--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are helping the people that [George…" description: "\"We are helping the people that [George W.]Bush says are evil. Teheran couldn't be happier about the high oil prices resulting from the Iraq war.\" — Jos..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6f/joseph-stiglitz-1351_evil_we-are-helping-the-people-that-george-w_1613313.jpg" --- # We are helping the people that \[George W.\]Bush says are… ![“We are helping the people that [George W.]Bush says are evil. Teheran couldn't be happier about the high oil prices resulting from the Iraq war.” quote by Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6f/joseph-stiglitz-1351_evil_we-are-helping-the-people-that-george-w_1613313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6f/joseph-stiglitz-1351_evil_we-are-helping-the-people-that-george-w_1613313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6f/joseph-stiglitz-1351_evil_we-are-helping-the-people-that-george-w_1613313.jpg) > “We are helping the people that \[George W.\]Bush says are evil. Teheran couldn't be happier about the high oil prices resulting from the Iraq war.” [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Policies claimed as helping the people are actually benefiting those in power, especially when driven by profit motives. **In simple terms:** Policies may help the powerful, not the people. Key Takeaway Question who benefits. Themes politics economics power media war Mood critical analytical Type political economical When to use this quote - policy analysis - activism - public debate - journalism Key Concepts political economy propaganda oil economics Questions to Reflect On - Who truly benefits from this policy? - How does media framing shape perception? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics can blur moral clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Helping people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-people/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Iraq war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq-war/) [Oil price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oil-price/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The only people benefiting in Iraq war are George Bush's Jr. friends in the oil industry. He has done the American economy and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-only-people-benefiting-in-iraq-war-are-george-bush-s-jr-friends/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Neoconservative Republican President George W. Bush took office determined to aggressively export American democratic values through conflict. The Iraq war, a misdirected response to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/neoconservative-republican-president-george-w-bush-took-office/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [I was in the White House, probably the only administration I'll ever work for. The administration was not a success, neither at home nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-was-in-the-white-house-probably-the-only-administration-i-ll-ever/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [The national debt will have increased by approximately 50% in just eight years! We will have created a new unfunded entitlement - disability and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-national-debt-will-have-increased-by-approximately-50-in-just/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [The country has large unfunded liabilities - social security, health care, and there will have to be some adjustments to these problems. What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-country-has-large-unfunded-liabilities-social-security-health/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [There is a clear and strong link between the economy's present woes and the Iraq war. The war was at least one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/there-is-a-clear-and-strong-link-between-the-economy-s-present-woes/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [In fact, for just about 1/6 of the cost of an Iraq War, we could have put the social security system on sound financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/in-fact-for-just-about-1-6-of-the-cost-of-an-iraq-war-we-could-have/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I'm writing from New Zealand - a country that decided from the beginning that the War was wrong, and chose not to participate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-m-writing-from-new-zealand-a-country-that-decided-from-the/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Most people think the Iraq war has increased the probability of an attack. However, it's difficult to put this aspect into financial terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/most-people-think-the-iraq-war-has-increased-the-probability-of-an/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I find it scandalous not only that there was so little discussion of the costs of the Iraq war before we went to war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-find-it-scandalous-not-only-that-there-was-so-little-discussion-of/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [This Iraq war has been the most "privatized" war in America's history. It has seen the most extensive use of contractors. The contractors have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/this-iraq-war-has-been-the-most-privatized-war-in-america-s-history/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [If you want your energy bills to go up, you should support an ever greater dependence on foreign oil, because the rate of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/if-you-want-your-energy-bills-to-go-up-you-should-support-an-ever/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Oil prices have certainly become a threat for the world economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodrigo-rato/oil-prices-have-certainly-become-a-threat-for-the-world-economy/) [Rodrigo Rato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodrigo-rato/) > [What's new is high oil prices and the economy hates high oil prices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-heinberg/what-s-new-is-high-oil-prices-and-the-economy-hates-high-oil-prices/) [Richard Heinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-heinberg/) > [Let us rid ourselves of the fiction that low oil prices are somehow good for the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/let-us-rid-ourselves-of-the-fiction-that-low-oil-prices-are-somehow/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) ## More by Joseph Stiglitz > [I grew up in a family in which political issues were often discussed, and debated intensely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-grew-up-in-a-family-in-which-political-issues-were-often-discussed/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [But individuals and firms spend an enormous amount of resources acquiring information, which affects their beliefs; and actions of others too affect their beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/but-individuals-and-firms-spend-an-enormous-amount-of-resources/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [China, with its large emerging middle class, is among the big beneficiaries of globalization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/china-with-its-large-emerging-middle-class-is-among-the-big/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Trickle-down economics is a myth. Enriching corporations - as the TPP would - will not necessarily help those in the middle, let alone those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/trickle-down-economics-is-a-myth-enriching-corporations-as-the-tpp/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Some people say we have this inequality because some people have been contributing much more to our society, and so it's fair that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/some-people-say-we-have-this-inequality-because-some-people-have-been/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [It's actually a tribute to the quality of economics teaching that they have persuaded so many generations of students to believe in so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/it-s-actually-a-tribute-to-the-quality-of-economics-teaching-that/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [In an economy, when the government spends more and invests in the economy, that money circulates, and recirculates again and again. So not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/in-an-economy-when-the-government-spends-more-and-invests-in-the/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [The laws of normal economics dictate that lower taxes combined with increased spending will lead to bigger deficits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-laws-of-normal-economics-dictate-that-lower-taxes-combined-with/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [A less healthy America is not going to be as productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/a-less-healthy-america-is-not-going-to-be-as-productive/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [As I noted in my Nobel lecture, an early insight in my work on the economics of information concerned the problem of appropriability -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/as-i-noted-in-my-nobel-lecture-an-early-insight-in-my-work-on-the/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [We noted the psychological problems facing many of the returning from Iraq veterans - of the 700,000 returning veterans, more than a 100,000 have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/we-noted-the-psychological-problems-facing-many-of-the-returning-from/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [World War II was really unusual, because America was in the Great Depression before. So the war did help the US economy to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/world-war-ii-was-really-unusual-because-america-was-in-the-great/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Moreover, because we chose to finance the way by borrowing, our deficits and debt has soared, and this means we have less room for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/moreover-because-we-chose-to-finance-the-way-by-borrowing-our/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I've always been sceptical about the notion that the market is a person you can engage in an argument with, and that that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-ve-always-been-sceptical-about-the-notion-that-the-market-is-a/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [The striking thing about America is - it's historically, extraordinary unusual,I don't of any other instance - is that productivity of workers and wages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-striking-thing-about-america-is-it-s-historically-extraordinary/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) [Explore all 251 Joseph Stiglitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) ## More Bush quotes > [President Bush is a friend of mine. He's not a moron at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/president-bush-is-a-friend-of-mine-he-s-not-a-moron-at-all/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [Obama's policies have been approximately the same as Bush's, though there have been some slight differences, but that's not a great surprise. The Democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-s-policies-have-been-approximately-the-same-as-bush-s-though/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This country was the moral leader of the world until George Bush became president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/this-country-was-the-moral-leader-of-the-world-until-george-bush/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [We're half an hour from Toronto, which offers everything you could want from a city, and a couple of hours from beautiful vacation country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/we-re-half-an-hour-from-toronto-which-offers-everything-you-could/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) > [On election night 2000, I had never met then-Governor Bush, though I'd supported him for years. I believed he would be a strong, optimistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/on-election-night-2000-i-had-never-met-then-governor-bush-though-i-d/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [The president of the United States of North America, George W. Bush, the little gentleman of the North, the political cadaver that is visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/the-president-of-the-united-states-of-north-america-george-w-bush-the/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [Obama and the Democrats were so critical of what Bush did, the interrogations, the secret prisons, Guantanamo and all of that, and even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/obama-and-the-democrats-were-so-critical-of-what-bush-did-the/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [I remember when President Bush, George W. Bush, came into office, he focused on No Child Left Behind, and with - and before very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-remember-when-president-bush-george-w-bush-came-into-office-he/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [ If George Bush \[Jr.\] decided he was going to turn the troops loose on Syria and Iran after that he would last in office… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/if-george-bush-jr-decided-he-was-going-to-turn-the-troops-loose-on/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [I mean, look, no matter how you feel about Bush, watching him speak is difficult. It's like- it's like watching a drunk man cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-mean-look-no-matter-how-you-feel-about-bush-watching-him-speak-is/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [It would be a tragic mistake for us out here to imagine that Bush represents the hearts and the minds of the majority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breyten-breytenbach/it-would-be-a-tragic-mistake-for-us-out-here-to-imagine-that-bush/) [Breyten Breytenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breyten-breytenbach/) > [In the bush, trust no one you don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/in-the-bush-trust-no-one-you-don-t-know/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Leadership is about making decisions with the information you have, not the information people will have 12 years later, i kind of feel sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/leadership-is-about-making-decisions-with-the-information-you-have/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) Browse all 764 Bush quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are helping the people that [George W.]Bush says are evil. 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