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Thune FactSheet

John Thune
McCain-Thune = Bush-Cheney

Thune Supported President Bush 84 Percent of the Time. According to a vote analysis conducted by Congressional Quarterly in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007 John Thune supported President Bush's position on legislation 84 percent of the time. CQ evaluates what the president wants in the way of legislative action by analyzing messages to Congress, news conferences and other public statements and assigns a presidential position to the vote. Measures that are changed extensively so that a position cannot be accurately determined may be excluded from the tabulation. [CQ.com, accessed 7/16/2008]

Thune Fundraising Letter Married Thune to Bush On Policy. A fundraising letter paid for by the Thune campaign repeatedly connected George W. Bush to Thune, and emphasized the similarities between the two. The very first sentence of the letter did not even mention Thune. Instead, it praised Bush's policies: "If you agree that President George Bush's policies are right for our nation's future, then we urge you to join us in an important local event that could quite possibly give the President a deciding vote for implementation of his program next year." (emphasis added) The letter went on to say Thune will stand with Bush on the issues. [Thune Fundraising Letter, 2004]

Another Lobbyist For the McCain Campaign
Thune Registered as Lobbyist in February of 2003. On February 5th of 2003, former Congressman John Thune officially became a lobbyist. After losing the 2002 South Dakota Senate race, he took a job with Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, a high-profile Washington, DC lobbying firm. Thune is directly lobbying on behalf of Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad, the Taylor Recycling Facility of New York and the National Milk Producers Federation. Thune's firm represents the pharmaceutical companies, airlines, Canadian lumber companies, and even fought the Paralyzed Veterans of America. [Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn Release, 2/5/03, Secretary of the Senate, Lobbying Registration, 1999-2003]

Thune Loves Pork!
For FY 2008 Thune Jointly Requested $252,490,000 in Earmarks, Received $240,081,050. Based on earmark disclosure data obtained from the Tax Payers for Common Sense Thune individually requested earmarks totaling $252,490,000 for FY 2008 and received $240,081,050. [Tax Payers for Common Sense, FY 2008 Earmarks, accessed 7/31/2008]

Thune Said He Will Still Pursue Pet Project Funding. Even while Thune supported a one year ban on earmarks he clarified to the media that he would still work this year to secure federal dollars for pet projects in South Dakota. According to the Argus Leader Thune indicted that he supported the measure because it was non-binding and he wanted to send a message that earmark reform was needed. "The process by which (earmarking) is done has gotten out of control to the point that people across the country think it's corrupt," said Thune. "For better or worse, earmarks have become equated in people's minds to gross abuse." The article went on to conclude that Thune would continue to push for earmarks in Congress until the rules change. "I have a lot vested in (the Lewis & Clark project), and to suggest for a minute that I would put in jeopardy the continued funding for that project is absurd," Thune said. [Argus Leader 3/15/2008]

Thune Offers More of the Same on Social Security Privatization
Thune Voted in Support of Bush's Privatization Plan. On July 25, 2001, Thune voted to support a report by President's Bush Commission to Strengthen Social Security. The report would set the stage for a congressional debate on Bush's call of partial privatization of Social Security by allowing workers to invest a portion of their Social Security tax in stocks and bonds. Opponents say this plan would deplete the trust fund and risk retirement nest eggs on the whims of Wall Street. The vote would have denied FY 2002 funding to advance the commission's report; Thune voted no. [Vote #273, HR 2590, 7/25/01, motion failed 188-238 (R 0-217, D 187-20); Aberdeen American News, 7/29/01]

Bush Created Commission to Support Privatization Plan, Commission Options Cut Benefits. In 2001, President Bush created a commission to outline a plan to partially privatize Social Security. On November 29, 2001, the President's Social Security Commission released an outline of three plans that put Social Security at risk by reducing benefits, raising the retirement age and no guaranteeing solvency. According to Scripps Howard News Service, "The commission that President Bush asked to revamp Social Security will present him with three alternatives, all of which create private accounts by raising taxes, cutting benefits or both." According to the Wall Street Journal, the all three plans "would gradually trim initial benefits for succeeding generations of new retirees." [Scripps Howard News Service, 12/2/01; New York Times, 5/2/01; Wall Street Journal, 11/30/01]

Thune Offers More of the Same for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure
Thune Voted Against Discouraging Predatory Lending Practices. In 2005, Thune voted against an amendment that discouraged predatory lending practices by prohibiting a creditor from collecting on its claim in bankruptcy court if the creditor has materially failed to comply with any applicable requirement under the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994. Rejected 40-58: R 1-54; D 38-4; I 1-0. [S 256, Vote #22, 3/03/05]

Thune Voted Against Tax Breaks for First-Time Homebuyers and Homebuilders. In 2008, Thune voted against a motion to concur in the House amendment with a Dodd, D-Conn., substitute amendment no. 4983. The Dodd substitute would provide tax breaks for first-time homebuyers and for homebuilders, overhaul Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, modernize the Federal Housing Administration and provide a $300 billion expansion of the FHA's insurance programs to help struggling borrowers refinance their mortgages. It would provide about $14.5 billion in housing-focused tax credits, including a one-time refundable tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers who purchase a home between April 9, 2008, and April 1, 2009. It would authorize $3.92 billion in Community Development Block Grants to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed properties. It would also give members of the armed forces returning from service more time before lenders could start foreclosure proceedings and one year of relief from rising interest rates. The motion passed 79-16. Note: McCain failed to vote. [HR 3221, Vote #157, 6/25/08]

Thune Offers Four More Years of Bush For Veterans and Military Families
Thune Voted Against Time Between Troop Deployments. In 2007, Thune voted against a Webb, D-Va., amendment no. 2909 to the Levin, D-Mich., substitute amendment no. 2011. The Webb amendment would mandate minimum intervals between deployments for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would require active duty forces to be guaranteed as much time at home as they served while deployed. National Guard and reservists would be guaranteed three years at home between deployments. By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed to raise the majority requirement for adoption of the amendment to 60 votes. (Subsequently, the Webb amendment was withdrawn.) A "nay" was a vote in support of the president's position. The amendment failed 56-44. [HR 1585, Vote #341, 9/19/07]

Thune Voted Against Eliminating Incentives for Companies to Move Manufacturing Jobs Offshore. In 2005, Thune voted against an amendment to repeal tax incentives for domestic companies that move their manufacturing plants to offshore locations and use the resulting revenue to reduce the federal deficit and debt by $3.2 billion from 2006 to 2010. The amendment failed 40-59. [S.Amdt. 210 to S.Con.Res. 18, Vote #63, 3/17/05]

Thune Voted Against Raising Minimum Wage. In 2006, Thune voted against a Kennedy, D-Mass., amendment no. 4322 that would raise the federal minimum wage to $5.85 per hour 60 days after the bill's enactment. The minimum wage would increase to $6.55 per hour 12 months later and to $7.25 per hour the following year. By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed to raise the majority requirement for adoption of the Kennedy amendment to 60 votes. The amendment failed 52-46. Note: McCain voted "nay." [S 2766, Vote #179, 6/21/06]