If you're going to say to all the people that you're working with, 'We want you to treat the customers honestly; don't lie and don't cheat,' it is somewhat hypocritical if you're not following the same rules.

When you hire good people, and you provide good jobs and good wages and a career, good things are going to happen.

We've always been in favor of improved wages for workers. When you have a strong middle class, they want to buy more stuff at Costco.

It's like heroin: You do a little and you want a little bit more. Raising prices is the easy way.

You destroy the initiative of the working people if they don't feel they have a fighting chance to be a part of the American Dream.

There was a proposal in California that would keep out Wal-Mart but allow Costco. You opposed it. Are you nuts? That's true: I always oppose these kinds of things. Competition makes us better. Some of our best stores have a Sam's Club next door.

Driving stock up from one day to the next is not what we are about. We are about building a good company and performing for the long term. I know everyone says that, that sounds trite when I repeat it that way, but that is and has always been our attitude about our business. If we do the right things, the stock price will take care of itself, and our shareholders will be rewarded.