--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let's establish that no one in Washington…" description: "\"Let's establish that no one in Washington actually cares about balancing the budget.\" — Cenk Uygur" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/cenk-uygur-4611_about_let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washingto_2058847.png" --- # Let's establish that no one in Washington actually cares… ![“Let's establish that no one in Washington actually cares about balancing the budget.” quote by Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/cenk-uygur-4611_about_let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washingto_2058847.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/cenk-uygur-4611_about_let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washingto_2058847.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/cenk-uygur-4611_about_let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washingto_2058847.png) > “Let's establish that no one in Washington actually cares about balancing the budget.” [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians prioritize other issues over fiscal balance. **In simple terms:** Washington ignores budget balance. Key Takeaway Advocate for fiscal responsibility. Themes politics economics accountability Mood critical inquisitive Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy debates - citizen activism - budget planning - legislative hearings Key Concepts Budgetary policy political incentives Questions to Reflect On - Why is budget balance unpopular? - What incentives could change this? A Different Perspective Balancing budgets may conflict with political survival. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Balancing Budget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing-budget-1368480/) [Budget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budget/) [Establish Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establish-washington-3917957/) [Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington/) [Washington Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington-actually-726415/) ## Related quotes > [If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-take-out-the-killings-washington-actually-has-a-very-very-low/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We might come closer to balancing the Budget if all of us lived closer to the Commandments and the Golden Rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-might-come-closer-to-balancing-the-budget-if-all-of-us-lived/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is a difficult leap between talking about balancing the budget and actually doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brady/there-is-a-difficult-leap-between-talking-about-balancing-the-budget/) [Kevin Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brady/) > [Balancing your budget is like protecting your virtue. You have to learn when to say no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/balancing-your-budget-is-like-protecting-your-virtue-you-have-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [What is deemed "unlikeable" in Washington is actually standing up to Washington and saying no, saying "The emperor has no clothes," saying "We made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/what-is-deemed-unlikeable-in-washington-is-actually-standing-up-to/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very low crime rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-barry/if-you-take-out-the-killings-washington-actually-has-a-very-low-crime/) [Marion Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-barry/) > [I think it is really important when we're talking about fiscal responsibility that we are balancing the budget in ways that really benefit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-think-it-is-really-important-when-we-re-talking-about-fiscal/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [Balancing the budget is like going to heaven. Everybody wants to do it, but nobody wants to do what you have to do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/balancing-the-budget-is-like-going-to-heaven-everybody-wants-to-do-it/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [If I hear one more Republican tell me about balancing the budget, I am going to strangle them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/if-i-hear-one-more-republican-tell-me-about-balancing-the-budget-i-am/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The balancing of the budget will not in itself place a teaspoonful of milk in a hungry baby's stomach, or remove the rags from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-lewis/the-balancing-of-the-budget-will-not-in-itself-place-a-teaspoonful-of/) [John L. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-lewis/) > [“Both Democrats and Republicans have strayed so far from the path of responsible financial policy that the concept of balancing the budget is foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-carson/both-democrats-and-republicans-have-strayed-so-far-from-the-path-of/) [Ben Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-carson/) > [Our priority must be to build a path towards balancing the budget, and we cannot tolerate growing deficits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-priority-must-be-to-build-a-path-towards-balancing-the-budget-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nor should the argument seem strange that taxation may be so high as to defeat its object, and that, given sufficient time to gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/nor-should-the-argument-seem-strange-that-taxation-may-be-so-high-as/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Has anyone stopped to consider that we might come closer to balancing the budget if all of us simply tried to live up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/has-anyone-stopped-to-consider-that-we-might-come-closer-to-balancing/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Both candidates for president talk about balancing the budget ten years from now. Even if they win, they won't be in office then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-goode/both-candidates-for-president-talk-about-balancing-the-budget-ten/) [Virgil Goode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-goode/) ## More by Cenk Uygur > [I know that a lot of people love to say that polls are wrong or don't matter, and from time to time they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/i-know-that-a-lot-of-people-love-to-say-that-polls-are-wrong-or-don-t/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [Obama spent the first two years of his administration practicing political unilateral disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/obama-spent-the-first-two-years-of-his-administration-practicing/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [She's going to do what her donors want. That's who Nancy Pelosi is. Not remotely progressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/she-s-going-to-do-what-her-donors-want-that-s-who-nancy-pelosi-is-not/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The right wing has an ecosystem that is funded by billionaires who want tax cuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/the-right-wing-has-an-ecosystem-that-is-funded-by-billionaires-who/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [There are a lot of things wrong with the country, and that doesn't mean America sucks. It means we should improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/there-are-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-the-country-and-that-doesn-t/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The Democratic Party takes huge amounts of cash from corporations and unions to vote a certain way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/the-democratic-party-takes-huge-amounts-of-cash-from-corporations-and/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [Quietly, President Obama has done warrantless wire tapping. And it was hardly covered. I don't know if any of the mainstream press bothered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/quietly-president-obama-has-done-warrantless-wire-tapping-and-it-was/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [You can't get any more patriotic than dying for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/you-can-t-get-any-more-patriotic-than-dying-for-the-country/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [TV has made everyone so vanilla it's nearly impossible to tell one anchor apart from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/tv-has-made-everyone-so-vanilla-it-s-nearly-impossible-to-tell-one/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [I don't really trust politicians, and our job is to call them out. It's old-school journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/i-don-t-really-trust-politicians-and-our-job-is-to-call-them-out-it-s/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [There is no greater threat to Washington, D.C., than Bernie Sanders, and they know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/there-is-no-greater-threat-to-washington-d-c-than-bernie-sanders-and/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [It is fascinating. No matter where I go, people recognize me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/it-is-fascinating-no-matter-where-i-go-people-recognize-me/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [When I was at MSNBC, I had issues with the Obama administration. I got told by the person who runs MSNBC... that Washington was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/when-i-was-at-msnbc-i-had-issues-with-the-obama-administration-i-got/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [I want to interview Alec Baldwin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/i-want-to-interview-alec-baldwin/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The withdrawal that Congress is debating now will only effect whether we leave somewhat gracefully or in complete panic and humiliation. Sistani has already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/the-withdrawal-that-congress-is-debating-now-will-only-effect-whether/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) [Explore all 108 Cenk Uygur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let's establish that no one in Washington actually cares about balancing the budget.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cenk Uygur" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washington-actually-cares-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washington-actually-cares-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/cenk-uygur-4611_about_let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washingto_2058847.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/cenk-uygur-4611_about_let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washingto_2058847.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70e/cenk-uygur-4611_about_let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washingto_2058847.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let's establish that no one in Washington actually cares about balancing the budget.” — Cenk Uygur", "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": "Cenk Uygur", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let's establish that no one in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washington-actually-cares-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/let-s-establish-that-no-one-in-washington-actually-cares-about/#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 } } ] } ```