David Shapiro: Words of wisdom to help our leaders navigate new year

I can be rough on our public officials sometimes, so I always like to start the new year by putting the pointed analysis aside and smoothing any feathers I may have ruffled in the previous year:

Toward that end, I’m pleased to offer inspirational thoughts from wiser minds than mine to guide our leaders into 2020:

>> For Donald Trump: “I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.” — Robert E. Lee

>> For Gov. David Ige: “Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.” — Joseph Heller

>> For Lt. Gov. Josh Green: “Isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do practice?” — George Carlin

>> For House Speaker Scott Saiki and Senate President Ron Kouchi: “Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.” — Paul Valery

>> For U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz: “Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.” — Will Rogers

>> For U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono: “Never use a big word when a little filthy one will do.” — Johnny Carson

>> For U.S. Rep. Ed Case: “The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it.” — Hunter S. Thompson

>> For U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: “Someone sent me a postcard picture of the Earth. On the back it said, ‘Wish you were here.’ ” — Steven Wright

>> For Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell: “If honor were profitable, everybody would be honorable.” — Thomas More

>> For City Council Chairman Ikaika Anderson and his cohorts: “Let us all be happy and live within our means, even if we have to borrow money to do it.” — Artemus Ward

>> For Honolulu rail CEO Andrew Robbins: “If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.” — John Kenneth Galbraith

>> For Big Island Mayor Harry Kim: “Mountains teach that not everything in this world can be rationally explained.” — Aleksander Lwow

>> For Hawaii Republican Chairwoman Shirlene Ostrov: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” — Walt Kelly in “Pogo”

>> For Louis and Katherine Kealoha: “The world’s worst crimes are not committed by the hungry people; they are committed by the over-fed!” — Anonymous

>> For city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro: “He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.” — Paul Keating

>> For Superintendent of Education Christina Kishimoto: “The most important thing we learn at school is the fact that the most important things can’t be learned at school.” — Haruki Murakami

>> For University of Hawaii President David Lassner: “For the record, I do respect Senator (Donna) Kim and agree with her on many issues … plus I don’t want her to gouge my eyes out.” — Fred Hemmings

>> For UH football coach Nick Rolovich: “If you really want to decrease bullying, start with your football coaches.” — Paul T. Coughlin

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.