Richard Epstein Quotes

First of all, I don't like to speak about austerity. I'd prefer to speak of fiscal discipline. Fiscal discipline, in the end, amounts to austerity if it is not accompanied by other policies.

There are many government takers, some of whom do not know that they are government takers, who just don't want there to be other government takers.

I'm a product of Federal spending.

If you tax something, you get less of it. If you subsidize something, you get more of it.

I don't go to the federal government and say, 'Fund my program.'

You can't just magically create subsides through executive fiat.

Obama did inherit a deficit when he came into office. Why this fact justifies racking up vastly more debt and bigger deficits is a logical mystery.

We have a lot of things we give away to people who are very, very wealthy in this country. And I'm not sure that our federal government can afford that.

Of course we have to address the deficit if we win.

You have to take away some of tax breaks for the wealthy, and you have to cut back on some entitlements. Because, unless we do all of these things, it just doesn't work. And what's good theater and what's good politics isn't necessarily good economic policy.

Subsidize... or lend.

Will I obliterate national debt? Sure, why not?

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

Speaker Pelosi says unemployment benefits are economic stimulus. Those are bare-bones benefits.

Corporate welfare isn't necessarily a bad thing.

There is no question that we are in a period in which we are going to have to use those sources to fund about 35 million dollars a year that used to be paid for by the federal government.

For the last 4 years, our Federal Government has produced the four biggest deficits in history, and the estimated 2006 deficit of $423 billion is projected to be the largest of all.

Raising taxes doesn't create jobs, and this is a common sense thing. Washington doesn't get it. They believe if they take more money and send it to Washington, D.C. somehow they create wealth. It doesn't work.

A boatload of government money is indeed a gift. Unless, I suppose, you're one of the saps paying for the cargo.

We want public services but we do not want to pay for them

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it

I was fortunate, I guess, to be part of some good fiscal discipline in the Bush administration. The budget I put forward was a balanced budget.

As our leaders in Washington confront tough decisions about our budget priorities, I urge them to continue federal funding for public broadcasting.

Fiscal policy is a very important part of the tool kit for policy makers.

Taking money in taxes and paying it straight back in subsidies is wrong.