Quotes of the day

They say a country gets the politicians it deserves or perhaps it deserves the politicians it gets. Whatever the order, America is next in line, and as we go to the polls in a few short days it’s incumbent upon a sleepy and befuddled electorate to at least ask ourselves, “What’s going on here?” Democrat or Republican, Elephant or Donkey, nothing much ever seems to change. Each party has shown it can add hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt with little to show for it or move our military from one country to the next chasing phantoms instead of focusing on more serious problems back home. This isn’t a choice between chocolate and vanilla folks, it’s all rocky road: a few marshmallows to get you excited before the election, but with a lot of nuts to ruin the aftermath.--Bill Gross

Bullying is a problem that shouldn't exist.  No one should ever feel harassed or unsafe in a school simply because they act or think or dress differently than others.  To every student who feels threatened or harassed -- for whatever reason -- please know that you are not alone. Please know that there are people who love you. And please know that we will protect you.--Education Secretary Arne Duncan

I feel harassed and unsafe about my job because some politicians don't like proprietary traders working for banks, even though we provide value to consumers, like paying for FDIC insurance and free checking.  I don't know that you will protect me, nor my shareholders' alternatives in earning returns, nor all those lower- and midde-class households who really enjoy free checking and avoiding ATM fees and FDIC insurance premium payments.--Cav

If you decide you want to keep the man around, don't use the word 'irresponsible'. You can call him a jerk or even an ass and it won't devastate him, because what is a jerk? That's not concretely definable. But what a man feels when you call him irresponsible is what a woman feels when you call her a bitch. It's the ultimate insult. So if you're angry at a man, just call him a bitch.--Jay Carter

Having outperformed the rest of Asia for more than a century, the Japanese have decided to slow down. Japan has lost its drive to remain one of the world's greatest powers, and it may never regain it. But, given Japan's history, one would be foolish to underestimate the country. While the world frets about North Korean and Iranian nuclear weapons, it is useful to remind ourselves that Japan, should it choose, could become a nuclear power in a matter of weeks. It has all the ingredients, though painful memories of World War II and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have so far kept its leaders well away from developing a nuclear stockpile. Moreover, if Japan needs allies to balance the rise of China, it could easily turn not only to the U.S., but also to Russia and India. In short, the geopolitical cards could turn out in Japan's favor if China overplays its hand.--Kishore Mahbubani