“I ask Congressmen why they have such close relations with Armenia, and they say that the Armenian Diaspora gives them a lot of money. Is that corruption or not?”

— Heydar Aliyev

Answering the question of Jeffrey Goldberg "What sort of corruption do you see in America?" October 4, 1998, The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/04/magazine/the-crude-face-of-global-capitalism.html?pagewanted=all.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update March 28, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I ask Congressmen why they have such close relations with Armenia, and they say that the Armenian Diaspora gives them a…" by Heydar Aliyev?

Heydar Aliyev 4

Soviet and Azerbaijani politician 1923–2003

Related quotes

“The world saw and understood that, when it comes to the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, they have to deal not just with Armenia with its three million population, but with the ten million Armenians. And let no one ignore the fact that, contrary to any slogans, the Armenian nation is united in its goals and is strong with its sons and daughters.”

Serzh Sargsyan (1954) Armenian politician, 3rd President of Armenia

Address of the President of Armenia to the people of the Republic of Armenia and to all Armenians http://www.president.am/events/news/eng/?day=10&month=10&year=2009&id=751 (October 10, 2009)

“They think we should be more “spiritual;” that is to say, willing to live upon the labor of others; willing to ask alms, saying, in the meantime, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” If this is so, why not give the money back?”

Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–1899) Union United States Army officer

"The Brooklyn Divines." Brooklyn Union (Brooklyn, NY), 1883.

“We are confident that the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations can become the greatest input of the recent decades in achieving peace and stability in the South Caucasus. With this vision, we have agreed to move forward without any preconditions, not making our relations contingent upon Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide. However, if, as many suspect, it is proven that Turkey’s goal is to protract, rather than to normalize relations, we will have to discontinue the process.”

Serzh Sargsyan (1954) Armenian politician, 3rd President of Armenia

Speech by President Serzh Sargsyan in the Chatham House British Royal Institute of International Affairs http://www.president.am/events/news/eng/?search=Chatham+House&id=898 (February 10, 2010)

“I get that a lot because I've hung around with a lot of artists and I'm very close to a lot of them. I'm very involved in their work; I think a lot of my ideas have grown out of it, and that there's been some give and take.”

Frank Gehry (1929) Canadian-American (b.1929)

Source: Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe, Frank Gehry, The City and Music (2002)

“I began to visit Armenia as soon as I had earned the necessary money.”

William Saroyan (1908–1981) American writer

First Visit to Armenia (1935)

“If the goal is to help the poor, why not give them the money directly?”

Harvey S. Rosen (1949) American economist

Source: Public Finance - International Edition - Sixth Edition, Chapter 20, Public Finance in a Federal System, p. 501
Context: Why should the central government be in the business of giving unconditional grants to states and localities? The usual response is that such grants can equalize the income distribution. It is not clear that this argument stands up under scrutiny. Even if a goal of public policy is to help poor people, it does not follow that the best way to do so is to help poor communities. After all, the chances that a community with a low average income will probably have some relatively rich members and vice versa. If the goal is to help the poor, why not give them the money directly?