Thune Joins Fox and Friends

“Democrats are going to scream no matter what because that’s what they do. They grow government, and when they’re in power, they spend - and when we’re in power, we want to make the economy the place where we get the growth and where people get better-paying jobs and better health care and everything else.”

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt, and Lawrence Jones on Fox News’ Fox and Friends.

On budget reconciliation:

“[Republicans] don’t want to raise taxes on anybody … we’re about lowering taxes on Americans. But as the House … looks at how to accomplish the president’s big, beautiful bill, they’ve got to figure out how to wedge all the things the president wants to do, extension of existing tax policy, hopefully making a lot of those policies permanent, into a certain amount that they have to work with.

“I think the president’s emphasis, particular emphasis on working Americans, is one that most people appreciate, and that’s why you’ve got the no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, lowering taxes on Social Security … [the president’s] focus … is getting growth in the economy, which is what the business side does. And … clearly there it’s faster cost recovery, it’s lower rates. You want to get growth in the economy, better-paying jobs, people making more money, taking realizations, paying taxes, government revenue goes up.”

On Democrats’ Medicaid fearmongering:

“What we have is a $38 trillion debt … There are basic reforms to programs like Medicaid that I think most Americans agree with. One is work requirements. I mean, people who get this benefit, able-bodied adults, ought to be working … I think both the House and Senate agree … but that has nothing to do with affecting beneficiaries, which is what … Democrats are going to say.

“Democrats are going to scream no matter what because that’s what they do. They grow government, and when they’re in power, they spend – and when we’re in power, we want to make the economy the place where we get the growth and where people get better-paying jobs and better health care and everything else. And so it’s a very different philosophy, and that’s a political attack they’re going to make, but it’s a hollow one…

“It’s become a huge game and I think … the waste, fraud, and abuse in some of these programs is something that we need to focus on and making sure that Medicaid dollars are being used for what they were intended to do – and that is to help … low-income people, disabled populations, and ensure that it’s hitting the target, as opposed to being used by big states to increase their coffers.”

On modernizing the air traffic control system:

“[A]ir traffic control is critically important, and a priority modernization of the air traffic control system is necessary and essential. It’s been put off for way too long. [Secretary Duffy] is … clear-eyed, focused on getting that done, and we will support him however we can with the resources he needs to get that job done.”

On SALT deductions:

“The point in 2017 of capping the SALT … deduction was to get out of the practice of having low-tax states subsidize high-tax states in this country. And so as a matter of policy, I think it’s the right policy, but I do understand that there are people who are impacted in certain parts of the country, which is why I think the House is going to have to figure out a way to accommodate that, but we need to do it in a way that’s reasonable and realistic and doesn’t break the bank …”