Believe Quote by Lawrence O'Donnell
“Republicans believe that tax cuts can build buildings, all sorts of miraculous things. A lot of Democrats and liberals believe that spending more money in a school is going to up the test scores, no matter how much evidence there is that it won't, or hasn't.”
About This Quote
Source TV Show: The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, 2023
The statement critiques the belief that tax cuts or increased spending automatically produce large‑scale benefits, emphasizing the need for evidence‑based policy.
In simple terms: Policy promises need proof.
Key Takeaway
Demand data before supporting tax or spending plans.
Themes
public policy
economics
politics
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- budget planning
- education funding
- infrastructure projects
Key Concepts
fiscal responsibility
evidence‑based decision making
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would convince you of a policy’s effectiveness?
- How can citizens hold leaders accountable for fiscal promises?
A Different Perspective
Political rhetoric can oversimplify complex economic outcomes.
![“I'm just imagining some of [Mark Lilla] fellow liberals being rather angry at you saying such a thing [that Democrats and liberals, more generally, lost a lot of political capital ].” quote by Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e0d/steve-inskeep-10882_angry_i-m-just-imagining-some-of-mark-lilla-fe_2362418.jpg)
![“[Mark] Lilla is a professor at Columbia University in New York, and he has waded into the debate about what Democrats and liberals should do now. Some Democrats answer nothing.” quote by Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/25d/steve-inskeep-10882_answers_mark-lilla-is-a-professor-at-columbia-un_1607664.jpg)
![“The [Donald] Trump plan would increase the national debt a little over a $1 trillion a year, the Trump plan would reduce taxes at all income levels with, of course, the biggest tax cuts going to the richest taxpayers as they always do.” quote by Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ec/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_courses_the-donald-trump-plan-would-increase-the_638343.jpg)
![“In this case, the government will essentially be run by the people who are running it now. The top level [Barack] Obama appointees will leave by inauguration day.” quote by Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1ae/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_barack_in-this-case-the-government-will-essenti_78004.jpg)
![“I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. She [Hillary Clinton] is saying Russia, Russia, Russia. Maybe it was. I mean, it could be Russia. But it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people.” quote by Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c72/lawrence-o-donnell-1701_broke_i-don-t-think-anybody-knows-it-was-russi_115025.jpg)
