Political Quotes

Barney Frank: “I would correct the gentleman on one thing. Remember, when we take programs for the poor and we do not keep them up with…”

On the recordJune 25, 1996
I would correct the gentleman on one thing. Remember, when we take programs for the poor and we do not keep them up with inflation, that is not a cut, that is an increase. It is only a cut when we fail to give an inflationary increase for the military and for science and for agriculture. So the gentleman should be clear. When the poor people fail to get enough money to keep up with inflation, they should be grateful for the little we gave them in the first place. It is only when the military or science or those other favored programs do not get inflation that an increase is a cut.
Said by
Barney Frank
Democratic · Massachusetts

Editor's note · Context

Discussing the implications of inflation on funding for social programs versus military and science funding.

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