Jared Bernstein Quotes

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

The market economy does not automatically guarantee growth, social justice, or even economic efficiency; achieving those ends requires that government play an important role.

It is unjust to let any starve, when we think it just to limit the wages of the poor, so as they can lay up nothing against the time of their impotency and want of work.

The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. Out of its bold struggles, economic and social reform gave birth to unemployment insurance, old age pensions, government relief for the destitute, and, above all, new wage levels that meant not mere survival but a tolerable life.

To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor, or as nearly as possible, is a worthy object of any good government.

We need a liberal agenda in which government resists the temptation to interfere in the lives of individuals but is equally determined to play an active role where creative action can advance the liberties of all.

It is bad policy to regulate everything... where things may better regulate themselves and can be better promoted by private exertions; but it is no less bad policy to let those things alone which can only be promoted by interfering social power.

It is the duty of government to make it difficult for people to do wrong, easy to do right.

I think that people need to stand up with their backbone and not go to places where they feel like the workers aren't taken care of.

I believe that the role of limited government should be looking after the needs of veterans, the elderly, children and those institutions that improve the quality of life for struggling families - I don't believe that government should bend to serve the needs of subsidized multi-national corporations and entitled billionaires.

I happen to agree with many of the liberal emphasis on compassion, justice and equality. I just disagree that it's the government's role to provide everything.

Governments are sails, the people is the wind, the state is the boat, and time is the sea.

Government cannot solve our problems. It can't set our goals. It cannot define our vision. Government cannot eliminate poverty or provide a bountiful economy or reduce inflation or save our cities.

The priority of work over capital places an obligation in justice upon employers to consider the welfare of the workers before the increase of profits.

Government is a progressive instrument for the common good.

There can be no distress, there can be no hard times, when labor is well paid. The man who raises his hand against the progress of the workingman raises his hand against prosperity.

The role of government is to encourage—not discourage.

Just because there is a market failure, doesn’t mean there is a government solution.

The role of government is, I believe, the most potent but underappreciated cultural issue in American politics.

We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God; in collective bargaining and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.

I think the defining issue of our time is: Does the economic, social, and political system work for the middle class?

Government is merely a means to an end.

I would like government to do all it can to mitigate; then, in understanding, in mutuality of interest, in concern for the common good, our tasks will be solved

The proper function of a government is to make it easy for the people to do good, and difficult for them to do evil.

“A fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work,” is as just a demand as governed men ever made of governing; yet in what corner of this planet was that ever realized?