Chris Hedges: With Common Good

Meaning of Chris Hedges Money Quote: saying Corporate goals are purely focused on gain and plunder at expense of people. Chris Hedges said:
 

 

“We have to grasp, as Marx and Adam Smith did, that corporations are not concerned with the common good. They exploit, pollute, impoverish, repress, kill, and lie to make money. They throw poor people out of homes, let the uninsured die, wage useless wars for profit, poison and pollute the ecosystem, slash social assistance programs, gut public education, trash the global economy, plunder the U.S. Treasury and crush all popular movements that seek justice for working men and women. They worship money and power” — Chris Hedges

Chris Hedges is criticizing corporations for prioritizing profits over people and the common good. He argues that corporations will exploit any means necessary – such as exploiting workers, polluting the environment, impoverishing communities, repressing dissent, killing through wars or denying healthcare, and lying – in order to make money.

According to Hedges, corporations have no qualms about throwing people out of their homes, letting the uninsured die, waging wars for profit, poisoning the planet, slashing social services, damaging public education, crashing economies, plundering government funds, and crushing movements for workers’ rights.

He says they worship and are driven solely by money and power, without concern for ethics, people or society. In Hedges’ view, corporations are solely focused on accumulating wealth for themselves through any means, rather than serving the common good.

Yuval Noah Harari: Imagination Life

Meaning of Yuval Noah Harari Money Quote: saying we have imaginary entities ruling our lives and work. Yuval Noah Harari said:

 

 

“Corporations, money and nations exist only in our imagination. We invented them to serve us; why do we find ourselves sacrificing our life in their service” — Yuval Noah Harari

In this quote, Harari is questioning why humans have come to serve the very things they created, like corporations, money and nations, rather than those things serving human needs and interests as intended.

He notes that these social constructs were invented by humans in their imagination to be useful tools, but now it seems humans have become subservient to them.

Harari appears to be arguing that the order has become inverted – instead of institutions existing to benefit people, people now feel they must sacrifice their lives and well-being to prop up and serve these human-made systems.

The quote encourages examining this relationship and whether corporations, money and nations still fulfill their original purpose of serving humanity.

Joe Biden: Pay Taxes Billionaires

Joe Biden Money Quote saying it is important that corporations pay taxes on income, because they avoid tax now. Joe Biden said:
 

 

“You have 55 corporations in the US making $40 Billion or more that don’t pay a cent. Not a single red cent. Not a single little red cent. Now, I don’t care, I’m a capitalist. I hope you can be a millionaire or billionaire. Not a problem. But at least pay your fair share! Chip in a little bit! ” — Joe Biden

Joe Biden is talking about large, profitable corporations in the United States that pay little to no taxes each year. He says that there are 55 corporations that make $40 billion or more annually but pay “not a cent” in taxes. Biden acknowledges that he supports capitalism and does not have a problem with people becoming millionaires or billionaires through their businesses.

However, he believes these very large, profitable corporations should still pay their “fair share” in taxes and “chip in a little bit” to support public services and infrastructure that help enable their business success. Overall, the quote expresses Biden’s view that extremely profitable corporations should contribute more in taxes rather than avoiding them entirely.

Birthday November 20, 1942

There’s no reason why millionaires and billionaires shouldn’t pay their fair share of taxes. pic.twitter.com/FJe4Qd7V7a

— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) October 22, 2021

Ramsey Clark: Wealth Plutocracy

Ramsey Clark Money Quote saying corporate plutocracy in the U.S. means that nobody without support from multinational corporations is likely to be elected. Ramsey Clark said:
 

 

“Wealth rules. Corporations rule. The US is a plutocracy – government by wealthy people. Certain people control multinational corporations. You couldn’t get elected in the US without lots of money” — Ramsey Clark

In this quote, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark is strongly criticizing the outsized influence of wealth in American politics. He suggests corporate and financial interests effectively control the government through campaign donations, implying the U.S. operates as an oligarchy or “plutocracy” ruled by affluent elites rather than truly representing all citizens.

Clark also conveys that candidates cannot viably run for office without large sums of money from wealthy donors. Overall, the quote portrays Clark’s view that immense economic power has effectively corrupted democracy by allowing moneyed factions to purchase disproportionate political power and policy outcomes through unchecked spending on elections.

Birthday: December 18, 1927 – Death: April 9, 2021

Margaret Chase Smith: Big Unions

Margaret Chase Smith Money Quote saying Big companies mean organized labor. Power will be balanced. Margaret Chase Smith said:
 

 

“As long as there are big corporations, there will be big unions. The economic power of big business will be matched by the economic power of the big unions” — Margaret Chase Smith

In this quote, Margaret Chase Smith is acknowledging an economic reality of the relationship between large corporations and unions. She suggests that as long as there are huge influential companies (“big corporations”), there will also be huge labor groups (“big unions”) that form to counterbalance the power of big business and advocate for workers’ rights and interests.

Smith implies that the economic clout and size of massive corporations will naturally spur the rise of similarly large unions, as workers band together through unionization to gain collective bargaining power and influence comparable to their huge corporate employers. Her view is that the scale of business will be matched by the scale of organized labor, with each side seeking to wield comparable economic power to the other in negotiations and policymaking.

Bernie Sanders: Losing 100 Billion in Taxes

Marian Kemensky, Slovakia

Bernie Sanders Money Quote saying the United States doesn’t collect taxes on money stashed in tax havens. Bernie Sanders said:
 

 

“Our country is losing up to a hundred billion dollars every year as corporations stash their money in postal addresses in the Cayman Islands, in Bermuda and in Panama” — Bernie Sanders

In this quote, Bernie Sanders is criticizing the large amounts of money that corporations are stashing in offshore tax havens in order to avoid paying U.S. taxes. Sanders estimates that this practice costs the country up to $100 billion annually in lost tax revenue.

By referring to places like the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Panama as mere “postal addresses”, Sanders implies that many corporations are not truly conducting business in these locations but rather using them as shell addresses solely to take advantage of lower tax rates abroad.

His view is that this offshore tax avoidance represents a significant loss to public coffers that could otherwise fund important services and investments. The quote conveys Sanders’ perspective that loopholes enabling widespread corporate tax sheltering overseas are undermining tax fairness and depriving the country of substantial resources.

Bernie Sanders: Class Warfare, Big Money Winning

Sen Bernie Sanders Money Quotation saying it looks like David vs. Goliath in a war between big banks and corporate interests are easily winning. Sen Bernie Sanders said:
 

 

“We are in the midst of intense class warfare, where the wealthiest people and the largest corporations are at war with the middle class and working families of this country and it is obvious the big-money interests are winning that war” — Bernie Sanders

In this quote, Senator Bernie Sanders is describing what he sees as an ongoing “class warfare” between the wealthy elite and large corporations on one side, and middle class and working families on the other.

He argues that the “big-money interests” like the richest individuals and largest companies are actively waging an economic battle against average Americans to accumulate even more wealth and power.

Sanders suggests these powerful interests are “winning” the war by exerting their influence to shape policies, laws, and economic conditions in a way that benefits them but disadvantages ordinary workers and their families.

The quote portrays Sanders’ view that the current system is stacked against the middle/working class due to the immense resources wielded by those at the very top of the economic hierarchy for their own gain.

Stephen Ambrose on Corporate Stinginess

Stephen Ambrose Money Quotation saying U.S. corporate culture is rarely focused on how to do well by doing good, instead it is about short term performance and profit. Stephen Ambrose said:
 

 

“American corporations hate to give away money” — Stephen Ambrose

In this quote, historian Stephen Ambrose seems to be making a generalization that American corporations are often reluctant to donate money to philanthropic causes.

The best interpretation is that Ambrose believed most corporations prioritize profitability and see donations as a cost rather than an investment.

However, some key aspects to note are that some companies do donate generously, attitudes can evolve over time, and financial considerations are understandable for businesses.

Overall, Ambrose appears to have felt corporate philanthropy was not always the highest priority compared to other business objectives.

Birthday: January 10, 1936 – Death: October 13, 2002