--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As long as we're focused on spending…" description: "\"As long as we're focused on spending, there are only two ways to do that: One is spend less, and Democrats have no solutions for that. Or we have pro-g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/grover-norquist-3806_becomes_as-long-as-we-re-focused-on-spending-the_759329.png" --- # As long as we're focused on spending, there are only two… ![“As long as we're focused on spending, there are only two ways to do that: One is spend less, and Democrats have no solutions for that. Or we have pro-growth policies that make the economy grow so the dead-weight cost of government becomes a smaller percentage of the economy and therefore less…” quote by Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/grover-norquist-3806_becomes_as-long-as-we-re-focused-on-spending-the_759329.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/grover-norquist-3806_becomes_as-long-as-we-re-focused-on-spending-the_759329.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/079/grover-norquist-3806_becomes_as-long-as-we-re-focused-on-spending-the_759329.png) > “As long as we're focused on spending, there are only two ways to do that: One is spend less, and Democrats have no solutions for that. Or we have pro-growth policies that make the economy grow so the dead-weight cost of government becomes a smaller percentage of the economy and therefore less expensive.” [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates for growth-oriented policies to reduce government’s relative cost, criticizing Democrats for lack of spending solutions. **In simple terms:** Promote growth to lower government burden. Key Takeaway Support pro‑growth economic policies. Themes economics government spending policy partisan debate fiscal responsibility Mood analytical strategic Type political economic When to use this quote - legislative proposals - budget negotiations - public debates Key Concepts growth economics budgetary policy political strategy Questions to Reflect On - How can spending be reformed responsibly? - What alternatives exist to reduce costs? A Different Perspective Growth alone may not address structural deficits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ## Related quotes > [We should reduce total government spending as a percentage of the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/we-should-reduce-total-government-spending-as-a-percentage-of-the-2/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [We should reduce total government spending as a percentage of the economy. The left wants to focus on the deficit so they can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/we-should-reduce-total-government-spending-as-a-percentage-of-the/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [We want to reduce the size of government in half as a percentage of GNP over the next 25 years. We want to reduce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/we-want-to-reduce-the-size-of-government-in-half-as-a-percentage-of/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [A certain tiny percentage of everyone is gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/a-certain-tiny-percentage-of-everyone-is-gay/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Don't just give me an advance. I want a percentage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitbull/don-t-just-give-me-an-advance-i-want-a-percentage/) [Pitbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitbull/) > [Shooting percentage is just as much about decision making as it is about technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/shooting-percentage-is-just-as-much-about-decision-making-as-it-is/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Where we're living we have a certain amount of our profit every year it's like a percentage 5 or 7% or something like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fishman/where-we-re-living-we-have-a-certain-amount-of-our-profit-every-year/) [Jon Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fishman/) > [If you want to go beyond that small percentage of people who are already environmentally and scientifically aware, you have to make your work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-nadkarni/if-you-want-to-go-beyond-that-small-percentage-of-people-who-are/) [Nalini Nadkarni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-nadkarni/) > [I make no apology for wanting to make a profit - the more I make, the bigger percentage will go to charity. So most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caudwell/i-make-no-apology-for-wanting-to-make-a-profit-the-more-i-make-the/) [John Caudwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caudwell/) > [What percentage should you give? I tell people to start with 10 percent because the Bible writers have a lot to say about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/what-percentage-should-you-give-i-tell-people-to-start-with-10/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Bitcoin woke us all up to a new way to pay, and culturally, I think a much larger percentage of us have become accustomed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/bitcoin-woke-us-all-up-to-a-new-way-to-pay-and-culturally-i-think-a/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [“Everything you do in life use percentage as your god.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/everything-you-do-in-life-use-percentage-as-your-god/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [Footage of people camped out at Best Buy or elsewhere is not remotely a celebration. Rather, it's a reminder of just how economically distressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/footage-of-people-camped-out-at-best-buy-or-elsewhere-is-not-remotely/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [All of our competitors around the world, every country is investing more in infrastructure as a percentage of their GDP than we are. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-r-oberhelman/all-of-our-competitors-around-the-world-every-country-is-investing/) [Douglas R. Oberhelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-r-oberhelman/) > [Literally everybody talks about 56 percent completion percentage. It gets brought up in every meeting. It's something I'm trying to work on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-allen/literally-everybody-talks-about-56-percent-completion-percentage-it/) [Josh Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-allen/) ## More by Grover Norquist > [When I became 21, I decided that nobody learned anything about politics after the age of 21.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/when-i-became-21-i-decided-that-nobody-learned-anything-about/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [If you feel the government should leave you alone, you're a Republican. If you think the job of the government is to go push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/if-you-feel-the-government-should-leave-you-alone-you-re-a-republican/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Spending should be transparent. All spending by the Pentagon should be online. Every check. Exceptions should be made for legitimate national security issues. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/spending-should-be-transparent-all-spending-by-the-pentagon-should-be/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Twenty-five years ago, I created the Taxpayer Protection Pledge at the federal level. Then I brought it to the state and local level. About…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/twenty-five-years-ago-i-created-the-taxpayer-protection-pledge-at-the/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Could I ask if there’s anything in between Step One and Step Two? ‘Oh ye of little faith.’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/could-i-ask-if-there-s-anything-in-between-step-one-and-step-two-oh/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [We will make it so that a Democrat cannot govern as a Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/we-will-make-it-so-that-a-democrat-cannot-govern-as-a-democrat/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Spending is not caring. Spending is what politicians do instead of caring. Spending more does not guarantee success. Politicians like to measure spending because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/spending-is-not-caring-spending-is-what-politicians-do-instead-of/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [I know the activists I deal with, we sort of try and check each other to make sure that we haven't gone native, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/i-know-the-activists-i-deal-with-we-sort-of-try-and-check-each-other/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [I was an anti-communist before I was political in other ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/i-was-an-anti-communist-before-i-was-political-in-other-ways/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Historically, opposition to immigration in the United States has been racially and religiously motivated in the ugliest, nastiest way possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/historically-opposition-to-immigration-in-the-united-states-has-been/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [The important thing about tax reform is you make the tax code less complicated, easier for people to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/the-important-thing-about-tax-reform-is-you-make-the-tax-code-less/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Not continuing a tax cut is not technically a tax increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/not-continuing-a-tax-cut-is-not-technically-a-tax-increase/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [People who say that there's a vote within the Republican Party that moves against immigrants is just factually not accurate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/people-who-say-that-there-s-a-vote-within-the-republican-party-that/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [We want to reduce the size of government in half as a percentage of GNP over the next 25 years. We want to reduce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/we-want-to-reduce-the-size-of-government-in-half-as-a-percentage-of/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [The welfare state creates its own victim/client constituency. By making individuals free and independent, we reduce the need for 'charity' to those truly needy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/the-welfare-state-creates-its-own-victim-client-constituency-by/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) [Explore all 121 Grover Norquist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) ## More Becomes quotes > [Hollywood is very much an industry town. Your life becomes caught up in all of the parties and this list and that list. 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The body becomes addicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/we-spend-millions-of-dollars-to-remove-pain-from-our-lives-it-s-why/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [As artists, we can't help but infuse our art with our own experience, so your experience becomes informative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/as-artists-we-can-t-help-but-infuse-our-art-with-our-own-experience/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [As politics is disconnected from its ethical and material moorings, it becomes easier to punish and imprison young people than to educate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/as-politics-is-disconnected-from-its-ethical-and-material-moorings-it/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It becomes dangerous for somebody who doesn't want their boss to know their sexual preference to use online networks to push for laws supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/it-becomes-dangerous-for-somebody-who-doesn-t-want-their-boss-to-know/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [When you try to become a good cook, in the beginning, most likely the dish is not going to be good. But you keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/when-you-try-to-become-a-good-cook-in-the-beginning-most-likely-the/) [Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/) > [It's interesting how sleepwalking in a certain way becomes an accumulation of your outside stimuli that's actually there and what's happening in your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/it-s-interesting-how-sleepwalking-in-a-certain-way-becomes-an/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [What actor do you really take seriously who becomes a singer? It's kind of ridiculous. I can't think of anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-dunst/what-actor-do-you-really-take-seriously-who-becomes-a-singer-it-s/) [Kirsten Dunst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-dunst/) > [You don't really write a hit song - you write a great song, and then, if the public decides it's a hit, they take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-bettencourt/you-don-t-really-write-a-hit-song-you-write-a-great-song-and-then-if/) [Nuno Bettencourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-bettencourt/) > [When an accident or a crime happens, there's a period of time before the yellow tape goes up, before the official response becomes formalized.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/when-an-accident-or-a-crime-happens-there-s-a-period-of-time-before/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [Our society is so obsessed with working out to be skinny, and none of that has a purpose. 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