John Thune: "The Republican Party must reclaim the mantle of reform"

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.