---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Memo to Congress: America's problem is…"
description: "\"Memo to Congress: America's problem is not that government is too small. It's the spending, stupid!\" — Bob Beauprez"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/bob-beauprez-12732_america_memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-no_670099.png"
---

#  Memo to Congress: America's problem is not that government…

![“Memo to Congress: America's problem is not that government is too small. It's the spending, stupid!” quote by Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/bob-beauprez-12732_america_memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-no_670099.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/bob-beauprez-12732_america_memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-no_670099.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/bob-beauprez-12732_america_memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-no_670099.png)

> “Memo to Congress: America's problem is not that government is too small. It's the spending, stupid!”

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Criticizes government size, blaming overspending rather than smallness.

**In simple terms:** Problem is excessive spending.

Key Takeaway

Advocate fiscal responsibility.

Themes

government budget spending

Mood

critical concerned

Type

political policy

When to use this quote

- budget planning
- legislative debate
- public finance

Key Concepts

economics public policy taxation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can spending be reduced responsibly?
- What are the impacts of small government?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/)

## Related quotes

> [Government does not have a revenue problem; government has a spending problem. Government does not have a revenue problem; government has a priority problem.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-blackburn/government-does-not-have-a-revenue-problem-government-has-a-spending/)

[Marsha Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-blackburn/)

> [The government's Small Business Administration reports that small businesses represent 99% of all employers in the U.S. and are responsible for generating well over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-tauscher/the-government-s-small-business-administration-reports-that-small/)

[Ellen Tauscher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-tauscher/)

> [We need to keep government small, but we also need to keep the influence of big business small, and we need to keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-monroe/we-need-to-keep-government-small-but-we-also-need-to-keep-the/)

[Michael Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-monroe/)

> [If we stuck to the Constitution as written, we would have: no federal meddling in our schools; no Federal Reserve; no U.S. membership in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/if-we-stuck-to-the-constitution-as-written-we-would-have-no-federal/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [The government have only a small majority in the House of Commons. I want to make it quite clear that this will not affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-wilson/the-government-have-only-a-small-majority-in-the-house-of-commons-i/)

[Harold Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-wilson/)

> [If, for example, existing government intervention is minor, we shall attach a smaller weight to the negative effect of additional government intervention. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/if-for-example-existing-government-intervention-is-minor-we-shall/)

[Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/)

> [I've started several small businesses myself and know that it is tough out there for the little guy in the global economy. I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/i-ve-started-several-small-businesses-myself-and-know-that-it-is/)

[Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/)

> [Freedom is messy. In free societies, people will fall through the cracks - drink too much, eat too much, buy unaffordable homes, fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/freedom-is-messy-in-free-societies-people-will-fall-through-the/)

[Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/)

> [What we should be asking is not whether we need a big government or small government, but how we can create a smarter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-should-be-asking-is-not-whether-we-need-a-big-government-or/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Big Government is the small option: it's the guarantee of smaller freedom, smaller homes, smaller cars, smaller opportunities, smaller lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/big-government-is-the-small-option-it-s-the-guarantee-of-smaller/)

[Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/)

> [I have known a great many politicians who have not managed to stay in power for 16 years. I have nevertheless already managed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-have-known-a-great-many-politicians-who-have-not-managed-to-stay-in/)

[Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/)

> [The question is what will Mitt Romney do as president if his policy is simply to be hands off and let the government be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-granholm/the-question-is-what-will-mitt-romney-do-as-president-if-his-policy/)

[Jennifer Granholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-granholm/)

> [We Conservatives believe not in big, interventionist, centralized government. But in small and limited government, government as close to the people as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxime-bernier/we-conservatives-believe-not-in-big-interventionist-centralized/)

[Maxime Bernier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxime-bernier/)

> [“...small government gives you big freedoms--and Big Government leaves you with very little freedom. The opposite of Big Government is not small government, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/small-government-gives-you-big-freedoms-and-big-government-leaves-you/)

[Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/)

> [I want a government small enough to fit inside the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/i-want-a-government-small-enough-to-fit-inside-the-constitution/)

[Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/)

## More by Bob Beauprez

> [Every Democrat on Capitol Hill professes to be a fiscal hawk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/every-democrat-on-capitol-hill-professes-to-be-a-fiscal-hawk/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [For those of us who originally disagreed with ObamaCare and now disagree with the majority opinion of the SCOTUS, the challenge remains the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/for-those-of-us-who-originally-disagreed-with-obamacare-and-now/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [True enough, Osama bin Laden is dead and other al-Qaeda leaders have joined him. But, the assassination of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/true-enough-osama-bin-laden-is-dead-and-other-al-qaeda-leaders-have/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [In America, small business is a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/in-america-small-business-is-a-big-deal/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [The new discovery of a 3.3 billion barrel oil deposit off Norway's coast cements that nation's claim to being Europe's second largest oil producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/the-new-discovery-of-a-3-3-billion-barrel-oil-deposit-off-norway-s/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [The number of realists who are betting that both the 'economy gets healthy soon' and this government gets spending under control is a tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/the-number-of-realists-who-are-betting-that-both-the-economy-gets/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [During the campaign for re-election, Barack Obama at least made vague references to a willingness to accept $3 trillion of reduced spending in exchange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/during-the-campaign-for-re-election-barack-obama-at-least-made-vague/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [In my native Boulder County, Colorado, the fracking fanatics are out in force. They are marching door-to-door, petitions and mythology in hand, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/in-my-native-boulder-county-colorado-the-fracking-fanatics-are-out-in/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [Obama's economic policies obviously have not worked, and have left the American market place with enormous uncertainty and anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/obama-s-economic-policies-obviously-have-not-worked-and-have-left-the/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [After the Democrats shoved the 2700 pages of ObamaCare down our throats - and we did find out how expensive, controlling, and coercive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/after-the-democrats-shoved-the-2700-pages-of-obamacare-down-our/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [Barack Obama isn't the first politician to break a promise, torture the truth or outright lie to the American people. But, he certainly is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/barack-obama-isn-t-the-first-politician-to-break-a-promise-torture/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [Careful economic research has shown public-sector workers receive a level of compensation, pension benefits, and retiree health coverage in excess of what comparable workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/careful-economic-research-has-shown-public-sector-workers-receive-a/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [My parents were exactly like millions of other Americans who had a fire in their belly to build something of their own, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/my-parents-were-exactly-like-millions-of-other-americans-who-had-a/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [After several trillion dollars of stimulation by the Obama Administration and the Fed, one might think the economy would be chugging along at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/after-several-trillion-dollars-of-stimulation-by-the-obama/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

> [Something very significant appears to be happening in America. There is a dramatic shift in voter affinity toward the GOP, and it may prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/something-very-significant-appears-to-be-happening-in-america-there/)

[Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

[Explore all 53 Bob Beauprez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/)

## More America quotes

> [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/)

[Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/)

[Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

[Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Memo to Congress: America's problem is not that government is too small. It's the spending, stupid!",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bob Beauprez"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-not-that-government-is-too/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "America"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-not-that-government-is-too/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/bob-beauprez-12732_america_memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-no_670099.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/bob-beauprez-12732_america_memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-no_670099.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf8/bob-beauprez-12732_america_memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-no_670099.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Memo to Congress: America's problem is not that government is too small. It's the spending, stupid!” — Bob Beauprez",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bob Beauprez",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Memo to Congress: America's problem is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-not-that-government-is-too/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/memo-to-congress-america-s-problem-is-not-that-government-is-too/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
