Elbert HubbardElbert Hubbard, (1856-1915)

Elbert Hubbard Quote

“Parties who want milk should not seat themselves on a stool in the middle of a field in hope that the cow will back up to them.”

Elbert HubbardElbert Hubbard
~ Elbert Hubbard


Ratings and Comments


Simon, Victoria, BC, Canada

Jesus! Another day, another flood of Lbiertarian quotes setting up and knocking down the same straw man! Those who want to do nothing but be looked after are very few and far between. Those who wish to happily and willingly support the above are even fewer. Perhaps I don't understand what you libertarians want. IF you are anti-Bush neo-cons and anti-communist/socialist then thats something we have in common. Maybe you could point me to a time and a place that came closest to your vision of how society should be?

E Archer, NYC

Editor, how come you keep posting these quotes about Liberty and personal Responsibility? It is getting a little old, eh? ;-)

David L. Rosenthal

Simon, stop ranting.

Terry Berg, Occidental, CA

David, stop preaching.

Simon, Victoria, BC, Canada

Well, I've been doing some reading on libertarians, no wonder there are misunderstandings - you come off as right wingers at first glance. I see now that there is a great deal of overlap between libertarians and liberals, not surprising considering both words as well as "liberty" have their roots in the French work "libre" or "free". I shall endeavour not to call you fascists too much in future but to rather point out where you are wrong and show you the way back to the liberal fold. : ) Meanwhile, you might find this interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian and this entertaining: http://www.self-gov.org/quiz.html see where you lie on the Nolan chart. Ciao.

Terry Berg, Occidental, CA

Simon, Didn't you get the memo from the 'International Society for Individual Liberty: Libertarian Activism'? All the talking points are in it. Can you sing "Surrey with the Fanatic Fringe on top"?
Some of the 'Approved' positions are:
Medical 'Feedom'
Education 'Feedom'
Environmental 'Feedom'
The Genius Of Ayn Rand

We now know what Bush and Cheney mean by 'Feedom'. Iraq and Haliburton will be better off when there's 'Feedom'.

Joe, Rochester, MI

Simon, currently 13% of the U.S. population is on welfare. 1 in 8 is NOT few and far between. The percent of those on welfare increases every year.

Simon, Victoria, BC, Canada

Well Joe, one can always quibble about statistics but this link shows 2.5% were on welfare in 1999: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/news/stats/6090_ch2.htm Are you saying the number of people on welfare has increased 500% in 7 years? If so, then this would be due to George Bush's free market policies would it? Or the soclialist Bill Clinton I suppose, no, must be due to 9/11...

Dick, Fort Worth

What an inane quotation. It means nothing.

Terry Berg, Occidental, CA

Dick, FW; It's supposed to be a euphemistic reference to 'get off your ass(es)'. Soooo quaint! Soooo 'insightful'. LOL

E Archer, NYC

Simon is still hacking away at the branches instead of striking the root. 1999 was near the peak of the US economy -- it has been sliding (sometimes steeply) ever since. Secondly, and most importantly, the economic condition of the US is not determined by US Presidents or even Congress -- it is controlled by the Federal Reserve, IMF, and World Bank (same owners). Ignorance may be bliss, but it is embarrassing.

E Archer, NYC

I don't care how annoying you guys are (and you can be quite annoying), Simon, keep on ranting, David, keep on preaching, and Terry, well, keep on 'enlightening' us with the World According to Terry (no matter how many pages it must take). I will keep defending my right to live life my own way, respecting the rights of others, giving to whom I choose, obeying the laws I support, defying the laws I believe to be wrong, and bearing the consequences. I am free, and I am responsible -- and so are you whether you accept it or not.

H Rearden, Burr Ridge Ill

The reason the flood od quotes need to keep coming is because so many Americans today cannot digest more than a sound bite at a crack and the feel - good socialists that control 95% of our media are very glib, making them up and shouting down the thinkers left in our society.
Simon is demonstrating this by his posts. Watching the thoughtless blabbermouths on MSNBC all one can think is, diarrhea of the mouth, constipation of the mind. Too dispiriting to tune in very often.

H Rearden, Burr Ridge Ill

And this is to Simon, regarding what we libertarians want. We want the government to protect our sovereignty, by maintaining our borders and a strong standing military and an active CIA. We want the domestic peace maintained, this via our police departments locally and the FBI federally.
And that is pretty much it. Do those 2 things and leave us alone. Stop discussing abortion and gay marriage - those matters are between a citizen and his/her God. Stop redistributing my wealth to those who have not risked or sweated to get it. From those who receive much, much is expected, by God. If we are not charitable enough, He will know. But one's charity to others less fortunate is also a matter between the individual and his/her God, not the government. After enacting tort reform, flat tax and abolishing the Dept of Education, Energy, Commerce, EPA, Obamacare, IRS Export Import Bank and a lot of other government entities, our legislators can select the 60 day period the following year when they will meet. Then they can go back to their home districts, live as their constituents do, among those constituents and attempt to make an honest living. Citizen legislators, without fancy offices, huge staffs and myriad perks and benefits that those in the private sector only dream about. Re register all voters, requiring a pay stub/tax return to prove that you have skin in the game.
The Welfarian Sector has been so thoroughly bribed for their vote (Medicaid, Section 8 Housing, Food Stamps/EIB Cards, Obamacare, Obamaphones etc) that they cannot be considered to have any vested interest in the furthering of our society. They are there for self interest only and as such deserve not the honor of the vote. That would be a refreshing start to what this libertarian would like to see. Simon was wondering, perhaps he is ready to sart thinking.

jim k, Austin

Funny and it makes a valid point.

Ronw13, Yachats Or

It always seems the Tyrannical Nadiyb churl liberal, wishes to steal and resale. The Right of the sovereign individual to inheritance, without tax, is Chophshiy Liberty. But by blind greed unchecked, strips the nation of integrity, replacing it with contempt of the poor common man. In the first place, you need to own the field and the cow to get the milk. Then pass that down to your children. One cannot fix the problem, without abolishing the cause of the oppression to begin with ! To continually rant at the poor and needy, is foolishness, when their Liberties have been striped away !! Cause and effect. Root out the cause, then the effect will stop !

Warrdoc, Elk Grove,CA.

Wow! you can't say this didn't stir up some passion.

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