lobbyism

Great quotation from P.J. O’Rourke:

When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.

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process innovations

Great quotation from Jacob Schmookler’s book Invention and Economic Growth (1966):

Consumer goods inventions that cut both cost and quality but reduce the former more than the latter, such as the Model T, have historically been an important means for transforming the luxuries of the rich into the conveniences of the poor.

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pay the price

The other day I came across yet another great quote by Thomas Sowell:

I don’t want people making decisions who don’t pay the price of their decisions. And that’s what politics is all about: you don’t pay the price of the decisions.

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government in a nutshell

Great summary by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan:

Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

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democracy vs property rights

Adding to my latest blog post, I found this quote by Thomas Sowell in his column “Random Thoughts” for the JWR:

In the modern welfare state, a vote becomes a license to take what others create – and these others include generations yet unborn.

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power

Currently I am reading Hayek’s Road to Serfdom. As a preview and taken from the Reader’s Digest version, here is a fine quotation:

We shall never prevent the abuse of power if we are not prepared to limit power in a way which occasionally may prevent its use for desirable purposes.

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value of the constitution

In the past, I have frequently wrote about the disregard of the Constitution of the United States. While watching a recent discussion between Peter Robinson and Thomas Sowell, I came across this brilliant quotation:

When all is said and done, the Constitution of the United States is a set of words on pieces of paper. The only way the Constitution can protect us is if we protect the Constitution. If we rise up and revolt, if we vote out of office people who violate the Constitution, then of course it will mean something. However, if people can do this – say a few pretty words and we say ‘Oh well’ – then the Constitution will erode over time to the point where it will mean absolutely nothing. There will be nice words on paper but people with power will just do what they like.

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politicians

Random collection of quotes on politicians:

Ernest Benn:

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.

Groucho Marx:

Those are my principles.  If you don’t like them, I have others.

Dick Armey:

Three groups spend other people’s money: children, thieves, politicians. All three need supervision.

Will Rogers:

The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other.  The one that’s out always looks the best.

Joseph Sobran:

The difference between a politician and a pickpocket is that a pickpocket doesn’t always get indignant when you tell him to keep his hands to himself.

Politicians never accuse you of  ‘greed’ for wanting other people’s money — only for wanting to keep your own money.

Mark Twain:

Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

Henry Cate VII:

The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

Thomas Sowell:

There is nothing that politicians like better than handing out benefits to be paid for by someone else.

In politics, the truth is strictly optional and that also seems to be true in parts of the media.

You have to have a sense of humor if you follow politics. Otherwise, the sheer fraudulence of it all will get you down.

If politicians stopped meddling with things they didn’t understand, there would be a more drastic reduction in the size of government than anyone in either party advocates.

Charley Reese:

Experience to a politician is like experience to a prostitute — not much to recommend them.

Ronald Reagan:

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession.  I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

Milton Friedman:

If you really want to engage in policy activity, don’t make that your vocation.  Make it your avocation.  Get a job.  Get a secure base of income.  Otherwise, you’re going to get corrupted and destroyed.

source: Freedom Keys

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