P. J. O'Rourke Quotes

Maybe someday you will understand, that something for nothing is everybody's plan.

There is no such thing on this earth as something for nothing.

It was a mutual thing. I made a deal with them: I asked them if they did not bring out the place card of Malachi, I would let them have two minutes with each one of my patients.

There is no such thing as Something for nothing.

What I'm not saying is that all government spending is bad. It's not - far, far from it, but there is no free lunch, as a former colleague of mine used to say. There is no public tooth fairy. Father Christmas does not work on the Treasury staff this year. You can never bail someone out of trouble without putting someone else into trouble.

Every worker receives from society as much as he has given it.

… the principle of give and take--give one and take ten--the principle of diplomacy.

The first rule of negotiations is that normally you have to give to get.

It is never exactly clear what makes something a quid or a quo.

Everything is a negotiation. Everything is a little bit of give and take.

And what will you give me in return, Severus?' 'In - in return?' Snape gaped at Dumbledore, and Harry expected him to protest, but after a long moment he said, 'Anything.

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

When people do things to make your dream come true, you owe them in one way or another. Everyone understands that for every dream that comes true for you, there might not be a dream coming true for someone else. When we trade one wish for another, there's a price to pay. It works like that

Never take away anything if you have nothing better to offer

If you get something for nothing, part of you may be pleased, but part of you moves your hand to give something back.

If, along the way, something is gained, then something will also be lost.

The value we provide most to others is the same value we appreciate most from others.

Relationships are leverage. If you give value to someone else first, you have leverage.

The president has borrowed more money to spend to less effect than anybody on the planet.

A word of wisdom to you, akribos, you need to learn to accept gifts. (Catera) There’s no such thing as a gift. If I were to take that from you, sooner or later you would ask a favor from me in return. Nothing in life is ever truly given without expectation. (Acheron)

The political process consists entirely of politicians talking out of their butts.

Whatever you compromise to gain, you will lose.

Rule number something or other -- never tell anybody anything unless you're going to get something better in return.

Let's pass a bill to cover the moon with yogurt that will cost $5 trillion today. And then let's pass a bill the next day to cancel that bill. We could save $5 trillion.