One of the little-celebrated powers of Presidents (and other high government officials) is to listen to their critics with just enough sympathy to ensure their silence.

Quote by John Kenneth Galbraith

Topics: Government Quotes

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable.

The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable.

The contented and economically comfortable have a very discriminating view of government. Nobody is ever...

The contented and economically comfortable have a very discriminating view of government. Nobody is ever...

Money differs from an automobile or mistress in being equally important to those who have...

Money differs from an automobile or mistress in being equally important to those who have...

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that...

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that...

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

Humor is richly rewarding to the person who employs it. It has some value in...

You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does...

You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does...

We have escapist fiction, so why not escapist biography?

We have escapist fiction, so why not escapist biography?

There's a certain part of the contented majority who love anybody who is worth a...

There's a certain part of the contented majority who love anybody who is worth a...

Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.

Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.

We are becoming the servants in thought, as in action, of the machine we have...

We are becoming the servants in thought, as in action, of the machine we have...

People who are in a fortunate position always attribute virtue to what makes them so...

People who are in a fortunate position always attribute virtue to what makes them so...

There is an insistent tendency among serious social scientists to think of any institution which...

There is an insistent tendency among serious social scientists to think of any institution which...

It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than...

It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than...

Inflation does not lubricate trade but by rescuing traders from their errors of optimism or...

Inflation does not lubricate trade but by rescuing traders from their errors of optimism or...

The conspicuously wealthy turn up urging the character building values of the privation of the...

The conspicuously wealthy turn up urging the character building values of the privation of the...

In any great organization it is far, far safer to be wrong with the majority...

In any great organization it is far, far safer to be wrong with the majority...

Total physical and mental inertia are highly agreeable, much more so than we allow ourselves...

Total physical and mental inertia are highly agreeable, much more so than we allow ourselves...

Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite.

Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite.

The salary of the chief executive of a large corporation is not a market award...

The salary of the chief executive of a large corporation is not a market award...