In terms of the overall economy, we've got challenges and the big focus has got to be on recovery, on repair, and that's going to take a while.

I'm a straightforward person. I like to be direct with people.

I don't see (subprime mortgage market troubles) imposing a serious problem. I think it's going to be largely contained.

It's a safe banking system, a sound banking system. Our regulators are on top of it. This is a very manageable situation.

Our overriding goal in restructuring our financial architecture should be that taxpayers never again have to save a failing financial institution.

There's always light at the end of the tunnel, right? It just depends on how long the tunnel is.

I never once considered that it was appropriate to put taxpayer money on the line in resolving Lehman Brothers.

In just about every area of society, there's nothing more important than ethics.

Economic growth and environmental protection are not at odds. They're opposite sides of the same coin if you're looking at longer-term prosperity.

Every global concern - economic, environmental or security-related - can be addressed more effectively when the U.S. and China work together.

Regulation needs to catch up with innovation.

Better to be driven out from among men than to be disliked of children.

You must strive with all possible care to please God in such a manner as neither to do nor behold anything, without first consulting Him, and in everything to seek Him alone and His glory.

If we want to save our planet earth, we have a duty to put an end to the capitalist system.

Real luxury is time and opportunity to read for pleasure

No person who examines and reflects, can avoid seeing that there is but one race of people on the earth, who differ from each other only according to the soil and the climate in which they live.

Our nation is well equipped to make the transition. We have an abundance of natural resources like wind, natural gas, solar and geothermal.

I wrote a study about this question, The Lessons of October, which served as a pretext for my elimination from the government.

What people often mean by getting rid of conflict is getting rid of diversity, and it is of the utmost importance that these should not be considered the same.

It is nothing to succeed if one has not taken great trouble, and it is nothing to fail if one has done the best one could.

He gives before he is asked.