--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Given the current state of our finances…" description: "\"Given the current state of our finances, we could sure use a quarter of a trillion dollars a year recycling through the U.S. economy rather than throug..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/t-boone-pickens-9502_currents_given-the-current-state-of-our-finances_2113335.jpg" --- # Given the current state of our finances, we could sure use… ![“Given the current state of our finances, we could sure use a quarter of a trillion dollars a year recycling through the U.S. economy rather than through the economies of Iran, Russia, and Venezuela.” quote by T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/t-boone-pickens-9502_currents_given-the-current-state-of-our-finances_2113335.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/t-boone-pickens-9502_currents_given-the-current-state-of-our-finances_2113335.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/t-boone-pickens-9502_currents_given-the-current-state-of-our-finances_2113335.jpg) > “Given the current state of our finances, we could sure use a quarter of a trillion dollars a year recycling through the U.S. economy rather than through the economies of Iran, Russia, and Venezuela.” [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Redirecting domestic spending to U.S. recycling could boost economic activity and reduce reliance on hostile nations. **In simple terms:** Use U.S. money for U.S. economy instead of foreign adversaries. Key Takeaway Invest locally to strengthen the economy. Themes economics energy policy national security Mood optimistic strategic Type policy economic When to use this quote - budget planning - policy advocacy - investment decisions Key Concepts fiscal stimulus recycling trade balance Questions to Reflect On - How can domestic recycling be scaled quickly? - What are the risks of cutting foreign aid? A Different Perspective Political opposition may limit budget reallocation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Currents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currents/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Economy Economies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy-economies-4276127/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Quarter Trillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarter-trillion-4276125/) [Quarters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarters/) [Recycling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recycling/) [Recycling Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recycling-economy-4276124/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Trillion Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trillion-dollars-380836/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Venezuela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venezuela/) [Year Recycling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-recycling-4276126/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [America's military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers, and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-s-military-is-second-to-none-in-the-world-we-re-blessed-with/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [OK, so $1 trillion is what it costs to run the federal government for one year. So this money's going to run through September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-davis/ok-so-1-trillion-is-what-it-costs-to-run-the-federal-government-for/) [Susan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-davis/) > [When you cut a half-a-trillion dollars from the defense budget, it affects almost every area in the defense budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/when-you-cut-a-half-a-trillion-dollars-from-the-defense-budget-it/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [America is not better off than it was $1.8 trillion dollars ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-is-not-better-off-than-it-was-1-8-trillion-dollars-ago/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [You can't pay for healthcare if we're sending a trillion dollars a year to dictators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schweitzer/you-can-t-pay-for-healthcare-if-we-re-sending-a-trillion-dollars-a/) [Brian Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schweitzer/) > [A respected health economist said that these plans would cost a trillion dollars more a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-respected-health-economist-said-that-these-plans-would-cost-a/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Dad was supportive, intelligent, read to me as a kid, left me a trillion dollars. It's hard to complain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-remender/dad-was-supportive-intelligent-read-to-me-as-a-kid-left-me-a-trillion/) [Rick Remender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-remender/) > [We have now spent 1 trillion dollars waging the drug war since it began. A trillion. Those funds could have been used for education,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/we-have-now-spent-1-trillion-dollars-waging-the-drug-war-since-it/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [When he wins the bet, I tell Griggs that it will take me a lifetime to save up two trillion dollars and he tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/when-he-wins-the-bet-i-tell-griggs-that-it-will-take-me-a-lifetime-to/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Thirty trillion dollars worth of services, scot-free to humanity, every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/thirty-trillion-dollars-worth-of-services-scot-free-to-humanity-every/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Obama and Biden want to raise taxes by a trillion dollars. Guess what? Yes we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/obama-and-biden-want-to-raise-taxes-by-a-trillion-dollars-guess-what/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [We could curtail private spending by several trillion dollars a year without requiring painful sacrifices from anyone. That would be more than enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/we-could-curtail-private-spending-by-several-trillion-dollars-a-year/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [In speech after speech on his health care plan, the President has tried to convince us that what he is proposing will be good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-brown/in-speech-after-speech-on-his-health-care-plan-the-president-has/) [Scott Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-brown/) > [When we're talking about a trillion dollars of taxpayer money, "trust me" just isn't good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/when-we-re-talking-about-a-trillion-dollars-of-taxpayer-money-trust/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It is a foregone opportunity that we could have a trillion dollars more of income for the United States if we were producing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-foregone-opportunity-that-we-could-have-a-trillion-dollars/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by T. Boone Pickens > [I don't believe in a price on carbon, because the government is going to control it and they're going to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/i-don-t-believe-in-a-price-on-carbon-because-the-government-is-going/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [If somebody I don't like gets in the crosshairs, I pull the trigger. But I don't hunt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/if-somebody-i-don-t-like-gets-in-the-crosshairs-i-pull-the-trigger/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [The cheapest natural gas in the world is in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/the-cheapest-natural-gas-in-the-world-is-in-the-united-states/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [We've got all these politicians talking about better health care and what all, but believe me, we're not going to have the money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/we-ve-got-all-these-politicians-talking-about-better-health-care-and/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [When you look at a commodities market you need hedgers and speculators. If you don't have one, you don't have a market. That's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/when-you-look-at-a-commodities-market-you-need-hedgers-and/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [It has become cheaper to look for oil on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange than in the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/it-has-become-cheaper-to-look-for-oil-on-the-floor-of-the-new-york/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [A fool with a plan can outsmart a genius with no plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/a-fool-with-a-plan-can-outsmart-a-genius-with-no-plan/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [You can't invest in natural gas on a daily basis. It's too volatile. But if you think of natural gas as a long-term holding,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/you-can-t-invest-in-natural-gas-on-a-daily-basis-it-s-too-volatile/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [We're going to have shortages and prices are going to go up. Gasoline is going to be extremely tight for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/we-re-going-to-have-shortages-and-prices-are-going-to-go-up-gasoline/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Fundamentals make the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/fundamentals-make-the-market/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [I've always believed that it's important to show a new look periodically. Predictability can lead to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/i-ve-always-believed-that-it-s-important-to-show-a-new-look/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Work eight hours and sleep eight hours, and make sure that they are not the same eight hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/work-eight-hours-and-sleep-eight-hours-and-make-sure-that-they-are/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader. Don't fall victim to what I call the 'ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/be-willing-to-make-decisions-that-s-the-most-important-quality-in-a/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [I don't go looking for somewhere to spend my money. You can step on a tube of toothpaste for a week, if you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/i-don-t-go-looking-for-somewhere-to-spend-my-money-you-can-step-on-a/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Predictability can lead to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/predictability-can-lead-to-failure/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) [Explore all 72 T. Boone Pickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) ## More Currents quotes > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [I take the seashell from my jeans pocket and rub my fingers across its silken, indented surface, shallow as my own open hand. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-take-the-seashell-from-my-jeans-pocket-and-rub-my-fingers-across/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I earn my living by teaching film, mostly filmmaking but also teaching courses on current cinema. I'm interested in movies. I hope that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-andersen/i-earn-my-living-by-teaching-film-mostly-filmmaking-but-also-teaching/) [Thom Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-andersen/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-seed-of-your-next-artwork-lies-embedded-in-the-imperfections-of/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) > [The book is like the spoon, scissors, the hammer, the wheel. Once invented, it cannot be improved. You cannot make a spoon that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-book-is-like-the-spoon-scissors-the-hammer-the-wheel-once/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/something-i-like-to-do-a-lot-is-just-sit-by-water-when-there-s-a/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Read things you're sure will disagree with your current thinking. If you're a die-hard anti-animal person, read Meat. If you're a die-hard global warming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/read-things-you-re-sure-will-disagree-with-your-current-thinking-if/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [All becomes easy when we follow the current of opinion; it is the ruler of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/all-becomes-easy-when-we-follow-the-current-of-opinion-it-is-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Donald Trump said he will not decide about a possible run for the presidency until after the current season of Celebrity Apprentice wraps up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/donald-trump-said-he-will-not-decide-about-a-possible-run-for-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) [Browse all 2,019 Currents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Given the current state of our finances, we could sure use a quarter of a trillion dollars a year recycling through the U.S. economy rather than through the economies of Iran, Russia, and Venezuela.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T. Boone Pickens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/given-the-current-state-of-our-finances-we-could-sure-use-a-quarter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Currents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/given-the-current-state-of-our-finances-we-could-sure-use-a-quarter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/t-boone-pickens-9502_currents_given-the-current-state-of-our-finances_2113335.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/t-boone-pickens-9502_currents_given-the-current-state-of-our-finances_2113335.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/t-boone-pickens-9502_currents_given-the-current-state-of-our-finances_2113335.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Given the current state of our finances, we could sure use a quarter of a trillion dollars a year recycling…” — T. Boone Pickens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "T. Boone Pickens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Given the current state of our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/given-the-current-state-of-our-finances-we-could-sure-use-a-quarter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/given-the-current-state-of-our-finances-we-could-sure-use-a-quarter/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```