The Iraq war was always a long shot. But it was made immeasurably longer by its principal architects in Washington, including Douglas Feith, who ignored expert advice, reserved most of their effort for fighting each other in ideological battles, and regarded the Iraqi people as an afterthought. George Packer Read Quote
The hollowing out of the heartland was good for Walmart’s bottom line: its slogan might have been an amoral maxim attributed to Lenin – ‘The worse, the better.’ George Packer Read Quote
We have at least learned that the offspring of presidents don’t necessarily make good politicians themselves. George Packer Read Quote
Politics demands certain skills honed by experience, just as journalism does, just as acting does. George Packer Read Quote
In a meritocracy, actors who act well get good roles. They don’t get to be journalists, too – a job that, in a meritocracy, should go to those who do journalism well. George Packer Read Quote
Inspiration is an underexamined part of political life and presidential leadership. George Packer Read Quote
The idea of solving as huge and long-term a problem as inequality – which, for my money, is the biggest single problem we have here at home – just never gets serious concern from both sides. George Packer Read Quote
