Nick Smith said "But, see, by definition, if you were to cut out that 500, that means a balanced budget this year. That means no overspending. And I think the pickle that we have got ourselves into by continuing to promise more and more people more and more things that we cannot afford, whether it is Social Security or whether it is Medicare or Medicaid or AFDC or anything else, we are going to have to gradually phase this down. As a conservative that thought we should balance the budget as a high priority, I thought we should do it in 5 years. The decision was: Let us get the economy going with tax breaks and do it in 7 years. So I say OK, but let us take the best, the most frugal budget that gets us closer to the balanced budget, and so far it is the Republican budget." @ PoliticalQuotes.com

On the recordJune 4, 1996

But, see, by definition, if you were to cut out that 500, that means a balanced budget this year. That means no overspending. And I think the pickle that we have got ourselves into by continuing to promise more and more people more and more things that we cannot afford, whether it is Social Security or whether it is Medicare or Medicaid or AFDC or anything else, we are going to have to gradually phase this down. As a conservative that thought we should balance the budget as a high priority, I thought we should do it in 5 years. The decision was: Let us get the economy going with tax breaks and do it in 7 years. So I say OK, but let us take the best, the most frugal budget that gets us closer to the balanced budget, and so far it is the Republican budget.

Said by

Nick Smith

Republican · Michigan

Source

govinfo.gov

Editor's note · Context

Discussing the need for a balanced budget and fiscal responsibility.

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