--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I'm not saying is that all…" description: "\"What I'm not saying is that all government spending is bad. It's not - far, far from it, but there is no free lunch, as a former colleague of mine used..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/arthur-laffer-19877_bail_what-i-m-not-saying-is-that-all-governme_1671563.png" --- # What I'm not saying is that all government spending is… ![“What I'm not saying is that all government spending is bad. It's not - far, far from it, but there is no free lunch, as a former colleague of mine used to say. There is no public tooth fairy. Father Christmas does not work on the Treasury staff this year. You can never bail someone out of trouble…” quote by Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/arthur-laffer-19877_bail_what-i-m-not-saying-is-that-all-governme_1671563.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/arthur-laffer-19877_bail_what-i-m-not-saying-is-that-all-governme_1671563.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/arthur-laffer-19877_bail_what-i-m-not-saying-is-that-all-governme_1671563.png) > “What I'm not saying is that all government spending is bad. It's not - far, far from it, but there is no free lunch, as a former colleague of mine used to say. There is no public tooth fairy. Father Christmas does not work on the Treasury staff this year. You can never bail someone out of trouble without putting someone else into trouble.” [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government spending isn’t inherently bad; it must be evaluated for efficiency and impact. **In simple terms:** Spending can be good if used wisely. Key Takeaway Assess the value of each expense. Themes economics government spending efficiency trade‑offs Mood analytical balanced Type policy educational When to use this quote - budget planning - policy analysis - tax reform Key Concepts public finance fiscal policy opportunity cost Questions to Reflect On - What spending yields the greatest benefit? - How to balance short‑term aid with long‑term health? A Different Perspective All spending has costs and benefits; no free lunch. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bail/) [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Colleagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-christmas/) [Former](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/former/) [Free lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-lunch/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-spending/) [Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunch/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending/) [Spending Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending-bad-865914/) [Staff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staff/) [Teeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth/) [Tooth fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tooth-fairy/) [Treasury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treasury/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Work Treasury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-treasury-865915/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [So it is best to keep an open mind and be agnostic. At first sight that seems an unassailable position, at least in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/so-it-is-best-to-keep-an-open-mind-and-be-agnostic-at-first-sight/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I suppose if you look back to your early childhood you accept everything people tell you, and that includes a heavy dose of irrationality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-suppose-if-you-look-back-to-your-early-childhood-you-accept/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“It is often said, mainly by the 'no-contests', that although there is no positive evidence for the existence of God, nor is there evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-often-said-mainly-by-the-no-contests-that-although-there-is-no/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We don't consider the Wizard of Oz or Father Christmas to be too old. They're still magical characters, and the fact they've been around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/we-don-t-consider-the-wizard-of-oz-or-father-christmas-to-be-too-old/) [Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/) > [I think Father Christmas is real because the belief is real. The belief becomes the reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/i-think-father-christmas-is-real-because-the-belief-is-real-the/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [“I knew it was cold, but singing familiar Christmas songs and the fellowship warmed me through and through—until we stopped in front of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larada-horner-miller/i-knew-it-was-cold-but-singing-familiar-christmas-songs-and-the/) [Larada Horner-Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larada-horner-miller/) > [Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tyler/look-at-you-beaming-away-like-you-re-father-christmas/) [Rose Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tyler/) > [There I am, watching Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of my favourite actors in the world, walk into the room dressed up as Father Christmas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sturridge/there-i-am-watching-philip-seymour-hoffman-one-of-my-favourite-actors/) [Tom Sturridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sturridge/) > [Let the children have their night of fun and laughter, let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups share to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/let-the-children-have-their-night-of-fun-and-laughter-let-the-gifts/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Who's St Nicholas? I don't want him, I want Father Christmas!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-bailey/who-s-st-nicholas-i-don-t-want-him-i-want-father-christmas/) [Scarlett Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-bailey/) > [I like, 'I Believe In Father Christmas' - that is one of my favorites it is a lovely composition; 'Colder Than Winter' as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brightman/i-like-i-believe-in-father-christmas-that-is-one-of-my-favorites-it/) [Sarah Brightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brightman/) > [Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/christmas-is-a-time-when-everybody-wants-his-past-forgotten-and-his/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [ Rose: Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas! The Doctor: Who says I'm not, red-bicycle-when-you-were-twelve? Rose: \[shocked\] What? The Doctor: And everybody… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/rose-look-at-you-beaming-away-like-you-re-father-christmas-the-doctor/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“GOD. Sometimes I think there might be a god out there, and that every once in a while he tunes in to see what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-morrison/god-sometimes-i-think-there-might-be-a-god-out-there-and-that-every/) [Suzanne Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-morrison/) > [I'm not Father Christmas, I'm actually a very fair guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ashley/i-m-not-father-christmas-i-m-actually-a-very-fair-guy/) [Mike Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ashley/) ## More by Arthur Laffer > [You want to prove that Milton Friedman is a fascist? It's easy. Quote him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/you-want-to-prove-that-milton-friedman-is-a-fascist-it-s-easy-quote/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [You know, without China there is no Wal-Mart and without Wal-Mart there is no middle class and lower class prosperity in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/you-know-without-china-there-is-no-wal-mart-and-without-wal-mart/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [We are having the single worst recovery the U.S. has had since the Great Depression. I don't care how you measure it. The East…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/we-are-having-the-single-worst-recovery-the-u-s-has-had-since-the/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [The tax rate increases reduce economic growth; they shrink the pie; they cause more poverty, more despair, more unemployment, which are all things government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/the-tax-rate-increases-reduce-economic-growth-they-shrink-the-pie/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [The zero-income-tax-rate states have far faster growth in tax revenues than did the states with highest income tax rate over this period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/the-zero-income-tax-rate-states-have-far-faster-growth-in-tax/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [It has always amazed me how tax cuts don't work until they take effect. Mr. Obama's experience with deferred tax rate increases will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/it-has-always-amazed-me-how-tax-cuts-don-t-work-until-they-take/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [The trade deficit is the capital surplus and don't ever think of having a capital surplus as being a bad thing for our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/the-trade-deficit-is-the-capital-surplus-and-don-t-ever-think-of/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [People can also change the timing of when they earn and receive their income in response to government policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/people-can-also-change-the-timing-of-when-they-earn-and-receive-their/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [It is not true that Congress spends money like a drunken sailor. Drunken sailors spend their own money. Congress spends our money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/it-is-not-true-that-congress-spends-money-like-a-drunken-sailor/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [Sound money is the sine qua non of a prosperous society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/sound-money-is-the-sine-qua-non-of-a-prosperous-society/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [I mean, everyone agrees with stress tests for banks. I mean that's clear. But banks should do that on their own. And they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/i-mean-everyone-agrees-with-stress-tests-for-banks-i-mean-that-s/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [And just remember, every dollar we spend on outsourcing is spent on U.S. goods or invested back in the U.S. market. That's accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/and-just-remember-every-dollar-we-spend-on-outsourcing-is-spent-on-u/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [If you like the post office and the Department of Motor Vehicles and you think they're run well, just wait till you see Medicare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/if-you-like-the-post-office-and-the-department-of-motor-vehicles-and/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [Which would you rather have, capital lined up on your borders, trying to get into your country or trying to get out of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/which-would-you-rather-have-capital-lined-up-on-your-borders-trying/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [Let's take the nine states that have no income tax and compare them with the nine states with the highest income tax rates in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/let-s-take-the-nine-states-that-have-no-income-tax-and-compare-them/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) [Explore all 32 Arthur Laffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) ## More Bail quotes > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [When assumptions were made that I was going to bail out there was a little part of my brain that thought 'I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/when-assumptions-were-made-that-i-was-going-to-bail-out-there-was-a/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [The person who reads can bail, but the person who doesn't fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-paulsen/the-person-who-reads-can-bail-but-the-person-who-doesn-t-fails/) [Gary Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-paulsen/) > [Don’t let your thoughts run away with you, don’t start planning to bail out because you’re worried about the future and how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/don-t-let-your-thoughts-run-away-with-you-don-t-start-planning-to/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) > [Shortly before my arrest, my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife of ten years, told me she was quitting drugs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/shortly-before-my-arrest-my-girlfriend-at-the-time-who-s-now-my-wife/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [The United States can no longer rely upon foreign nations such as China to bail us out of our economic irresponsibility. We must live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/the-united-states-can-no-longer-rely-upon-foreign-nations-such-as/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [You’re going to share a Moon Pie? Now? You know you can’t get any more of those until you go back to the Sates,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-re-going-to-share-a-moon-pie-now-you-know-you-can-t-get-any-more/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When they say all expenses paid, does that include bail?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/when-they-say-all-expenses-paid-does-that-include-bail/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [QE and other aspects of Fed policy increased inequality pretty significantly. This is reinforced if you take into account all the other non-standard measures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-epstein/qe-and-other-aspects-of-fed-policy-increased-inequality-pretty/) [Gerald Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-epstein/) > [“It's funny isn't it? People claim to know what love is -- yet the minute they're given the opportunity to prove it -- they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/it-s-funny-isn-t-it-people-claim-to-know-what-love-is-yet-the-minute/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [I could as easily bail out the Potomac River with a teaspoon as attend to all the details of the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-as-easily-bail-out-the-potomac-river-with-a-teaspoon-as/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There are no wealthy people on Rikers Island because if you are wealthy, you go free because you make bail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/there-are-no-wealthy-people-on-rikers-island-because-if-you-are/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [This is the secret I kept from you, Bails, from myself too: I think I liked that Mom was gone, that she could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/this-is-the-secret-i-kept-from-you-bails-from-myself-too-i-think-i/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [Hell no / I ain't going to go / Clean out my cell / And take my tail / To jail / Without bail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/hell-no-i-ain-t-going-to-go-clean-out-my-cell-and-take-my-tail-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) [Browse all 139 Bail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bail/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I'm not saying is that all government spending is bad. 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