When people spend their own money on themselves, they are careful about how much they spend and about what they spend it on. If people spend their own money on others, they are careful about how much they spend, but not as careful about what they spend it on. If people spend other peoples money on themselves, they are not careful about how much they spend, but they are careful about what they spend it on. If people spend other people's money on other people they are not careful about the amount of money they spend, nor are they careful about what they spend it on. That is government.
(One of the "Snowflake" memos written by Donald Rumsfeld during his tenure as U.S. Secretary of defense, from Harper's Magazine, May 2011).
(Via TYWKIWDBI.)
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