---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the best thing we can do is sell…"
description: "\"I think the best thing we can do is sell that idea of smaller government - of fiscal responsibility vs. the Obama record. Obama made promises, and on e..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/richard-mourdock-23977_actually_i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell_1033021.jpg"
---

#  I think the best thing we can do is sell that idea of…

![“I think the best thing we can do is sell that idea of smaller government - of fiscal responsibility vs. the Obama record. Obama made promises, and on every promise in which he's actually delivered, things have gotten worse instead of better. He said if we get ObamaCare it'll help, but health care…” quote by Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/richard-mourdock-23977_actually_i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell_1033021.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/richard-mourdock-23977_actually_i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell_1033021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/richard-mourdock-23977_actually_i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell_1033021.jpg)

> “I think the best thing we can do is sell that idea of smaller government - of fiscal responsibility vs. the Obama record. Obama made promises, and on every promise in which he's actually delivered, things have gotten worse instead of better. He said if we get ObamaCare it'll help, but health care prices went up.”

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Advocates smaller government and fiscal responsibility, criticizing Obama’s policies as ineffective and costly.

**In simple terms:** Smaller government, fiscal responsibility, criticize Obama policies

Key Takeaway

Promote limited government and scrutinize policy outcomes.

Themes

government fiscal responsibility politics policy critique

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- election campaigns
- policy debates
- budget planning
- healthcare reform

Key Concepts

public finance accountability policy analysis

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we measure true fiscal responsibility?
- What evidence supports smaller government benefits?

A Different Perspective

Claims may oversimplify complex policy impacts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Fiscal responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiscal-responsibility/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Obamacare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obamacare/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Promises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Smaller government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smaller-government/)

## Related quotes

> [As we pursue a smaller government, fiscal consolidation will need to deepen. And, mindful of the fiscal balance as we always are, we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/as-we-pursue-a-smaller-government-fiscal-consolidation-will-need-to/)

[Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/)

> [ The governor of Minnesota \[Mark Dayton\], a couple of months ago he said that the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable. He's a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-governor-of-minnesota-mark-dayton-a-couple-of-months-ago-he-said/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [I don't think I can stand any more of Obama's empty promises. He has done NOTHING for this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-think-i-can-stand-any-more-of-obama-s-empty-promises-he-has/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [ \[President Obama\] made so many promises. We thought that he was going to be -- I shouldn't say this at Christmastime -- but the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/president-obama-made-so-many-promises-we-thought-that-he-was-going-to/)

[Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/)

> [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i-2/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [Smaller government, more individual responsibility, more individual control creates more Republicans. More state power and ownership and control and top-down decision-making creates more Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/smaller-government-more-individual-responsibility-more-individual/)

[Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/)

> [The Republican establishment cringe at the very discussion of social issues. They are in favor of big government for the most part. They think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-republican-establishment-cringe-at-the-very-discussion-of-social/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Conservatives believe in smaller government and in the power of the electorate. So I think that we're less likely to try to use a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/conservatives-believe-in-smaller-government-and-in-the-power-of-the/)

[David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/)

> [One side of the American psyche wants smaller government, lower taxes, and more choices for individuals, even if those choices increase risk. The other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/one-side-of-the-american-psyche-wants-smaller-government-lower-taxes/)

[Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/)

> [Our connection to faith and church and that background sort of lent itself in our views to the Republican Party and our views on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cameron/our-connection-to-faith-and-church-and-that-background-sort-of-lent/)

[Daniel Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cameron/)

> [On economic policy, my support of smaller government, lower taxes and economic reform is consistent with the mainstream of the Republican Party in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/on-economic-policy-my-support-of-smaller-government-lower-taxes-and/)

[John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/)

> [My philosophy is not a bean-counting, accounting 'look at this.' It is a philosophy that smaller government is better government, and government that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/my-philosophy-is-not-a-bean-counting-accounting-look-at-this-it-is-a/)

[John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/)

> [Conservatives want smaller government. They want to focus on market-based solutions wherever one can. They want to have as little regulation as possible. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ornstein/conservatives-want-smaller-government-they-want-to-focus-on-market/)

Norman Ornstein

> [ We must create a \[economic\] crisis in order to ensure that there is no alternative to a smaller government. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/we-must-create-a-economic-crisis-in-order-to-ensure-that-there-is-no/)

[Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/)

> [If you are for smaller government, then our candidate is for you. We are for better government and smaller government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/if-you-are-for-smaller-government-then-our-candidate-is-for-you-we/)

[Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/)

## More by Richard Mourdock

> [I have to certainly stand for life. I know that there are some who disagree, and I respect their point of view. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-have-to-certainly-stand-for-life-i-know-that-there-are-some-who/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [I believe God controls the universe. I don't believe biology works in an uncontrolled fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-believe-god-controls-the-universe-i-don-t-believe-biology-works-in/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [I am a very even-keeled guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-am-a-very-even-keeled-guy/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [I didn't grow up in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-didn-t-grow-up-in-politics/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [I will always call Darmstadt, Indiana, home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-will-always-call-darmstadt-indiana-home/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [Even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that is something that God intended to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/even-when-life-begins-in-that-horrible-situation-of-rape-that-is/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [The fact is, you never compromise on principles. If people on the far Left, they have a principle to stand by, they should never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/the-fact-is-you-never-compromise-on-principles-if-people-on-the-far/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [Bipartisanship has taken us to the brink of bankruptcy. We don't need bipartisanship, we need application of principle... Where was the call for bipartisanship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/bipartisanship-has-taken-us-to-the-brink-of-bankruptcy-we-don-t-need/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [I don't believe biology works in an uncontrolled fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-don-t-believe-biology-works-in-an-uncontrolled-fashion/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [I have a mindset that says bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-have-a-mindset-that-says-bipartisanship-ought-to-consist-of/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [I used to dig around the sandbox and pull out pieces of coal and show them to my mother, and she used to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-used-to-dig-around-the-sandbox-and-pull-out-pieces-of-coal-and-show/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [It's a beautiful thing at 60 to know who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/it-s-a-beautiful-thing-at-60-to-know-who-you-are/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [What I've said about compromise, I hope to build a conservative majority so bipartisanship becomes Democrats joining Republicans to roll back the size of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/what-i-ve-said-about-compromise-i-hope-to-build-a-conservative/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [People in Indiana like to see their politicians at the county fair or the Rotary Club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/people-in-indiana-like-to-see-their-politicians-at-the-county-fair-or/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

> [Let's do away with the Departments of Education, Energy Commerce, Housing and Urban Development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/let-s-do-away-with-the-departments-of-education-energy-commerce/)

[Richard Mourdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

[Explore all 25 Richard Mourdock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/)

## More Actually quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/)

[Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/)

> [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/)

[David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/)

> [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/)

[Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/)

> [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/)

[L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/)

> [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/)

[Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/)

> [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/)

[Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/)

[Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/)

> [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/)

[Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/)

> [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/)

[Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/)

> [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/)

[Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/)

> [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/)

[Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/)

> ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/)

[Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/)

Browse all 4,248 Actually quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think the best thing we can do is sell that idea of smaller government - of fiscal responsibility vs. the Obama record. Obama made promises, and on every promise in which he's actually delivered, things have gotten worse instead of better. He said if we get ObamaCare it'll help, but health care prices went up.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Mourdock"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell-that-idea-of-smaller/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actually"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell-that-idea-of-smaller/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/richard-mourdock-23977_actually_i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell_1033021.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/richard-mourdock-23977_actually_i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell_1033021.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/richard-mourdock-23977_actually_i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell_1033021.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think the best thing we can do is sell that idea of smaller government - of fiscal responsibility vs. the…” — Richard Mourdock",
                "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": "Richard Mourdock",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mourdock/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think the best thing we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell-that-idea-of-smaller/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mourdock/i-think-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-sell-that-idea-of-smaller/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
