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Politicians are notoriously economically illiterate. And even when they know what would be the right thing, we don't really expect them to do it.

Harry Browne

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Harry Browne
Age: 72 †
Born: 1933
Born: June 17
Died: 2006
Died: March 1
Financial Analyst
Peace Activist
Politician
Radio Personality
Writer
New York City
New York
Harry Edson Browne
Even
Notoriously
Thing
Illiterate
Really
Economically
Would
Politicians
Politician
Expect
Political
Right

More quotes by Harry Browne

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Profit is a reward for satisfying the desire of someone else.
Harry Browne
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In the 1880s, people all over the world looked to America for inspiration. Its very existence was proof that it was possible to have a relatively free and peaceful country. No income tax, no foreign wars, no welfare state, no intrusions on civil liberties.
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Being a politician means never having to say you're sorry. You don't have to say, 'I never should have voted to subsidize that ridiculous Enron project in India.' ... After all, they're greedy businessmen and you're a selfless public servant.
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The important thing is to concentrate upon what you can do - by yourself, upon your own initiative.
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Immigrants used to come to America seeking freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom from government. Now they come looking for free health care, free education, and a free lunch.
Harry Browne
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Communities don't think, don't believe, don't want, don't have needs, don't have interests and don't make decisions. Only individuals have minds that generate desires and needs - and only individuals can make choices and decisions.
Harry Browne
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But, actually, it is only Americans who say that our freedoms and prosperity are the reason foreigners hate us. If you ask the foreigners, they make it clear that it's America's bullying foreign policy they detest.
Harry Browne
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It isn't possible to give government just a little control over the economy and our lives. Once we cede that power to government, it uses the power to take more from us. That's why every year the government controls more of our lives.
Harry Browne
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Once we realize that government doesn't work, we'll know that the only way to improve government is by reducing its size - by doing away with laws, by getting rid of programs, by making government spend and tax less, by reducing government as far as we can.
Harry Browne
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There was no military reason to drop atomic bombs on Japan. They were used as terrorist weapons - killing innocent people to influence other people.
Harry Browne
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While most people in TV, radio, and the press have treated me wonderfully, some of the most important people want to pretend I don't exist.
Harry Browne
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World War II has always been of great interest to me. I've known for decades that it was just one more war the politicians suckered us into.
Harry Browne
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Forcing people to be generous isn't humanitarian, effective, compassionate or moral. Only acts that are truly voluntary for all concerned can be truly compassionate.
Harry Browne
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Contrary to all the blather we here about the unique goodness of the American people or our religious heritage or anything else, the one thing that set this country apart from all others was the Bill of Rights.
Harry Browne
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I'm sorry that I can't snap my fingers and undo 50 years of bad American foreign policy.
Harry Browne
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For those looking for security, be forewarned that there's nothing more insecure than a political promise.
Harry Browne
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The best kept secret in the investing world: Almost nothing turns out as expected.
Harry Browne
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So what is government?... Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion - such as the Mafia. So to be more precise, government is the agency of coercion that has flags in front of its offices.
Harry Browne
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Our government, taxes, and ideas of freedom are already duplicates of the Old World. Our politicians determine how we should live our lives - and our individual liberties are sacrificed for the benefit of the Fatherland.
Harry Browne
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When paper money systems begin to crack at the seams, the run to gold could be explosive.
Harry Browne