Political Quotes

Adam Smith: Balancing the budget and getting rid of the national debt was the No. 1 issue the American people sent us here to do. We…

On the recordJanuary 24, 1995
Balancing the budget and getting rid of the national debt was the No. 1 issue the American people sent us here to do. We cannot spend our way to recovery. Let us talk about what people really want. They want a strong America, an America in the future that will be able to pay its debt, and not have an America that cannot take care of its children; an America that can take care or paying the Social Security commitments that we have made to the elderly, not a bankrupt America that cannot take care of its commitments. Mr. Speaker, what I say today is to do that, we have to pass a balanced budget amendment. We have to get done with the quibbling, the talking about unimportant things, and pass a balanced budget amendment with a three-fifths tax increase vote.
Said by
Adam Smith
Democratic · Washington

Editor's note · Context

Addressing the need for a balanced budget amendment during a speech on budget priorities.

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