Steve Kroft Quotes

Money and donations are an important part of our political system. They are hard power.

People who give money in large amount in politics are basically not altruistic. They have some issue. They have some interest. It may be world peace. It may be preserving carried interest. But it's not altruistic.

Now Carlos Slim, as you know, comes from Mexico. He's given many millions of dollars to the Clintons and their initiatives.

Today, we don't blink an eye when the world's wealthiest individuals donate enormous sums of money to charitable causes. In fact, we expect them to do so.

At least once a year, I meet with a group called the Giving Pledge. It's a group of billionaires - including me, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Ted Turner - who have pledged to give away most of their money to charity. We meet for three days to talk about what we're doing to help make the planet a better place to live.

PACs represent thousands of little people.

[Discussing his political contributions:] Now that circumstances have blessed me in terms of my own financial security and sphere of influence, this is my opportunity to influence the direction of the country.

Foundations are the new Birkin bags. Everyone who is anyone has one. Giving is now chic.

No, Sir, you will have much more influence by giving or lending money where it is wanted, than by hospitality.

There's a difference between those two [George Soroses and the Tom Steyers] and the Kochs that I think is important.

If you could help millions of people, you can certainly make millions of dollars. I try to influence everyone I know to be a giver because the person that benefits most by giving is the giver.

People who give money in large amount in politics are basically not altruistic.

All politicians, even the most idealistic ones, are looking for money, sucking up to rich people.

I want people to be inspired to do what's in front of them. If you won't give a dime out of a dollar, don't talk to a billionaire about giving their money away because if you don't give a dime out of a dollar, I can promise you, you're not going to give a 100 million out of a billion. It's a lie.

The real power of money is the power to give it away.

Money is power in American politics. It always has been.

People don't need to find reasons to justify their not giving. What they need to find is the inspiration to give. And those who don't, but could afford to, are missing out on one of wealth's greatest luxuries.

That's why they're in the problem - having the problem they're having. They're not conservative. They're being run by their donors.

No one has ever become poor by giving.

Generous people can become more generous as they become richer, giving away vast fortunes to worthwhile causes as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are doing.

I came from a wealthy family. I made over my share of the estate to various charities.

I hope that by joining The Giving Pledge, it will encourage others to do the same.

I think people like Bill Gates, who have given away enormous sums of money, are shining examples for all of us to follow.

There are a lot of people with a lot of money, and I'm amazed they don't understand what a great pleasure it can be to give.

I admire people like Warren Buffett that are donating so much money to charity.