A Brilliant Prophecy From 93 Years  Ago H.L. Mencken (born 1880 – died 1956) was a journalist, satirist, critic, and Democrat. He wrote this editorial while working for the Baltimore Evening Sun, which appeared in the July 26, 1920 edition.

“As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron.”

–H.L.  Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

This was sent to me by a former student of mine when I taught at Rutgers University Newark, many moons ago. Joel Kirsch.

Let me add the following, since Lew insists we bloggers add something of our own to whatever we blog (Lew is such a bully!)

“Downright fool and complete narcissistic moron” sounds about right to me as a description of our esteemed President, Barack Obama. But, let me put a little context on this. In 2008 I supported this “Downright fool and complete narcissistic moron” against his Republican competitor, John McCain. I don’t think the latter is any less of a “Downright fool and complete narcissistic moron” than is Obama. Why did I choose our esteemed President? Mainly because of foreign policy. My fear was that a President McCain (a horrid thought, that) would not only be invading  all sorts of countries, but that he’d be actually nuking them too. In 2012 I supported the moron Obama vis a vis Mitt Romney. Again, it was because of foreign policy. I sensed in Obama someone less likely to start wars than Romney.  Contrary to fact history is always difficult to assess. But, my instincts still tell me that Romney would have been more bellicose, internationally, than Obama. At least the latter, for all his bluster, did not invade Syria. He also, at one point in time, called upon Congress to declare itself on such an invasion. I don’t think Romney would have done that.

So, yes, Obama is a “Downright fool and complete narcissistic moron.” But he is MY “downright fool and complete narcissistic moron.” And I still prefer him to McCain or Romney, “downright fool and complete narcissistic moron” as he is. Don’t you just LOVE Mencken? He was one of Murray Rothbard’s favorites.

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