- Mark Steyn

“There is another economy — a second economy that is similar in respects to the East European or Third World socialist economies. It functions in a fashion opposite to the mainstream capitalist economy. It predominates in the pockets of poverty throughout urban and rural America. This economy has barriers to productive human and social activity and a virtual absence of economic incentives and rewards. It denies black, Hispanic and other minority men and women entry into the mainstream. This economy works almost as effectively as did hiring notices 50 years ago that read “No Blacks — or Hispanics or Irish or whatever — Need Apply.”

“The irony is that the second economy was born of desire to help the poor, alleviate suffering, and provide a basic social safety net. The results were a counterproductive economy. Instead of independence, the second economy led to dependence. In an effort to minimize economic pain, it maximized welfare bureaucracy and social costs.”

- Jack Kemp, 1990

- James O’Keefe, responding to left-wing demands that he be investigated after exposing the vulnerability of New Hampshire’s voting process to fraud.

- Mitt Romney

“The same practices may well have something to do with the public’s dissatisfaction with the current crop of candidates in this year’s primaries — and in previous years’ primaries. Character assassination is just another form of voter fraud.”

- Thomas Sowell

- Christopher Booker

Mike Shirkey, a Republican state representative from Michigan, on Indiana’s House and Senate having passed a Right To Work law. There is concern among Republicans in states bordering Indiana that without passing similar legislation in their states Indiana will drain their economies of business.

Twenty thousand jobs is really not that many jobs and investing in green technologies will produce that and more. But I’ll tell you what, you know it seems to me that the Republicans would rather have an issue than a pipeline.

Schakowsky was speechless when the hosts pointed out that her union buddies are for the pipeline and are furious that her fellow Illinois Democrat Barack Obama killed it.

And second, Indiana Republican Senator Dan Coats was interviewed on the same show, leading to this quote…

Tell that to the twenty thousand people that woke up this morning and didn’t have a job to go, “Well, these don’t really matter.” I mean this not only is jobs, this is less dependence on Middle East oil. And here we have you know, the President talking about becoming energy independent but he turns down the easiest way to do that.

Our readers can decide which quote they agree with more.

Via Big Government.

- Ronald Reagan

- Newt Gingrich, responding to statements made by Nancy Pelosi to the effect that she has secrets on him which would prevent him from being elected if the public knew.