Tom Graves Quotes

In Wisconsin, I led the Assembly to a balanced budget in face of fierce opposition from the status quo.

We can't let government make long-term commitments that it may not be able to keep.

Remarkably, there are leaders in Washington who don't understand why it's so important for us to have a budget.

It is not an arrogant government that chooses priorities, it's an irresponsible government that fails to choose.

Throughout the 40 years I've been in Washington, I've always worked hard, particularly with regards to the budget issues.

Washington doesn't have just a spending problem, or just an entitlement problem, or just a taxing problem. We have a leadership problem. Fix that, and the first three problems are solved.

It is often said by reformers that government should be conducted upon business principles.

What I'm not saying is that all government spending is bad. It's not - far, far from it, but there is no free lunch, as a former colleague of mine used to say. There is no public tooth fairy. Father Christmas does not work on the Treasury staff this year. You can never bail someone out of trouble without putting someone else into trouble.

Our national leaders could learn some good habits and important lessons from city hall to take the place of the various gimmicks being used in Washington to duck federal budget responsibility.

Government ... simply has no bottom line.

Every year, virtually every governor balances the budget.

Government has not been good about being good stewards of policy.

Good ideas are the backbone of good government.

Unlike the federal government, most states don't have the option of running a deficit.

We have been spending beyond our means, we are going to focus on the projects that we committed to in the election but importantly if there is additional projects or new things that come up they have to have a business case, they have to work and they can't impose financial stress on families and private individuals and businesses.

The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have to get your budget. You have got to put it in order. And they expect their elected officials and their leaders to do likewise.

Keeping a lid on taxes is not just good for the taxpayer. It's a powerful way to force government to be more accountable, set priorities and spend smarter. Let me repeat that: more accountable, set priorities and spend smarter - that's what we need to be about.

We're going to have to control the spending of government.

In order to spur economic growth we need to put the brakes on out of control spending, lower Ohioans tax burden and create a most efficient and effective government.

I think the whole issue of a debt ceiling makes no sense to me whatsoever. Anybody who is remotely adroit at arithmetic doesn't need a debt ceiling to tell you where you are.

Restoring responsibility and accountability is essential to the economic and fiscal health of our nation.

My goal was to do the best job I could in governing the state of Wisconsin, in some cases making very tough decisions to have to bring our spending in line with the resources we had at the state level.

There is a very serious fiscal-policy question of, 'Are we running our overall fiscal policy such that we as a government can pay our bills?'

Rather than waiting to restore fiscal responsibility after we pass legislation, we must work to ensure we remain committed to it as we draft legislation.

I've made a commitment that state spending in Vermont won't grow any more than the rate of inflation plus population growth.