Tommy Thompson: A Reliable Conservative
Posted on 04/22/2007 7:08:44 PM PDT by BillyBoy
Tommy Thompson: A Reliable Conservative
ON THE ISSUES
Right to Life -- Governor Thompson is strongly pro-life and signed one of the nation’s first partial-birth abortion bans. Under Thompson, the number of adoptions in Wisconsin increased by 22 percent, while the number of abortions decreased by 37 percent. Just as he did in Wisconsin, Thompson would appoint strict constructionist judges who do not legislate from the bench.
Second Amendment Rights – Governor Thompson is a proud gun owner who signed legislation that banned Wisconsin communities from passing anti-gun ordinances that are stricter than state law.
Taxes & Spending – Governor Thompson cut taxes by $16.4 billion in Wisconsin and believes President Bush’s tax cuts must be permanent to allow taxpayers to keep more of their hard-earned money and to continue to build the economy. Governor Thompson also believes in stronger use of a Presidential veto to stop runaway spending. While Governor, Thompson vetoed more than 1,900 items in 14 years in office, saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars -- over $287 million total.
Iraq & the War on Terror – Governor Thompson believes Iraq is a vital front in the War on Terror and that the debate over short-term military solutions and defunding of the troops’ mission is shortsighted and counterproductive. Instead, Governor Thompson believes that America should work to build an Iraq with strong economic and political infrastructures. Details on his proposal can be found here.
Defense & Foreign Policy – Governor Thompson believes the nation must recommit itself to rebuilding the American military because our armed forces must have the capacity to dominate any war or any conflict we must enter – all while having the capability to fight a multi-front war. Our military is simply stretched too thin to protect American interests overseas and at home in these dangerous times. Governor Thompson’s initiative would also take America’s great doctors and health professionals, along with our medicines and technology, to some of the most distraught places in the world.
Immigration – Governor Thompson opposes amnesty and believes that America must enforce its immigration policies to the fullest extent of the law. People who are found to be in the country illegally should be returned to their home countries and should have to wait at the end of the line, behind people who are seeking to enter the country or become citizens legally.
Traditional Marriage – Governor Thompson believes marriage is between a man and a woman. He supports states’ rights in determining the definition of marriage and believes it should be done legislatively or by referendum.
Education & School Vouchers – In 1995, Governor Thompson expanded the private school choice program to include religious schools – another national first for Wisconsin. The expansion gave parents a true choice in schools, including more schools within walking distance of their homes. Governor Thompson also helped create public school choice for the entire state, allowing parents and students to attend any public school of their choice so long as there is sufficient room at the school. When he left office in 2001, there were nearly 10,000 children in 114 schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Having started the nation’s first school choice program in Milwaukee, Governor Thompson believes America must hold our schools to high standards from kindergarten through college while making sure all of our children have access to a world-class education, regardless of what neighborhood they live in or how much money their parents make. Governor Thompson believes Congress can make No Child Left Behind stronger, and do so without wavering on its core principles.
Welfare Reform -- Governor Thompson is a leader in enacting the welfare reform initiatives of the 1990s. Wisconsin was the unquestioned leader in welfare reform during his Governorship. In the time he was in office, Wisconsin cut its monthly welfare caseload by more than 93 percent – from 98,000 AFDC families and 190,000 children in January 1987 to fewer than 6,800 W-2 cash assistance families and 15,000 children when Governor Thompson left office in January 2001. Wisconsin was so far ahead in its reforms that Gov. Thompson ended welfare and the AFDC entitlement check altogether and replaced it with a new program based on work called Wisconsin Works, better known as W-2. This program became the standard for welfare reform in America and countries around the world.
Health Care – After 10 years of failed attempts, Tommy Thompson was elected Governor of Wisconsin and led the way in introducing private-sector competition to the government-run Medicare program as part of the new prescription drug benefit. Governor Thompson believes America must strengthen its health care system if it is to remain the best in the world. He would accomplish this by 1. Moving the focus to preventive from curative care; 2. Accelerating the adoption of health information technology to save money and lives; 3. Placing the uninsured in state-by-state insurable pools, allowing private insurers to bid on their coverage; 4. Strengthening the nation’s long-term care system that robs too many Americans of their life savings; and 5. Strengthening the Medicare and Medicaid programs to ensure the programs are there in the future for the millions of Americans who depend on them. Details on his proposal can be found here .
Energy and the Environment – Governor Thompson believes America must become more independent in its energy needs and break reliance on foreign oil. J We must begin with greater investments in renewable energy, like ethanol, so we can bring these technologies to market faster and more efficiently. And we must come together and deal with our changing climate.
Alot of freepers have been asking where Thompson stands on illegal immigration and other issues, and I didn't know for certain. Hopefully this update will answer those questions.
YES, I know alot of you clicked on this link thinking it was about FRED Thompson. And isn't that the point? Lately on FR, there is a consentrated effort by some to make freepers believe we have to choose between "Fred" (if he ever announces) and "Rudy McRomney". Well guess what, guys? There are MORE candidates than those four, including major league Senators and Governors. I don't like the media telling me I only have three choices, and I certainly don't like FR telling I have to choose between "Rudy" and some guy who refuses to say if he'll run for the job. BTW, the title of the candidate's webpage only says "On the Issues", so the title of this thread is accurate.
And I don't want to hear Tommy is being ignored in favor of a non-candidate because he has "no chance" at being nominated. Certainly Governor Thompson has a better shot at being nominated for President than other FR favorites over the years, such as Alan Keyes, Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter, and Tom Tancredo. Remember them?
As this post proves, TOMMY Thompson can make the case that he is possibly more conservative than FRED Thompson, and, as a former 4-term Governor of a swing state, probably more "electable" nationwide.
It's not set in stone, but TOMMY Thompson is my favorite at this stage in the game, and I urge the rest of you to take a close look at his campaign too.
;->
Sour grapes. FRED Thompson is the favorite of nearly 70% in the FR poll.
I would suggest to you that if it is about T. Thompson, it will say so in the title. If not, it’s probably about Fred.
Can somebody get this guy dressed before they snap his picture...
He is talking about the POTUS gig.
Just for the record, I don’t have a problem with freepers posting info on all candidates.
Tommy showing the little ones the thumbs he uses to make all those holes in Wisconsin Swiss Cheese.
Uff Da!
There’s a Thompson with a real conservative record running and his name isn’t Fred.
Tommy Thompson has many admirable, conservative credentials and he has substantial executive management experience in a large organization. Prior management experience is a qualification I put near the top of my long list of requirements for a conservative candidate running for the job of CEO of the largest organization on the planet. The job of President is not an internship.
Be careful, because I went into this thread with the expectation of pinging you! Good thing I didn’t see it last night after having the sake!
DON’T BE MISLED—WE’LL WIN WITH FRED (NOT TOM)
Yes, the FR poll that DIDN'T BOTHER TO LIST TOMMY THOMPSON as a candidate.
I can do the same kind of poll and get "70%" for Tommy.
Q. Which candidate would you prefer for president?
1) TOMMY Thompson
2) Rudy Giuliani
3) Third Party
No other choices allowed, sorry. They're not credible candidates because I say so. ;-)
But if it helps you pretend that Fred is more "electable" in spite of all the evidence, then more the power to you.
He only announced a week or so ago. I believe Tommy would fall under “other”.
DON’T BE MISLED-—WE’LL WIN WITH FRED
So your nonexistent “candidate” should be included over people actually running?
Great let’s have a FR presidential poll asking whether freepers will vote for Mark Sanford, Haley Baubor, Newt Gingrich, and Dan Quayle in February 2008. Those are the "choices" for President, we'll leave out everyone else. They’ve got just as much of a “campaign” as Fred has going.
Okay, thanks for your time, I'll stick with debating Fred Thompson supporters who can actually discuss Fred's strengths.
Great, solid center-right Republican who did wonders for Wisconsin, no question about it, he brought Wisconsin back from the dead.
BUT...
He doesn't have Fred's command, stature, and leadership qualities...
His HHS Secretary position was a disaster...
He's on the Board of Directors for VeriChip, the company that wants to put a computer chip into everyone...sorry no thanks...
Like I said, he had a chance in 2000 but chose to run for a 4th term as WI Governor instead.
FReeper Billyboy, my previous post was meant for you.
And how many GOP governors have been president in that time frame? One I can think of. Great stat.
I don’t know much about Tommy, but from his picture he appears to have the charisma of Bob Do1e.
Coolidge, Reagan, and GWB all had served as Governor prior to being elected President. That makes them 3 to 0 in the scorecard of GOP candidates who have been elected President it that time frame.
Also, Tommy Thompson brings his record as a former cabinent member to the ticket, and if we add cabinent members elected POTUS since 1920, the record is 4 to 0 (not counting vice Presidents who became President due to the death/resignation/etc. of the president).
I don't think you're making a good case for your guy. I do think Fred has a slim chance of winning the Presidency, mainly because he's a "celebrity" who had a role as a movie actor, but otherwise I don't see him winning.
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