Pound Foolish

It would be so penny-wise, pound-foolish it would be ridiculous, said the banker. ❋ The Huffington Post News Team (2010)

Fiscal responsibility requires a long-term economic growth strategy, and cutting in areas like technology and infrastructure is penny-wise but pound-foolish. ❋ Teryn Norris (2011)

This penny-foolish, pound-foolish maneuver cut muscle from vital public health efforts and left a huge chunk of budgetary fat untouched. ❋ Elizabeth Kucinich (2011)

More important, some of the cuts were pennywise and pound-foolish, at least when it comes to protecting the environment, public health and the economy. ❋ Elliott Negin (2011)

Withdrawal is a penny-wise but pound-foolish approach to an enduring national security problem. ❋ Kimberly Kagan (2011)

If the governors really want to look out for the financial best interests of their constituents, it's time to stop making penny-wise, pound-foolish choices, and make the critical investments that will pay off for their states over the long term. ❋ Rob Kerth (2011)

Restore and strengthen the federal productivity measures—starting with basic ones, such as money orders sold by the postal service, or cases of diabetes prevented by early-intervention programs of the Health and Human Services Department—that were abolished during the 1994 budget crisis in a penny-wise, pound-foolish purge of small-scale programs. ❋ Paul C. Light (2011)

One could go on, but the important lesson to remember for would-be reformers is that in their zeal to cull waste and limit the scope of the federal government, they don't get caught up being "penny-wise, pound-foolish." ❋ Edward Flattau (2012)

That balloon-bodied dude with clogged arteries in the ER never eats health-food stuff "'cuz it [costs too much]" --- talk about "penny-wise and pound-foolish" --- [what good] is being a penny-pincher and "[fattening]" your bank account if you're also gradually fattening YOURSELF in the process??? ❋ QuacksO (2018)