There was a pre-WWII movement called Technocracy, which held that scientists and engineers should take over the government and economy from politicians and economists. The leader of the movement was known as the Great Engineer.
6
John F. Kennedy ordered over 1,000 Cuban cigars for personal use just hours before he made them illegal.
4
In 1789, the total U.S. federal government debt was $190,000.
3
In ancient Athens, the worlds first democracy, they had a process called ostracism, where once a year the people could vote on the politician they thought was most destructive to the democratic process. The “winner” was banished from Athens for 10 years.
3
Daniel Webster, who ran for president and lost three times, declined the Vice Presidency twice, thinking it a worthless office. Both presidents who offered it later died in office, meaning that if he had accepted, he would’ve become president after all.
10
John F. Kennedy was buried without his brain after it was lost during the autopsy!
97
In 1955, the citizens of São Paulo were so upset with their government that they elected a rhinoceros named Cacareco (meaning rubbish) to the city council in protest, with over 100,000 votes.
18
President Lyndon Johnson smoked at least 3 packs of cigarettes a day.
4