Sam Brownback Quotes

While our nation faces many challenges that must be met regarding homeland security and our military readiness, it is imperative that we live within our means and wisely spend taxpayer dollars.

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.

Our system of keeping the federal government's books is a monument to the creativity of mankind ... We've cut government spending for 15 years in a row, and yet have spent more money in each of those years.

Economy in government does not mean spending little ... It means spending what you have and spending it well.

I did not come into government to win an award as the great accountant in the sky and balance budgets.

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

We are saving taxpayers' money, I believe I am doing a very good job at mayor.

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

You know, even people who talk about cutting spending and they go 'That's not the spending that I was actually talking about that you're supposed to be cutting.' Well, we have to be looking across the board.

It is time for us to insist that we are accountable for the money that we are spending.

I am not one of those who believe that we are bound to vote supplies to cover a deficiency in the treasury whenever called on, without investigating the causes which occasioned it.

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.

I believe the only measure of government response shouldn't be how much we spend on a situation, but rather how well we spend.

It's a bit ridiculous to have people who have two years of experience handling an $83 billion budget.

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

Putting together a sustainable budget requires that we all work together, that we focus our scarce resources on key priorities, and that we strengthen our capacity to deliver the best product we can for the American people. And that takes money.

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.

We have to be realistic about what the state can afford, and put an end to abuses of the system that cost millions.

He told people he’d run Arizona like a business. Every Arizonan has been praying that he didn’t mean his business.

Government ... simply has no bottom line.

Under no circumstances will I allow expenditures upon works not clearly national.

What would be better is to discipline our lawmakers in Sacramento so that they do not spend more money than they have.

Government does not have basic business sense.

Congress is not an ATM