Congressman Tom McClintock delivered the following remarks during a debate on the 2012 budget bill introduced by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan:

House Chamber, Washington, DC
April 14, 2011

History walks with us today as we begin this debate. 

History offers us not a single example of a nation that has ever spent, borrowed and taxed its way to prosperity.  Not one.

Mr. Chairman:  History walks with us today as we begin this work.  History offers us not a single example of a nation that has ever spent, borrowed and taxed its way to prosperity, but it offers us many, many examples of nations that have spent, borrowed and taxed their way to economic ruin and bankruptcy.  And history is screaming this warning at us: nations that bankrupt themselves aren’t around very long, because before we can provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare, we have to be able to pay for it – and the ability of our nation to do so is now in grave danger.

Throughout these hearings, economists from every part of the spectrum have warned us that if we have just a few precious years left to avoid a sovereign debt crisis and potentially the financial collapse of the United States Government.

House Chamber, Washington, D.C.  December 16, 2010. 

House Chamber, Washington, D.C. 
August 10, 2010

Mr. Speaker: Many people are asking why Congress is here today.  I think the answer’s pretty simple: we’re not bankrupting the country fast enough and so we need to come back and spend more.

In the merciful week that Congress was not in session, my constituents had one message: STOP THE SPENDING.  Obviously, Congress isn’t listening.

Mr. Speaker:

Yesterday I addressed the demand of Gov. Schwarzenegger for federal aid by noting the devastating impact that his tax increases have had on California’s economy. Tax increases that were supposed to bring in $13 billion of additional revenue have instead crushed the brittle economy and cost $10 billion in lost revenues in just nine months.

California’s revenue problem isn’t the only thing made in Sacramento. Its spending problem is also self-inflicted.

Rep. Tom McClintock gave the following speech to the Competitive Enterprise Institute on July 10, 2009.