John Sununu Quotations

Political pandering comes in all shapes and sizes, but every four years the presidential primary bring us in contact with its purest form - praising ethanol subsidies amid the corn fields of Iowa.

Barack Obama's life was so much simpler in 2009. Back then, he had refined the cold act of blaming others for the bad economy into an art form. Deficits? Blame Bush's tax cuts. Spending? Blame the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. No business investment? Blame Wall Street.

Perspective gives us the ability to accurately contrast the large with the small, and the important with the less important. Without it we are lost in a world where all ideas, news, and information look the same. We cannot differentiate, we cannot prioritize, and we cannot make good choices.

I do not support raising the minimum wage, and the reason is as follows. When the minimum wage is raised, workers are priced out of the market. That is the economic reality that seems, at least so far, to be missing from this discussion.

Households and businesses cut expenses every day. Passing a financial down payment alongside the debt limit sends the right message to the public, and gives members of Congress greater comfort, or cover, depending on your perspective.

The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe. It truly is all misrepresentation and deception.

Growing up, I was encouraged to get a good education, get a real job doing something I enjoyed, and, should the opportunity present itself, consider public service as just that: a chance to serve, not an end in itself.

After everyone has had a chance to bluster, posture, and pontificate, we are left with one basic question: under any foreseeable circumstance, would it be in our national interest to default on our debt? The answer is unequivocally no.

Having a Congress with a more diverse educational and professional background would serve the country well. And given the budget challenges facing America today, we might benefit from a few more cold, calculating problem solvers, and fewer courtroom impresarios.

The Internet will win because it is relentless. Like a cannibal, it even turns on it own. Though early portals like Prodigy and AOL once benefited from their first-mover status, competitors surpassed them as technology and consumer preferences changed.

When we're talking about technology that involves weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, there has to be an element of preemption.

Office holders are a self-selected group; you don't get elected if you don't put your name on the ballot. There are many people who would do a great job, but who would never think to run. Find them. Badger them. Get them elected. They might not thank you for it, but a lot of other people will.

For most Americans, Friday afternoons are filled with positive anticipation of the weekend. In Washington, it's where government officials dump stories they want to bury. Good news gets dropped on Monday so bureaucrats can talk about it all week.

Let individuals create real wealth, empower them, create something that they can leave for their children.

Obama's view of the tax code is inherently political: Whom can we hit next? Energy companies, jet owners, bankers? Instead, the question should be how to promote economic efficiency by raising revenue without trying to manipulate corporate or personal behavior.

It doesn't take Warren Buffett to realize that when companies don't know what new rules will look like, it affects their ability to commit capital and create new jobs.

Politicians also have a love affair with the 'small business exemption.' Too much paperwork? Too heavy a burden? Not enough time? Just exempt small businesses from the rule. It sounds so pro-growth. Instead it's an admission that the costs of a regulation just can't be justified.

The media love coarse debate because coarse debate drives ratings and ratings generate profits. Unless the TV producer happens to be William Shakespeare, an argument is more interesting than a soliloquy - and there will never be a shortage of people willing to argue on TV.

The constant need for special waivers is symptomatic of poorly written public policy. It's a signal that the cost of compliance is unreasonably high; the benefits are hard to measure; and either legislators or regulators have failed to do their homework.

Not since the steam engine has any invention disrupted business models like the Internet. Whole industries including music distribution, yellow-pages directories, landline telephones, and fax machines have been radically reordered by the digital revolution.

The precise point at which a tax deduction becomes a 'loophole' or a tax incentive becomes a 'subsidy for special interests' is one of the great mysteries of politics.

Energy and environmental regulation, transportation, and broadband policy all benefit when legislators have a basic grounding in the technical concepts behind business models, products, and innovation.

The debt-ceiling vote isn't about what will be done in the future; it is about the integrity of America's commitment to support the bonds we issue. Elected officials have an obligation to maintain that integrity, regardless of whether they voted for the programs that required the borrowing in the first place.

Shakespeare would never have gone far in today's politically correct world.

The voters are going to decide in November who is going to fix their personal family dismay over not having jobs in America. They are going to pick Mitt Romney.

There are some ideas out there, but it will be more difficult to pursue (them) given today's defeat.

There are other countries around the world that the president identified as posing a potential threat to the U.S.-North Korea, Iran.

Obama hasn't passed a budget in four years, he's a wuss. Obama has rejected the recommendation of his own Simpson-Bowles, on a budget package, he's a wuss. He wants to lead from behind, he's a wuss!

Naturally, there exist concerns about what activist courts might do to undermine these rights and the Defense of Marriage Act, ... But it is premature to amend the Constitution based upon a hypothetical scenario.

never hire, nor retain on my staff someone convicted of such crimes against children. Councilor Burton has acknowledged and apologized for his mistake and poor judgment. If he does indeed seek re-election, this is a matter that his constituents will have to weigh in deciding whether to support him.

Politicians are usually the first to forget that if you assume someone else is acting in bad faith, they will do the same to you. Questioning motives poisons the well.

Politics thrives on simple, clean messages, something that played to Obama's advantage in 2008. Stagnant unemployment and the loss of America's AAA rating are as simple and tough as they come. This is the economy on Obama's watch, and there's no one left to blame.

I would oppose any changes to any benefit structure or payment structure for current retirees, for anyone retiring in the next 20 years.

I would recommend that whatever you do, you find a way to encourage the allocation of some of the existing funds, even if it has to be done initially in a somewhat divided way,

I do not think being more deliberative in addressing this legislation and reviewing this legislation will hurt its efficacy and effectiveness in the long run.

He understands the law and the Constitution extremely well, and I think one of the abilities he showed was to clearly describe how he ruled, why he ruled, and what factors were critical to particular cases. That's an indication that his service on the court and his view of the Constitution is rooted in principle.

I think you can be tough and aggressive with facts in a way that you cannot be tough and aggressive with emotional retorts. Most of the people that try to be tough on TV are really just being emotional and not factual.

White spaces represent a significant untapped opportunity for new product innovation and unlicensed spectrum use. While we may be able to guess at some of the products that might develop because of this bill, the real benefits will probably derive from those that we can't imagine today. Thankfully, advances in technology have eliminated any real claims of harmful interference by existing licensees in this spectrum band.

We had a pretty broad coalition and it held together.

The question isn't whether we should or want to provide assistance, but we want to make sure we do it in as way that ensures that resources get to where they're most needed, and in a way that takes advantage of the $45 billion or so that's already been appropriated,

When Obama gutted Medicare by taking $717 billion out of it, the Romney plan does not do that. The Ryan plan mimicked part of the Obama package there, the Romney plan does not. That's a big difference.

Why is New Hampshire entitled to pick the next president every four years? The answer is what makes the state so different. In no other place in the country, or perhaps the world, is the distance between the ordinary citizen and the government so short. Ordinary people determine the way our communities are governed. Everybody gets involved directly in accepting a share in the responsibility for what goes on in our towns and in the state. That constant involvement by all of us makes New Hampshire special. It's a great place to live, raise a family and do business in. It's also a great state to make peace in.

When you have to make a decision, you evaluate who will be the best leader. George Bush is that leader, ... I know the numbers aren't where he wants them to be today but with conservative help, he will be able to win New Hampshire.

We will have to continue to improve our human intelligence system-something that was, unfortunately, lacking in the years which led up to September 11. This is going to be a continuing process of change.

Those that would give up essential liberties in pursuit of a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security.

What's been proposed (by the EPA) simply doesn't get the job done. I believe we can do better.

Whats been proposed (by the EPA) simply doesnt get the job done, ... I believe we can do better.

To have a system where you risk cutting customers off in such a short time frame? It's unintended consequences.

What a night, what a victory, ... We were outspent in this election, but we weren't outworked.

Cutting someone off from their voice service carries enormous risks,

Critics might contend that putting former private-sector CEOs in the president's Cabinet places the fox in the henhouse. But it's unlikely such executives would expose themselves to the headaches if they weren't genuinely motivated by the call to service.

It would have been great to have a place where citizens could go to discuss the issues properly and get the information out there.

President Obama has outsourced a major portion of the U.S. space program to the Russians. That's national policy. Taxpayer money. So let's stop playing games with this outsourcing distortion and talk about the fact that when we need is a president that knows how to manage big enterprise and create jobs.

Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, South-Asian Americans, and Sikh Americans contribute greatly to American society. Many serve honorably in the armed services and as law enforcement officials. Like all law-abiding Americans, they deserve respect for their civil rights and civil liberties.

Alan Shepard lead a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy and at NASA, and naming a ship after him will be a fitting tribute to one of our nation's greatest pilots and astronauts.

This is technology that will not go away. And to risk it moving into the hands of a terrorist group like al Qaeda or to other focused enemies of the United States, would have tragic consequences.

You don't want to get so distracted, focusing on what the opposition is putting forth that you forget to remind America that the real issue is 8.3 percent unemployment, virtually no growth at all in an economy that has been in shambles for the last four years under Obama.

There were over $12 billion dollars in different kinds of tax subsidies in that energy bill, not all of course going to the oil industry, ... simply are not needed. ... I think we need to go back and look at that energy bill.

There is no time that'll be as precious for the transition to any new administration as these days and weeks ... a one-month delay now will be reflected in a six month to one year delay in getting things really started.

They're going to need me again, real bad and real soon.

It's essential that we have a clear accountability and strong oversight for all the emergency support and recovery funds going to the Gulf States.

For a lot of reasons, it made the most sense, given that there are significant differences that remain.

It is time for Councilor Burton to resign from elective office,

Everyone has to understand this is a battle that has been fought for at least 20 years, and we have a very experienced hand handling it,

Taxes that discriminate against specific industries, even ones as popular as the oil industry at the current moment, are a bad idea.

It's counterintuitive, but the most divisive arrangement is when the same party controls both Congress and the presidency, a situation encountered in eight of the past 10 years. With government unified under a single party, the minority has the least possible incentive to cooperate with the majority.

Nothing panics politicians like $4 a gallon gas.

Anytime we ask them to put national security ahead of a lot of domestic issues, we're asking them to step up and make a sacrifice.

Social Security modernization will result in a retirement system that is stronger and more fiscally sound than the pay-as-you-go system we have today.

The Internet creates as well as destroys. Social networks, search advertising, and cloud computing are multibillion dollar industries that didn't exist 10 years ago. They are products of the same force that has rendered the Postal Service's core business obsolete.

The federal government should not be subsidizing profitable industries with taxpayer dollars,

I loved my time in Congress, but people who spend all of their time planning to run for office have very few useful skills to deploy when they finally get there.

I'm not sure what the FCC was thinking when they made up their 120-day timeframe,

If there is one thing we can be sure of, it is that the fighting of terrorism around the world will include many unexpected, unpredictable events. But if we are to succeed, we want to make sure our intelligence-gathering operation has all the tools and the support that is necessary.

I have supported, because of the importance to personal freedom, allowing people to travel to Cuba. I'm willing to take that stand.

In New Hampshire we still fund education locally. That is one of the reasons we have had historically such a strong school system.

Candidates and their consultants keep making the same mistake. They assume that all independents are bundled neatly together ideologically between Republicans and Democrats.

For my children, it makes sense to talk about modernizing Social Security, letting them create stronger personal accounts, letting them get a higher rate of return over the long run.

You walk into any supermarket or any shopping mall and ask the public what they are worried about. Not one of them will tell you they are worried about 12 years of Mitt Romney's tax returns.

I believe our foreign assistance should be scrutinized, should be debated, and that we should strike the right balance, but in all cases the foreign assistance that we provide around the world should be used to further our national security interests.

Don't let that weapon technology proliferate. Don't let Saddam Hussein get capability for nuclear or chemical weapons, because he's already shown a willingness to use any weapon at his disposal.

Defining marriage is a power that should be left to the states. Moreover, no state should be forced to recognize a marriage that is not within its own laws, Constitution, and legal precedents.

Bureaucrats behave very differently than a private-sector manager because their motivations are different. Permanent bureaucrats, no matter how senior, worry about their next job.

It worries me about our unwillingness to really address reforms and modernization in Medicare. This thing was designed 37 years ago. It has not evolved to keep pace with current medical technology.

When Obama gutted Medicare by taking $717 billion out of it, the Romney plan does not do that. The Ryan plan mimicked part of the Obama package there, the Romney plan does not. That's a big difference.

The nominee is Mitt Romney. Paul Ryan joins Mitt Romney. The budget plan, the approach on Medicare and all of that is going to be the Romney plan. What he has is a man as his number two who understands the details of budgets, who has demonstrated a willingness to take on tough issues.

The campaigns of Steve Forbes, Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot, and John McCain all outperformed expectations on their support from independent voters. They made no effort to shy away from ideology, but conveyed to voters that their policies were driven by principle, not party talking points.

Mitt Romney has made it clear that he believes that President Obama was born in the U.S.

If you wait until those weapons pose a direct, clear, present danger to the United States, you've probably waited too long.

I'm running for senator because it's time for a change.

I'm an old man of 73, and I've been around a long time. If I don't know something by now, I probably never will.

I understand the process of politics and the game of television.

As a boy, when I was bad, my mother would chew me out in Spanish. And since I was bad a lot, I learned a lot of Spanish!

President Obama has outsourced a major portion of the U.S. space program to the Russians. That's national policy. Taxpayer money. So let's stop playing games with this outsourcing distortion and talk about the fact that when we need is a president that knows how to manage big enterprise and create jobs.

Nothing panics politicians like $4 a gallon gas.

People in New Hampshire know that I'll talk thoughtfully, substantively about any issue.

Politicians wishing to set a better tone should have the discipline to avoid televised cage matches.

A candidate who tries to steer a path down the middle in an effort to 'win independents' runs the risk of convincing everyone that they have no core values. As much as - or more than - any other voters, independents want to see conviction and authenticity.

It's good to give seniors more choices and more options, let them choose a plan that's best for them and target assistance to the lowest income people.

We'll always have bureaucracies, but bureaucracies led by bureaucrats might be too much of a bad thing.