Mark Skousen quotes

The triumph of persuasion over force is the sign of a civilized society. (Mark Skousen)
The reality is that business and investment spending are the true leading indicators of the economy and the stock market. If you want to know where the stock market is headed, forget about consumer spending and retail sales figures. Look to business spending, price inflation, interest rates, and productivity gains. View quote
Mark Skousen
One suggestion my wife and I have used in our personal finance courses we teach at college is simply writing down all expenditures and seeing where the money goes. That alone will cause heads of households to think twice about x, y or z expenditure, and to consider carefully whether they really need something or not. View quote
Mark Skousen
All workers, whether they are employed in the private or public sector, should avoid living 'paycheck to paycheck.' Studies show that every household wastes 10% or more of its salary or income on unnecessary expenditures or by not taking the time to shop for better prices. It's all a matter of proper budgeting. View quote
Mark Skousen
I find it ironic how New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is so focused on such small issues as drink sizes, while ignoring the massive infrastructure challenges in New York - lousy roads, third-world airports, traffic jams, etc. View quote
Mark Skousen
The fundamental flaw in Social Security and Medicare is that they violate the 'welfare principle' in economics. The welfare principle forms the fundamental basis of all charitable work in churches and other private organizations: assist those who need help, and equally important, don't assist individuals who can take care of themselves. View quote
Mark Skousen
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. View quote
Mark Skousen
Gold and Silver have always had value, never gone to zero. Can you say the same for stocks and bonds? View quote
Mark Skousen
It is business that generates the jobs, income and taxes that keep a country going. View quote
Mark Skousen
We shall never change our political leaders until we change the people who elect them. View quote
Mark Skousen
Bitcoin is not an actual physical coin, and if computers are shut down, you can't buy or sell them. That's why nothing will ever replace gold and silver coins themselves, and all investors should have them at home or in a safe deposit box. (Mark Skousen)
I've felt for some time that economics needs to be taught differently by economists who actually have had experience making a payroll or investing on Wall Street. When economics is taught by pure academics, watch out. View quote
Mark Skousen
Fraud is common when you give away billions. Fraud related to Hurricane Katrina spending is estimated to top $2 billion. In addition, debit cards provided to hurricane victims were used to pay for Caribbean vacations, NFL tickets, Dom Perignon champagne, 'Girls Gone Wild' videos, and at least one sex change operation. View quote
Mark Skousen
Millions of Americans were duped by the federal government and the Federal Reserve into buying homes they could not afford and failed to count the cost. When the financial crisis of 2008 hit, they could not keep up the monthly mortgage payments and defaulted. View quote
Mark Skousen
Samuelson's textbook has delivered a great deal of economic wisdom. For many economists, the positive side of the balance sheet has outweighed the negative. Indeed, his defenders might ask: Might the United States and the West have suffered another Great Depression if Samuelson had not emphasized the need for "automatic stabilizers"? Did not Samuelson's heralding of the "mixed" economy curb the appetite of third world countries for national socialism? We will never know, of course, but it is humbling to speculate on whether alterations in principles textbooks might have led to a different U. S. economy. View quote
Mark Skousen
Balance in life is the key, as Aristotle taught us. Nobody likes a naive Pollyanna, but neither do we like to be around people who are constantly complaining and finding fault. View quote
Mark Skousen
The media simply does not understand Econ 101. View quote
Mark Skousen
I only have disdain for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He raised taxes and has increased regulations. What else is new? He's a bully who wants to micro-manage people's lives by mandate, not persuasion. View quote
Mark Skousen
If you are wealthy enough, use part or all of your Social Security proceeds to invest in a favorite cause or two. Invest 10 percent or 100 percent of your monthly Social Security check in your favorite charity, foundation, think tank, church or synagogue, or other good cause. View quote
Mark Skousen
For those of us in the financial world, Black Friday has a strong negative connotation, referring to a stock market catastrophe. View quote
Mark Skousen
Banking technology has made it simple and efficient to invest in good causes. (Mark Skousen)
In the early 1980s, I burned my Social Security card at the New Orleans Investment Conference in protest of the state pension system. View quote
Mark Skousen
I am tired of the constant demonizing of people via political labels. View quote
Mark Skousen
The income tax is flawed for a number of reasons - it discourages economic growth and encourages a bloated government. View quote
Mark Skousen
Contrary to what President Obama said in his inaugural address, going on Medicare and food stamps does not strengthen us. Just ask people who are fourth-generation welfare recipients. View quote
Mark Skousen