--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are three legs of the stool…" description: "\"There are three legs of the stool; spending, entitlements and making the tax code fair and equitable. That's the three legs of the stool. If we do all ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/claire-mccaskill-5688_american-people_there-are-three-legs-of-the-stool-spendi_1715286.png" --- # There are three legs of the stool; spending, entitlements… ![“There are three legs of the stool; spending, entitlements and making the tax code fair and equitable. That's the three legs of the stool. If we do all of those in a responsible, bipartisan way, I think the American people would all be very, very happy.” quote by Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/claire-mccaskill-5688_american-people_there-are-three-legs-of-the-stool-spendi_1715286.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/claire-mccaskill-5688_american-people_there-are-three-legs-of-the-stool-spendi_1715286.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6d/claire-mccaskill-5688_american-people_there-are-three-legs-of-the-stool-spendi_1715286.png) > “There are three legs of the stool; spending, entitlements and making the tax code fair and equitable. That's the three legs of the stool. If we do all of those in a responsible, bipartisan way, I think the American people would all be very, very happy.” [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A balanced tax system rests on three pillars: spending, entitlements, and fairness; bipartisan responsibility leads to public satisfaction. **In simple terms:** Three pillars: spending, entitlements, fairness. Key Takeaway Aim for balanced tax policy. Themes tax policy fairness bipartisanship Mood thoughtful optimistic Type political inspirational When to use this quote - budget planning - legislative negotiation - public communication Key Concepts Fiscal responsibility social equity Questions to Reflect On - What compromises are needed for fair tax reform? - How can we measure fairness in tax policy? A Different Perspective Complex politics can stall consensus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Bipartisan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bipartisan/) [Bipartisan Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bipartisan-way-265555/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Entitlement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entitlement/) [Equitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equitable/) [Equitable Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equitable-legs-1284750/) [Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Responsible Bipartisan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible-bipartisan-1284749/) [Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending/) [Stool Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stool-spending-1284748/) [Stools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stools/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Very happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-happy/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Congress needs to work in a bipartisan way to fix the Affordable Care Act, not repeal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-rosen/congress-needs-to-work-in-a-bipartisan-way-to-fix-the-affordable-care/) [Jacky Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-rosen/) > [ There are things we can do \[with violence\], and we ought to do it in a bipartisan way. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-are-things-we-can-do-with-violence-and-we-ought-to-do-it-in-a/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I will do whatever is important to help my district and move our country forward. The only way to do that is to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-kim/i-will-do-whatever-is-important-to-help-my-district-and-move-our/) [Young Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-kim/) > [With Americans worried about losing their jobs, their savings, their homes and their chance at the American Dream, the New Direction Congress will work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/with-americans-worried-about-losing-their-jobs-their-savings-their/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Blue Dogs have always acted in a bipartisan way. The Blue Dogs were the group in the Democratic side of the aisle that really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-matheson/blue-dogs-have-always-acted-in-a-bipartisan-way-the-blue-dogs-were/) [Jim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-matheson/) > [We must work together in a bipartisan way to address our broken immigration system with comprehensive reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-allred/we-must-work-together-in-a-bipartisan-way-to-address-our-broken/) [Colin Allred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-allred/) > [Working together, we can help Americans get back on their feet and make businesses more competitive to allow them to hire and expand again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/working-together-we-can-help-americans-get-back-on-their-feet-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I have long-since said that working... together and accomplishing things in a bipartisan way doesn't mean compromising your values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-have-long-since-said-that-working-together-and-accomplishing-things/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I want to be able to work together in a bipartisan way, as the Problem Solvers Caucus members would have done, to continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-kim/i-want-to-be-able-to-work-together-in-a-bipartisan-way-as-the-problem/) [Young Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-kim/) > [I came to Washington to get things done in a bipartisan way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-kim/i-came-to-washington-to-get-things-done-in-a-bipartisan-way/) [Young Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-kim/) > [Working together in a bipartisan way, we can truly lower the cost of health care while improving quality for the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/working-together-in-a-bipartisan-way-we-can-truly-lower-the-cost-of/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [The leaders in Washington have got to come together in a bipartisan way and do the right thing for the people who are being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/the-leaders-in-washington-have-got-to-come-together-in-a-bipartisan/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [My mother says I was two-and-a-half when I started playing. My father was a minister, and when he went to church in the morning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/my-mother-says-i-was-two-and-a-half-when-i-started-playing-my-father/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [Vee is my un-twin. She's green-eyed, milky blond, and a few pounds over curvy. I'm a smoky-eyed brunette with volumes of curly hair that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/vee-is-my-un-twin-she-s-green-eyed-milky-blond-and-a-few-pounds-over/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More by Claire McCaskill > [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Only in Washington would the Republican operatives get the entire press corps ginned up over the notion that I'm going to be home campaigning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/only-in-washington-would-the-republican-operatives-get-the-entire/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I'm going to work with Republicans when they do things I agree with and I'm going to fight Republicans when they're doing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-m-going-to-work-with-republicans-when-they-do-things-i-agree-with/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I'm a moderate. I hang out in the middle. I vote against my party with some regularity and try to compromise. It doesn't appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-m-a-moderate-i-hang-out-in-the-middle-i-vote-against-my-party-with/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I think, first of all, you know, Washington has a bad habit of a very short attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-think-first-of-all-you-know-washington-has-a-bad-habit-of-a-very/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I worry about the lack of experience that Rex Tillerson has had on the diplomatic front and, frankly, I think that's true for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-worry-about-the-lack-of-experience-that-rex-tillerson-has-had-on/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [First of all, Donald Trump cabinet or - I call it the 3-G cabinet, Goldman, generals and gazillionaires. And I think it's one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/first-of-all-donald-trump-cabinet-or-i-call-it-the-3-g-cabinet/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I want to compliment the fraternity and sorority organizations for taking the time to meet with us and then removing their support from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-want-to-compliment-the-fraternity-and-sorority-organizations-for/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really get into campaign mode when you've got to focus on doing the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/my-first-obligation-is-my-job-it-s-very-hard-to-really-get-into/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [ What is most heartbreaking to me is the young women who don't report \[being raped\] because they were drinking, and they feel like it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/what-is-most-heartbreaking-to-me-is-the-young-women-who-don-t-report/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [ \[Hillary Clinton\] and I are fine. Are we going to be besties for the rest of our lives? No. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/hillary-clinton-and-i-are-fine-are-we-going-to-be-besties-for-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I have fought the establishment, run primaries, my entire career. I think that for Planned Parenthood or NARAL or the Human Rights Campaign to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-have-fought-the-establishment-run-primaries-my-entire-career-i/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Corporate governance is a huge issue too. We don't have women on these corporate boards. More than half of the students in law school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/corporate-governance-is-a-huge-issue-too-we-don-t-have-women-on-these/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I've got a really hard election. If you had a really hard election and it was after Labor Day would you go to North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-ve-got-a-really-hard-election-if-you-had-a-really-hard-election-and/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [After holding hearings to get input from Missourians, I led the fight to pass legislation that protects seniors from predatory lending in the mortgage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/after-holding-hearings-to-get-input-from-missourians-i-led-the-fight/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) [Explore all 100 Claire McCaskill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) ## More American people quotes > [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/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) [Victor Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-gold/) > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. 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D. Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-hayworth/) > [Hillary Clinton truly is sincere, but she has to connect more with the American people in terms of what she believes in and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-truly-is-sincere-but-she-has-to-connect-more-with-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Browse all 2,233 American people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are three legs of the stool; spending, entitlements and making the tax code fair and equitable. 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