--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The primary source of waste in government…" description: "\"The primary source of waste in government is that legislators are often under heavy pressure to vote for projects that will benefit their campaign cont..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/robert-h-frank-16805_being-optimistic_the-primary-source-of-waste-in-governmen_1590328.jpg" --- # The primary source of waste in government is that… ![“The primary source of waste in government is that legislators are often under heavy pressure to vote for projects that will benefit their campaign contributors, even when those projects fail a simple cost-benefit test. But with the Supreme Court showing little interest in permitting tighter rules…” quote by Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/robert-h-frank-16805_being-optimistic_the-primary-source-of-waste-in-governmen_1590328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/robert-h-frank-16805_being-optimistic_the-primary-source-of-waste-in-governmen_1590328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/robert-h-frank-16805_being-optimistic_the-primary-source-of-waste-in-governmen_1590328.jpg) > “The primary source of waste in government is that legislators are often under heavy pressure to vote for projects that will benefit their campaign contributors, even when those projects fail a simple cost-benefit test. But with the Supreme Court showing little interest in permitting tighter rules on campaign contributions in recent years, there is little reason to be optimistic that we'll start curbing this kind of waste any time soon.” [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government waste stems from legislators prioritizing campaign donors over cost‑benefit analysis, and judicial inaction on campaign finance limits reform prospects. **In simple terms:** Politicians favor donors, not efficiency, and courts won’t change that soon. Key Takeaway Expect continued inefficiency unless reforms arise. Themes politics economics corruption public policy Mood cynical concerned Type analytical critical When to use this quote - legislative voting - budget planning - public procurement - advocacy lobbying - judicial review Key Concepts principal‑agent problem campaign finance regulatory capture Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold officials accountable? - What alternative mechanisms could reduce donor influence? A Different Perspective Reforms may be blocked by entrenched interests and legal constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-optimistic/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Campaign contributions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-contributions/) [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Contributors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contributors/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Heavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-waste-766218/) [Legislators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislators/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Primaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primaries/) [Primary source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primary-source/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Source Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source-waste-6025823/) [Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme/) [Supreme court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Waste Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-government-3138742/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The most dangerous kind of waste is the waste we do not recognize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeo-shingo/the-most-dangerous-kind-of-waste-is-the-waste-we-do-not-recognize/) [Shigeo Shingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeo-shingo/) > [I say thank God for government waste. If government is doing bad things, it's only the waste that prevents the harm from being greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-say-thank-god-for-government-waste-if-government-is-doing-bad/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [If you're looking for ways to cut waste in government, you can start with John Prescott.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/if-you-re-looking-for-ways-to-cut-waste-in-government-you-can-start/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [There is a lot of waste in government-run programs generally, and a lot of waste and fraud and misuse of money in Medicare and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/there-is-a-lot-of-waste-in-government-run-programs-generally-and-a/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [Ultimately, the question of campaign contributions will be decided by the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/ultimately-the-question-of-campaign-contributions-will-be-decided-by/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Most successful American politicians look well-fed on endorsements, campaign contributions and chicken dinners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/most-successful-american-politicians-look-well-fed-on-endorsements/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [Who do you think controls the Republican Party? Big money controls the Republican Party. This is where their campaign contributions come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/who-do-you-think-controls-the-republican-party-big-money-controls-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The only way you do anything is to become really active. And the most effective way to get your message to your elected representatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krist-novoselic/the-only-way-you-do-anything-is-to-become-really-active-and-the-most/) [Krist Novoselic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krist-novoselic/) > [The lobbying over China most favored nation trading status was disgusting. There's no way in hell that MFN would have passed in '95, '96,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-lobbying-over-china-most-favored-nation-trading-status-was/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [The reality is we that have a corrupt campaign finance system which separates the American people's needs and desires from what Congress is doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-reality-is-we-that-have-a-corrupt-campaign-finance-system-which/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“Campaign contributions don’t buy votes. What they buy is access.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/campaign-contributions-don-t-buy-votes-what-they-buy-is-access/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Whenever the media asked me how much I have received in campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry, my unapologetic answer was, 'Not enough.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-inhofe/whenever-the-media-asked-me-how-much-i-have-received-in-campaign/) [Jim Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-inhofe/) > [I just think the most important aspect in being able to have a productive relationship between the teachers' unions and the districts and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-just-think-the-most-important-aspect-in-being-able-to-have-a/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“Most politicians are corrupt as they do not represent the masses that voted for them, but rather they choose to return numerous favors to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/most-politicians-are-corrupt-as-they-do-not-represent-the-masses-that/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More by Robert H. Frank > [If the search is for examples that contradict the predictions of standard economic models, a good rule of thumb is to start in France.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/if-the-search-is-for-examples-that-contradict-the-predictions-of/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [When people bump up against one another in the course of pursuing their goals, it is in everyone's interest to resolve any resulting problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/when-people-bump-up-against-one-another-in-the-course-of-pursuing/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [It is no exaggeration to say that rising inequality has driven many of the 99 percent into a financial ditch. It also helped spawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/it-is-no-exaggeration-to-say-that-rising-inequality-has-driven-many/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [We could curtail private spending by several trillion dollars a year without requiring painful sacrifices from anyone. That would be more than enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/we-could-curtail-private-spending-by-several-trillion-dollars-a-year/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [The most glaring deficiency in traditional economic models is that they completely ignore the role of context in evaluation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/the-most-glaring-deficiency-in-traditional-economic-models-is-that/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [Adam Smith's uncritically enthusiastic modern disciples portray his invisible hand theory as saying that market forces reliably harness selfish individuals to serve the common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/adam-smith-s-uncritically-enthusiastic-modern-disciples-portray-his/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [Trusting others puts us at risk. Yet failure to trust entails risk as well. The ability to navigate through this minefield successfully is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/trusting-others-puts-us-at-risk-yet-failure-to-trust-entails-risk-as/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [Rising inequality hasn't really accomplished anything of value for its ostensible beneficiaries, the top one percent. They've all built bigger mansions and staged more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/rising-inequality-hasn-t-really-accomplished-anything-of-value-for/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [As economists have long noted, the puzzle is not that so few people vote, it's that so many do. After all, no individual's vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/as-economists-have-long-noted-the-puzzle-is-not-that-so-few-people/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [Pass down values every day through your actions, your words and your time with your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/pass-down-values-every-day-through-your-actions-your-words-and-your/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [No society has ever succeeded without a decent government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/no-society-has-ever-succeeded-without-a-decent-government/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [When the rich build bigger, they shift the frame of reference that shapes the demands of the near rich, who travel in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/when-the-rich-build-bigger-they-shift-the-frame-of-reference-that/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [If top marginal income tax rates are set too high, they discourage productive economic activity. In the limit, a top marginal income tax rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/if-top-marginal-income-tax-rates-are-set-too-high-they-discourage/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [For the three decades after WWII, incomes grew at about 3 percent a year for people up and down the income ladder, but since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/for-the-three-decades-after-wwii-incomes-grew-at-about-3-percent-a/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) > [“Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/reflect-on-your-present-blessings-of-which-every-man-has-many-not-on/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) [Explore all 39 Robert H. Frank quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) ## More Being optimistic quotes > [There was the natural human survival instinct to be optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-demick/there-was-the-natural-human-survival-instinct-to-be-optimistic/) [Barbara Demick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-demick/) > [You have got to get your power up and do something and not just sit around. Always be optimistic. Always be positive! And ignore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-have-got-to-get-your-power-up-and-do-something-and-not-just-sit/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The voice of the intellect is soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing. Ultimately, after endless rebuffs, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-voice-of-the-intellect-is-soft-one-but-it-does-not-rest-until-it/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Part of what makes America strong is our resilience, tenacity, innovation and our willingness to be optimistic about our future. I know that President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/part-of-what-makes-america-strong-is-our-resilience-tenacity/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [You can be fully satisfied with where you are, understanding that you're eternally evolving. When you get into that place of feeling appreciation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/you-can-be-fully-satisfied-with-where-you-are-understanding-that-you/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Creeds matter very little... The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/creeds-matter-very-little-the-optimist-proclaims-that-we-live-in-the/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [Man often becomes what he believes himself to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-often-becomes-what-he-believes-himself-to-be/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/people-prone-to-joyful-anticipation-skilled-at-obtaining-pleasure/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [I can't be optimistic. I can be hopeful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-vincent/i-can-t-be-optimistic-i-can-be-hopeful/) [Fay Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-vincent/) > [“The heart of man is vulnerable to negativity, but it could be easily fortified with positivity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-heart-of-man-is-vulnerable-to-negativity-but-it-could-be-easily/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Hope is a state of mind independent of the state of the world. If your heart's full of hope, you can be persistent when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/hope-is-a-state-of-mind-independent-of-the-state-of-the-world-if-your/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [I think all Americans should be hopeful, and try to be optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-think-all-americans-should-be-hopeful-and-try-to-be-optimistic/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We're America, and we have to stop worrying about what happens overseas, and to be optimistic, even though nobody should think we're not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-re-america-and-we-have-to-stop-worrying-about-what-happens/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [The biggest obstacle that you can have is all inside your head, so I try every day to be optimistic and keep dreaming about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-chaparro/the-biggest-obstacle-that-you-can-have-is-all-inside-your-head-so-i/) [Omar Chaparro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-chaparro/) > [I am inclined by nature to be optimistic about the capacity of a person to rise higher than he or she has thought possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-am-inclined-by-nature-to-be-optimistic-about-the-capacity-of-a/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) [Browse all 86 Being optimistic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-optimistic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The primary source of waste in government is that legislators are often under heavy pressure to vote for projects that will benefit their campaign contributors, even when those projects fail a simple cost-benefit test. But with the Supreme Court showing little interest in permitting tighter rules on campaign contributions in recent years, there is little reason to be optimistic that we'll start curbing this kind of waste any time soon.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert H. 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