Thomas Peterffy

It seems like people don't learn from the past.

America's wealth comes from the efforts of people striving for success. Take away their incentive with badmouthing success and you take away the wealth that helps us take care of the needy.

I don't think my basic business strategy is well known by the public, probably because people think it's too simple. My strategy has always been to try to focus in on a product or service where you can create a dollar of value for 20 cents and sell it for 40 cents.

Yes, in socialism the rich will be poorer - but the poor will also be poorer. People will lose interest in really working hard and creating jobs.

The meaning of freedom is in the U.S. Constitution. Republicans want to live by the document's original meaning.

I grew up in a socialist country. And I have seen what that does to people. There is no hope, no freedom. No pride in achievement.

I paid $1.9 billion in taxes in my lifetime.

I see no point in exchanging something that I understand, know, love and think will have a great future for something else that I know much less about.

Discipline is important for everything in life.

Socialism and Communism are extremely attractive to a superficial observer. It is not until you get into the details, or actually experience it, that it becomes apparent that it does not work.

It was a big deal to leave home and my culture and my language. But I believed that in America, I could truly reap what I sowed and that the measure of a man was his ability and determination to succeed. This was the land of boundless opportunity.

I don't think there is anything unusual about a business losing money in certain years.