For the United States, our political system is clearly distorted. We have gerrymandering so that there is a situation where a million more voters who vote for Democrats, yet the House is controlled by the Republicans. So clearly, the way our Congress operates is important. The other big issue is the influence of money in politics. It's not only campaign contributions. People like Trump - either you become very dependent on your benefactors or you are very rich.
Joseph StiglitzYou can't overestimate what happens when you encourage regulators to believe that the goal of regulation is not to regulate.
Joseph StiglitzGlobal demand for dollars has supplanted demand for manufactured goods and services, resulting in multilateral trade deficits and loss of jobs at home.
Joseph StiglitzWe could have saved Wall Street without putting our future in jeopardy. I predicted that there would be all-around consequences - in the long run as well as in the short run. People are now saying we can't afford health care reform because we spent all the money on the banks. So, in effect, we're saying that it's better that we give rich bankers a couple of trillion than giving ordinary Americans access to health care.
Joseph StiglitzThe extra curricular activity in which I was most engaged - debating - helped shape my interests in public policy.
Joseph StiglitzI'm writing from New Zealand - a country that decided from the beginning that the War was wrong, and chose not to participate in Iraq War.
Joseph StiglitzThe attempt to minimize cost and maximize profits often interfered with our true mission in Iraq. We should have been working to get jobs for Iraqis, but the contractors found it cheaper to import Nepalese and others. This increased resentment, contributed to unemployment, and to our losing the hearts and minds of the Iraqis.
Joseph Stiglitz