Dave Obey Quotes

It's not class warfare to talk about fairness.

When private property ceases to make free men, its only spiritual justification goes. Democracy and the widespread distribution of private property go together.

Democratic socialism means that we must create an economy that works for all, not just the very wealthy.

Social Democracy preached against capitalism for half a century. After the November revolution the Reds had the opportunity to direct capitalism into the proper paths: but nothing happened!

Governance should be designed as an equalizer. Democrats are more inclined towards working families and those who are struggling for a better life.

The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.

I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody.

The superrich should pay higher taxes in order to restore the inclusive society that I grew up in.

Government has got to work for all of us and not just for a few billionaires..

Capitalism is very undemocratic. Capitalism gives you power according to your wealth while democracy gives you power according to your existence.

Contemporary social democracy is what I believe is the right concept.

Imagine what would happen if the government were to take the wealth of 200,000 of India's richest people and redistribute it amongst 2 million of India's poorest? We would hear a lot about socialist appropriation and the death of democracy. Why should taking from the rich be called appropriation and taking from the poor be called development?

There are social democrats and others who are marching more in the direction of equality, whether you call them socialists or communists... Capitalism has only hurt Latin America.

I'm still committed to the socialist idea because the socialist idea, correctly understood, includes the principles of freedom and social justice. It also includes the recognition of the value of democracy. When we speak about social justice, it means that freedom should be used not only in the interest of profit but also in the interest of the advancement of the people who create all values.

Call it democracy, or call it democratic socialism, but there must be a better distribution of wealth within this country for all God's children.

I think organized labor is a necessary part of democracy. Organized labor is the only way to have fair distribution of wealth.

The right combination is between a free economy and social policy that addresses the needs of society and creates equal opportunity.

Just as we should never balance the budget on the backs of the poor, so it is an economic delusion to think you can balance it only on the wallets of the rich.

We want capitalism and market forces to be the slave of democracy rather than the opposite.

So when the only domestic social policy is tax cuts that mostly benefit the wealthiest Americans, we say, 'Where is faith being put into action here?'

Unless the great majority of Americans not only have, but believe they have, a fair chance, the better American future will be dangerously compromised.

What is most important for democracy is not that great fortunes should not exist, but that great fortunes should not remain in the same hands. In that way there are rich men, but they do not form a class.

Market forces and capitalism by themselves aren't sufficient to ensure the common good and to limit the concentration of wealth at levels that are compatible with democratic ideals.

Democracy is not compatible with capitalism but is congruent with a version of democratic socialism in which the wealth, resources, and benefits of a social order are shared in an equitable and just manner.

Government has a role as well in what is referred to as redistributive justice.