Sam Brownback Quotes

The way I look at it is this, as Republicans, we look for less government interference in our lives.

I became a Republican because I trust people more than I trust government.

I get if you're a conservative, and you're saying, I don't know, 'Government shouldn't be mandating what's taught in classrooms,' or, 'Government is too intrusive in our economic life,' well, that's standard conservatism.

We are moving the debate in a more limited government direction. And in a more rule of law direction, a more conservative direction.

Real conservatives are in favour of all kinds of unelected power and authority.

I think it's very clear that the American people are frustrated with this move toward socialism. And so whether you're back or white, if you believe that the conservative construct is in the best interest of our future, than you too would be voting with Republicans, and if you had the opportunity to run you'd join us as well.

Conservatives want smaller government. They want to focus on market-based solutions wherever one can. They want to have as little regulation as possible. But in general, they recognize that government must play an important role for a society to operate.

I would consider myself a rather staunch libertarian.

The conservative idea is not that government has no role. You might have argued that in the thirties when conservatives opposed the New Deal.

I've always been about less government.

Libertarians are essentially what the Republicans were 30 years ago. Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan. They'd all fit more under the Libertarian label than the modern day Republican label.

At its core, conservatism is not an anti-government movement, and it's not a no-government movement.

Well, look, I'm as Tea Party as it gets.

Because of my upbringing, I believe in things like limited government, fiscal responsibility and personal accountability. I believe in the wisdom of our founders and the sanctity of our Constitution.

Don't get me wrong, I am a proud Republican, and I want to support my party. I am a firm believer in the Republican principles of smaller government, low taxes and economic freedom. I have spent my time in government service fighting for these principles.

I'd like to see a Republican Party that embraces a lot of the libertarian ideas.

And my principles go right in line with the Tea Party.

Our shared conservative values, our belief in the individual is the great hope of our nation.

What I say is I am somebody who cares about conservative ideas. I want to see them implemented in governance.

What we won't become is a 'Democratic Party lite!' We are a party that wants smaller government and lower taxes. Obama and the Democrats do not. We are a party that wants to encourage small business. We are a party that has a large constituent group that believes in a social agenda and we will not abandon them.

As conservatives, we know our principles, and we also know the best ideas do not always come from Washington.

Our funding is based on our support of ideas like limited government, individual rights and a strong defense.

At home, we must reject the mistaken notion - a notion that has dominated too much of the public dialogue for too long - that ever bigger Government is the answer to every problem.

There are 100 different doors to come into the conservative movement. You can disagree with 99 of them, as long as you agree on one: more-limited government.

I want the American people to understand that conservatism is an ideology of protecting the people and the people's rights.