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John Stossel

John Stossel Quotes

Reporter

John Stossel, born on March 6, 1947, is an American journalist known for his distinctive interviewing style and advocacy of free markets.

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Famous John Stossel Quotes

“If government were less important in our lives, politicians would have fewer goodies to trade. In return, we'd have more money and more freedom.”

Ifs Important Government Our Lives Return Politician Trade Fewer More Money

Author:John Stossel

“What private property does is connect effort to reward, creating an incentive for people to produce for more. Then, if there's a free market, people will trade their surpluses to others for the things they lack. Mutual exchange for mutual benefit makes the community richer.”

People Ifs Doe Community Effort Produce Benefits Creating Trade Property Rewards Mutual Free Market Incentives Private Property Surplus Mutual Benefit

Author:John Stossel

“If individuals can take from a common pot regardless of how much they put in it, each person has an incentive to be a free rider, to do as little as possible and take as much as possible because what one fails to take will be taken by someone else.”

Ifs Littles Persons Individual Common Taken Failing Pot Incentives Riders

Book:No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed

Source: No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed

“'Live and let life' used to be a noble approach to life. Now you're considered compassionate if you demand that government impose your preferences on others.”

Ifs Government Used Demand Approach Noble Used To Be Compassionate Preference

Author:John Stossel

“People vastly overestimate the ability of central planners to improve on the independent action of diverse individuals. What I've learned watching regulators is that they almost always make things worse. If regulators did nothing, the self-correcting mechanisms of the market would mitigate most problems with more finesse. And less cost.”

People Ifs Self Problem Action Individual Ability Cost Independent I've Learned Mechanism Diverse Correcting Planners Overestimate Regulators Finesse

Author:John Stossel

“A thousand restaurants close every month. They re-open, and that's good for America. Nobody's rescuing them. They employ people, too. If we let them go bankrupt, the factories don't go away, the creative people don't go away. They get employed more productively by others.”

People Ifs America Creative Months Thousand Economics Conservative Restaurants Going Away Factories Employed Creative People

Author:John Stossel

“Competition leads both drug companies and private regulators to be trustworthy. If they are not trustworthy, they die.”

Ifs Dies Company Drug Competition Trustworthy Regulators Trust Worthy Drug Companies Not Trustworthy

Author:John Stossel

“No transaction happens unless it is voluntary. It only happens if both of you think you win.”

Ifs Thinking Happens Winning Transactions

Author:John Stossel

“As a free person, I ought to be allowed if I'm dying to take something.”

Ifs Persons Dying Ought

Author:John Stossel

About the Author

Born: March 6, 1947
Known for: Reporter
Quotes: 85

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No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals SucceedRelated source material

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