed or discarded at will like underwear.

Power is not something that can be assumed or discarded at will like underwear.

Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is...

Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is...

Visit with your predecessors from previous Administrations. They know the ropes and can help you...

Visit with your predecessors from previous Administrations. They know the ropes and can help you...

I think we Americans tend to put too high a price on unanimity, as if...

I think we Americans tend to put too high a price on unanimity, as if...

In economics, the majority is always wrong.

In economics, the majority is always wrong.