--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most politically painless way to hand…" description: "\"The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to pass a law saying that somebody else must p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_the-most-politically-painless-way-to-han_755961.jpg" --- # The most politically painless way to hand out goodies… ![“The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to pass a law saying that somebody else must provide those goodies at their expense, while the politicians take credit for generosity and compassion.” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_the-most-politically-painless-way-to-han_755961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_the-most-politically-painless-way-to-han_755961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_the-most-politically-painless-way-to-han_755961.jpg) > “The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to pass a law saying that somebody else must provide those goodies at their expense, while the politicians take credit for generosity and compassion.” [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians often shift financial burdens to others while claiming moral credit, avoiding direct responsibility for costs. **In simple terms:** Politicians shift costs, claim generosity. Key Takeaway Beware of policies that mask hidden expenses. Themes politics economics responsibility Mood skeptical critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - budget planning - social welfare programs - tax legislation - charitable initiatives Key Concepts public finance policy design moral hazard Questions to Reflect On - Who truly pays for these policies? - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? A Different Perspective Such schemes can reduce transparency and public trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Expense Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expense-politicians-5871589/) [Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenses/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Goodies Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodies-taking-5871591/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Painless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painless/) [Politically Painless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politically-painless-5871590/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politicians Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians-credit-3642667/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Provide Goodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provide-goodies-5871588/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Taking responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-responsibility/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Prosperity is something the businessmen created for politicians to take credit for](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/prosperity-is-something-the-businessmen-created-for-politicians-to/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No matter what your political persuasion, you can find a guide that makes it quick, easy and painless to exercise your right to vote.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/no-matter-what-your-political-persuasion-you-can-find-a-guide-that/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [I feel very strongly that we need to give beef cattle a really good life. When they go to slaughter, it needs to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-feel-very-strongly-that-we-need-to-give-beef-cattle-a-really-good/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [If simple, painless solutions to public problems existed, they would have been found long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-rivlin/if-simple-painless-solutions-to-public-problems-existed-they-would/) [Alice Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-rivlin/) > [“Life here is so orderly, so predictable-so painless. It's what they've chosen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/life-here-is-so-orderly-so-predictable-so-painless-it-s-what-they-ve/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [It is unheard-of, uncivilized barbarism that any woman should still be forced to bear such monstrous torture. It should be remedied. 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The transition between life and death would be continuous, painless and scarcely noticeable in this silent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-infeld/it-must-be-good-to-die-in-toronto-the-transition-between-life-and/) [Leopold Infeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-infeld/) > [“Sex with an ex Is it ever really painless or just inviting stress? I mean, really Who does that? Oh wait, I’m sure if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-ramsey/sex-with-an-ex-is-it-ever-really-painless-or-just-inviting-stress-i/) [Natasha Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-ramsey/) > [ The handover of power to \[Dmitry\] Medvedev was rather painless, everybody thought that the waves would calm automatically. By now, it's quite clear that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/the-handover-of-power-to-dmitry-medvedev-was-rather-painless/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [It is important that our relationship with farm animals is reciprocal. We owe animals a decent life and a painless death. I have observed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-important-that-our-relationship-with-farm-animals-is-reciprocal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Painful life is brutal and painless life is superficial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/painful-life-is-brutal-and-painless-life-is-superficial/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [To forget pain is to be painless; to forget care is to be rid of it; to go abroad is to accomplish both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/to-forget-pain-is-to-be-painless-to-forget-care-is-to-be-rid-of-it-to/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## More by Thomas Sowell > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-you-have-always-believed-that-everyone-should-play-by-the-same/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“In 1962, Democratic President John F. Kennedy, like both Democratic and Republican Presidents and Secretaries of the Treasury in earlier years, pointed out that “it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/in-1962-democratic-president-john-f-kennedy-like-both-democratic-and/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Ideological bigotry has become the norm on even our most prestigious campuses, where students can go for years without reading or hearing anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/ideological-bigotry-has-become-the-norm-on-even-our-most-prestigious/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Bailing out people who made ill-advised mortgages makes no more sense that bailing out people who lost their life savings in Las Vegas casinos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/bailing-out-people-who-made-ill-advised-mortgages-makes-no-more-sense/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“One third of all Scots in the mid-nineteenth century moved from one county to another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/one-third-of-all-scots-in-the-mid-nineteenth-century-moved-from-one/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The difference is that we have the hardest and most painful evidence that there was a Holocaust. But, for the global warming scenario that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-difference-is-that-we-have-the-hardest-and-most-painful-evidence/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Just as price fluctuations allocate scarce resources which have alternative uses, price controls which limit those fluctuations reduce the incentives for individuals to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/just-as-price-fluctuations-allocate-scarce-resources-which-have/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The greatest danger to the liberal vision are facts about the consequences of liberalism itself and the laws, policies, and ways of life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-greatest-danger-to-the-liberal-vision-are-facts-about-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Do all children have some inherent right to live in America if they have done nothing wrong? If not, then why should the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/do-all-children-have-some-inherent-right-to-live-in-america-if-they/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“those parts of the British Isles without the advantage of coal deposits or ports, industrialization was as handicapped as in other countries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/those-parts-of-the-british-isles-without-the-advantage-of-coal/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The whole idea of equal justice under law is completely incompatible with the idea of judges deciding cases according to "empathy".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-whole-idea-of-equal-justice-under-law-is-completely-incompatible/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) [Explore all 823 Thomas Sowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to pass a law saying that somebody else must provide those goodies at their expense, while the politicians take credit for generosity and compassion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Sowell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-most-politically-painless-way-to-hand-out-goodies-without-taking/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-most-politically-painless-way-to-hand-out-goodies-without-taking/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_the-most-politically-painless-way-to-han_755961.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_the-most-politically-painless-way-to-han_755961.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_the-most-politically-painless-way-to-han_755961.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to…” — Thomas Sowell", "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": "Thomas Sowell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The most politically painless way to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-most-politically-painless-way-to-hand-out-goodies-without-taking/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-most-politically-painless-way-to-hand-out-goodies-without-taking/#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 } } ] } ```