When currying favor with Washington is seen as a much easier way to make money, businesses inevitably begin to compete with rivals in securing government largess, rather than in winning customers.

I don't believe in a plumb line. I believe in the exchange of ideas.

I think our biggest problem in society is we're headed more and more toward a two-tiered society. That is, creating welfare for the wealthy and destroying opportunities for the disadvantaged.

I try to hire people who will challenge and have the humility to be challenged - people who have basically good values.

I believe my business and non-profit investments are much more beneficial to societal well-being than sending more money to Washington.

We must measure what leads to results, not simply what is easy to measure.

Just spreading the money around - that isn't what makes people better off; it's having more and better goods and services.