BureaucraQuotes

Comments overheard in various contexts around the bureaucracy:

"When you want to do something, the first thing you do is nothing." (i.e., keep a low profile when starting a revolution - TR, 3 Jan 2001)
"Those of you who have been paying attention to my calendar know that the Fat Bald Guy is in Nirvana — I have two lunches today." (JL, 25 Jan)
"You wonder why the lawyers are dominant in our system [of government]? Well, they were there from the start!" (BS, 5 Feb)
"Every time I talk to a scientist, there's an Incredible Crisis looming." (BS, 5 Feb)
"If you want to be elected to Precinct Committee Chairman, just write yourself in; if you want to be elected in a landslide, get your wife to write you in." (DO, 6 Feb)
"Teaming is an unnatural act performed in public by consenting adults at great personal risk." (DO, 6 Feb)
"They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat!" (caricature of Jewish holidays, CS, 6 Apr)
"Yes, this is the way the law works, and yes, it's dumb, but we have to live with it." (BL, 5 Jun)
"This is a systemic opportunity." (HB, 19 Jun)
"They've given us near real final authority to decide." (JL, 3 Aug)
"The excitement is truly transient." (SN, 14 Aug)