The American wage earner and the American housewife are a lot better economists than most economists care to admit. They know that a government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the role of ordinary Americans in understanding the potential pitfalls of an overly powerful government. It suggests that everyday individuals, such as wage earners and housewives, possess a keen awareness of the potential consequences involved in a government that promises to meet all their needs and desires. They realize that a government with the ability to provide everything desired is also capable of taking away everything owned, highlighting the importance of preserving individual freedoms and remaining skeptical of unchecked state authority.