--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must have government that spends less…" description: "\"We must have government that spends less and does less.\" — Tom Coburn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/tom-coburn-9771_doe_we-must-have-government-that-spends-less_1417204.jpg" --- # We must have government that spends less and does less. ![“We must have government that spends less and does less.” quote by Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/tom-coburn-9771_doe_we-must-have-government-that-spends-less_1417204.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/tom-coburn-9771_doe_we-must-have-government-that-spends-less_1417204.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/tom-coburn-9771_doe_we-must-have-government-that-spends-less_1417204.jpg) > “We must have government that spends less and does less.” [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates minimal government involvement and reduced public spending to limit bureaucracy and increase efficiency. **In simple terms:** Government should be small and efficient. Key Takeaway Support limited government and fiscal restraint. Themes government fiscal policy efficiency libertarianism Mood critical analytical Type political policy When to use this quote - budget planning - tax reform - public sector management - citizen advocacy Key Concepts taxation public spending bureaucracy Questions to Reflect On - How can essential services be maintained with less spending? - What are the risks of overly minimal government? A Different Perspective May overlook essential services and social safety nets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [The problem is government spends too much. So raising taxes is what politicians do, instead of reducing spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/the-problem-is-government-spends-too-much-so-raising-taxes-is-what/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [The federal government spends about $2.51 per child per day to feed them lunch. Out of that, you have to pay for labor, facilities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51-per-child-per-day-to-feed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a role for government, but no matter how much money the government spends, it will never be able to take the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/there-is-a-role-for-government-but-no-matter-how-much-money-the/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Even if the government spends itself into bankruptcy and the economy still does not recover, Keynesians can always say that it would have worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/even-if-the-government-spends-itself-into-bankruptcy-and-the-economy/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [We must move from revenue-neutral to revenue-reducing tax reform, because the federal government spends far too much money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/we-must-move-from-revenue-neutral-to-revenue-reducing-tax-reform/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [Tim on the show does a lot of that posturing, of course, and feels sort of threatened by women. But even at that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-richardson/tim-on-the-show-does-a-lot-of-that-posturing-of-course-and-feels-sort/) [Patricia Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-richardson/) > [I believe that government is too large, costs too much, spends too much, and has too much regulatory power in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-walberg/i-believe-that-government-is-too-large-costs-too-much-spends-too-much/) [Tim Walberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-walberg/) > [Since I've been in the Senate, is that my work with people like Tom Coburn on opening up transparency in government, making sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/since-i-ve-been-in-the-senate-is-that-my-work-with-people-like-tom/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If the US government spends 40 percent of the nation's income, as it does through either borrowing or taxes, that income is not available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/if-the-us-government-spends-40-percent-of-the-nation-s-income-as-it/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [There's a true schizophrenia where if you say to voters, you know, do you think the federal government spends too much money and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/there-s-a-true-schizophrenia-where-if-you-say-to-voters-you-know-do/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [In a country like Brazil, when you have major issues to solve as violence and health care, the government spends money with sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-rua/in-a-country-like-brazil-when-you-have-major-issues-to-solve-as/) [Mauricio Rua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-rua/) > [The federal government now spends one of every four dollars in the entire economy. It borrows one of every three dollars it spends. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/the-federal-government-now-spends-one-of-every-four-dollars-in-the/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [The government deficit is the difference between the amount of money the government spends and the amount it has the nerve to collect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ewing/the-government-deficit-is-the-difference-between-the-amount-of-money/) [Sam Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ewing/) > [Deficit financing proper is rather the process whereby a Government spends more money that it withdraws from the economy by taxation, borrowing, running down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-cowperthwaite/deficit-financing-proper-is-rather-the-process-whereby-a-government/) [John James Cowperthwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-cowperthwaite/) > [Delhi is bleeding, while the government spends money on ads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-tiwari/delhi-is-bleeding-while-the-government-spends-money-on-ads/) [Manoj Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-tiwari/) ## More by Tom Coburn > [I believe keeping our promises should be our highest priority and that means saving Social Security and Medicare while preserving the American dream for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/i-believe-keeping-our-promises-should-be-our-highest-priority-and/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [The founding fathers never once rationalized getting in power and having control so they could stay in power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/the-founding-fathers-never-once-rationalized-getting-in-power-and/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [The real debate is we've had an activist court, and the American people don't want an activist court. 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