Senator John Thune of South Dakota, whose name has been floated as a potential presidential contender in 2012, recently answered 10 questions from ConservativeHome's Ryan Streeter.
In the interview below Senator Thune says that:
- Republicans need to become reformers again by remembering what limited government, fiscal responsibility, and pro-growth policies require of us.
- America's debt is a national security problem, as Admiral Mullen says, and therefore we need budget reform legislation along the lines of what Sen. Thune proposed this past summer if we're going to get America's fiscal house in order.
- From the real and present danger of Iran's nuclear program to our ongoing commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, we as a country need to remember just how much it costs to prevent more terrorist attacks.
- The middle class understands that runaway spending will destroy their children's future. We owe it to them to show serious leadership on fiscal responsibility.
RS: What is your first political memory and/or what event or person first got you interested in politics?
Sen. Thune: My interest in politics was sparked at a young age. After making five of six free throws during a basketball game as a freshman in high school, I was greeted by a spectator who said, "I noticed you missed one." That spectator happened to be well-known sports enthusiast and U.S. Representative Jim Abdnor. That introduction was the start of a friendship that ignited my career in public service. After completing my MBA at the University of South Dakota, I went on to work for then U.S. Senator Jim Abdnor and have stayed in close contact ever since.
RS: Who is your political hero and why?
Sen. Thune: President Ronald Reagan is a political hero of mine. I was inspired by the strength of his convictions, by his belief in American exceptionalism and by his willingness to confront the communist threat. There was an authenticity about him that is too often lacking in politics today. He had a big, bold vision for this country but never lost his common touch or his fundamental belief in the greatness of the American people. I had the privilege of serving in his administration and have tried in my public life to live up to the high standard that he set.
Another one of my heroes is former Senator Jim Abdnor, whom I also had the privilege of working for as a young staffer. His decency and integrity were the embodiment of everything that is good about public life and a great example to me.
RS: Looking to 2012, are there 3 big ideas that you think should determine the presidential race (ie, which 3 issues should the Republican candidate use to set him/herself apart from President Obama)?
Sen. Thune: Voters sent a clear message to Washington this past November. Americans are not happy with the direction in which our country is headed and are seeking a new way forward. In order to successfully lead our country to more prosperous days, I believe Republican leaders must return to the time honored Republican principles: (1) A limited government and a government that works, which means unwinding the massive health care takeover, and reform of entitlement, budget, and tax policies. The Republican Party must reclaim the mantle of reform. (2) Fiscal responsibility—living within your means is an American tradition that needs to become a Washington tradition. (3) Pro-growth, pro-jobs policies that focus on free enterprise and free markets as opposed to government expansion. That means reducing America's tax and regulatory burdens on businesses, thereby lowering the cost of doing business in this country, and allowing America's entrepreneurs to be competitive in the global marketplace.
RS: What can Republicans in Congress do beginning in 2011 to respond to the public's mounting frustration with runaway spending, the deficit, and the size of government?
Sen. Thune: According to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, America's biggest national security threat is our national debt. To attack out of control spending and borrowing, this past summer I introduced a budget reform bill, the Deficit Reduction and Budget Reform Act of 2010. My legislation gets our country's fiscal house in order by cutting discretionary spending, reforming Washington's broken budget process, and creating a permanent Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction. There are 26 committees or subcommittees in Congress that spend money, but none that save money. It is high time that changed and my bill does that.
Additionally, I recently proposed a resolution that was accepted by the Senate Republican Conference to cut non-security discretionary spending back to 2008 levels. Since 2008, non-security discretionary spending has increased by over 20 percent, at a time when inflation in our economy amounted to less than two percent. In other words, the federal government has been spending at 10 times the rate of inflation. While every day, hardworking Americans struggle to make ends meet, Washington continues to spend with reckless abandon. This unsustainable level of spending has to stop. We can start by forcing votes on reducing spending back to 2008 levels to see who's serious about fiscal responsibility.
Sen. Thune: For the past two years, our small businesses and job creators have faced a wave of uncertainty stemming from policies enacted in Washington. From the proposed cap-and-trade bill, to the recently enacted health care bill, to the looming tax hikes that are set to take effect on January 1st, Congress continues to create an atmosphere of instability for our job creators. We must send a clear message to our small business community that we will support their efforts to create jobs by keeping taxes low and keeping the government out of their way.
RS: Looking out over the next 5 years, what are the biggest national security issues that we as a country need to prioritize?
Sen. Thune: I agree with Admiral Mullen's assessment that the single largest national security threat facing our nation is our exploding national debt. Irresponsible fiscal policies and massive debt limit our ability to properly invest in the capabilities necessary to defend America against the threats of today and the threats of tomorrow. For example, China's growing military investment in anti-access, area denial capabilities will limit our options in the Pacific and could be very destabilizing to our allies in the region. Only by investing in the right capabilities can we prevent that from happening, a task made much more difficult by our precarious fiscal situation.
In addition to the debt, I believe Iran's nuclear program is a real and present danger, and an existential threat to the Middle East and many of our allies, including Israel. The proliferation of nuclear weapons to rogue nations or terrorist groups makes the possibility of a nuclear future all too real and intensifies the need for the U.S. to work with our allies to prevent a nuclear Iran.
The ongoing commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to place extensive demands on our troops and resources and are a constant reminder of the cost of preventing terrorist attacks and the need to train in-country security forces to assume the security responsibilities in these countries.
RS: As Americans deal with rising health insurance premiums in part owing to Obamacare's new provisions, many are wondering what can be done about the new law. What would you say to them?
Sen. Thune: I believe the American people would like to see us scrap the deeply flawed Obamacare and start over with common sense solutions that will actually lower health care costs while not compromising the quality of care Americans enjoy. We need to work toward repealing the costly, ineffective parts immediately, and replacing them with workable solutions.
RS: As someone who comes from middle America and had a relatively modest upbringing, what do you think the GOP offers the middle class in America that differs from what Democrats and the left wing of American politics offer?
Sen. Thune: With unemployment at nearly 10 percent, the middle class in America continues to be financially squeezed due in part to the reckless fiscal policies coming from Washington. Across the board, the American people are pleading for a more certain economic climate—free from government intrusion and bailouts. The Republican Party understands that our country needs leaders who exhibit fiscal responsibility, not leaders who raise taxes, especially in the midst of these tough economic times. Middle class Americans understand that runaway spending and debt will destroy their children's chance at a better future and that Democrat policies will grow the government, not the economy.
RS: You've been fairly public about the importance of faith and family in your life. How do they affect the way you do your job?
Sen. Thune: Faith and family are the most important aspects of my life. I rely on my faith to help me be a better public servant and to remind me that it's not about me, that public service means serving a higher purpose.
My family helps keep my life grounded and focused. My wife Kimberley is my closest adviser. I am mindful that everything I do in my public life affects my family in some way. That is why all of the major decisions in my career are discussed at the dinner table first.
RS: If you could wave a wand and change one thing about the Republican Party, what would it be?
Sen. Thune: I would like to change the misperception that many people have that the Republican Party is the party of the rich and members of country clubs. The Republican Party represents the core values of hard working, everyday Americans. The Republican Party represents countless Americans who are paying the government's bills, raising their families, and playing by the rules.
In past years, the Republican Party lost touch with some of its core conservative principles, causing many Americans to lose faith in the party. After winning back control of the House of
Representatives and gaining seats in the Senate, we Republicans must work hard to earn back the trust of the American people. In the 112th Congress, we must continue to advocate for smaller government and more freedom, and never stray from that foundational principle.
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