How conservative is Fred Thompson?

Washington Times ^ | 06/23/2007 | Editiorial

[etradervic]

After John East, a stalwart conservative from North Carolina, entered the U.S. Senate in 1981, wags began referring to Jesse Helms as "the liberal senator from the Tar Heel state." We are reminded of this tale as Republican activists rush to encourage, if not yet fully embrace, the presidential candidacy of Fred Thompson, the former senator from Tennessee. The Republican base is evidently unimpressed or uninspired (or both) by the conservative credentials of the top three Republicans (John McCain, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani) seeking the 2008 presidential nomination. Mr. Thompson's most-oft-cited conservative credential is his 86.1 percent lifetime (1995-2002) Senate vote rating compiled by the American Conservative Union (ACU), the organization that many rightly consider a leading arbiter of conservatism. In the same relative sense that Mr. Helms could be considered North Carolina's "liberal senator," Mr. Thompson's ACU rating would qualify him to be "the liberal senator from Tennessee" during his eight-year stint. Bill Frist, who defeated Democratic incumbent Jim Sasser, was elected to the Senate from Tennessee the same year (1994) as Mr. Thompson, who won the seat vacated in 1993 by then-Vice President Gore. During the eight years they represented Tennessee together, Mr. Frist compiled an ACU rating of 89.3 percent, making Mr. Thompson "the liberal senator from the Volunteer state."

[RasterMaster]

From the horse’s mouth, “we can’t deport illegals”....we must give them a path to amnesty:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=G9KM3AZUROA

[GoMonster]

Top three are soo bad...who Hillary, Obama, and Edwards....?

[ElPatriota]

I DON’T KNOW WHO actually chooses the presidential candidates. They say the party bosses used to make these decisions in dark smoke filled rooms in the back somewhere.

Is it any different now?

Whoever brought Thompson (or is pushing/encouraging him) to run, at least got it right when they saw the three “wrong tier” (first tier) candidates are not getting the traction they expected.

Oh Yes!... An actor, that is what we need… someone who resembles Reagan somehow!... Who?... What?,,, Thomson you say?... Bring him immediately!... We need that man.. Pronto!. (LOL)

Could it be really that the American voter is actually smarter? Boldly independent from the MSM and party affiliation?... Just with their eyes fixed on the ball?... on results… on actions? DARING to ignore all those who tell us we should be voting for one of these 3 bozos? Well 4 now with Thompson?

Thomson does not impress me more than the other 3 clowns.

Social conservatives, don’t let them fool you, be on the alert and do NO compromise your principles.

[TomGuy]

FDT concedes that it was a mistake, but he saw politics awash in money and was trying to do something about it. End of story.

So, bad law is better than no law?

I suppose it depends on whose ox is being gored.

I have problems with a politician writing a law (Thompson chaired the committee that wrote CFR) and not understanding or perceiving the Constitutional infringements such a law might impose.

I saw this with Clinton's Telecommunications bill. They knew parts were unconstitutional, but they passed it anyway because they figured the Supreme Court would take care of that.

I saw this with McCain's Campaign Finance Reform bill. They knew parts were unconstitutional, but they passed it anyway because they figured the Supreme Court would take care of that.

That bothers me when Congresss intentionally passes bills they know contain unconstitutional elements.

If FThompson couldn't perceive these unconstitutional elements when he was involved in writing CFR, I have concerns about his perceptibility now. Presidents usually don't have the luxury of do overs with their presidential decisions.

[GoMonster]

Also,...Senators by history don’t win elections...that is why liberal press has built up Thompson...they know he is like a new version of Bob Dole..make the same mistake again my ignorant friend..why not

[hunter112]

And he’s the only Conservative with a real chance at winning.

That's the ticket. A really solid, hard-line conservative of the kind we'd all appreciate and admire would not be electable. Fred is as conservative as he needs to be, to be an effective leader, without looking like he's off the deep end to voters from the mushy middle, who distrust both extremes. Mitt Romney has positioned himself at that point, too.

[P-Marlowe]

Bush signed it. We all voted for Bush.

[Seven Minute Maniac]

Dude, that is from 1999! McCain was still a conservative back then. It says nothing about Thompson’s policy regarding immigration.

[Politicalmom]

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

WARNING: If you wish to join this list, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.

[Seven Minute Maniac]

Look, if you want anyone to agree with you then you have to substantiate your claims.

[Josh Painter]

The election will not be dcided on McCain Feingold, and neither will even the primaries. A Wall Street Journall poll taken earlier this month listed voters’ top priorities as:

1. The war in Iraq 34%
2. Health care 15%
3. Illegal immigration 12%
4. Terrorism 12%
5. Job creation and economic growth 8%
6. Energy and the cost of gas 6%
7. The environment and global warming 6%
8. Reducing the federal budget deficit 4%
9. All equally (vol.) 3%

These are the things most people are worried about, not McCain-Feingold, not tort reform and not the Council on Foreign Relations.

You gotta realize that even most conservative likely primary voters are far more conserned about these issues and how they affect their families. Most of them don’t hang around polical websites arguing over which candidate is the most conservative or even the most electable. That’s stuff for the political junkies like us who are a very small percentage of the number of conservatives who are likely to vote in the primaries.

They care about who’s going to keep the jihadists off of American soil, who’s going to secure the borders, who’s going to let the IRS take the least out of their paychecks, who’s going to give them more control over their kids’ schools and who’s going to encourage policies which will lower the cost of the fuel that runs their cars and trucks, lights their homes and keeps them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

They notice when it costs more to bring home groceries from the store, to replace the washer or dryer, and to send a child to college. They don’t mind paying for their opwn helth insurance, but they don’t want to get burned on it, either.

Those who run small businesses want to be able to provide insurance for their employees, but not if it means they have to give up so much of their profits that it just isn’t worth it anymore. They want government regulators off of their backs and out of their businesses, bedrooms and gun safes.

Sometimes we get so involved in debating the finer points of conservatism or federalism that we lose sight of the fact that we are nowhere close to “average” voters, even in the primaries, where the more politically astute and activist tend to participate in larger percentages.

[TomGuy]

I am not writing off the lower tier of candidates yet. the election isn’t tomorrow.

I have posted many times that the first votes in the primaries are still more than six months away.

On any given day before the 5:00 evening news, any candidate could have a deaniac scream or macaca moment and become footnote in the history of also-rans.

It is still a long way 'til January 2008 and even longer 'til November 2008. Anything could happen -- with any candidate.

[FreeReign]

He’s said (I believe on a Fox News interview) that there are parts of the bill that he still likes and others that he is not happy with.

Thompson is happy with parts of the bill. That's not what I heard.

Quote him!

[Brices Crossroads]

That video says nothing about illegals. In it, Fred says some nice things about McCain eight years ago, long before McCain took his left turn. Just as I suspected, your “facts” do not match your assertions. Ad hominem attacks on an opponent, particularly those based on an association of years ago, are the least effective.

[painter]

Mitt Romney has positioned himself at that point, too.

The only problem is both Romney and Rudy moved there from the left.

[FreeReign]

So if a member of Congress votes no on an issue because that member realizes the issue is none of the federal government's business per the Framers, the ACU would mark that a 'liberal' position even when it's not.

There is nothing in the ACU' statement that supports your conclusion.

[sageb1]

bump!

[FreeReign]

Thompson in favor of Amnesty as long as it’s not “easy”

Horsesh*t! Thompson said he was against amnesty.

[FreeReign]

That bothers me when Congresss intentionally passes bills they know contain unconstitutional elements. If FThompson couldn't perceive these unconstitutional elements when he was involved in writing CFR, I have concerns about his perceptibility now. Presidents usually don't have the luxury of do overs with their presidential decisions.

So you are going to say home and not vote for anybody?

BTW, shall I list for you the unconsititutional laws that Reagan signed?

[Neu Pragmatist]

CFR goes hand in hand with the Second Amendment, as it hampers pro-gun groups immensely right before elections .

Romney has boldly stated that he supports repeal of CFR . Does Thompson support repeal of CFR now that he knows it was horrible public policy ?