--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is hereby earnestly proposed that the…" description: "\"It is hereby earnestly proposed that the USA would be much better off if that big, sprawling, incoherent, shapeless, slobbering civic idiot in the fami..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/westbrook-pegler-41486_better-off_it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the_1518485.jpg" --- # It is hereby earnestly proposed that the USA would be much… ![“It is hereby earnestly proposed that the USA would be much better off if that big, sprawling, incoherent, shapeless, slobbering civic idiot in the family of American communities, the City of Los Angeles, could be declared incompetent and placed in charge of a guardian like any individual mental…” quote by Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/westbrook-pegler-41486_better-off_it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the_1518485.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/westbrook-pegler-41486_better-off_it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the_1518485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/westbrook-pegler-41486_better-off_it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the_1518485.jpg) > “It is hereby earnestly proposed that the USA would be much better off if that big, sprawling, incoherent, shapeless, slobbering civic idiot in the family of American communities, the City of Los Angeles, could be declared incompetent and placed in charge of a guardian like any individual mental defective.” [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes Los Angeles governance, calling for external oversight due to perceived dysfunction. **In simple terms:** Los Angeles is portrayed as chaotic and needing a guardian. Key Takeaway Consider reforms or oversight for mismanaged cities. Themes politics governance urban issues Mood critical skeptical Type political commentary opinion piece When to use this quote - city planning - citizen activism - policy reform - community meetings Key Concepts bureaucracy accountability public administration Questions to Reflect On - How can citizen engagement improve city management? - What alternatives exist to external guardianship? A Different Perspective Oversight may not address underlying systemic problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-off/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Civic Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civic-idiot-5607552/) [Civics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civics/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Defective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defective/) [Guardian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guardian/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Incompetent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetent/) [Incompetent Placed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetent-placed-5607551/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) [Proposed Usa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proposed-usa-5607553/) [Usa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usa/) [Usa Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usa-better-5607554/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [It is alleged by men of loose principles , or defective views of the subject, that religion and morality are not necessary or important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/it-is-alleged-by-men-of-loose-principles-or-defective-views-of-the/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [I considered people who didn't like my work to be in some way defective, deficient, lacking a sense of humor, and not understanding what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frank/i-considered-people-who-didn-t-like-my-work-to-be-in-some-way/) [Joe Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frank/) > [That preaching is sadly defective which dwells exclusively on the mercies of God and the joys of heaven, yet never sets forth the terrors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/that-preaching-is-sadly-defective-which-dwells-exclusively-on-the/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Boys get unfairly labeled as morally defective, hyperactive, undisciplined, or 'problem children,' when quite often the problem is not with the boys but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gurian/boys-get-unfairly-labeled-as-morally-defective-hyperactive/) [Michael Gurian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gurian/) > [Behavior must also be adequately assessed under appropriate circumstances. Ill-defined global measures of perceived self-efficacy or defective assessments of performance will yield discordances. Disparities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bandura/behavior-must-also-be-adequately-assessed-under-appropriate/) [Albert Bandura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bandura/) > [there is a danger, when thinking of the earliest civilized people, of putting too much emphasis on technology. One tends to assume that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacquetta-hawkes/there-is-a-danger-when-thinking-of-the-earliest-civilized-people-of/) [Jacquetta Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacquetta-hawkes/) > [I forgot the defective can be more than the whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/i-forgot-the-defective-can-be-more-than-the-whole/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [By all means, there should be no children when either mother or father suffers from such diseases as tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, cancer, epilepsy, insanity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/by-all-means-there-should-be-no-children-when-either-mother-or-father/) [Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/) > [No more children should be born when the parents, though healthy themselves, find that their children are physically or mentally defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/no-more-children-should-be-born-when-the-parents-though-healthy/) [Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/) > [The primary cause of disorder and lawlessness today, as throughout history, is the poverty of the many in contrast to the affluence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/the-primary-cause-of-disorder-and-lawlessness-today-as-throughout/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [A theory of motivation is defective if it renders intelligible behaviour which is not intelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/a-theory-of-motivation-is-defective-if-it-renders-intelligible/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) > [Whatever strength the masses have is due entirely to ahimsa, however imperfect or defective its practice might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/whatever-strength-the-masses-have-is-due-entirely-to-ahimsa-however/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Social and cultural change, however desirable, should not be effected by the engines of national power. Let us, through persuasion and education, seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/social-and-cultural-change-however-desirable-should-not-be-effected/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [If we compare a severely defective human infant with a nonhuman animal, a dog or a pig, for example, we will often find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/if-we-compare-a-severely-defective-human-infant-with-a-nonhuman/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) ## More by Westbrook Pegler > [We are so considerate of the minute constitutional rights and even of the political feelings and influence of people whom we have every reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/we-are-so-considerate-of-the-minute-constitutional-rights-and-even-of/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [Did I say "republic?" By God, yes, I said "republic!" Long live the glorious republic of the United States of America. Damn democracy. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/did-i-say-republic-by-god-yes-i-said-republic-long-live-the-glorious/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [Tolerance to my mind has been greatly overrated . . . . I take as much pleasure in detesting the good brothers and sisters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/tolerance-to-my-mind-has-been-greatly-overrated-i-take-as-much/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [Golf is the most useless outdoor game ever devised to waste the time and try the spirit of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/golf-is-the-most-useless-outdoor-game-ever-devised-to-waste-the-time/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [My hates have always occupied my mind much more actively and have given greater spiritual satisfactions than my friendships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/my-hates-have-always-occupied-my-mind-much-more-actively-and-have/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [I must not mix champage, whiskey, and gin. (Repeated fifty times to fill column.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/i-must-not-mix-champage-whiskey-and-gin-repeated-fifty-times-to-fill/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [I am a member of the rabble in good standing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/i-am-a-member-of-the-rabble-in-good-standing/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [Eleanor Roosevelt is a political force of enormous ambitions. I believe she is a menace, unscrupulous as to truth, vain and cynical - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/eleanor-roosevelt-is-a-political-force-of-enormous-ambitions-i/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) > [Who is the man who can call from the back door at night: "Here, Champion Alexander of Clane o' Wind-Holme! Here, Champion Alexander of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/who-is-the-man-who-can-call-from-the-back-door-at-night-here-champion/) [Westbrook Pegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) [Explore all 10 Westbrook Pegler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/) ## More Better off quotes > [Market society is a game where you win by making sure other people are better off with you than without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schmidtz/market-society-is-a-game-where-you-win-by-making-sure-other-people/) [David Schmidtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schmidtz/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [When you are poor, you'll have to think of ways to be better off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zong-qinghou/when-you-are-poor-you-ll-have-to-think-of-ways-to-be-better-off/) [Zong Qinghou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zong-qinghou/) > [You're better off owning 30 percent and having two amazing partners who compliment you and are equally as driven as you are than having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dyrdek/you-re-better-off-owning-30-percent-and-having-two-amazing-partners/) [Rob Dyrdek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dyrdek/) > [If you’d just center your thoughts and affections upon the Lord, you’d be better off accidentally than you’ve ever been on purpose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/if-you-d-just-center-your-thoughts-and-affections-upon-the-lord-you-d/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [There definitely was a time when I was pretty obsessed with my weight, but I'm better off not stressing about my body all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/there-definitely-was-a-time-when-i-was-pretty-obsessed-with-my-weight/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [If you're talking about intellectual and social equality for women, we're not much better off.America is still very much a male-dominated society. Most American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-you-re-talking-about-intellectual-and-social-equality-for-women-we/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [Business runs hot and cold so the more you're in charge of your own destiny, the better off you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/business-runs-hot-and-cold-so-the-more-you-re-in-charge-of-your-own/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I know that you're better off making your own products, not just waiting for someone to hand you something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-winslow/i-know-that-you-re-better-off-making-your-own-products-not-just/) [Michael Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-winslow/) > [The best calculation is the absence of calculation. Once you have attained a certain level of recognition, others generally figure that when you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-best-calculation-is-the-absence-of-calculation-once-you-have/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. This was discrimination enshrined in law. It treated loving, committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-applaud-the-supreme-court-s-decision-to-strike-down-the-defense-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It's like a rugby team. If you're picking for the World Cup final, you're picking experience with youth. Everything is better off having that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-william/it-s-like-a-rugby-team-if-you-re-picking-for-the-world-cup-final-you/) [Prince William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-william/) > [The sooner we get started with alternative energy sources and recognize that fossil fuels makes us less secure as a nation, and more dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-sooner-we-get-started-with-alternative-energy-sources-and/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [ Any small business owner wears many hats. We \[New View Window Cleaning\] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats-we-new-view-window-cleaning/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) [Browse all 465 Better off quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-off/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is hereby earnestly proposed that the USA would be much better off if that big, sprawling, incoherent, shapeless, slobbering civic idiot in the family of American communities, the City of Los Angeles, could be declared incompetent and placed in charge of a guardian like any individual mental defective.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Westbrook Pegler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the-usa-would-be-much-better-off/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better off" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the-usa-would-be-much-better-off/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/westbrook-pegler-41486_better-off_it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the_1518485.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/westbrook-pegler-41486_better-off_it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the_1518485.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/westbrook-pegler-41486_better-off_it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the_1518485.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is hereby earnestly proposed that the USA would be much better off if that big, sprawling, incoherent…” — Westbrook Pegler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Westbrook Pegler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/westbrook-pegler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is hereby earnestly proposed that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the-usa-would-be-much-better-off/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westbrook-pegler/it-is-hereby-earnestly-proposed-that-the-usa-would-be-much-better-off/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```