Herbert Stein Quotes

Trends that can't continue, won't.

Whatever may be the distribution of uncertainty among economists, the public only gets to hear from those who have certain opinions.

Things that can't go on forever... don't.

If you asked a sample of Americans "What is the temperature of Mars?" about 8% would say they don't know.

Economists are very good at saying that something cannot go on forever, but not so good at saying when it will stop.

Consumer: A person who is capable of choosing a president but incapable of choosing a bicycle without help from a government agency.

[The Democrats] will say that the Reagan administrtion has given benefits to the rich at the expense of the poor - a term that they define broadly to include middle-income people, women, minorities, the aged, the young, farmers, steelworkers, and others.

For almost 50 years polls have shown that a large majority of the public believe that the budget should be balanced, and for all that time they have elected office seekers who would not balance it. The public cares about deficits, but doesn't care much.

Psychiatrist to patient: Maybe you don't have a complex. Maybe you are inferior.

If something is inevitable, it will happen

If something cannot go on for ever, it will stop

If a thing can't go on forever, it will eventually stop.