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Alan Keyes on Budget & Economy
American Independent nominee for President; 2004 Republican challenger for IL Senate
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Economics should be based on family household management
What’s the root of economics? “Economics” comes from the Greek “oikonomos.” The word oiko meant household, and nomos meant the rules or regulations governing the household. Economics was the study of that which was required in order successfully to
manage a household. Economics is founded upon the family.When somebody’s telling you they’re going to take care of economics, while they stand by and let your family be destroyed at its very heart, in its very principle, they couldn’t possibly be
telling you the truth.
But we don’t get it. We think economics is about money. No, it’s not. If you really understood it, you’d realize money is not economics. It’s about whether or not you have sustained the strength and integrity of your household,
of your family relations, of all the strengths that can come when that network works the way it’s supposed to. Have you noticed how people prosper when that’s true, and how hard life gets for them when it’s not? There’s a reason for that.
Source: Campaign website, www.alankeyes.com, “Issues”
Oct 1, 2007
Rein in out-of-control spending and balance the budget
Q: In 2006, the US government spent $406 billion dollars just on interest payments for the national debt--which is now $8.8 trillion. Will you rein in this out-of-control spending and balance the budget?- HUCKABEE: Yes.
- TANCREDO: Yes.
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COX: Yes.
- BROWNBACK: Yes.
- PAUL: Yes.
- HUNTER: Yes.
- KEYES: Yes.
COX: The career politicians in Washington who have spent your money to get elected year after year continue to pile debt onto our children, and it can’t continue at this rate.
Source: [Xref Cox] 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate
Sep 17, 2007
Supports balanced budget amendment to the Constitution
We must also take away the government’s credit card. With limits on both tax revenue and borrowing, the Federal government would finally be forced to get serious about spending cuts. That’s why a balanced budget
amendment to the Constitution, with barriers to both borrowing and spending, is the best way to secure budget discipline.
Source: Campaign website www.Keyes2004.com, “Issues”
Sep 9, 2004
Can’t address budget deficit until we address moral deficit
I have fought for fiscal issues, and we must continue to fight together to see them through. But there is not a single fiscal problem, not a single thing on which we are wasting our dollars in this country today that will be resolved
if we let our character be destroyed. We will never balance the budget, and we will never capture the problem of the deficit if we do not balance our hearts, if we do not tackle the moral deficit that is destroying our families, corrupting our children.
Source: United We Stand America Conference, p.350
Aug 12, 1995
More $ for defense, NASA, parks; less for Ag, educ, arts
Keyes supports the following spending levels:- Greatly Increase Funding
- Slightly Increase Funding
- NASA
- National Parks
- Scientific research
- Maintain Funding Status
- Law enforcement
- Medical
research
- Slightly Decrease Funding
- Transportation and Highway Infrastructure
- Greatly Decrease Funding
- Agricultural programs
- Arts funding
- Education
- Environmental programs
- International aid
- Welfare
Source: Vote-Smart.org 2000 NPAT
Jan 13, 2000
Enforce spending limits to balance the budget
Keyes’ priorities for spending any anticipated federal budget surplus:- Defense - Highest Priority
- Education - Not a Priority
- Federal debt reduction - Medium Priority
- Medicare - Medium Priority
- Social Security - Medium
Priority
- Tax cuts - High Priority
- Keyes supports enforcing the spending limits agreed to in 1997 by the President and Congress to balance the budget
Source: Vote-Smart.org 2000 NPAT
Jan 13, 2000
Amend the Constitution to limit borrowing and spending.
We must take away the government’s credit card. With limits on both tax revenue and borrowing, the Federal government would finally be forced to get serious about spending cuts. That’s why a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution,
with barriers to both borrowing and spending, is the best way to secure budget discipline.
Source: www.keyes2000.org/issues/taxandspend.html 1/7/99
Jan 7, 1999
Seeing people merely as consumers is bad for moral fiber
People are beginning to trace the sources of America’s social and economic ills to the sad disrepair of our society’s moral infrastructure. Liberals are talking about welfare reform that encourages the work ethic instead of undermining it. Economic
conservatives are acknowledging the role that moral discipline plays in wealth creation.In both cases, the key insight comes from seeing people as producers, rather than passive consumers. When economic activity seduces people into seeing
themselves primarily in the latter role, it’s just as bad for moral fiber as rampant welfare dependency.
Where consumption is the law and the prophets, self-discipline is heresy. The mass consumption economy needs full-fledged earners with
desires untrammeled by any limiting sense of obligation to others. It thrives on people who acquire the skills to earn, but who remain emotionally single and self-centered.
Source: Our Character, Our Future, p. 24-5
May 2, 1996
Page last updated: Dec 07, 2008