Marco Rubio: Transparent Spending

Marco Rubio Money Quote saying it would be good to post online how tax money is spent so everyone can see what they are buying. Marco Rubio said:
 

 

“We need transparency in government spending. We need to put each government expenditure online so every Floridian can see where their tax money is being spent” — Marco Rubio

Barack Obama emphasizes the importance of transparency and ethics in public service because he believes that when trust in institutions is low, it’s crucial to reduce the corrosive influence of money in politics and ensure that public service is guided by principles of transparency and ethics. This is highlighted in his farewell address in Chicago, where he stresses the need to fight corruption in politics.

Susan Sontag: War Expenditure

Susan Sontag Money Quote saying no one is expected to see war-making in a realistic light when it comes to cost when it is usually considered an emergency where no expense is spared. Susan Sontag said:
 

 

“War-making is one of the few activities that people are not supposed to view ‘realistically’; that is, with an eye to expense and practical outcome. In all-out war, expenditure is all-out, unprudent—war being defined as an emergency in which no sacrifice is excessive” — Susan Sontag

This quote from Susan Sontag is criticizing how war is viewed and discussed. She argues that when a country engages in war, the costs and practical outcomes are often not considered in a realistic way.

Instead, there is a mentality that no sacrifice is too great during a war, and expenditure of resources is not weighed against potential benefits.

Sontag is suggesting that war should be viewed with more practicality and realism, taking into account the tremendous financial and human costs, rather than adopting an emergency mindset where budgeting and prudence are thrown out the window.

Birthday: January 16, 1933 – Death: December 28, 2004

Calvin Coolidge: Public Expenditure

Calvin Coolidge Money Quote saying it is easy to bestow public money when there are so many looking for the opportunity. Calvin Coolidge said:
 

 

“Nothing is easier than the expenditure of public money. It doesn’t appear to belong to anyone. The temptation is overwhelming to bestow it on somebody” — Calvin Coolidge

In this quote, Calvin Coolidge is commenting on the psychological tendency for politicians and public officials to be frivolous with taxpayer money since it does not feel like it truly belongs to any single person.

Coolidge suggests that spending government funds captured from the public via taxes is too easy, as there is an “overwhelming temptation” to shower benefits on constituencies to garner popularity, even if the spending is unnecessary or wasteful. Without a direct personal cost, it is too tempting to treat public money carelessly.

The quote conveys Coolidge’s view that there needs to be prudence and restraint in expenditure of taxpayer dollars. Since the money was collected from citizens, it should not be treated as if it has no real owner and dispensed freely without consideration for accountability or value. Coolidge seems to be advocating for responsibility and care in oversight and allocation of public finances.

Birthday: July 4, 1872 – Death: January 5, 1933

James K. Polk: Frugal Government

James K. Polk Money Quote saying frugality with public monies is the responsibility of the President and should be enforced by Congress. James K. Polk said:
 

 

“Ours was intended to be a plain and frugal government, and I shall regard it to be my duty to recommend to Congress and, as far as the Executive is concerned, to enforce by all the means within my power the strictest economy in the expenditure of the public money which may be compatible with the public interests” — James K. Polk

In this quote, James K. Polk is outlining his view of how the federal government should approach fiscal policy and spending. He states that the American system was designed to have a “plain and frugal government”, not an extravagant one.

Polk then pledges that as President, it will be his duty to recommend tight budgets to Congress that practice “the strictest economy” and efficiency in how taxpayer money is used.

However, he qualifies that this austerity must be “compatible with the public interests” – so essential services are still delivered effectively.

Overall, Polk is expressing his belief that the government has an obligation to taxpayers to spend funds judiciously and avoid waste, while still meeting core responsibilities. The quote conveys his philosophy of fiscal conservatism and responsibility.

Birthday: November 2, 1795 – Death: June 15, 1849

Chester A. Arthur on Measure of Tax Evil

Chester A. Arthur Money Quotation saying taxation hurts those who make the least more, so they feel it more. Chester A. Arthur said:
 

 

“The extravagant expenditure of public money is an evil not to be measured by the value of that money to the people who are taxed for it” — Chester A. Arthur

In this quote, former U.S. President Chester A. Arthur is expressing concern about excessive government spending and the costs it imposes on taxpayers. His perspective seems to be that wasteful outlays of public funds should not be judged solely based on the aggregate dollar amounts, but rather by their impact on citizens who ultimately finance such spending through taxes.

Arthur appears to believe that even if expenditure amounts seem small in total, they still represent a burden and “evil” imposed on individual taxpayers. The quote conveces Arthur’s view that fiscal responsibility requires considering not just budget line items, but also their true costs dispersed among members of the public who work to fill government coffers.

He seems to argue for prudent spending and accountability and against dismissing profligacy concerns due to a focus only on top-line budget figures.

Birthday: October 5, 1829 – Death: November 18, 1886

Keith Davis: Allocating Budget Expenditures

Funny Money Quotes: Running out of budget can be rationalized by claiming the money wasn’t properly allocated by failing to foresee this very shortfall. Keith Davis said:
 

 

“We didn’t actually overspend our budget. The allocation simply fell short of our expenditure” — Keith Davis

Keith Davis seems to be making light of going over budget by using euphemistic language. When a budget is “overspent”, it implies poor financial planning or mismanagement of funds.

However, Davis recasts this by saying the budget’s “allocation simply fell short of our expenditure”, which suggests the spending was reasonable and unavoidable given the actual costs incurred.

In other words, Davis is playfully acknowledging that expenses exceeded the planned budget, but does so in a way that downplays responsibility by portraying the overage as due to an insufficient rather than excessive allocation of funds.

The quote aims to put a positive spin on overspending through clever wording that downplays accountability.

Charles Dickens: Annual Income Emotions

Charles Dickens Money Quotation saying that if you spend less than you earn you’ll be happy, regardless of how much you earn. Dickens said:
 

 

“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery” — Charles Dickens

This quote by Charles Dickens is highlighting how even a small difference in income versus expenses can significantly impact one’s happiness. Specifically, it suggests that living within one’s means and keeping expenditures slightly below what one earns results in happiness. Meanwhile, spending more than what is brought in leads to misery.

The quote implies that financial prudence and avoiding debt are important for well-being, according to Dickens’ perspective. Overall, it emphasizes how living below one’s means financially can contribute positively to life satisfaction compared to the stress of overspending.

Birthday: February 7, 1812 – Death: June 9, 1870