Kent Conrad Quotes

Since 1980, we've used reconciliation 22 times, and out of those times, Republicans used it 16 times. So, earth to my Republican friends, you can have your option but you cannot change these facts. They're in the Congressional Record.

The easiest things to do in Congress are to cut taxes and raise spending.

In 2001, Republicans used reconciliation to pass President Bush's $1.35 trillion tax cut that mainly benefited the wealthy.

To reduce deficit spending and our enormous debt, you reign in spending. You cut the budget. You don't take more from the private sector and grow government with it. And that's exactly what Obama has in mind with this expiration of Bush tax cuts proposal of his.

The Tea Party knows that continuing to delay charting a course to spending reform hurts everybody.

One of the reasons we don't have our deficit under control is because Republicans are wusses and won't tell their base a simple fact that everyone knows. We can't eliminate the deficit without raising some revenue... They're wusses.

People question me all the time about my experience. They question my experience in politics, and the first thing I always tell them is yes, I have no experience raising taxes over and over. I have no experience increasing the debt in a state.

The real goal should be reduced government spending, rather than balanced budgets achieved by ever rising tax rates to cover ever rising spending.

Look, I'm very much in favor of tax cuts, but not with borrowed money. And the problem that we've gotten into in recent years is spending programs with borrowed money, tax cuts with borrowed money, and at the end of the day that proves disastrous. And my view is I don't think we can play subtle policy here.

Now make no mistake, I think we need a strong dose of fiscal conservatism in Washington, D.C.

Even with not having a balanced budget at this time, I support tax cuts. That will help limit spending.

I would also say Barack Obama has spent much, much, much, much more money than the Republicans.

While the deficit and debt are serious problems, I oppose solving these problems by raising taxes.

When Republicans say, 'The first thing you do when you do deficit reduction is reduce rates,' it would be like Democrats saying, 'The first thing you do when you do deficit reduction is provide free Medicare at age 55.' We'd like to do that! But it won't bring the deficit down. That's for sure.

I think you're going to see a number of Democrats that do want to see us grapple with spending.

The problems seem so easy out there on the stump. Deficits shrink with a rhetorical flourish.

To be fair, Republicans are not blameless. The deficit began to spiral out of control on President Bush's watch.

In the end, all Republicans want to make sure we don't increase taxes. That's where we differ with the Democrats.

Never before in the history of civilization has there been a tax cut in time of war.

The best legislator is the one who votes for all appropriations and against all taxes.

While deficits are often inflationary and always pernicious, curing them by raising taxes is equivalent to curing an illness by shooting the patient.

I've made a commitment that any tax increase, I'm going to veto. It's the worst thing we could do. We have an amount of money to spend. That's it.

The polls are with us on this. They say the American people, more than anything, want to see spending cuts rather than tax increases.

Will some reporter, or some Republican on the Sunday shows, please ask why tax cuts raid the non-existent Social Security Trust Fund but all the Democrats' new spending doesn't? Will someone please ask that?

I think to balance the budget, probably every federal department has to take cuts in my opinion.