Quotes of the day

The same man who shines at the second level is eclipsed at the top.--Carl Von Clausewitz

... “carbon caps” may actually destroy forests based upon my observation that when jobs become scarce, Third World populations often return to the land, frequently clearing forests with slash-and-burn techniques. By discouraging job creation, so-called environmental policies may inadvertently push people in subsistence economies back onto the land where they must resort to unsustainable, short-term activities to survive.--Richard Fernandez

As each legislator and Congressional committee and the Fed and the President try to help improve the economy (or bail out a favored constituency) the stress on the whole system grows. Every once in a while I think we can come out of this mess. On a day like today, I start to think we're going to have a profound economic collapse.--Russell Roberts

If the intent of the [stimulus] plan is to alleviate unemployment, why spend over half of the money on sectors where unemployment is lowest?--Alan Reynolds

I'm shocked to see Paul Krugman complaining that people are assuming the jobs created by the stimulus will only last a single year in calculating the cost of creating them--back when the Bush tax cuts were proposed, he got very, very angry at . . . . people who assumed that the jobs created by the stimulus would last longer than a year. --Megan McArdle

A man who flies in a private jet paid for exclusively with taxpayer funds (Air Force One) scolds other persons for flying in private jets paid for only in part with taxpayer funds.--Don Boudreaux

... as Obama continues to insist his policies should be followed because “I won,” it will be applauded as an impressive sign of strength and a recognition of political reality. Of course, when Bush said anything close to this, it was said to be an example of his “my way or the highway” arrogance.--Peter Wehner

No question, the president is right. The next time it snows, we would like to invite him to help us make the decision. His involvement will make it much easier to explain to our students why they won't be able to spend the day sleeping and sledding. Or, I suppose Sidwell Friends could merge with Punahou, move our classrooms to Hawaii and never worry about the weather again.--Ellis Turner, Associate Head of Sidwell Friends School

Maybe Carter [and UN ambassador Andrew Young] shouldn’t have trusted Mugabe.--Richard Fernandez

The Harvard Business Review editor’s blog contemplates the unthinkable: perhaps college is not working. Nonsense. Our entire economy is based on the production of unreadable and unread papers on gender, race, and the evils of capitalism. We need more, and we need them faster.--pwyll at Carnal Reason