--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we weren't running deficits, if we…" description: "\"If we weren't running deficits, if we weren't spending more than we were taking in, there would be no reason whatsoever to increase the debt ceiling.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/ron-johnson-4283_ceiling_if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-wer_1544200.jpg" --- # If we weren't running deficits, if we weren't spending… ![“If we weren't running deficits, if we weren't spending more than we were taking in, there would be no reason whatsoever to increase the debt ceiling.” quote by Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/ron-johnson-4283_ceiling_if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-wer_1544200.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/ron-johnson-4283_ceiling_if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-wer_1544200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/ron-johnson-4283_ceiling_if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-wer_1544200.jpg) > “If we weren't running deficits, if we weren't spending more than we were taking in, there would be no reason whatsoever to increase the debt ceiling.” [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that without deficits, there is no justification for raising the debt ceiling. **In simple terms:** No deficits, no debt ceiling need. Key Takeaway Consider fiscal policies before increasing debt limits. Themes economics policy budgeting Mood analytical critical Type political economics When to use this quote - budget planning - policy debate - financial oversight Key Concepts fiscal responsibility government spending debt management Questions to Reflect On - Is a debt ceiling necessary in a surplus? - What are the risks of eliminating deficits? A Different Perspective Ignoring deficits may ignore other economic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceiling/) [Debt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debt/) [Debt ceiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debt-ceiling/) [Deficits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deficits/) [Deficits Weren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deficits-weren-5758009/) [Increase Debt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase-debt-534014/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Weren Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weren-spending-5758010/) ## Related quotes > [Debt ceiling is something that, you know, any time the president asks for the authority to increase the debt ceiling, the debt burden on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/debt-ceiling-is-something-that-you-know-any-time-the-president-asks/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [Bless his heart, I have respect for Mitt Romney, but I do not have respect for what he has done through this debt increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/bless-his-heart-i-have-respect-for-mitt-romney-but-i-do-not-have/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [Bless his heart, I have respect for Mitt Romney, but I do not have respect for what he has done through this debt increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/bless-his-heart-i-have-respect-for-mitt-romney-but-i-do-not-have-2/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [You watch television and see what's going on on this debt ceiling issue. And what I consider to be a total lack of leadership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wynn/you-watch-television-and-see-what-s-going-on-on-this-debt-ceiling/) [Steve Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wynn/) > [Not raising the debt ceiling is not an automatic trigger for a default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-yoho/not-raising-the-debt-ceiling-is-not-an-automatic-trigger-for-a-default/) [Ted Yoho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-yoho/) > [I'm not going to raise the debt ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-yoho/i-m-not-going-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling/) [Ted Yoho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-yoho/) > [The debt ceiling is not something to toy with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/the-debt-ceiling-is-not-something-to-toy-with/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [When President Obama asked Congress to raise the debt ceiling $2 trillion and offered sequestration as an offset, I opposed it. I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-turner/when-president-obama-asked-congress-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling-2/) [Mike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-turner/) > [I think what's important to understand is if the United States hits the debt ceiling and is unable to pay its debts, the consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-chenault/i-think-what-s-important-to-understand-is-if-the-united-states-hits/) [Kenneth Chenault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-chenault/) > [If we had decided on January 5, in the new House of Representatives, to make no new spending bills, the debt ceiling would've still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/if-we-had-decided-on-january-5-in-the-new-house-of-representatives-to/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [When President Obama was in the Senate, when he was a U.S. senator, he voted against raising the debt ceiling. And he said it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/when-president-obama-was-in-the-senate-when-he-was-a-u-s-senator-he/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [There was no avoiding the fact that we were going to hit our debt ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/there-was-no-avoiding-the-fact-that-we-were-going-to-hit-our-debt/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think at the end of the day we have to raise the debt ceiling, because America pays its bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-sewell/i-think-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-have-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling/) [Terri Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-sewell/) > [I think the whole issue of a debt ceiling makes no sense to me whatsoever. Anybody who is remotely adroit at arithmetic doesn't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-think-the-whole-issue-of-a-debt-ceiling-makes-no-sense-to-me/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [I don't see why anybody's playing chicken with the debt ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/i-don-t-see-why-anybody-s-playing-chicken-with-the-debt-ceiling/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) ## More by Ron Johnson > [In an era of unprecedented medical innovation, we have to do more to ensure that patients facing terminal illnesses have access to potentially life-saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/in-an-era-of-unprecedented-medical-innovation-we-have-to-do-more-to/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [Career politicians manufacture hogwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/career-politicians-manufacture-hogwash/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I want to err on the side of constitutional liberty and freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-want-to-err-on-the-side-of-constitutional-liberty-and-freedom/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I don't like outside group ads. I don't like attack ads. I particularly don't like them now that I'm in the process and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-don-t-like-outside-group-ads-i-don-t-like-attack-ads-i-particularly/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The federal government is way larger than it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-federal-government-is-way-larger-than-it-should-be/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I have a great deal of respect for Wisconsin workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-wisconsin-workers/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [There is a real problem in terms of the refugee flow, the ability of ISIS to infiltrate those refugee flows, our inability to track…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/there-is-a-real-problem-in-terms-of-the-refugee-flow-the-ability-of/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [I think it's extremely important that the citizens of Wisconsin know the positions I'm taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-think-it-s-extremely-important-that-the-citizens-of-wisconsin-know/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The people that are proposing banning assault weapons, well, first of all they're already banned. Assault weapon is a fully automatic, those are already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-people-that-are-proposing-banning-assault-weapons-well-first-of/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The Obama administration's hostility to school choice programs is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-obama-administration-s-hostility-to-school-choice-programs-is/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [What we should be doing is responsibly addressing the primary drivers of our debt and deficit issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/what-we-should-be-doing-is-responsibly-addressing-the-primary-drivers/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [There are a lot of young kids serving in Washington, D.C.: kids that are smart, hard-working, but they've never farmed. They've never run a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/there-are-a-lot-of-young-kids-serving-in-washington-d-c-kids-that-are/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [Russ Feingold is a career politician. He's addicted to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/russ-feingold-is-a-career-politician-he-s-addicted-to-it/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [The only area that I would agree with minimum wage is in immigration reform, the guest worker program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-only-area-that-i-would-agree-with-minimum-wage-is-in-immigration/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [To me, support versus endorse are two totally different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/to-me-support-versus-endorse-are-two-totally-different-things/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) [Explore all 113 Ron Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) ## More Ceiling quotes > [The first thing I hear when I wake up is the sea, which is so close to our house that its reflections from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-brown/the-first-thing-i-hear-when-i-wake-up-is-the-sea-which-is-so-close-to/) [Craig Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-brown/) > [I'd hit my head on the ceiling, standin on top of my cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chamillionaire/i-d-hit-my-head-on-the-ceiling-standin-on-top-of-my-cash/) [Chamillionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chamillionaire/) > [The message I like to convey to women and girls across the globe is that there is no glass ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/the-message-i-like-to-convey-to-women-and-girls-across-the-globe-is/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [Dont flatter yourself, honey. The only fan you have is on the ceiling!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-flatter-yourself-honey-the-only-fan-you-have-is-on-the-ceiling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There's no such thing as a glass ceiling for women. It's just a thick layer of men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-liswood/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-glass-ceiling-for-women-it-s-just-a-thick/) [Laura Liswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-liswood/) > [Work hard, earn a great living, get whatever you want out of life, have all the stuff you want. But there should be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-duncan/work-hard-earn-a-great-living-get-whatever-you-want-out-of-life-have/) [Sandy Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-duncan/) > [“A chair, a table, a lamp. Above, on the white ceiling, a relief ornament in the shape of a wreath, and in the center…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/a-chair-a-table-a-lamp-above-on-the-white-ceiling-a-relief-ornament/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I can write, He floated up to the ceiling, and a baby rabbit came out of his pocket, grew wings, and flew away. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-carpenter/i-can-write-he-floated-up-to-the-ceiling-and-a-baby-rabbit-came-out/) [Humphrey Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-carpenter/) > [We are unlimited beings. We have no ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/we-are-unlimited-beings-we-have-no-ceiling/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [I really like ceilings...I guess you could call me a Ceiling fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-really-like-ceilings-i-guess-you-could-call-me-a-ceiling-fan/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are people who say that if you are told that your house has fallen you don't ask what about the ceiling or what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/there-are-people-who-say-that-if-you-are-told-that-your-house-has/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [We've removed the ceiling above our dreams. There are no more impossible dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-ve-removed-the-ceiling-above-our-dreams-there-are-no-more/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [If your ceiling should fall down, then you have lost a room, but gained a courtyard. Think of it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/if-your-ceiling-should-fall-down-then-you-have-lost-a-room-but-gained/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [In design-speak, 'a library' means a room lined with books, floor-to ceiling, but it all depends on the space you have. You may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/in-design-speak-a-library-means-a-room-lined-with-books-floor-to/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [The best advice I can give women at all levels is increase training. There are still areas where we have to break through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-solis/the-best-advice-i-can-give-women-at-all-levels-is-increase-training/) [Hilda Solis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilda-solis/) [Browse all 194 Ceiling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceiling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we weren't running deficits, if we weren't spending more than we were taking in, there would be no reason whatsoever to increase the debt ceiling.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ron Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-weren-t-spending-more-than-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ceiling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-weren-t-spending-more-than-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/ron-johnson-4283_ceiling_if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-wer_1544200.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/ron-johnson-4283_ceiling_if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-wer_1544200.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/ron-johnson-4283_ceiling_if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-wer_1544200.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we weren't running deficits, if we weren't spending more than we were taking in, there would be no reason…” — Ron Johnson", "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": "Ron Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we weren't running deficits, if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-weren-t-spending-more-than-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/if-we-weren-t-running-deficits-if-we-weren-t-spending-more-than-we/#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 } } ] } ```