Let's not dismiss or attack individual ideas as being inadequate before we have had a chance to assess their positive effect as part of a whole solution.

- John Thune

We must ensure that today's seniors' benefits are rock solid and find a solution that fixes Social Security for the next generation that is just entering the workforce.

- John Thune

President Obama likes to talk about winning the future. But someone needs to tell him: You can't win the prosperity of tomorrow if you're mortgaging it to pay for the big government programs of today.

- John Thune

Like a lot of people, I'm interested in public service and want to do as much as I can to change the direction of this country and will give some consideration to that after midterm elections.

- John Thune

If you're blessed enough to serve in public office, then you shouldn't just talk a good game about your values; you should cast your vote according to them.

- John Thune

I'm a big, big reader of pretty much everything that Chuck Colson has written. And I consulted with him when I was making some decisions about running for the Senate in the first place.

- John Thune

I valued the biblical foundation I got at Biola. I was able to take classes that strengthened my faith and helped me to better understand what I believe and how to, in a practical way, apply my faith in real-world situations.

- John Thune

Absolutely. I think that this is - politics is a tough business. I describe it as a full contact sport. You have to be prepared to get in there and mix it up.

- John Thune

We are spending more as a percentage of our entire economy, almost 25 percent, than we have spent at any time since the end of World War II.

- John Thune

There are more than 30 states, who either by statute or constitutional amendment, have defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.

- John Thune

The closest I've come to being on a reality TV show is C-SPAN's live coverage of the Senate floor.

- John Thune

I feel that I am best positioned to fight for America's future here in the trenches of the United States Senate.

- John Thune

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, although they're not officially debt of the federal government, they are off-balance-sheet debt.

- John Thune

When you're the president of the United States and you know that the biggest issue facing you is this cliff that we're about ready to head over if we don't get this spending and debt situation under control, it's very irresponsible not to take the action that is necessary to fix the problem.

- John Thune

There is a battle to be waged over what kind of country we are going to leave our children and grandchildren and that battle is happening now in Washington, not two years from now.

- John Thune

I just think we need more accountability and more transparency.

- John Thune

But what shouldn't happen is, you shouldn't have the taxpayers from states that are managing their situations well paying for those states that are not.

- John Thune

Social Security is an extremely complicated program.

- John Thune

I think the problem with President Obama - and I like him personally, I came into the Senate with him - is his agenda.

- John Thune

I don't happen to subscribe to the notion that everybody who criticizes Tom Daschle is criticizing Tim Johnson. I think that's a bit of a stretch.

- John Thune