Top 46 Quotes & Sayings by Tim Pawlenty

The reason that the unions and the other stakeholders have not cut a deal with the automakers is because they believe the federal government is going to bail them out.

Cracking down on illegal immigration was a key priority when I ran in 2002, 2006, and during my time as governor. Illegal immigration is a big problem, and it needs to be strongly addressed.

There is a group of individuals who are radical jihadists. We need to call them by name. They believe it is OK to kill people in the name of their religion. It is not all of Islam. It is not all Muslims. But there is a subgroup who believe it is OK. In fact, it is their plan and design to kill people.

Legal immigration should emphasize merit and meeting the needs of the U.S., including specific unmet workforce needs.

Oil companies have played a role in suppressing the development of alternative fuels.

The rising cost of prescription drugs has sparked a prairie fire that is spreading across our nation.

National polls basically always misinterpret the final outcome or mis-predict the final outcome.

We got two examples in recent history from this country. One in the '80s under President Reagan. One under President Clinton and the Democratic-controlled Congress in the '90s. We had nearly 5 percent growth rate in each of those decades. We can do it again for sure.

We have to cut spending. We're - the thing is out of control.

In my address last year, I spoke on the issue of gaming. My preference then is my preference now: to keep gaming within its existing contours, but to explore a better deal for all Minnesotans.

One of the things about leadership is that you've got to show up. And if you want to be president of the United States you've got to make a case to the American people that Barack Obama needs to be dismissed from his position.

We want market-based, consumer-based reforms in health care. We want to give people incentives to make wise choices in a marketplace, not centralized choices and have government mandates and takeovers.

Medicaid is essentially bankrupt, Medicare is essentially bankrupt, why the heck would we give the federal government another entitlement program to manage?

It appears that President Obama is making great progress on climate change, he is changing the political climate in the country back to Republican.

I do support enhanced interrogation techniques. Obviously their value is shining through with respect to the bin Laden killing.

I'm a market person, but there are certain circumstances where you've got to have government put up the guardrails or bust up entrenched interests before they become too powerful.

A strong dollar reflects a strong country and a strong economy, and we need to make sure that we get the - stop the practice of devaluing the dollar.

The federal government is responsible for addressing how to address the status of the estimated 9 to 15 million people who are in the country illegally, but local and state law enforcement can be helpful partners in that regard.

History has taught us over and over again that freedom is not free. When push comes to shove, the ultimate protectors of freedom and liberty are the brave men and women in our armed forces. Throughout our history, they've answered the call in bravery and sacrifice.

When President Bush left office, the deficit was approximately $500 billion. It is now approximately now $1.5 trillion. In other words, President Obama has essentially tripled the deficit.

We need to be calling out the flaws and misguided decisions of the Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration.

I have traveled around Minnesota and addressed many issues, and immigration is one of those issues.

We have a country that is $5 a gallon gas, $4 a gallon gas, we got unbearable unemployment and a federal government that is out of control. We have to take back this country and we've got to get off the sidelines and take it to President Obama.

The people and the mindset that killed 3,000 of our fellow citizens on September 11 2001, would have killed not 3,000, but 300,000 if they could have or 3 million or 30 million. We need to do everything we can within our value systems and legal structures to make sure that doesn't happen.

The unions and the auto companies have been unable to put a deal together that fundamentally restructures the industry. It needs to get done. The only way it's really going to get done is in bankruptcy court. They should have done it six months ago they should do it now.

If the federal government is dumb enough to give it to us, we'll be smart enough to take it. In Minnesota's case, we are not a net taker of money from the federal government.

Keeping a lid on taxes is not just good for the taxpayer. It's a powerful way to force government to be more accountable, set priorities and spend smarter. Let me repeat that: more accountable, set priorities and spend smarter - that's what we need to be about.

The only thing growing faster than the federal government's deficit is Chris Matthews' man-crush on Barack Obama.

It is the era of Trump, and I'm just not a Trump-like politician.

A great deal has been said about my commitment not to raise taxes. It's a core value - it's common sense - it's important to keeping and growing jobs - and it's mainstream!

We should say to private employers, if you knowingly hire illegal immigrants, there's going to be a consequence. I underline the word 'knowingly.' And you make available a system like E-Verify.

You can stick a fork in Barack Obama. Politically, he's done. The main way we can screw this up is if we choose the wrong Republican.

We have the highest graduation rates, the broadest health care access, and the greatest level of home ownership and workforce participation in the country. And we did it all with a small population in a cold state that coastal big shots refer to as fly-over land.

The Republicans had their shot not long ago to address the real needs and concerns of everyday Americans, and they blew it. I think that's mitigated by the fact that we had a terrorist incident, there is a war, and there was a lot of proper focus on those issues, but over the time that they were there and had the leadership opportunity, they blew it. We got fired for a reason.

I think if you look at Medicare and Medicaid, the premise was that government needs to provide some assistance to people who aren't able to take care of themselves. I think we all share that goal, Republicans and Democrats. I don't think anybody's gonna go back now and say, Let's abolish, or reduce, Medicare and Medicaid. But as we confront the challenges and the responsibilities of our time - from here on - how do we serve more people or different people who are in need of financial assistance? Just forever having the government expand to address all of that seems unwise.

Having the democrats watch your money is like having Michael Vick watch your dog for the weekend

The country's in significant danger, and I think we need people who are thoughtful. We're gonna have sharp differences, but we need to debate those in a way that's constructive and civil. I think President Obama is governing as a movement liberal. I don't think that rises to the level of being a socialist.

I've come to realize that Barack Obama is the tattoo president. Like a big tattoo, it seemed cool when you were young. But later on, that decision doesn't look so good, and you wonder: what was I thinking? But the worst part is you're still going to have to explain it to your kids.

I give the president credit for at least one thing. He's proven that someone can deserve a Nobel prize less than Al Gore.

President Obama said that he designed Obamacare after Romneycare and basically made it Obamneycare.

Barack Obama's failed us. But look, it's understandable. A lot of people fail at their first job.

The marketplace measurement in politics is something called an election. It's a pretty good barometer - it's transparent, it's numerical, it's objective. It gives you a pretty good measure of what your customers think of you. And in 2006 and 2008, the marketplace was telling the Republicans, We prefer the products and services of your competitors. And so when you're losing market share, you step back and say, What can we do differently?

I think the country's in trouble. And I think I have a pretty clear sense of the values and principles that have made this country great. I've had a chance to govern and lead with those in mind, with some significant success in Minnesota. And I think the country needs that kind of leadership and insight and perspective.

We understand that athletes aren't necessarily role models, but we at least expect them to abide by the basic laws of the state.

Barack Obama has made things exponentially worse, but let's face it, when Republicans had total control over it, they didn't do what they said they were gonna do. I think also people got fatigued with the war. And the party got into a whole bunch of corruption and personal scandals that weren't compatible with the principles it claimed to stand for.

It's like Tiger Woods' wife, we should take a nine iron to the back windshield of big government spending and smash it out.