Ralph [ Nader] is an old friend of mine, and he does a useful job in displaying a position.

The experience of being disastrously wrong is salutary, no economist should be denied it, and not many are.

But now, as throughout history, financial capacity and political perspicacity are inversely correlated.

Men have been swindled by other men on many occasions. The autumn of 1929 was, perhaps, the first occasion when men succeeded on a large scale in swindling themselves.

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.

The contented and economically comfortable have a very discriminating view of government. Nobody is ever indignant about bailing out failed banks and failed savings and loans associations... But when taxes must be paid for the lower middle class and poor, the government assumes an aspect of wickedness.

It is almost as important to know what is not serious as to know what is.