Tom Graves Quotes

Leaders should not just talk about - but walk the walk of - fiscal conservatism.

As Indiana's governor, I balanced eight budgets, never raised taxes, and left the largest surplus in state history. It wasn't always easy. Cuts had to be made and some initiatives deferred. Occasionally I had to say 'no.'

The American people need to know that money is being used effectively because frankly, the nation can't afford careless spending, no matter how well-intentioned.

At a time of tight budgets, unless something is really broken and not working, they [his congressional colleagues] just don't get excited about it.

The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of public moneys.

Like Ike [President Eisenhower] did. Talk economy and then spend away.

The only way to meet the situation [the financial crisis] is spend less money and to run the City of New York within the limits of our resources. Unless you do this, gentlemen, you will have a difficult problem confronting you by the end of this year and the taxpayers of 1922 and the years thereafter will have to pay the price of our present lack of prudence or our unwillingness to economize at the proper time.

Let us have the courage to stop borrowing to meet continuing deficits. Revenues must cover expenditures by one means or another. Any government, like any family, can, for a year, spend a little more than it earns. But you know and I know that a continuation of the habit means the poor house.

The issue is not growth verses fiscal responsibility. We need both!

Actively search for spending bills that I can veto as a sign of … financial stewardship.

I am a governor who left office with a smaller general fund budget than when we started.

Some states like Nebraska have thus far responsibly managed their budgets, even in tough times, and I could not ask Nebraskans to pay for poor governance elsewhere.

To achieve responsible budget savings, government must be retooled with an effective spending-control system.

I've been a conservative when it comes to budgeting issues and streamlining government.

It's no accident that Montana is the most fiscally prudent state in the nation.

I think 'austerity' is a much abused word. I prefer to call it 'fiscal discipline' or financial, 'financial competency.'

There needs to be fiscal common sense.

After a decade of profligacy, the American people are tired of politicians who talk the talk but don't walk the walk when it comes to fiscal responsibility. It's easy to get up in front of the cameras and rant against exploding deficits. What's hard is actually getting deficits under control. But that's what we must do. Like families across the country, we have to take responsibility for every dollar we spend.

Everyone is always in favour of general economy and particular expenditure.

We Hoosiers hold to some quaint notions. Some might say we 'cling' to them, though not out of fear or ignorance. We believe in paying our bills. We have kept our state in the black throughout the recent unpleasantness, while cutting rather than raising taxes, by practicing an old tribal ritual - we spend less money than we take in.

What I wanted to do was see if we couldn't balance the budget.

The financial report makes it very clear that if we got into honest budgeting today, that in fact we would find ourselves with a much larger deficit than we have today.

The budget is tight, and that is exactly where we want it to be and where we need it to be.

As I have traveled throughout my Congressional district, the one thing I heard loud and clear was simply please stop spending money you do not have, rein in spending, live within a budget.

You got to have a courageous president to stand up and says, listen, if - if you send a bill to me that spends more money than what we've coming in, I'll veto it. I mean, I'm going to try to work with you the best I can, but I'm going to veto it.