"Uncertainty is killing this economy"
About this Quote
The subtext points toward Washington without having to say "Democrats" or "regulation". "Uncertainty" becomes a catchall for taxes that might rise, rules that might tighten, health-care costs that might shift - all framed as unknowable threats. That vagueness is the point. You can pour any grievance into it, and it still sounds pragmatic rather than partisan. It’s an accusation that doesn’t require evidence, because anxiety itself becomes the proof.
Context matters: Cain emerged in the post-2008 era when frustration with slow recovery and distrust of institutions were combustible. Conservatives often argued that stimulus and reform created "policy uncertainty" that scared capital off the sidelines. The line flatters a certain self-image: the economy is a machine; entrepreneurs would fix it if politicians stopped changing the settings. It’s persuasive because it translates ideology into the language of common sense risk management - and because it offers an emotionally satisfying culprit for a crisis that otherwise feels too big, too complex, and too systemic to pin down.
Quote Details
| Topic | Money |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Cain, Herman. (2026, January 15). Uncertainty is killing this economy. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/uncertainty-is-killing-this-economy-20008/
Chicago Style
Cain, Herman. "Uncertainty is killing this economy." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/uncertainty-is-killing-this-economy-20008/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Uncertainty is killing this economy." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/uncertainty-is-killing-this-economy-20008/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.






