--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This might explain why Obama gave…" description: "\"This might explain why Obama gave billions to Wall Street crooks, and dragged the Iraq and Afghan wars on and on. Happily for the busy lunatics who rul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/gore-vidal-466_afghan_this-might-explain-why-obama-gave-billio_2746381.jpg" --- # This might explain why Obama gave billions to Wall Street… ![“This might explain why Obama gave billions to Wall Street crooks, and dragged the Iraq and Afghan wars on and on. Happily for the busy lunatics who rule over us, we are permanently the United States of Amnesia. We learn nothing because we remember nothing... We have ceased to be a nation under law…” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/gore-vidal-466_afghan_this-might-explain-why-obama-gave-billio_2746381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/gore-vidal-466_afghan_this-might-explain-why-obama-gave-billio_2746381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/gore-vidal-466_afghan_this-might-explain-why-obama-gave-billio_2746381.jpg) > “This might explain why Obama gave billions to Wall Street crooks, and dragged the Iraq and Afghan wars on and on. Happily for the busy lunatics who rule over us, we are permanently the United States of Amnesia. We learn nothing because we remember nothing... We have ceased to be a nation under law but instead a homeland where the withered Bill of Rights, like a dead trumpet vine, clings to our pseudo-Roman columns.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Obama’s financial aid and wars reflect a forgetful, law‑less nation clinging to outdated rights. **In simple terms:** Obama’s actions show a nation that forgets its laws and rights. Key Takeaway Recognize and address national amnesia and legal erosion. Themes politics history law Mood cynical reflective Type political historical When to use this quote - policy critique - historical analysis - civic education Key Concepts imperialism memory rights erosion Questions to Reflect On - How does collective memory affect policy? - What restores legal accountability? A Different Perspective Complex causes beyond a single administration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghan/) [Amnesia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesia/) [Amnesia Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesia-learn-3064841/) [Bill of rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill-of-rights/) [Billions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billions/) [Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Columns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/columns/) [Crooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crooks/) [Homeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeland/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Pseudo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pseudo/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Ceased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-ceased-3064842/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States Amnesia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-amnesia-1839552/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Trumpets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trumpets/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [United States Of Amnesia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states-of-amnesia-218964/) [Vines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vines/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [Wall St](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-st/) [Wall street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-street/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Withered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/withered/) ## Related quotes > [We are the United States of Amnesia, we learn nothing because we remember nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/we-are-the-united-states-of-amnesia-we-learn-nothing-because-we/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [We are the United States of Amnesia, which is encouraged by a media that has no desire to tell us the truth about anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/we-are-the-united-states-of-amnesia-which-is-encouraged-by-a-media/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“Beloved, white racial grief erupts when you fear losing your dominance. You get mighty angry at our demand that you live up to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/beloved-white-racial-grief-erupts-when-you-fear-losing-your-dominance/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [“Ah, I remember now why you ceased to amuse, Myrnin. You use honesy like a club.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/ah-i-remember-now-why-you-ceased-to-amuse-myrnin-you-use-honesy-like/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“There are three mental states that interest me. These are: one, amnesia; two, euphoria; three, ecstasy. Amnesia is not knowing who one is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-three-mental-states-that-interest-me-these-are-one-amnesia/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Like the withered roses of a once gay garland, the feelings of youth command in age a melancholy interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/like-the-withered-roses-of-a-once-gay-garland-the-feelings-of-youth/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [When he is forsaken, Withered and shaken, What can an old man do but die?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hood/when-he-is-forsaken-withered-and-shaken-what-can-an-old-man-do-but-die/) [Thomas Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hood/) > [“I saw that the bride within the bridal dress has withered like the dress, and like the flowers, and had no brightness left but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-saw-that-the-bride-within-the-bridal-dress-has-withered-like-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The sad rhyme of the men who proudly clung To their first fault, and withered in their pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/the-sad-rhyme-of-the-men-who-proudly-clung-to-their-first-fault-and/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [Does a dragon still sing from within a withered tree?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/does-a-dragon-still-sing-from-within-a-withered-tree/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [You never make fun of anybody with a club foot or a withered arm, but it's open season on anybody who stutters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/you-never-make-fun-of-anybody-with-a-club-foot-or-a-withered-arm-but/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Vain are the thousand creeds That move men's hearts, unutterably vain; Worthless as withered weeds, Or idlest froth amid the boundless main.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/vain-are-the-thousand-creeds-that-move-men-s-hearts-unutterably-vain/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [May all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/may-all-your-expectations-be-frustrated-may-all-your-plans-be/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Oh, would that my mind could let fall its dead ideas, as the tree does its withered leaves!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/oh-would-that-my-mind-could-let-fall-its-dead-ideas-as-the-tree-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“This explains so much," she said, clucking her tongue in mother-hen fashion. "You're compensating for this withered appendage." Withered appendage? What the devil was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/this-explains-so-much-she-said-clucking-her-tongue-in-mother-hen/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Afghan quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [If it is terrorism, if it is war on terror, then the Afghan people will join you on terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/if-it-is-terrorism-if-it-is-war-on-terror-then-the-afghan-people-will/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan to transform her own life and ended up revolutionizing the lives of many of her Afghan sisters. This book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-hamilton/deborah-rodriguez-went-to-afghanistan-to-transform-her-own-life-and/) [Masha Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-hamilton/) > [Mecca and Medinah is a very special place in the hearts of every Muslim but particularly for every Afghan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/mecca-and-medinah-is-a-very-special-place-in-the-hearts-of-every/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] decided to leave more troops than he had originally planned in Afghanistan. We have a very cooperative government there, with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-president-barack-obama-decided-to-leave-more-troops-than-he-had/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Over the past 30 years, hand grenades, tanks, fighter jets, missiles, helicopters and assault rifles have replaced traditional floral patterns in rug making and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cole/over-the-past-30-years-hand-grenades-tanks-fighter-jets-missiles/) [Henri Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cole/) > [We've got to see a state where the Afghan government can handle its own day-to-day security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-ve-got-to-see-a-state-where-the-afghan-government-can-handle-its/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [It's going to be really interesting to see what the heroin market does in the next two years or so. One thing you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/it-s-going-to-be-really-interesting-to-see-what-the-heroin-market/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [And across Afghanistan, every single day, Afghan soldiers, Afghan police and ISAF troops are serving shoulder-to-shoulder in some very difficult situations. And our engagement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-allen/and-across-afghanistan-every-single-day-afghan-soldiers-afghan-police/) [John R. Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-allen/) > [Well, the movie isn't bad. For a while, I even told myself I liked it, even as it missed one mark after another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/well-the-movie-isn-t-bad-for-a-while-i-even-told-myself-i-liked-it/) [David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/) > [I mean, honestly, we have to be clear that the life for many Afghan women is not that much different than it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-mean-honestly-we-have-to-be-clear-that-the-life-for-many-afghan/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) [Browse all 144 Afghan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This might explain why Obama gave billions to Wall Street crooks, and dragged the Iraq and Afghan wars on and on. Happily for the busy lunatics who rule over us, we are permanently the United States of Amnesia. We learn nothing because we remember nothing... 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