Monday, January 26, 2009

Quote of the Day

Since I'm filling in for the Afternoon Show on WSPD this week, (3-6 p.m. in case you'd like to tune in...) my postings will probably be a bit on the light side.

But here's a quote to consider. I wonder why it is that such simple logic completely escapes most of the people in government.

"You don't make the poor richer by making the rich poorer."

~ Sir Winston Churchill

Of course, this goes along with some maxims that have been attributed to President Abraham Lincoln, but were actually from William Boetcker:

* You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
* You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
* You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
* You cannot lift the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
* You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
* You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
* You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
* You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
* You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
* You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

I suppose that if federal, state and local governments actually followed these maxims, the politicians would have nothing to offer in exchange for votes. But imagine what our country would be like if we embraced these ideals....

2 comments:

Roman said...

If these maxims were followed, we would have a much better society. I also believe that one of the reasons everyone is DC is anxious to pass something of a "stimulus", is that if nothing is done, the economy will start to recover on its own. The market has ways of correcting itself. Maybe not as quickly as desired, but it would happen, if left alone.

Timothy W Higgins said...

Maggie,

The problem however, is that it often appears that the only solution that our lawmakers seem to be able to come up with to the problems of government is ... more government.

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