Young Guns, by Rep. Paul Ryan, Rep. Eric Cantor & Rep. Kevin McCarthy: on Jobs


Barack Obama: OpEd:Believes Keynesian theory that government spurs economy

Throughout a series of meetings with Obama administration officials on the stimulus bill, it became clear that the president's team were fervent believers in the economic theories of a British economist called John Maynard Keynes, whose theories were developed in the mid-20th century. Keynesian theory says that government can create jobs and spur economic development simply by spending--even spending money it doesn't have. The idea is that government can be counted on to spend more wisely than the people. By taking more of the taxpayers' money--or borrowing or simply printing more money--and then spending it as the government sees fit, jobs will be created and the economy will grow. Or so the theory goes.

I rejected this approach. We believed then as we believe now: it is small businesses--driven to innovate, invest and grow--that will regenerate the millions of sustainable jobs we so desperately need.

Source: Young Guns, by Reps. Ryan, Cantor & McCarthy, p. 46-47 Sep 14, 2010

Eric Cantor: Government doesn't create jobs; private business does

The principles that guided me in trying to help fix the economy were the ones I had learned as a small businessman. Government doesn't create jobs and build wealth; entrepreneurs, risk takes, and private businesses do. But throughout a series of meetings with Obama administration officials on the stimulus bill, it became clear that they didn't share this belief. The president's team were fervent believers in the economic theory that government can create jobs and spur economic development simply by spending.

I rejected this approach. We believed then as we believe now: it is small businesses--driven to innovate, invest and grow--that will regenerate the millions of sustainable jobs we so desperately need. Since every dollar government spends come from the private sector via the taxpayers, our test of worthwhile public spending is this: will the return be greater if these funds are spent by the government or if they are left in the private sector to be spent and invested?

Source: Young Guns, by Reps. Ryan, Cantor & McCarthy, p. 46-47 Sep 14, 2010

  • The above quotations are from Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders,
    by Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, and Kevin McCarthy.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Jobs.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Paul Ryan on Jobs.
  • Click here for more quotes by Eric Cantor on Jobs.
2016 Presidential contenders on Jobs:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI) 		Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Feb 27, 2019