--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government spending? I don't know what…" description: "\"Government spending? I don't know what it's all about. I don't know any more about this thing than an economist does, and, God knows, he doesn't know m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/will-rogers-272_doe_government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it_2869317.jpg" --- # Government spending? I don't know what it's all about. I… ![“Government spending? I don't know what it's all about. I don't know any more about this thing than an economist does, and, God knows, he doesn't know much.” quote by Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/will-rogers-272_doe_government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it_2869317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/will-rogers-272_doe_government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it_2869317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/will-rogers-272_doe_government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it_2869317.jpg) > “Government spending? I don't know what it's all about. I don't know any more about this thing than an economist does, and, God knows, he doesn't know much.” [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits ignorance about government finances, highlighting the complexity and the limits of expertise. **In simple terms:** Admitting lack of knowledge about government spending. Key Takeaway Recognize limits, seek expert guidance. Themes humility politics knowledge Mood skeptical reflective Type political educational When to use this quote - budget debates - tax discussions - citizen education - media analysis Key Concepts economics public policy expertise Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens become better informed about fiscal policy? - What role should experts play in public discourse? A Different Perspective Complex financial systems may be oversimplified by non-experts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economist/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-spending/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [It is true that I am one of the co-authors of 'Nudge,' and I am a behavioral economist, but it does not mean that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/it-is-true-that-i-am-one-of-the-co-authors-of-nudge-and-i-am-a/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [“Modern economics, by which I mean the style of economics taught and practised in today's leading universities, likes to start the enquiries from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/partha-dasgupta/modern-economics-by-which-i-mean-the-style-of-economics-taught-and/) Partha Dasgupta > [My dad is an economist who does global development research. What he practices is a kind of quantifiable empathy: trying to empathize with systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jamison/my-dad-is-an-economist-who-does-global-development-research-what-he/) [Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) > [Do you know that all of the money that we are spending, that the government is spending, must come from you? The government has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-reuben-clark/do-you-know-that-all-of-the-money-that-we-are-spending-that-the/) [J. Reuben Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-reuben-clark/) > [Having said that, I believe we must not compound the natural disaster of Katrina by creating a fiscal disaster in Congress - it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chocola/having-said-that-i-believe-we-must-not-compound-the-natural-disaster/) [Chris Chocola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chocola/) > [To win in November, Republican candidates must show they are in touch with voter concerns about growth, jobs, paychecks, government spending and debt. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/to-win-in-november-republican-candidates-must-show-they-are-in-touch/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [You've got the Democratic Party that now depends on more government spending and actual building the dependence on government in order to increase their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/you-ve-got-the-democratic-party-that-now-depends-on-more-government/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [I am in favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it's possible. ... because I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-am-in-favor-of-cutting-taxes-under-any-circumstances-and-for-any/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Who knew, in 2000, that compassionate conservatism meant bigger government, unrestricted government spending, government intrusion in personal matters, government ineptitude, and cronyism in disaster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-buckley/who-knew-in-2000-that-compassionate-conservatism-meant-bigger/) [Christopher Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-buckley/) > [Conservatives and liberals are kindred spirits as far as government spending is concerned. First, let's make sure we understand what government spending is. Since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/conservatives-and-liberals-are-kindred-spirits-as-far-as-government/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [State capitalism is about more than emergency government spending, implementation of more intelligent regulation, or a stronger social safety net. It's about state dominance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/state-capitalism-is-about-more-than-emergency-government-spending/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [Government spending cannot create additional jobs. If the government provides the funds required by taxing the citizens or by borrowing from the public, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/government-spending-cannot-create-additional-jobs-if-the-government/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Hillary Clinton: putting big government spending financed by the Chinese ahead of good-paying jobs for middle-class Americans. Is she guilty or not guilty?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/hillary-clinton-putting-big-government-spending-financed-by-the/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [The idea that more taxes and more government spending is the best way to help hardworking middle class taxpayers - that's an old idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-idea-that-more-taxes-and-more-government-spending-is-the-best-way/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## More by Will Rogers > [She was so ugly she could make a mule back away from an oat bin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/she-was-so-ugly-she-could-make-a-mule-back-away-from-an-oat-bin/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Politicians, after all, are not over a year behind public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/politicians-after-all-are-not-over-a-year-behind-public-opinion/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [American invents everything, but the trouble is we get tired of it the minute the new is wore off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/american-invents-everything-but-the-trouble-is-we-get-tired-of-it-the/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I don't know what humor is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-know-what-humor-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There are two things I don't care how smart you are, you will never understand. One is an alienist's testimony, and the other is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-things-i-don-t-care-how-smart-you-are-you-will-never/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-more-you-observe-politics-the-more-you-ve-got-to-admit-that-each/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I don't think you can make a lawyer honest by an act of legislature. You've got to work on his conscience. And his lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-think-you-can-make-a-lawyer-honest-by-an-act-of-legislature/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-theories-to-arguing-with-a-woman-neither-works/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [America is a great country, but you can't live in it for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/america-is-a-great-country-but-you-can-t-live-in-it-for-nothing/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There ought to be one day - just one - when there is open season on senators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-ought-to-be-one-day-just-one-when-there-is-open-season-on/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Every Gag I tell must be based on truth. No matter how much I may exaggerate it, it must have a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/every-gag-i-tell-must-be-based-on-truth-no-matter-how-much-i-may/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [So live that you would not mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/so-live-that-you-would-not-mind-selling-your-pet-parrot-to-the-town/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) [Explore all 776 Will Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) Browse all 25,574 Doe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Government spending? I don't know what it's all about. I don't know any more about this thing than an economist does, and, God knows, he doesn't know much.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Rogers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it-s-all-about-i-don-t-know-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it-s-all-about-i-don-t-know-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/will-rogers-272_doe_government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it_2869317.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/will-rogers-272_doe_government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it_2869317.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/779/will-rogers-272_doe_government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it_2869317.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Government spending? I don't know what it's all about. I don't know any more about this thing than an…” — Will Rogers", "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": "Will Rogers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Government spending? I don't know what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it-s-all-about-i-don-t-know-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/government-spending-i-don-t-know-what-it-s-all-about-i-don-t-know-any/#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 } } ] } ```