--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Budgets are nothing if not statements of…" description: "\"Budgets are nothing if not statements of priorities.\" — Jeff Merkley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/jeff-merkley-22293_budgets_budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of_1235951.jpg" --- # Budgets are nothing if not statements of priorities. ![“Budgets are nothing if not statements of priorities.” quote by Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/jeff-merkley-22293_budgets_budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of_1235951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/jeff-merkley-22293_budgets_budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of_1235951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/jeff-merkley-22293_budgets_budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of_1235951.jpg) > “Budgets are nothing if not statements of priorities.” [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Budgets reflect what a government chooses to fund, revealing its true priorities. **In simple terms:** Budgets show priorities. Key Takeaway Align spending with values. Themes budgeting priorities government policy finance Mood reflective analytical Type policy financial When to use this quote - policy planning - government budgeting - public advocacy - non‑profit funding Key Concepts public finance resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What priorities do your personal finances reflect? - How can you influence budget decisions? A Different Perspective Budgets may be constrained by political compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Budgets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budgets/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) ## Related quotes > [Budgets are moral documents. Federal funding should reflect the priorities and the values of the majority of the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/budgets-are-moral-documents-federal-funding-should-reflect-the/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The impresario function is about intervening with the company's more administrative management structure. It is about trying to establish a sense of boundaries and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kao/the-impresario-function-is-about-intervening-with-the-company-s-more/) [John Kao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kao/) > [Tachyon OPC+ is a natural extension of our market-winning Tachyon platform, giving customers a clear path to minimizing the OPC error budget and producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/tachyon-opc-is-a-natural-extension-of-our-market-winning-tachyon/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [The average family exists only on paper and its average budget is a fiction, invented by statisticians for the convenience of statisticians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/the-average-family-exists-only-on-paper-and-its-average-budget-is-a/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [The only features I've done have been on the lower-budget end, for what they were. It's really all about getting the best people aboard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-garris/the-only-features-i-ve-done-have-been-on-the-lower-budget-end-for/) [Mick Garris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-garris/) > [The only way to learn on a zero dollar budget is to talk to people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/the-only-way-to-learn-on-a-zero-dollar-budget-is-to-talk-to-people/) [Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/) > [America's military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers, and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-s-military-is-second-to-none-in-the-world-we-re-blessed-with/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Sometimes a party must sail against the wind. We cannot heed the call of those who say it is time to furl the sail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/sometimes-a-party-must-sail-against-the-wind-we-cannot-heed-the-call/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Currently, the United States provides 22 percent of the U.N. annual budgets, over $900 million in fiscal year 2007, and some of that funding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mccaul/currently-the-united-states-provides-22-percent-of-the-u-n-annual/) [Michael McCaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mccaul/) > [ The only way you can do that \[decrease taxes, balance the budget, and increase military spending\] is with mirrors… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-anderson/the-only-way-you-can-do-that-decrease-taxes-balance-the-budget-and/) John B. Anderson > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [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/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [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/) ## More by Jeff Merkley > [I am pretty good at arithmetic, and I know that the fight in front of us is a very, very steep fight. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-am-pretty-good-at-arithmetic-and-i-know-that-the-fight-in-front-of/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [Real choice is clear information and the right to walk away from a bad deal without leaving your wallet behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/real-choice-is-clear-information-and-the-right-to-walk-away-from-a/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [I won't stop fighting to make life better for working Americans and give those who are just trying to find a decent job the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-won-t-stop-fighting-to-make-life-better-for-working-americans-and/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [When you use the word 'filibuster,' most of us in America - and I count myself among them - envision it as the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/when-you-use-the-word-filibuster-most-of-us-in-america-and-i-count/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [We can have the best health insurance options in the world, and people still won't get needed care if we don't increase our supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/we-can-have-the-best-health-insurance-options-in-the-world-and-people/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [The economy, virtually all the new income has gone to the top 10 percent, and we need to find those areas where we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/the-economy-virtually-all-the-new-income-has-gone-to-the-top-10/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [That's a question best put to Bernie Sanders himself, but I think that he will probably put forward ideas that are related to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/that-s-a-question-best-put-to-bernie-sanders-himself-but-i-think-that/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [What matters most to me is doing what I was elected to do: help make life better for Oregonians and making America work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/what-matters-most-to-me-is-doing-what-i-was-elected-to-do-help-make/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [We can no longer continue with a status quo energy policy. We must create sustainable clean energy jobs and leave the planet to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/we-can-no-longer-continue-with-a-status-quo-energy-policy-we-must/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [Americans have powerfully sensed that we're off track. There is a structural challenge in our economy that needs to be addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/americans-have-powerfully-sensed-that-we-re-off-track-there-is-a/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [I grew up in Southern Oregon. My father was a sawmill worker and a logger, and his job put food on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-grew-up-in-southern-oregon-my-father-was-a-sawmill-worker-and-a/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [It's time to level the playing field for small business owners and give them the same health care choices that large corporations have. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/it-s-time-to-level-the-playing-field-for-small-business-owners-and/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [My way of viewing the talking filibuster was as a way of doing unanimous consent with your feet. You object by going down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/my-way-of-viewing-the-talking-filibuster-was-as-a-way-of-doing/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [There are thousands of capable Americans who would pursue a degree in nursing if we had room in our schools for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/there-are-thousands-of-capable-americans-who-would-pursue-a-degree-in/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [There are two ways of looking at the talking filibuster. My way is as a form of unanimous consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/there-are-two-ways-of-looking-at-the-talking-filibuster-my-way-is-as/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) [Explore all 27 Jeff Merkley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) ## More Budgets 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/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [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/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [ The only way you can do that \[decrease taxes, balance the budget, and increase military spending\] is with mirrors… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-anderson/the-only-way-you-can-do-that-decrease-taxes-balance-the-budget-and/) John B. Anderson > [Currently, the United States provides 22 percent of the U.N. annual budgets, over $900 million in fiscal year 2007, and some of that funding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mccaul/currently-the-united-states-provides-22-percent-of-the-u-n-annual/) [Michael McCaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mccaul/) > [Sometimes a party must sail against the wind. We cannot heed the call of those who say it is time to furl the sail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/sometimes-a-party-must-sail-against-the-wind-we-cannot-heed-the-call/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [America's military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers, and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-s-military-is-second-to-none-in-the-world-we-re-blessed-with/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The only way to learn on a zero dollar budget is to talk to people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/the-only-way-to-learn-on-a-zero-dollar-budget-is-to-talk-to-people/) [Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/) > [The only features I've done have been on the lower-budget end, for what they were. It's really all about getting the best people aboard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-garris/the-only-features-i-ve-done-have-been-on-the-lower-budget-end-for/) [Mick Garris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-garris/) > [The average family exists only on paper and its average budget is a fiction, invented by statisticians for the convenience of statisticians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/the-average-family-exists-only-on-paper-and-its-average-budget-is-a/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [Tachyon OPC+ is a natural extension of our market-winning Tachyon platform, giving customers a clear path to minimizing the OPC error budget and producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/tachyon-opc-is-a-natural-extension-of-our-market-winning-tachyon/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [The impresario function is about intervening with the company's more administrative management structure. It is about trying to establish a sense of boundaries and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kao/the-impresario-function-is-about-intervening-with-the-company-s-more/) [John Kao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kao/) > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) [Browse all 1,015 Budgets quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/budgets/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Budgets are nothing if not statements of priorities.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Merkley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of-priorities/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Budgets" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of-priorities/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/jeff-merkley-22293_budgets_budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of_1235951.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/jeff-merkley-22293_budgets_budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of_1235951.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cb/jeff-merkley-22293_budgets_budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of_1235951.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Budgets are nothing if not statements of priorities.” — Jeff Merkley", "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": "Jeff Merkley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Budgets are nothing if not statements...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of-priorities/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/budgets-are-nothing-if-not-statements-of-priorities/#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 } } ] } ```