P. J. O'Rourke Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"You can't get rid of poverty by giving people money."

by:	P. J. O'Rourke (1947-2022) US humorist, journalist, & political commentator
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Categories:	Money, Poverty, Welfare
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Reader comments about this quote:

Poverty is a state of mind. The class warfare promoted by progressives is a false flag that will destroy all. Change a man's surroundings and, he will gravitate back to whence he came. Change the man and, he will change his surroundings. -- Mike, Norwalk 1
Men cannot be changed. They can be destroyed, supressed, disenfranchised maybe but not changed. Poverty ever accompanies weak minds, something no amount of public education can change. You cannot fool genetics. -- Justin, Elkland 1
And the problem exasperated when the money given is stolen. -- J Carlton, Calgary 1
If doing the same things over and over and expecting different results is a definition of crazy, then liberals are truly nuts. That nonsense known as the war on poverty has been going on since FDR and it still ain't working. It creates poverty instead of preventing it. -- jim k, Austin,Tx 1
Under FDR it was known as "The New Deal". -- jim k, Austin,Tx
I guess jim k prays for a return to the era of the robber baron. He's not even aware of how the plight of the least fortunate in the US has changed since the time of the Great Depression. How typical for the hate & fear filled to wish for a return to a time that never existed in the form they dream about in their delusions. -- Anonymous, Reston, VA, US
jim, you're absolutely right. More often than not, when you finance and cultivate something, it expands. Increase the dole, and poverty expands. Increase a knowledge of individual unalienable rights, individual sovereignty, natural law (inclusive of true fiscal law - does not include the religious perception of materialism), justice, peace, freedom, and liberty, and poverty will decline while prosperity will increase. -- Mike, Norwalk
It is simply the buying of votes, which Franklin warned would be the end of the republic. Yes, Reston, there used to be a time when we used to have real money instead of interest-bearing script. Yes, people used to be able to buy their land and house and not have to keep paying tax on it year after year. Yes, families survived for generations without Social Security. Making the citizens dependent upon government subsidy creates a dependency, stifles ingenuity, cripples excellence, and awards mediocrity. Government is the most wasteful spendthrift of the nation -- isn't it rather foolish to entrust them with what we can better provide for ourselves if they got out of the way? It is fast becoming illegal to take care of oneself and refuse government 'care.' -- E Archer, NYC
Robber barons?...Oh the guys who hang out with the politicians! I get it. The problem isn't capitalism...it's economic fascism. Get Government out of business...and Business out of government. Then we might have some real economic growth. -- J Carlton, Calgary 1
A in Reston. Benjamin Franklin said the only way to reduce poverty is to make the poor uncomfortable in their poverty. The theory being if someone is uncomfortable they will do something to change their lot. The present problem is that government handouts have been going on for so long, people have lost their incentive to do for themselves and work their way through their problems. Before anyone thinks that is a cold-hearted approach, realize that I'm not insinuating that no one should be helped. The children, the elderly, the mentally and physically disabled should always be cared for, but it is not the role of the government. Even though Clinton is a Progressive, he had the right idea about welfare to work. It should be a hand up, not a hand out. Get educated and get a job. Any other help should come from charity, either from philanthropic organizations, volunteerism and religious organizations. In closing, Sir Charles Barkley said, " Poor people have been voting for democrats for 40 years and they are still poor." Does that sound like real help? Is that productive? -- Carol, Georgia 1
The way our government "helps" the poor only serves to create poverty. -- warren, olathe
Carol you have it all wrong on Clinton. He never had any intention of doing anything to improve the plight of the poor. He was typical Dem. His intent was to trap the poor as all Dems have since LBJ. The welfare reform was from congress and it was signed by Clinton after it was clear it would be political suicide not to. -- warren, olathe
-- Christian Claycomb
Warren, Clinton moved to the center when he realized his leftist ideas would lose him the second term, but that was only political expediency. He was and still is a true Progressive as well as Hillary. The republican controlled congress proposed and pushed through the Welfare to Work legislation and Clinton signed it. In my mind, Clinton is a worm anyway for his personal conduct while in the White House. He demeaned the office and made the country a worldwide laughing stock. Back to the Welfare to Work bill, even if the reform came from Congress he could have, but did not veto it. He is a far more clever politician than BHO ever will be. I think BHO could be hit on the head with an anvil and he would not "get it." The American people are not going to put up with the destruction of the America the Founders gave us. There will be many years of reconstruction to return us to our original intent as a nation, but it will happen. Here is a recommendation for anyone interested, read the book by David Barton, "Original Intent" and understand what the Founders gave us. -- Carol, Georgia
Wow! On the dot. Using this quote for a paper. -- jj, Waco

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