The Week in Words: Chrysler's payback; is worst over?

"Conflicts are unavoidable when your business model relies on your getting wealthy at someone else's expense."

- Lynn Stout, a professor of corporate and securities law at the University of California, Los Angeles, on criticism of Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

"If Chrysler wants to pay us back, we will keep the Treasury open late to get their check."

- Treasury official Ron Bloom

"The expansion should no longer be described as fragile."

- economist Dean Maki, on projections of increased consumer spending
in 2011
"Is the worst behind us? I think it is. The Fed and RealtyTrac do not. My gut tells me they are too pessimistic."

- economist Patrick Newport, on predictions that home repossessions will increase in 2011

"Those lawmakers who advocate 'Ending the Fed' might better turn their considerable talents toward ending the fiscal debacle that has for too long run amok within their own house. The Fed does not create government debt; fiscal authorities do."

- Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas president Richard Fisher

"Unanimity is not the natural state of affairs in life. Nor is it within the halls of the Federal Reserve."

- Philadelphia Fed president Charles I. Plosser, on his doubts about some Fed actions

"If you think back one year or two years ago, there was no way that AIG could have raised, you know, $2 in the market, let alone $2 billion."

- American International Group Inc. chairman Steve Miller

"Most carriers would still make money in 2011 in a $100 oil environment."

- airline analyst James Higgins, on the industry's profit expectations, even as per-barrel oil prices increase