Jim DeMint Quotes:

One of the greatest titles in the world is parent, and one of the biggest blessings in the world is to have parents to call mom and dad.

Topics: Mom, Dad, Father, Great Parents, Fathers Day Images

If we become too scared to confront the chief problems of our time, there is no hope of ever solving them.

source: - "DeMint Weighs In". Interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez, www.nationalreview.com. January 19, 2012.

Topics: Scared, Problem, Chiefs

The hope and change the Democrats had in mind was nothing more than a retread of the failed and discredited socialist policies that have been the enemy of freedom for centuries all over the world. I fear America is teetering towards tyranny.

source: - "Come Together" by Hendrik Hertzberg, www.newyorker.com. March 8, 2010.

Topics: America, Mind, Enemy, Hope And Change

I'd like to see a Republican Party that embraces a lot of the libertarian ideas.

source: - "Ron Paul ties GOP in knots" by Matt Welch, www.cnn.com. January 13, 2012.

Topics: Party, Ideas, Libertarian

Compromise works well in this world when you have shared goals.

Topics: Goal, World, Compromise

Well, we lost a lot of our independence already. We are dependent on China for credit. We are dependent on Middle Eastern countries for energy supplies. And many Americans are dependent on the government for their income, health care, education of their children, food stamps.

source: - "Interview: Sen. Jim DeMint on Tea Party, U.S. Debt, and God's Calling". Interview with Michelle A. Vu, www.christianpost.com. July 4, 2011.

Topics: Country, Children, Government, Food Stamps, Eastern

I believed the only thing that could turn around this government spending and mounting debt would be if the people rose up.

Topics: Government, Rose, People, Government Spending

I don't think we need to extend unemployment any further without paying for it, and without making some modifications such as turning it into a loan at some point. It then encourages people to go back to work.

Topics: Thinking, People, Needs

I have been on shop floors. I have talked to a lot of the companies that create jobs in South Carolina and across the country. And what they want is less regulation.

Topics: Country, Jobs, Regulation

I've developed a lot of reform proposals myself and been accused of trying to destroy Social Security, when the whole point was to try to save it. I think most people know that Social Security is bankrupt.

source: - "This Week", abcnews.go.com. September 4, 2011.

Topics: Thinking, People, Trying

Motorists who want to save money on gas will demand and buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. We should not limit their freedom with more government regulations.

Topics: Government, Want, Regulation, Government Regulation

Well, one of the most important things for Americans to be reminded of is that a lot of the exceptional nature of our country is founded in Judeo-Christian values that promotes individualism, personal responsibility, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to family, charity.

source: - "Interview: Sen. Jim DeMint on Tea Party, U.S. Debt, and God's Calling". Interview with Michelle A. Vu, www.christianpost.com. July 4, 2011.

Topics: Christian, Country, Strong, Strong Work Ethic, Christian Values

California is going to take themselves off the cliff culturally and economically, fiscally. They are going to be at the trough in Washington wanting a bailout.

Topics: California, Cliffs, Trough, Bailouts

As more people rely on government programs, the harder it becomes to conduct the necessary reforms to preserve them to help our society's most vulnerable.

Topics: Government, People, Our Society, Government Programs

What happens in the Senate is the Republicans sink to the lowest common denominator.

Topics: Common, Republican, Lowest Common Denominator

We need comprehensive reform that will make America the best place in the world to invest and do business.

Topics: America, Reform, Needs

We must now make clear to Lebanon that it will not benefit from U.S. assistance and support as long as it harbors this brutal terrorist and murder.

Topics: Long, Support, Lebanon

So, the point I'm making is, we are not going to cut spending in Washington if we think it's the job of every congressman and senator is to pave local parking lots and build local sewer plants. These parochial interests are getting in the way of the national interests.

Topics: Jobs, Cutting, Thinking

Today is a celebration of hope for the Iraqi people. The Iraqi people can now take control of their government and their future by creating a society that protects the rights endowed to us by our creator - life, liberty and freedom.

Topics: Creating, Rights, Government, Take Control

I have no plans to run for president.

Topics: Running, President, Plans

I don't have the support inside Washington or even inside my own party.

Topics: Party, Support

I don't even like playing a contentious role.

Topics: Roles, Contentious

Democrats have chosen not to defend the Marine Corps, but to pander to anti-war protesters and Berkeley officials that are actively trying to impede military recruitment.

Topics: Military, War, Marine, Berkeley, Recruitment

Democrats are making it clear that they intend to use our economic crisis to rush through their longtime liberal goals without public scrutiny or debate. ... This will increase burdens on taxpayers and take a significant step toward socialized medicine.

Topics: Medicine, Goal, Use, Socialized Medicine, Economic Crisis

Ideas are more powerful than people.

Topics: Powerful, Ideas, People

If we're able to stop Obama on [health care reform], it will be his Waterloo. It will break him and we will show that we can, along with the American people, begin to push those freedom solutions that work in every area of our society.

Topics: People, Political, Our Society, Waterloo, Health Care Reform

The problem we've got now in Washington is that the goals are completely the opposite from each other.

Topics: Opposites, Goal, Problem

But my bill, the Drill Now Act, would actually expedite the whole process, let the Interior Department move ahead quicker... it would stop the radical environmental lawyers from delaying for years with frivolous lawsuits the leasing of the property.

Topics: Moving, Years, Environmental, Frivolous

You've got the Democratic Party that now depends on more government spending and actual building the dependence on government in order to increase their political party.

Topics: Party, Government, Order, Democratic Party

We have this kind of revolving door, we don't have a permanent class of millionaires in America like a lot of other countries.

Topics: Country, America, Doors, Revolving, Revolving Doors

The Heritage Foundation is the premier think tank, research organization. The premier idea group for the conservative movement.

source: - "The Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer, www.realclearpolitics.com. December 6, 2012.

Topics: Thinking, Organization, Ideas

Since the dawn of time, traditional marriage - the union between one man and one woman - has been the building block of civilization, and at no point in our nation's history has that foundation been under more severe attack than now.

Topics: Block, Men, Civilization, Traditional Marriage

We know from our own history that democratic institutions take decades to mature, and we know from past conflicts that freedom is not free.

Topics: Past, Conflict, Mature

The Tea Party doesn't like politicians.

Topics: Party, Tea, Politician

If a person wants to be publicly gay, they should not be teaching in the public schools.

Topics: Teaching, School, Gay

I went through two pretty dark years being fed up with the system and frustrated with my own party after two disastrous elections in 2006 and 2008.

Topics: Party, Dark, Years

I drive Fords, and I've driven American cars all my life, and I want to have a strong American manufacturing sector, especially in automobiles.

Topics: Strong, Car, Want, American Cars

A free and stable Iraq will be a shining light against the shadow of Islamic extremism.

Topics: Islamic, Light, Iraq, Shining Light

I just want people to know that if they want to change the direction of the country, they can do it, but only if they're active, informed, and engaged.

Topics: Country, People, Want

It doesn't make sense to have to do the wrong thing in order to do the right thing.

Topics: Order, Make Sense, Right Thing, Wrong Things

American businesses and upper incomes pay a larger portion of the federal taxes of our national taxes than any country in the world.

Topics: Country, Income, World, Federal Taxes, American Business

Anyone who says the Republicans have been irresponsible aren't looking at the facts.

Topics: Facts, Republican

First of all, no candidate is going to win by catering to the alleged Occupy Wall Street vote.

Topics: Wall, Winning, Firsts, Occupy Wall Street, Catering

Sometimes people credit me for the Tea Party. It's actually the other way around.

Topics: Party, People, Tea

I would support a devolution of power out of Washington for education, health care, transportation.

source: - "Sens. DeMint & Murkowski and Chairman Kaine on 'State of the Union'". www.realclearpolitics.com. September 19, 2010.

Topics: Support, Care, Devolution

I like to be a strategic policy guy.

Topics: Guy, Policy

I know I was a businessman for years, and I stayed up countless nights worrying about having to let one person go. It's a terrible thing to do.

source: - "Interview with Senator Jim DeMint". Interview with John King, www.realclearpolitics.com. January 17, 2012.

Topics: Night, Years, Worry

I don't need to be asking for money for local museums and other projects just to make me look good back home.

Topics: Home, Museums, Asking For Money

I can tell you if you look at the polls, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, they do not think we should increase the debt limit.

Topics: Thinking, Limits, Looks

Heritage will remain, first and foremost, a research institute dedicated to impeccable research and data-driven policy analysis.

Topics: Data, Firsts, Analysis

From a policy standpoint, the Judeo-Christian principles are important.

Topics: Christian, Important, Principles

Frankly, if independents and Democrats want to work with us on conservative ideas, I can do that better at Heritage than as a partisan inside.

Topics: Ideas, Heritage, Want

The debate in the Republican Party needs to be between libertarians and conservatives.

source: - "Let Gary Johnson Eat Cake (and Debate)" by Brian LaSorsa, www.huffingtonpost.com. October 4, 2012.

Topics: Party, Needs, Libertarian

Government-run schools can't instill morals and character.

Topics: Running, School, Character

Vouchers lead to competition, not re-segregation.

Topics: Competition, Segregation, Vouchers

Social Security mess is another failed progressive policy.

Topics: Progressive, Social, Policy

Too many Americans are dependent on federal government.

Topics: Government, Federal Government, Dependent

I want to find the candidates who understand the principles of American exceptionalism and have the character, the courage, and the confidence to actually lead the greatest nation in the world.

source: - "DeMint is in demand" by Shawna Shepherd, www.cnn.com. September 4, 2011.

Topics: Character, Principles, World, American Exceptionalism, Exceptionalism

Many Democrats are sincere in their desire to help others.

Topics: Helping Others, Desire, Sincere

Eliminating business taxes makes US best at manufacturing.

Topics: Taxes, Eliminating, Manufacturing

Gay marriage considered immoral by all the world's religions.

Topics: Gay, Gay Marriage, World

Quantitative easing prints money & causes inflation.

Topics: Causes, Print, Inflation

No funding for Planned Parenthood; protect the unborn.

Topics: Parenthood, Funding, Protect, Planned Parenthood, Unborn

I think I'm the only senator who does not see a president when I look in the mirror.

Topics: Thinking, Mirrors, President

Marriage is a religious and state issue.

Topics: Religious, Issues, States

NCLB should be called "More Children Left behind".

Topics: Children, Should, Left Behind

I think people are confused about what the Tea Party is. I mean, they were a broad cross-section of Americans who came together concerned about our debt and our spending. And they're interested in constitutional, limited government. And so they're not one group of people. They're thousands of small groups all over the country.

source: - "John King, USA", www.cnn.com. January 17, 2012.

Topics: Country, Confused, Party

Partner with churches to assist the poor.

Topics: Church, Poor, Partners

Select candidates by integrity of character, not promises.

Topics: Integrity, Character, Promise

American exceptionalism requires understanding biblical view.

Topics: Biblical, Views, Understanding, American Exceptionalism, Exceptionalism

Judeo-Christian conservatism overcomes natural selfishness.

Topics: Christian, Selfishness, Overcoming

Freedom solutions - cross-state insurers; health cooperatives.

Topics: Crosses, States, Cooperatives

Allow states to opt out of No Child Left Behind.

Topics: Children, States, Left Behind, No Child Left Behind

Spending is an addiction.

Topics: Addiction, Spending

Cash-for-Clunkers program was a stupid idea.

Topics: Stupid, Ideas, Cash, Stupid Ideas

Dependency encourages social problems.

Topics: Problem, Social, Social Problems

A-PLUS Act - allow states to operate like charter schools.

Topics: School, States, Plus, Charter Schools

Not federal government's job to do good deeds.

Topics: Jobs, Government, Deeds