"誠実な泥棒と同じくらい良い政治家は考えられない"
— H. L. Mencken
Simplified Meaning:
The quote suggests that finding a good politician is as impossible as finding an honest thief. This means that just as thieves are expected to be dishonest, politicians are often seen as incapable of being truly good or trustworthy. For example, imagine a burglar who promises not to steal anything valuable — that seems unbelievable because stealing is what burglars do. Similarly, people often think that politicians, whose job involves a lot of power and dealing with different interests, can't be completely good because they need to make compromises and may be tempted by corruption or dishonesty. So, if you don't expect a burglar to be honest, you might also be skeptical about politicians being genuinely good. This quote can make you more cautious and critical about politicians' claims and promises. When voting or supporting a candidate, you might want to do thorough research and look beyond the surface to understand their true intentions and actions. Even though it encourages skepticism, it's a reminder to hold leaders accountable and not just blindly trust their words.