--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're not getting a good return on…" description: "\"We're not getting a good return on investment on all that money we're pumping into the intelligence community. One of the first things I would suggest ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/william-binney-28257_attack_we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-inves_2278751.png" --- # We're not getting a good return on investment on all that… ![“We're not getting a good return on investment on all that money we're pumping into the intelligence community. One of the first things I would suggest is that if there's an attack and they fail to stop it or to alert us before it happens, that we ought to start cutting their budget, and for every…” quote by William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/william-binney-28257_attack_we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-inves_2278751.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/william-binney-28257_attack_we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-inves_2278751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/william-binney-28257_attack_we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-inves_2278751.png) > “We're not getting a good return on investment on all that money we're pumping into the intelligence community. One of the first things I would suggest is that if there's an attack and they fail to stop it or to alert us before it happens, that we ought to start cutting their budget, and for every attack they should lose ten percent of their budget.” [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calls for budget cuts tied to performance failures in intelligence. **In simple terms:** Budget should reflect effectiveness. Key Takeaway Link funding to results. Themes government budget accountability Mood analytical critical Type policy strategic When to use this quote - Policy review - budget planning - security assessments Key Concepts Performance metrics risk management Questions to Reflect On - How to measure intelligence success? - What safeguards prevent underfunding? A Different Perspective Political realities may complicate cuts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [First things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-things/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Return on investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return-on-investment/) ## Related quotes > [Rather than address the priorities of the middle class, the Ryan budget is an attack on American seniors, students, workers, and families - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albio-sires/rather-than-address-the-priorities-of-the-middle-class-the-ryan/) [Albio Sires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albio-sires/) > [I've been a soldier all my life. I've fought from the ranks on up, you know my service. But sir, I must tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shaara/i-ve-been-a-soldier-all-my-life-i-ve-fought-from-the-ranks-on-up-you-2/) [Michael Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shaara/) > [The more time a girl spends in the classroom, the higher the return on investment for her time, and the beneficiaries are stronger families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tae-yoo/the-more-time-a-girl-spends-in-the-classroom-the-higher-the-return-on/) [Tae Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tae-yoo/) > [Economic research demonstrates that tax dollars spent in early childhood development provide extraordinary return on investment-16% for high quality programs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greenwald/economic-research-demonstrates-that-tax-dollars-spent-in-early/) [Robert Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greenwald/) > [For me, philanthropic return on investment is about making the biggest impact possible on fellow human beings, regardless of country, race or religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-sager/for-me-philanthropic-return-on-investment-is-about-making-the-biggest/) Bobby Sager > [I can find lots of examples where a game won't make you rich, but I can't find a reasonable case where a Linux port…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-c-gordon/i-can-find-lots-of-examples-where-a-game-won-t-make-you-rich-but-i/) [Ryan C. Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-c-gordon/) > [I don't fault business. If you run a corporation, your job is to maximize the return on investment for your investors. Good for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-don-t-fault-business-if-you-run-a-corporation-your-job-is-to/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Efficiency innovations provide return on investment in 12-18 months. Empowering innovations take 5-10 years to yield a return. We have ample capital - oceans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/efficiency-innovations-provide-return-on-investment-in-12-18-months/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [Most people that derail as leaders in the corporate world, it's not because they couldn't do the math and calculate return on investment properly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/most-people-that-derail-as-leaders-in-the-corporate-world-it-s-not/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Africa offers the highest return on investment in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/africa-offers-the-highest-return-on-investment-in-the-world/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Isn't it ironic that pay, perks, and benefits all cost your company at the bottom line, but authentic recognition, especially when it's most unexpected,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-conley/isn-t-it-ironic-that-pay-perks-and-benefits-all-cost-your-company-at/) [Chip Conley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-conley/) > [Educating girls and women and equipping them with ICT skills offers a clear return on investment for society: stronger families, stronger communities, stronger economies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tae-yoo/educating-girls-and-women-and-equipping-them-with-ict-skills-offers-a/) [Tae Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tae-yoo/) > [Twitter is like hugging. Just because it's hard to measure the return on investment doesn't mean there isn't value there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/twitter-is-like-hugging-just-because-it-s-hard-to-measure-the-return/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [While business advertises, charity is taught to beg. While business motivates with a dollar, charity is told to motivate with guilt. While business takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pallotta/while-business-advertises-charity-is-taught-to-beg-while-business/) [Dan Pallotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pallotta/) > [“Clients who understand the return on investment you offer will jump at the chance to work with you. To”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-port/clients-who-understand-the-return-on-investment-you-offer-will-jump/) [Michael Port](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-port/) ## More by William Binney > [No NSA director did as much damage to the agency as Gen. Michael V. Hayden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/no-nsa-director-did-as-much-damage-to-the-agency-as-gen-michael-v/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [I call people who are covering up NSA crimes traitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/i-call-people-who-are-covering-up-nsa-crimes-traitors/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [Trailblazer was the NSA's attempt to catch up with the digital age. The problem is, Trailblazer didn't do anything. As far as I know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/trailblazer-was-the-nsa-s-attempt-to-catch-up-with-the-digital-age/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [FBI wants to know everything about you, and you're not supposed to know anything about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/fbi-wants-to-know-everything-about-you-and-you-re-not-supposed-to/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [When I left NSA, it was with an understanding that you can never underestimate the power of large numbers of stupid people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/when-i-left-nsa-it-was-with-an-understanding-that-you-can-never/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [The problem with a group is, the more people you add, the lower the average IQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/the-problem-with-a-group-is-the-more-people-you-add-the-lower-the/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [You don't hear anybody talking about what FBI is doing with the NSA collected data. That's because they're doing it in secret. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/you-don-t-hear-anybody-talking-about-what-fbi-is-doing-with-the-nsa/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [I think the FISA court's basically totally irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/i-think-the-fisa-court-s-basically-totally-irrelevant/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [The spooks are all cowards. Sunlight is the solution to these things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/the-spooks-are-all-cowards-sunlight-is-the-solution-to-these-things/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [At least 80% of fibre-optic cables globally go via the U.S. This is no accident and allows the U.S. to view all communication coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/at-least-80-of-fibre-optic-cables-globally-go-via-the-u-s-this-is-no/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [Reagan used to say that 'we're a country with a government.' Well, now we're a government with a country, and we're making everybody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/reagan-used-to-say-that-we-re-a-country-with-a-government-well-now-we/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [The ultimate goal of the NSA is total population control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/the-ultimate-goal-of-the-nsa-is-total-population-control/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [Data is not intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/data-is-not-intelligence/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [You've got the NSA doing all this collecting of material on all of its citizens - that's what the SS, the Gestapo, the Stasi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/you-ve-got-the-nsa-doing-all-this-collecting-of-material-on-all-of/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [The NSA's vision statement is: keep the problem going so the money keeps flowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/the-nsa-s-vision-statement-is-keep-the-problem-going-so-the-money/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) [Explore all 19 William Binney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) ## More Attack quotes > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [The best way to counter-attack a hater is to make it blatantly obvious that their attack has had no impact on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/the-best-way-to-counter-attack-a-hater-is-to-make-it-blatantly/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Everything has got a place in my house. If something is moved I get a panic attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rylan-clark-neal/everything-has-got-a-place-in-my-house-if-something-is-moved-i-get-a/) [Rylan Clark-Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rylan-clark-neal/) > [I mean, it's not just the rappers, you know what i'm saying? People want to attack anybody that's a large figure, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notorious-b-i-g/i-mean-it-s-not-just-the-rappers-you-know-what-i-m-saying-people-want/) [The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-notorious-b-i-g/) > [Sometimes when you take a tough action against one side in the conflict, they see you as part of the conflict and they attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/sometimes-when-you-take-a-tough-action-against-one-side-in-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/free-speech-has-a-very-small-constituency-on-the-modern-campus/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [Daniil is a player who will not give you many chances to attack. If I have enough power and choose the right moment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/daniil-is-a-player-who-will-not-give-you-many-chances-to-attack-if-i/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [Distributed ledgers are inherently harder to attack because instead of a single database, there are multiple shared copies of the same database, so a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/distributed-ledgers-are-inherently-harder-to-attack-because-instead/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [Attack life. It's going to kill you anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/attack-life-it-s-going-to-kill-you-anyways/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For those of us in the political business, generally, it's been pretty much an unwritten but understood rule that family and children are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/for-those-of-us-in-the-political-business-generally-it-s-been-pretty/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) Browse all 1,074 Attack quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're not getting a good return on investment on all that money we're pumping into the intelligence community. One of the first things I would suggest is that if there's an attack and they fail to stop it or to alert us before it happens, that we ought to start cutting their budget, and for every attack they should lose ten percent of their budget.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Binney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-investment-on-all-that-money-we-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attack" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-investment-on-all-that-money-we-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/william-binney-28257_attack_we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-inves_2278751.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/william-binney-28257_attack_we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-inves_2278751.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e58/william-binney-28257_attack_we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-inves_2278751.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're not getting a good return on investment on all that money we're pumping into the intelligence…” — William Binney", "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": "William Binney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're not getting a good return...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-investment-on-all-that-money-we-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/we-re-not-getting-a-good-return-on-investment-on-all-that-money-we-re/#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 } } ] } ```