Robert Reich: Accumulate Billions

Meaning of Robert Reich Money Quote: saying ways to super-wealth are limited to buying your way in, profiting from monopoly or inheriting wealth – not hard work. Robert Reich said:
 
 

 

“There are basically 4 ways to accumulate a billion dollars in America: 1) Profiting from a monopoly 2) Insider trading 3) Political payoffs 4) Inheritance Don’t believe the self-made myth” — Robert Reich

In this quote, Robert Reich is challenging the idea that billionaires in America become self-made through hard work and innovation alone. He suggests there are really only four main ways one can accumulate a billion dollars:

1. By profiting from a monopoly, which allows domination of a market without competition.
2. Through insider trading, or taking advantage of privileged confidential information unavailable to the average investor.
3. Via political payoffs, meaning gaining wealth through lobbying or special favors from politicians.
4. Through inheritance, by acquiring massive wealth simply by being born into a wealthy family rather than earning it themselves.

Overall, Reich is asserting that while some may portray themselves as entirely self-made, the reality is that billionaires often rely on one of these four less meritocratic means to amass their extreme fortune. He aims to dispel the notion that all billionaires achieved their status solely through hard work and talent.

Ayn Rand: America’s Abundance

Meaning of Ayn Rand Money Quote: saying many fortunes have been created and grown to the benefit of the country. Ayn Rand said:
 

 

“America’s abundance was created not by public sacrifices to the common good, but by the productive genius of free men who pursued their own personal interests and the making of their own private fortunes. They did not starve the people to pay for America’s industrialization. They gave the people better jobs, higher wages, and cheaper goods with every new machine they invented, with every scientific discovery or technological advance- and thus the whole country was moving forward and profiting, not suffering, every step of the way” — Ayn Rand

In this quote, Ayn Rand is praising the free market system and private enterprise as the drivers of America’s economic success and abundance. She argues that America’s industrialization and wealth were not created through public sacrifices or taxation, but rather through individuals pursuing their own self-interest and profit motives in business.

Innovators and entrepreneurs created new machines, technologies, and industries not to benefit the common good, but to build their own private fortunes. However, in doing so through free market competition, they simultaneously created more and better jobs for others, higher wages, and lower consumer prices, benefiting the whole country.

Rand is asserting that the free market system allowed whole societies to progress together through individual profit-seeking, rather than requiring public sacrifices for some abstract “common good.”

Birthday: February 2, 1905 – Death: March 6, 1982

Bessie Delany: Faith in Money

Bessie Delany Money Quote saying that believing more in money than in god leads to every kind of financial mess. Bessie Delany said:
 

“I can’t imagine having so little faith in the Lord, and so much faith in money, that you would end your life over a little thing like losing your fortune. The Lord says money is Evil, and He is right! Money is the root of every mess you can think of, including slavery. Greed! Profiting off the backs of others!” — Bessie Delany

This quote from Bessie Delany expresses criticism of placing too much importance on money and wealth. She suggests that having extreme faith in money over God could lead one to consider ending their life if they lost a fortune, which she sees as misplaced priorities.

Delany echoes the sentiment of other quotes by describing money as “evil” and the “root of every mess”, implying it often enables harmful behaviors like greed, corruption and oppression. She specifically calls out profiting from exploiting others through slavery as one negative impact of pursuing wealth.

Overall, this quote conveys Delany’s view that money should not be the central focus or source of security, as that degree of faith in financial resources over spiritual guidance can distort one’s values and priorities in damaging ways. She advocates having faith in God rather than money to find meaning and purpose in life.

Birthday: September 3, 1891 – Death: September 25, 1995

Justin Trudeau: Marijuana Profits Criminals

Justin Trudeau Money Quote saying as Prime Minister of Canada that organized crime and street criminals are profiting from illegal marijuana. Justin Trudeau said:
 

 

“There are billions upon billions of dollars flowing into the pockets of organized crime, street gangs and gun-runners, because of the illicit marijuana trade, and if we can get that out of the criminal elements and into a more regulated fashion we will reduce the amount of criminal activity that’s profiting” — Justin Trudeau

In this quote, Justin Trudeau expresses his view that legalizing and regulating the sale of marijuana can help reduce criminal activity and profits. He notes that currently, billions of dollars are going to organized crime groups, street gangs and gun traffickers through the illicit marijuana trade since it is an unregulated black market.

However, Trudeau believes that by establishing a legal and regulated system for the sale and distribution of marijuana, it can help take that lucrative business out of the hands of these criminal elements. With legalization, marijuana sales would be taxed and regulated rather than entirely underground.

So in Trudeau’s assessment, this regulatory approach could help diminish the scale of criminal profits and activity that are fueled by the existing illicit marijuana market.