Quote of the Month

Writes Mr. Steve Sailer over at Taki's Magazine:

If the Arab Spring is good for democracy, then it has to be good for diversity, right? We know that democracy and diversity are virtually the same thing: Both words begin with a “d,” end with a “y,” and by definition are good. Who isn’t aware that minority protection (indeed, minority promotion) is the essence of majority rule?

American intellectuals are confident of this because the Nazis were against democracy and diversity. And if you’ve heard of Hitler, what more do you need to know about history?

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Infanta Dona Maria Adelaide at 100

A century ago today, Infanta Dona Maria Adelaide was born.



Feliz aniversário, Sua Alteza Real!

Happy Birthday, Your Royal Highness!


Elsewhere: Radical Royalist, Blog Família Real Portuguesa (Portuguese)

Some Democracy Quotes this Month

Wrote Mr. Mark Hackard over at Alternative Right:

Terror and tyranny are inevitable byproducts of democracy, the one legitimate form of rule permitted by Washington to the tribes of humanity.

[...]

Tyranny is not democracy’s tragic demise, but the logical consummation of its progress.

Wrote Mr. Charles Coulombe over at Taki's Magazine:

Until November we will endure the quadrennial ritual of seeing men of questionable ability and ethics accuse each other of having questionable ability and ethics.

Wrote Mr. Ben O'Neill over at Mises Daily:

[W]hen people talk about the importance of democracy, it is never democracy as it has ever actually functioned, with the politicians that have actually been elected, and the policies that have actually been implemented. It is always democracy as people imagine it will operate once they succeed in electing "the right people" — by which they mean, people who agree almost completely with their own views, and who are consistent and incorruptible in their implementation of the resulting policies.

Wrote Mr. Pat Buchanan over at The American Conservative:

Does McFaul believe democracy is a universally superior system of government? Yet our own founding fathers detested one-man, one-vote democracy. Democracy does not even get a mention in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights or the Federalist Papers.

The author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, believed society should be ruled by a “natural aristocracy” of “virtue and talent.”

If the promotion of democracy is a mission of our diplomats, are we to subvert the monarchies of Morocco, Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia?

Also, Mr. Keith Preston pondered modern rights thinking over at Alternative Right early this month.

Lew Rockwell on Speaker Gingrich

Lew Rockwell believes a President Gingrich would be worse than Obama:

How to Fund a Year

Going through last year to see how it could be funded:

H/T: Dr. Walter Block, the LRC Blog

Politicians with a Clue?

Over at Taki's Magazine, John Derbyshire answers the question whether politicians have a clue.

Mencken Passing 56

56 years ago today, H.L. Mencken passed away.

Previously this month, Mr. Douglas French quoted Mencken at the Mises Economics Blog:

His business is never what it pretends to be. Ostensibly he is an altruist devoted whole-heartedly to the service of his fellow-men, and so abjectly public-spirited that his private interest is nothing to him. Actually he is a sturdy rogue whose principal, and often sole aim in life is to butter his parsnips. His technical equipment consists simply of an armamentarium of deceits. It is his business to get and hold his job at all costs. If he can hold it by lying he will hold it by lying; if lying peters out he will try to hold it by embracing new truths.

And also, slightly in a Mencken spirit:

What makes democracy work so well? Ignorance. The majority of voters don’t know anything about the issues and of course have no idea what candidates will do once in office. Ecologist Iain Couzin at Princeton figures this makes democracy work great.

More on the TSA

Judge Andrew Napolitano follows up:

Castro on the Political Circus

Over at The State Column, Fidel Castro is quoted:

The selection of a Republican candidate for the presidency of this globalized and expansive empire is – and I mean this seriously – the greatest competition of idiocy and ignorance that has ever been.

H/T: Laurence Vance, the LRC Blog

Voting Required to Be Human?

This week I overheard a discussion on monarchy vs. republic. It was claimed in this discussion that since the royals do not have surnames and do not have the right vote, they are not allowed to be human.

What is one to say?

A Discussion on Democracy

Over at AltRight Radio, Richard Spencer and Jonathan Bowden have a talk about democracy for about an hour.

Empire, Gingrich, and the Moon

Those United States are struggling with a costly empire, and “conservative” presidential candidate Newt Gingrich wants to expand the empire into space.

Jon Stewart's take:

Wilhelm II, German Emperor

153 years ago today, then future Kaiser Wilhelm II was born.

Mozart Geboren

A quarter of a millennium and six years ago today, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born.

More on St. Stephen's Land

Mr. Daniel McAdams has more on the situation in the Land of the Crown of St. Stephen at the LRC Blog.

Diamond Jubilee: Russian Summer Ball

The annual Russian Summer Ball in London is set for Saturday June 16, 2012.

Frederick the Great

Three centuries ago yesterday, the future Frederick the Great was born.

Elsewhere: Royal World, The Mad Monarchist

Commission for the League of Nations

93 years ago today, the Versailles Peace Conference approved the creation of the League of Nations.

Rand Paul and the TSA

United States Senator Randal Howard Paul has apparently caused a commotion:

The Titanic and Costa Concordia

Over at National Review Online, Mr. Rich Lowry reflects on the change in lifeboat priority. “Beaverbrook” comments at The Monarchist.

The Thinking Housewife also has some posts; here and here.

Greek Royals on CNN

H/T: Royal World

Bill Garrett: The Case Against Democracy

Prof. Bill Garrett:

I had my doubts at certain points during this pitch, which is apparently about a longer course, but it seems to a certain extent promising nonetheless.

German Emperor in the Low Lands

Nine decades and two years ago today, Queen Wilhelmina refused to extradite the German Emperor.

Freedom House: Failure

Freedom House reports failure in democratic transition, one year after the start of the “Arab Spring.” So the Huffington Post reports.

McAdams on Hungary

Over at the LRC Blog, Mr. Daniel McAdams ponders what's going on in Hungary.

Murder of Louis XVI

219 years ago today, King Louis XVI of France was brutally murdered at Place de Louis XV.

Elsewhere: Tea at Trianon, The Mad Monarchist, GalliaWatch

Oscar, Prince of Norway

Seventeen years short of two centuries ago today, Prince Oscar Frederik of Sweden and Norway was born to Crown Prince Oscar and Crown Princess Josephine.

Poll Results: What Is the Significance of the Return of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force?

The results for the poll, asking what is the significance of the return of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force, ending at midnight between 2011 and 2012, are as follows:

Total votes: 40.

• It shows us that "time can run back," both for symbolism and real content: 14 (35%)
• The monarchy is here to stay, but "time does not run back": 10 (25%)
• They returned?: 5 (12%)
• It shows us that "time can run back," but only for symbolism: 3 (7%)
• Significant, but none of the [given alternatives for significance]: 3 (7%)
• Nothing: 2 (5%)
• Who cares?: 2 (5%)
• An isolated symbolic event: 1 (2%)
• The return of colonialism: 0 (0%)

A new poll will be up shortly.

Ron Paul on Defense and Military

Robert E. Lee Day 2012

205 years ago today, Robert Edward Lee was born.

Versailles Commenced

93 years ago today, the Versailles Peace Conference opened in France.

40 Years in Denmark

Royal World celebrates this weekend's 40 years on the throne for Margrethe II of Denmark. The Mad Monarchist does too. So does Radical Royalist.

Happy anniversary, Your Majesty!

Come to Democracy...

"Big Four" Victors

93 years ago today, the big leaders of the Entente met in Paris.

Archduke Karl 51

Today is the birthday of the Archduke Karl, head of the House of Habsburg.

Happy Birthday, Your Imperial and Royal Highness!

Against the Election Madness

Said Mr. Andy Nowicki a few years ago:

But on a less theoretical level, I loathe democracy because I hate elections. Election time always puts me in a sour mood, but not so much because of the crassness and phoniness of the various candidates vying for positions of power, since that is only to be expected. And not so much, either, because the state holds elections, although I do oppose them on a fundamental, philosophical level. No, what truly gets under my skin are the relentless commands to hold the "democratic process" in such high esteem.

Put simply, I'm tired of being lectured by pompous celebrities about the importance of voting.

And:

I don't want to live in a country where politics invades and permeates every facet of our lives.

H/T: Kalim Kassam

A Number of Points

94 years ago today, the Persona Non Grata of this weblog issued his “Fourteen Points.”

Jim Rogers on the Year Ahead

Hungary and Democracy

Over at the Brussels Journal, “Svein Sellanraa” ponders the changes in Hungary.

Tolkien 120

A dozen decades ago today, J.R.R. Tolkien was born.

The great writer wrote in a letter to Christopher Tolkien:

My political beliefs lean more and more to Anarchy (philosophically understood, meaning abolition of control not whiskered men with bombs) – or to 'unconstitutional' Monarchy ... Give me a king whose chief interest in life is stamps, railways, or race-horses; and who has the power to sack his Vizier (or whatever you care to call him) if he does not like the cut of his trousers.

Mr. Theodore Harvey has a collection of links and yours truly did a piece a few years ago; The Return of the King.

Happy New Year!

As we enter a new year, I wish all readers and occasional bypassers a Happy New Year.

Enjoy from Kaiserstadt Wien:

Old China Fell

A century ago today, the Republic of China was established, with Dr. Sun Yat-sen as first President.

Republican Constitution of Italy

Eight squared years ago today, the Republican Constitution of Italy came into force.