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32 Exceptional Charles G. Koch Quotes

Charles Koch is an American businessman and philanthropist. As the co-owner and chairman of Koch Industries, this well known billionaire has authored several books and is a large support of free market movements. Here is a look at many great Charles Koch quotes through the years.

“Any of the social changes in American history are because people thought there was injustice. We have to show that this corporate welfare and cronyism is unjust – and that it’s not only rigging the system so people get wealthy who don’t deserve to get wealthy.”

“Being captive to quarterly earnings isn’t consistent with long-term value creation. This pressure and the short term focus of equity markets make it difficult for a public company to invest for long-term success, and tend to force company leaders to sacrifice long-term results to protect current earnings.”

“Citizens who over-rely on their government to do everything not only become dependent on their government, they end up having to do whatever the government demands. In the meantime, their initiative and self-respect are destroyed.”

“Crony capitalism is much easier than competing in an open market. But it erodes our overall standard of living and stifles entrepreneurs by rewarding the politically favored rather than those who provide what consumers want.”

“Far from trying to rig the system, I have spent decades opposing cronyism and all political favors, including mandates, subsidies and protective tariffs – even when we benefit from them.”

“Far too many businesses have been all too eager to lobby for maintaining and increasing subsidies and mandates paid by taxpayers and consumers.”

“Far too many well-connected businesses are feeding at the federal trough. By addressing corporate welfare as well as other forms of welfare, we would add a whole new level of understanding to the notion of entitlement reform.”

“From the beginning of time, business has cozied up to government and gotten restrictions on competition and subsidies and stuff.”

“I believe my business and non-profit investments are much more beneficial to societal well-being than sending more money to Washington.”

“I believe that cronyism is nothing more than welfare for the rich and powerful, and should be abolished.”

“I don’t want to dedicate my life to getting publicity.”

“I studied what principles under-laid peace and prosperity and concluded the only way to achieve societal well-being was through a system of economic freedom.”

“I want my legacy to be greater freedom, greater prosperity and a better way of life for my family, our employees and all Americans. And I wish the same for every nation on earth.”

“In business, real jobs profitably produce goods and services that people value more highly than their alternatives. Subsidizing inefficient jobs is costly, wastes resources, and weakens our economy.”

“It’s not going to help the country to be subsidizing uneconomical forms of energy – whether you call them ‘green,’ ‘renewable’ or whatever. In that case, the cure is worse than the disease.”

“Koch companies employ 60,000 Americans, who make many thousands of products that Americans want and need.”

“Laying the groundwork for smaller, smarter government, especially at the federal level, is going to be tough. But it is essential for getting us back on the path to long-term prosperity.”

“Most power is power to coerce somebody. We don’t have the power to coerce anybody.”

“Our elected officials would do well to remember that the most prosperous countries are those that allow consumers – not governments – to direct the use of resources. Allowing the government to pick winners and losers hurts almost everyone, especially our poorest citizens.”

“People should only profit to the extent they make other peoples lives better.”

“Relentlessly strive to come up with new and better products and produce them more efficiently than the alternatives.”

“Societies that don’t embrace freedom wind up with the least prosperity. Venezuela is a country rich in natural resources, yet after just fourteen years under a socialist government, it now rations food, electricity, water, and other staples.”

“Successful companies create value by providing products or services their customers value more highly than available alternatives. They do this while consuming fewer resources, leaving more resources available to satisfy other needs in society. Value creation involves making people’s lives better. It is contributing to prosperity in society.”

“The best way to make money is to have more economic freedom, which is why we are one of the very few large companies that are consistently for it.”

“The easy way to make money is to get special political privilege. From the beginning of time, business has cozied up to government and gotten restrictions on competition and subsidies and stuff.”

“The role of business is to provide products and services that make people’s lives better – while using fewer resources – and to act lawfully and with integrity.”

“The successful companies try to keep the new entrants down. Now that’s great for a company like ours. We make more money that way because we have less competition and less innovation. But for the country as a whole, it’s horrible.”

“We have the best leaders and the most depth of leadership we’ve ever had. If I get hit by a truck, maybe it would get me out of the way and it would go better.”

“We try to evaluate how much value an employee is creating here and reward them accordingly.”

“When everyone gets something for nothing, soon no one will have anything, because no one will be producing anything.”

“When you start attacking cronyism and people’s political interests, it gets nasty.”

“You pass a program and get people dependent on it, making it brutal to get rid of. The key is not letting it get started.”

The billionaire Charles Koch goes over what it takes to fight in the political arena. As a controversial figure in business and politics, this industralist and conservative advocate highlights his philosophy and reasoning behind influencing elections.

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