I think that all areas of the budget have to be scrubbed. Clearly

"I think that all areas of the budget have to be scrubbed. Clearly the entitlement issues have to be reformed and that's an issue that's going to require I think some strong bipartisan cooperation and leadership." Thus spoke John Thune, a statesman of our age, whose words echo with the burden of governance. For he reminds us of a truth as old as nations: that the wealth of a people is not infinite, that their resources are not without end, and that wise stewardship demands vigilance, honesty, and sacrifice. His call is not merely about numbers on a page, but about the courage to face reality and the unity required to secure a nation’s future.

The meaning of his statement is stern. To "scrub" the budget is to cleanse it of waste, vanity, and excess—to examine every corner with the eyes of a steward, not a spendthrift. Thune declares that entitlement issues—programs that provide aid and benefits to the people—cannot remain untouched. For though they spring from compassion and necessity, if left unreformed, they threaten to consume the resources of the future. Thus, he summons leaders to act not with partisanship but with bipartisan cooperation, knowing that only unity can bear the weight of such reform.

History bears witness to the gravity of this warning. In the final years of the Roman Empire, the treasury bled under the weight of unchecked subsidies, luxuries, and entitlements. Bread and games were given to the masses while the coffers ran dry. The leaders of Rome lacked the courage to reform, fearing the anger of the people, and so the empire rotted from within. Their failure to "scrub the budget" hastened the collapse of a civilization. Thune’s words echo as a cautionary tale: to neglect stewardship is to invite ruin.

Yet there are brighter examples of courage. In the wake of World War II, Europe was left in ashes, its governments nearly bankrupt. Yet through the Marshall Plan, a partnership of nations, resources were directed with discipline and foresight. Waste was cut, priorities were sharpened, and cooperation between allies turned despair into renewal. This shows that reform and unity, though difficult, can birth a renaissance from ruin. Such is the path that Thune envisions: painful reform undertaken not by one party alone but by leaders willing to share the burden across divisions.

The words also speak to the nature of leadership itself. To reform what is broken, to face entitlement with both compassion and discipline, requires more than political skill—it requires courage. Leaders who fear to act because of popularity will allow the problem to fester; leaders who act rashly without unity will divide the people. True leaders must summon cooperation, for the healing of a nation’s finances is not the work of one voice but of many working as one. This is the hard labor of democracy: forging unity out of difference for the sake of survival.

The lesson is clear: stewardship is sacred. In families, in communities, in nations, resources are not infinite. To waste, to ignore, to indulge without foresight is to betray those who will come after us. Thune’s words remind us that it is not enough to create wealth; it must be governed wisely, reformed when necessary, and directed toward the future with discipline and unity. Bipartisan cooperation is not weakness but strength, for only together can a divided people face the trials that threaten them all.

Practical action follows. As citizens, demand honesty from your leaders, not promises of ease. Support those who call for reform, even when it requires sacrifice. In your own life, manage your resources with foresight—scrub your "budget," both financial and personal, so that nothing is wasted and everything serves a purpose. Learn the discipline of stewardship, for it is as vital in a household as it is in a nation. And if you lead, lead with courage and a spirit of unity, for division only multiplies ruin.

So I say to you, children of tomorrow: remember the wisdom of John Thune. Every nation must confront its limits, every people must learn discipline, and every leader must choose unity over partisanship. For only in cooperation can reforms be made, and only in leadership can sacrifices be borne. If the budget is scrubbed with courage, if entitlements are reformed with compassion, and if unity prevails over division, then the future will not be consumed, but secured for generations yet to come.