# Quote — David Cay Johnston, Free Lunch

> Throughout his writings Smith warned of the damage done when government interferes in the market by guaranteeing profits or by handing out gifts. This damage can exceed that caused when government taxes unwisely or imposes rules that needlessly obstruct commerce.

- Author: [David Cay Johnston](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-cay-johnston.md)
- Book: [Free Lunch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-cay-johnston/free-lunch.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/David_Cay_Johnston#Free_Lunch_(2007)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-cay-johnston/free-lunch/throughout-his-writings

## More from this book

> In 2006... China, Japan, Canada, and Mexico—accounted for 60 percent of our worldwide trade deficit of $764 billion.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-cay-johnston/free-lunch/in-2006-china.md)

> In 2006 the trade deficit with China reached $232 billion. ...more than $60 per month for every man, woman and child in America. ...In 2004 when the trade deficit... was $161 billion, it was... more than the $126 billion of income taxes paid by the bottom 75% of Americans.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-cay-johnston/free-lunch/in-2006-the.md)

> [P]residents of companies have gone from apologizing when they had to lay off workers to boasting of the riches... obtained through mass firings. ...[I]nvestors ...owe their wealth ...to buying companies in deals that required destroying lives and careers

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-cay-johnston/free-lunch/p-residents-of-companies.md)