Quotes About Government

While the big government culture-identity program that I've called the Next Great Nation movement of 1967–1976 was abandoned, it doesn't mean that it failed completely.

You bet every member of Congress who votes for this bill ought to read it, read it thoroughly, and understand that what we're looking at here amounts to nothing more than a government takeover of our health care economy, paid for with nearly a trillion dollars in new taxes on individuals and small businesses. And it must be opposed.

The conservative movement today is like that tall ship with its proud captain: strong, accomplished but veering off course into the dangerous and uncharted waters of big government republicanism.

Intelligence is playing a more important role in policymaker decisions than I think I've ever seen in my time in Congress or before.

The next few days live in infamy as every level of government screwed up beyond belief. The city of New Orleans filled with water. Citizens who survived the hurricane died, by the hundreds, in the post-storm flood. People were stranded at the Superdome and convention center, the latter of which wasn't even supposed to be a shelter.

In the final analysis all people—and governments alike—act in their self-interest.

A country like Belgium, or socialist countries in central Europe spend more money on art education than the United States, which is a really puzzling thought.

History teaches us, however, that when the times are ripe for change and the government refuses or is unable to change, either society starts to decay or a revolution begins.

You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think.

Freedom in economic arrangements is itself a component of freedom broadly understood, so economic freedom is an end in itself…. Economic freedom is also an indispensable means toward the achievement of political freedom.

We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork.

I am favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it's possible.

The most important ways in which I think the Internet will affect the big issue is that it will make it more difficult for government to collect taxes.

If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand.

The world runs on individuals pursuing their self interests. The great achievements of civilization have not come from government bureaus. Einstein didn't construct his theory under order from a, from a bureaucrat. Henry Ford didn't revolutionize the automobile industry that way.

History suggests that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition.

A society that puts equality... ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom.

I am in favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it's possible.

Spending by government currently amounts to about 45 percent of national income. By that test, government owns 45 percent of the means of production that produce the national income. The U.S. is now 45 percent socialist.

The burden of government is not measured by how much it taxes, but by how much it spends.

A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.

Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.

Government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforce contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property. When government-- in pursuit of good intentions tries to rearrange the economy, legislate morality, or help special interests, the cost come in inefficiency, lack of motivation, and loss of freedom. Government should be a referee, not an active player.

I am favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it's possible.