--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not a professional politician. I'm a…" description: "\"I'm not a professional politician. I'm a professional problem solver, and I believe we should cut the salaries of senators and congressmen 10 percent u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/herman-cain-3645_balance_i-m-not-a-professional-politician-i-m-a_1972780.png" --- # I'm not a professional politician. I'm a professional… ![“I'm not a professional politician. I'm a professional problem solver, and I believe we should cut the salaries of senators and congressmen 10 percent until they balance the budget. I call that conservative common sense.” quote by Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/herman-cain-3645_balance_i-m-not-a-professional-politician-i-m-a_1972780.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/herman-cain-3645_balance_i-m-not-a-professional-politician-i-m-a_1972780.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/herman-cain-3645_balance_i-m-not-a-professional-politician-i-m-a_1972780.png) > “I'm not a professional politician. I'm a professional problem solver, and I believe we should cut the salaries of senators and congressmen 10 percent until they balance the budget. I call that conservative common sense.” [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates reducing lawmakers' pay to force fiscal responsibility, framing it as practical conservatism. **In simple terms:** Cut politicians' salaries to push budget balance. Key Takeaway Lower pay to demand fiscal discipline. Themes fiscal responsibility political reform conservatism Mood critical determined Type political policy. When to use this quote - budget negotiations - public policy debates - government reform Key Concepts budget deficits public accountability political incentives Questions to Reflect On - Would salary cuts truly improve budgeting? - What other reforms could ensure fiscal balance? A Different Perspective May be ineffective if pay cuts don't change behavior or address structural spending. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Congressman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congressman/) [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem solvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solvers/) ## Related quotes > [There's not gonna be any tuition cuts. There aren't gonna be any drastic reductions in salaries. And in fact when the subject of cuts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-not-gonna-be-any-tuition-cuts-there-aren-t-gonna-be-any/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We've not had one Republican president in 34 years balance the budget. You can't trust right-wing Republicans with your money. You ought to hire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/we-ve-not-had-one-republican-president-in-34-years-balance-the-budget/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [“Be realistic we're told. Listen to feedback. Play well with others. Compromise. Well, what if the "other" party is wrong? What if conventional wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/be-realistic-we-re-told-listen-to-feedback-play-well-with-others/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Well, what if the “other” party is wrong? What if conventional wisdom is too conservative? It’s this all-too-common impulse to complain, defer, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/well-what-if-the-other-party-is-wrong-what-if-conventional-wisdom-is/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I'm not a professional politician. I'm a professional problem solver...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-m-not-a-professional-politician-i-m-a-professional-problem-solver/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [It is obvious that mathematics needs both sorts of mathematicians, theory-builders and problem-solvers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-gowers/it-is-obvious-that-mathematics-needs-both-sorts-of-mathematicians/) [Timothy Gowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-gowers/) > [Failure is information-we label it failure, but it's more like, 'This didn't work, I'm a problem solver, and I'll try something else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/failure-is-information-we-label-it-failure-but-it-s-more-like-this/) [Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/) > [“Innovators are pioneers, great problem-solvers; and creators of a better context.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/innovators-are-pioneers-great-problem-solvers-and-creators-of-a/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [All intelligent problem solvers are subject to the same ultimate constraints - limitations on space, time, and materials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/all-intelligent-problem-solvers-are-subject-to-the-same-ultimate/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [Architecture is too slow in its realisation to be a 'problem solver'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-price/architecture-is-too-slow-in-its-realisation-to-be-a-problem-solver/) [Cedric Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-price/) > [“Do not wait for the government to provide solutions to the people when you can be their answer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/do-not-wait-for-the-government-to-provide-solutions-to-the-people/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [IF YOUR JOB IS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, YOUR REAL JOB TITLE IS PROBLEM SOLVER.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-your-job-is-customer-satisfaction-your-real-job-title-is-problem/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I think of myself as a problem-solver. I want to go in and help the director and the writer to get the best they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-think-of-myself-as-a-problem-solver-i-want-to-go-in-and-help-the/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [The important thing is to tell yourself a life story in which you, the hero, are primarily a problem solver rather than a helpless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/the-important-thing-is-to-tell-yourself-a-life-story-in-which-you-the/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [“If you believe that success is inevitable, you’re less likely to work your tail off in order to achieve it. Hard problems are definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/if-you-believe-that-success-is-inevitable-you-re-less-likely-to-work/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) ## More by Herman Cain > [Whether you were talking about Pillsbury, Burger King, Godfather's, the National Restaurant Association, in each one of those situations, I had a daunting problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/whether-you-were-talking-about-pillsbury-burger-king-godfather-s-the/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [People who oppose Obama are said to be racists - so I guess I'm a racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/people-who-oppose-obama-are-said-to-be-racists-so-i-guess-i-m-a-racist/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [It is the policies of the Obama Administration that has led to a stagnated economy as well as high unemployment, as well as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/it-is-the-policies-of-the-obama-administration-that-has-led-to-a/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [I'm not supposed to know anything about foreign policy. Just thought I'd throw that out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-m-not-supposed-to-know-anything-about-foreign-policy-just-thought-i/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [I think 'Hail to the Chief' needs a little bit fresher sound. I might put some gospel beats in 'Hail to the Chief.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-think-hail-to-the-chief-needs-a-little-bit-fresher-sound-i-might/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [I would have to have people totally committed to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of this United States. And many of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-would-have-to-have-people-totally-committed-to-the-declaration-of/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [I am suspending my presidential campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-am-suspending-my-presidential-campaign/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [I could eat black walnut all the time, it's not a flavor of the week!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-could-eat-black-walnut-all-the-time-it-s-not-a-flavor-of-the-week/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [This economy is on life support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/this-economy-is-on-life-support/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [In order to fix Social Security, we must restructure it so that we continue to provide for our Nation's seniors that are approaching retirement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/in-order-to-fix-social-security-we-must-restructure-it-so-that-we/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [I can connect with peoples' pain because I was 'po' before I was 'poor'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-can-connect-with-peoples-pain-because-i-was-po-before-i-was-poor/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [I think that taxes would be fair if we first get rid of the tax code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/i-think-that-taxes-would-be-fair-if-we-first-get-rid-of-the-tax-code/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [The American dream is under attack because our government has been hijacked by the Liberals in Washington DC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/the-american-dream-is-under-attack-because-our-government-has-been/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [If the world market believed that we were serious about energy independence and we were going to utilize all of our own existing resources,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/if-the-world-market-believed-that-we-were-serious-about-energy/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [If you touch the hearts of people you can get people's minds to change, but you have to show them the beauty of not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/if-you-touch-the-hearts-of-people-you-can-get-people-s-minds-to/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) [Explore all 125 Herman Cain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not a professional politician. I'm a professional problem solver, and I believe we should cut the salaries of senators and congressmen 10 percent until they balance the budget. 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