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Thune Blasts Obama

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    Chris Stirewalt and Senator John Thune talk about President Obama

  • Duration 7:27
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If -- by the end of this week.

We have not seen substantial progress -- I think members of congress -- understand we are going to.

You know start having.

Canceled plans.

And stay here until we get it done.

You know they're they're they're -- One -- they're -- one week.

And then there's another trend Obama's got.

-- that.

You need to be here I've been here.

I've -- -- Afghanistan and bin Laden and the great crisis and you stay here.

That was president Barack Obama talking about his schedule and his workload with reporters at a press conference yesterday and this is power -- on Chris Carol thanks very much for being with us.

And yes the topic in Washington today is.

Who's working harder to get that debt deal done.

And we are fortunate in that way to be joined by senator John soon.

The state of South Dakota the real sunshine state senator how are we going to I.

I'll be all right Chris how are you doing today.

I'm doing -- so the presidency should -- working hard enough you need to you need to work harder so that you can solve this problem.

And are you going to stay in session next weekend.

What do you what's your take on the residents -- indictment of your work ethic.

I think via the best way to get an appointment with the the president has a set up a tee time -- yeah.

How.

-- honestly.

We it would be one thing if we were actually working on the issue Chris the problem is everything that we're doing right now.

Has nothing to do with the fundamental biggest challenges the country faces and that is is massive debt.

-- the vote to raise the debt limit coming up here in early August.

And and the you know we haven't that the senate.

Democrats have not now for 790 days passed -- budget -- it's hard for us as Republicans.

Two see where the president is headed here he is clearly would like to use this as an opportunity to raise taxes at a time when we're trying to.

Get the economy out of the ditch which is the wrong approach to use.

And and he's not doing anything to rein in the massive amount of spending that's going on here in Washington so.

We're waiting for his leadership he can say that he's doing this for doing that but he's not focused on the thing that's most important right now that's getting.

The spending and debt under control and getting the economy growing so we give people back to work.

In the president's days.

Yeah he's real he's in Pennsylvania and they didn't even -- invited senator senator Robert Gates is great news on the campaign front.

Pennsylvania today frontier fundraisers in Philadelphia.

How does that sit with the -- in your -- and things like -- -- -- -- -- getting the job done and Indiana campaign.

I just his his priorities right now I think have a lot more to do with politics and -- election.

And that's why I think there's a real reluctance to deal with these major issues because these are tough issues -- to require hard.

Decisions and in some real leadership and so far the president has been missing in action on this issue of the budget he has yet to do any thing to demonstrate.

That he understands that we've got to -- in this out of control spending here in Washington deal with that the issue of entitlement.

Reform.

The natural instinct for for him and for many Democrats here to seem to be part of their DNA is okay.

We've got -- -- -- we're heading into debt crisis let's raise taxes instead of solving the debt crisis by you know making government smaller let's make government larger and expanded even further.

And that's the fundamental disconnect I think he -- the American people but it certainly doesn't sit well with us of course.

When he you don't challenges us and -- -- sort of there -- -- dollar down.

And then takes off to go raise money.

Now -- are -- an Internet two months.

Questions for you and well one of the question you want to know it.

You're behind -- movement in this and it -- -- the balanced budget amendment you're part of a group that's pushing.

You have at least to vote on and balanced budget amendment.

And can you explain -- how that works.

Yeah it.

-- well it's the cleanest way.

To solve this problem Chris what congress is demonstrated is it doesn't have the political will or the political courage.

To make these are decisions.

And in so we needed discipline imposed on congress not unlike what many state legislatures have in fact there are.

49 states that have some form of balanced budget requirement which is why most states.

Get their budgets balanced every year there -- few exceptions to that but I can tell you my state of south it was a good example -- -- our budget we've got to.

A strong economy relative to other parts around the country.

But we don't spend money we don't hang out and I think that the balanced budget amendment.

Is the best way to to solve the problem that we're all dealing with and that is year over year overspending.

And deficits that -- -- as far as the eye can see in the literally -- bankrupt the country in the next generation so there are 47 Republicans who were on a balanced budget amendment.

We hope to get a vote on -- here in the next couple weeks and if we could pass it out here it takes two thirds votes in the United States senate.

And and then the house and the house can't pass it then sent it to the states and and -- -- ratify it.

And let's get about the business of fixing the problems of this country has that would be the cleanest the simplest most straightforward way to do it.

Now that takes a long time now.

It's not an immediate solution.

-- -- can't even balance pledge that's what your colleagues have signed onto this that reasonable alternative in the.

Absolutely I mean we need to cut spending today this year.

-- -- spending in the future years and then work on a balanced budget amendment which as you said it would take a little while to get that through the process but it starts with the vote here.

If we make the -- here frankly think about this and in the last time I was a freshman congressman in 1997 the last time the senate voted on a balanced budget amendment failed by one vote.

One -- you think about that how different our situation be today if that had passed back in 1997 -- My view is that yes we need to take the steps today we need to cut spending.

-- -- And then get this balanced budget amendment passed but it really is the way at least in this is we head into the future of him -- -- discipline on congress when it comes to spending.

That doesn't exist today.

And now senator before I let you go I have to ask everybody in Washington is still wondering despite what you said that your position on it has not changed.

Whether there's any change your position on it could change when it comes the potential presidential run on the tongues wagging here in DC and what he -- Right right well we've got great candidates out there Chris not -- I'm not anxious to get into the ad campaign we got plenty of work to do here in the senate I made my decision it was the the right decision from.

Obviously.

I want us to happen nominee.

Is a principled conservative and electable person because we need to make sure.

That we limit this president -- one term in office if you look at the amount of damage has been done in the last few years it only gets worse in the second term so it's really important.

That we get -- nominee put forward this year they can win in November -- 2012 phenomenal work as hard as I can't make that happen.

Duly noted thank you very much time -- have a great day.

Thanks Chris you to Syria.

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