---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can bet the rent money that whatever…"
description: "\"You can bet the rent money that whatever politicians do will end up harming consumers. ... Economic ignorance is to politicians what idle hands are to ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/walter-e-williams-2709_consumers_you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever_2091999.jpg"
---

#  You can bet the rent money that whatever politicians do…

![“You can bet the rent money that whatever politicians do will end up harming consumers. ... Economic ignorance is to politicians what idle hands are to the devil. Both provide the workshop for the creation of evil.” quote by Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/walter-e-williams-2709_consumers_you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever_2091999.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/walter-e-williams-2709_consumers_you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever_2091999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/walter-e-williams-2709_consumers_you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever_2091999.jpg)

> “You can bet the rent money that whatever politicians do will end up harming consumers. ... Economic ignorance is to politicians what idle hands are to the devil. Both provide the workshop for the creation of evil.”

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Political actions often unintentionally damage consumers, and ignorance fuels harmful outcomes like a devil’s idle hands.

**In simple terms:** Politicians’ ignorance harms consumers.

Key Takeaway

Stay informed and demand accountability.

Themes

politics economics consumer protection

Mood

cautious critical

Type

analytical warning

When to use this quote

- voting decisions
- consumer advocacy
- regulatory review

Key Concepts

externalities information asymmetry public choice

Questions to Reflect On

- How does economic literacy change voter behavior?
- What mechanisms can curb policy ignorance?

A Different Perspective

Assumes all politicians act without intent to help, which may not hold true.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Idle hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idle-hands/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Workshops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workshops/)

## Related quotes

> [although it has been said that idle hands are the devil's workshop, when it comes to teenagers, both idle and active hands are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/although-it-has-been-said-that-idle-hands-are-the-devil-s-workshop/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [The phenomenon of economic ignorance is so widespread, and its consequences so frightening, that the objective of reducing that ignorance becomes a goal invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-kirzner/the-phenomenon-of-economic-ignorance-is-so-widespread-and-its/)

Israel Kirzner

> [New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez relies on a lot of economic ignorance to get you to believe what's not true could be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bongino/new-york-democrat-rep-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-relies-on-a-lot-of/)

[Dan Bongino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bongino/)

> [The commercial broadcasters have tremendous influence in Washington, D.C., for a couple of reasons. First, they're extremely rich and they have lots of money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-commercial-broadcasters-have-tremendous-influence-in-washington-d/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No matter how their leaders may have tried to skimp on money, no one, not even the politicians, who talked themselves red, white, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/no-matter-how-their-leaders-may-have-tried-to-skimp-on-money-no-one/)

[Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/)

> [When a man refuses to take money from those who give money to politicians, you don't pay the piper and sit back and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/when-a-man-refuses-to-take-money-from-those-who-give-money-to/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [This may be news to Big Money politicians, but they actually don't own our votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/this-may-be-news-to-big-money-politicians-but-they-actually-don-t-own/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [I don't really try to get involved politically by giving money to politicians or by saying I'm a Democrat or Republican. Right now, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rubenstein/i-don-t-really-try-to-get-involved-politically-by-giving-money-to/)

[David Rubenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rubenstein/)

> [We must have more union members in this country to fight the political and business forces that are undermining workers in this country. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-hoffa/we-must-have-more-union-members-in-this-country-to-fight-the/)

[James P. Hoffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-hoffa/)

> [“Money is a servant to politicians and the country. But, if the politicians and the country become the servant of the money, the politicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-kemper/money-is-a-servant-to-politicians-and-the-country-but-if-the/)

Oliver Kemper

> [Big Money politicians do not have a new form of entitlement. They do not own our votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/big-money-politicians-do-not-have-a-new-form-of-entitlement-they-do/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [You win the modern financial-regulation game by filing the most motions, attending the most hearings, giving the most money to the most politicians and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/you-win-the-modern-financial-regulation-game-by-filing-the-most/)

[Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/)

> [We need to prioritize ending the influence of corporate special interests and secret money on politicians by limiting the amount of money they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-smith/we-need-to-prioritize-ending-the-influence-of-corporate-special/)

[Tina Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-smith/)

> [The reason I give money to politicians within the limitations of the law is to allow them to put their message across to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/the-reason-i-give-money-to-politicians-within-the-limitations-of-the/)

[Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/)

> [In the United States, unlike any other advanced democracy, money really talks. Our Supreme Court has said that spending money on politicians is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-reid/in-the-united-states-unlike-any-other-advanced-democracy-money-really/)

[T.R. Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-reid/)

## More by Walter E. Williams

> [Vote for me. I'll use my office to take another American's money and give it to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/vote-for-me-i-ll-use-my-office-to-take-another-american-s-money-and/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [Elect me to office. I will protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. Because there's no constitutional authority for Congress spending on the objects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/elect-me-to-office-i-will-protect-and-defend-the-u-s-constitution/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [More important than anything else is for Americans to wise up to class warfare demagoguery and reject the politics of envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/more-important-than-anything-else-is-for-americans-to-wise-up-to/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [Wal-Mart has become the whipping boy for political demagogues, unions and anti-traders. I suggest that they have the wrong target… Wal-Mart exists and prospers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/wal-mart-has-become-the-whipping-boy-for-political-demagogues-unions/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [When the Founders thought of democracy, they saw democracy in the political sphere - a sphere strictly limited by the Constitution's well-defined and enumerated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/when-the-founders-thought-of-democracy-they-saw-democracy-in-the/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [Reaching into one's own pocket to assist his fellow man is noble and worthy of praise. Reaching into another person's pocket to assist one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/reaching-into-one-s-own-pocket-to-assist-his-fellow-man-is-noble-and/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [If there's a distinct group of Americans who harbor open contempt for constitutional principles and rule of law, it's lawyers, judges and members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/if-there-s-a-distinct-group-of-americans-who-harbor-open-contempt-for/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [Conservatives and liberals are kindred spirits as far as government spending is concerned. First, let's make sure we understand what government spending is. Since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/conservatives-and-liberals-are-kindred-spirits-as-far-as-government/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [Students who are alien and hostile to the education process ought to be removed. You say, "What will we do with them?" I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/students-who-are-alien-and-hostile-to-the-education-process-ought-to/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [Minimum-wage laws are one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of racists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/minimum-wage-laws-are-one-of-the-most-powerful-tools-in-the-arsenal/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [What we call the market is really a democratic process involving millions, and in some markets billions, of people making personal decisions that express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/what-we-call-the-market-is-really-a-democratic-process-involving/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [The bottom line is that the true test of one's commitment to freedom of association doesn't come when he allows people to associate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/the-bottom-line-is-that-the-true-test-of-one-s-commitment-to-freedom/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [The difference between a thief and a congressman: When a thief steals your money, he doesn't expect you to thank him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/the-difference-between-a-thief-and-a-congressman-when-a-thief-steals/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [The global warming scare has provided a field day for politicians and others who wish to control our lives. After all, only the imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/the-global-warming-scare-has-provided-a-field-day-for-politicians-and/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [Legislators aren't known for being rocket scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/legislators-aren-t-known-for-being-rocket-scientists/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

[Explore all 153 Walter E. Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

## More Consumers quotes

> [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/)

[Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/)

> [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/)

[Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/)

> [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/)

[Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/)

> [“In a world where consumers had limited choice, you needed to compete for locations,” says Ross, who went on to cofound eCommera, a British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/in-a-world-where-consumers-had-limited-choice-you-needed-to-compete/)

[Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/)

> [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is it is what consumers tell each other it is. - Scott Cook,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cook/a-brand-is-no-longer-what-we-tell-the-consumer-it-is-it-is-what/)

[Scott Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cook/)

> [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/)

[Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/)

> [Why is Caterpillar bad if we create a new job in India or China to receive U.S. exports? It makes no sense to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-r-oberhelman/why-is-caterpillar-bad-if-we-create-a-new-job-in-india-or-china-to/)

[Douglas R. Oberhelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-r-oberhelman/)

> [America always put forth this phony melting pot theory, but it's a reality now. They couldn't accomplish the melting pot economically; they couldn't accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/america-always-put-forth-this-phony-melting-pot-theory-but-it-s-a/)

[Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/)

> [Gaming provides us with some very good signals about consumers and what they're interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-johnson/gaming-provides-us-with-some-very-good-signals-about-consumers-and/)

[Peggy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-johnson/)

> [As consumers adopt crypto, we hope that they'll also be interested in trading equities and options.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/as-consumers-adopt-crypto-we-hope-that-they-ll-also-be-interested-in/)

[Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/)

> [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/)

[James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/)

> [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [Many of us are alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of medical care, including patients, who are the consumers. However, medical malpractice is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-baca/many-of-us-are-alarmed-at-the-skyrocketing-cost-of-medical-care/)

[Joe Baca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-baca/)

> [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

[Browse all 1,606 Consumers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You can bet the rent money that whatever politicians do will end up harming consumers. ... Economic ignorance is to politicians what idle hands are to the devil. Both provide the workshop for the creation of evil.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Walter E. Williams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever-politicians-do-will-end-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Consumers"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever-politicians-do-will-end-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/walter-e-williams-2709_consumers_you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever_2091999.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/walter-e-williams-2709_consumers_you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever_2091999.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/walter-e-williams-2709_consumers_you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever_2091999.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can bet the rent money that whatever politicians do will end up harming consumers. ... Economic…” — Walter E. Williams",
                "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": "Walter E. Williams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You can bet the rent money...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever-politicians-do-will-end-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/you-can-bet-the-rent-money-that-whatever-politicians-do-will-end-up/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
