Thompson says he's 'champion of ideals'

The Altoona Herald ^ | November 11, 2007 | Mason Kerns

[2ndDivisionVet]

Burlington, Ia. — Republican Fred Thompson told potential supporters on Sunday that he’s running for president as a champion of ideals held by all Americans: a strong national defense, adherence to the rule of law and a market economy.

“And immigration laws that actually work,” Thompson said at the outset. “That’s not just a Republican idea, I don’t think.”

Speaking at Big Muddy’s restaurant in Burlington, the former Tennessee senator said he would be able to secure the votes of independents in a general election.

Thompson criticized what he called Democrats’ insistence on infusing government into everything.

“Would you trust a group that can’t tie its shoelaces and chew gum at the same time?” he said. “This is the outfit many are trying to hand our health care over to.”

The senator noted that he is the only candidate from either party who has announced a plan to deal with a potential Social Security crisis.

His hybrid proposal, released Friday, would allow workers to allot two percent of pre-tax income toward a personal savings account, on a voluntary basis, with the federal government matching those funds.

More controversially, the plan would use inflation, rather than increases in U.S. wages, as the yardstick determining benefit rates for Social Security payers.

Because inflation generally rises slower than wages, future beneficiaries would likely receive less in total benefits .

“With this plan, we’re swapping a promise we know we can’t keep with one we know we will keep,” Thompson said.

Though the folksy southerner drew much applause from the crowd of more than 100, he at times struggled to articulate — he fumbled for multiple seconds before finding the word credibility — and was not entirely in lockstep with the audience.

“Ma’am, you’re probably not going to agree with my opinion on this,” he told a woman who was concerned about globalization. “But overall everybody’s going to get a better education, with better jobs, in the long-run than we would without trade.”

The event coincided with a coming-home party for Army Sgt. Troy Cagle. The 33-year-old, who led a platoon charged with clearing roadside bombs in Iraq, said some of his family members are discouraged by the war and have started looking for a candidate with an exit strategy.

“Because I’ve been over there, I know that can’t happen in the next eight years or so,” said Cagle, who has yet to choose a favorite.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Honesty: How refreshing!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Saving and Protecting Social Security
A Plan to Ensure Retirement Security for All Americans

http://www.fred08.com/virtual/socialsecurity.aspx

[SatinDoll]

“...everybody’s going to get a better education, with better jobs, in the long-run than we would without trade.”

THAT’S his reply to concerns over globalization? Jobs are going overseas and wages are depressed, and all he can say is we’ll have better education!

I love this guy and have been thinking of voting for him, but really, this is weird. My distinct impression is that he doesn’t really know much about what’s happening out in the heartland of this nation.

[Reagan Man]

Go Fred go!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Do you believe in protectionism? That’s what caused the Great Depression, IIRC.

[Rick_Michael]

Everyone seems to want to skim right through the primaries...Fred’s one of the few whom is actually setting a needed agenda for his presidency.

[Rick_Michael]

That wasn’t the primary cause, but it was an element. Trade wars aren’t good...at all. They’re dangerous, if anything.

[Neu Pragmatist]

We have to nominate this man , now more than ever ....

[Rick_Michael]

Other than Duncan’s form on trade policy (ie his style), I generally agree that trade policy needs to be reworked. I don’t think it’s as complicated an issue to deal with, though. It’s more international in concern than just being an issue of China.

[ari-freedom]

“And immigration laws that actually work,” Thompson said at the outset. “That’s not just a Republican idea, I don’t think.”
-

if only all republicans had that idea. let’s first get the republicans on track

[kinoxi]

I hope he’s half as good as his supporters claim he is.

[ari-freedom]

“Ma’am, you’re probably not going to agree with my opinion on this,” he told a woman who was concerned about globalization. “But overall everybody’s going to get a better education, with better jobs, in the long-run than we would without trade.”
-

I'm voting for Hunter but I wish he said the truth on trade like Fred

But none as eloquently as this:

"Our trade policy rests firmly on the foundation of free and open markets. I recognize ... the inescapable conclusion that all of history has taught: The freer the flow of world trade, the stronger the tides of human progress and peace among nations."

"I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and heart to get here."

[RasterMaster]

A real ‘champion of ideals’...if you’re a globalist enemy of the United States:

Lobbied for abortionists

Represented murderous dictator Aristide

Supported RINO incumbent protection bills such as McCain-Finegold

Proposed protections and “normalized trade relations” for Chinese communists (the same folks who attack our aircraft in international waters, poison our children with lead-laden toys, and kill our pets with toxic food, and talk about hoping we “value L.A. more than we do our relationship with Taiwan” - veiled threats against US cities).

Wants to give illegal aliens (otherwise known as FELONS) “aspirations of citizenship” rather than build a fence and enforce the law.

[ansel12]

"I hope he’s half as good as his supporters claim he is."<<>> If he wasn't would pictures like this exist?

[Reagan Man]

Lots of Americans don't like globalization, especially when free trade isn't also a matter of fair trade for US markets. But globalization isn't going away and you can't stop some jobs from being shipped overseas.

More importantly, Fred believes that as long as we adhere to the Constitution, the US economy will continue its steady growth. That includes tax and spending reforms that would stimulate spending, savings and investment in America's future.

Btw, I'd say Fred understands whats going on in the heartland of America better than some northeast liberal who believes the federal government has all the answers.

[upsdriver]

“I hope he’s half as good as his supporters claim he is.”

If he is twice as good as I think he is, he will still be only half as good as a real conservative.

[SHEENA26]

A portrait of an old fart.

[thefactor]

oooh, oooh. lemme guess. Hunter!? No. Romney!?

there's so many to choose from. wait. RON PAUL! That's it, isn't it?

[John Valentine]

Well, your heart’s in the right place at least, but your head.... Well that’s another matter.

[ansel12]

This what what an old Fart looks like before he puts on his blow dry and makeup.

[John Valentine]

Some Duncanistas amaze me with their tenacity and commitment to a guy who, while generally a “conservative,” is not nearly as reliably conservative as the one man they like to disparage more than any other: Fred Thompson.

I really don’t know where the animosity comes from except that I’ve heard that some blame Fred for Duncan’s total lack of traction.

[Reagan Man]

Get your head outta your butt. Fred is neither foolish or contemptible.

Fred`s a pro-life conservative who supports limited government, tax and spending reforms, a strong military, border enforcement first and advancing the Founders ideas of federalism.

Good chance Fred will be the next POTUS.

[ari-freedom]

[Tailgunner Joe]

"immigration laws that actually work"

Yeah, we obviously need new laws because the current ones just don't work. No matter how hard the feds try to enforce the laws, they just can't. Even though they try so hard.

[ansel12]

IMMIGRATION?

[RasterMaster]

Maybe if you sing KUM-BAY-YA with DUmocrats and our enemies, they'll all go away....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1891610/posts

[John Valentine]

They won’t go away as long as they have you to amuse them.

[RasterMaster]

True entertainment is seeing the DUmocrats pissed off. In this case I'll accept seeing RINOs such as Rooty, Romeney & McLame shut out as a consolation...

Fortunately, my vote isn't FOR SALE to our communist enemies as some on FR (who claim to be conservative) appears to be.

[ari-freedom]

So that's why Fred claims to be such a strong supporter of the constitution. He actually wrote it!

[ansel12]

“So that’s why Fred claims to be such a strong supporter of the constitution. He actually wrote it!”

---

I love that photo, but I hesitate to post it because some people criticize it.

He looks great and it flatters him, and it seems to match his politics.

[ari-freedom]

criticize it? why?

[ansel12]

It was probably the way it was introduced, we first saw it at Huffington post or something, so some of the liberals here tried to use it as a negative against Fred, but that was only for a couple of days, and I think that it now is ready for a fresh reintroduction.

It is time to use it again, congratulations for bringing it back in.

[TheThinker]

2% is not enough but it gets the ball rolling!

[ari-freedom]

Rudy's on stage performance on the other hand leaves something to be desired:

[ansel12]

Yikes

[stephenjohnbanker]

We need honesty !!!!

[stephenjohnbanker]

BTTT

[stephenjohnbanker]

Bump

[John Valentine]

Thompson has made some missteps in his career, most of them rather insignificant in my opinon. Like his endorsement of McCain Feingold CFR, now retracted.

Whatever you might think of him, or think of his chances, I don’t think he ought to be lumped in with Romney, Mccain, and Giuliani.

I note that in this post you didn’t do that. Thanks.

[John Valentine]

Thompson has made some missteps in his career, most of them rather insignificant in my opinon. Like his endorsement of McCain Feingold CFR, now retracted.

Whatever you might think of him, or think of his chances, I don’t think he ought to be lumped in with Romney, Mccain, and Giuliani.

I note that in this post you didn’t do that. Thanks.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Protectionism certainly deepened and lengthened the Depression. That’s why the GATT was created right after WWII — along with other reforms to the international economic system.

[2ndDivisionVet]

See my tagline...

[Clara Lou]

Your comment tells us much more about YOU and your level of mentality, Sheena26, than it does about FRed. How old are you— 17?

[RasterMaster]

In that way he should be lumped in with Flip Romney, the Mayor of Sanctuary City - RINO Ghouliani, Nachos McCain, & Nanny-state Huckabee as all now claim to be “tough on illegals” or “tough on Communists”. Nice of him to come around.....just in time to run for President. That’s convenient.

[daylilly]

Your posts are disgusting.

Matthew 12:35 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)

35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart[a] brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

There is nothing good in the heart of a person whose posts are always despicable.

[daylilly]

You enjoy trashing a Veteran when he exercises his right of free speech. Isn’t that just too, too patriotic? Respectful? You don’t have to agree with him but you also don’t have to impugn him.

[John Valentine]

Daylilly,

Unfortunately, Rastermaster DOES have to impugn people since he hasn’t a single fact or legitimate idea to work with.

[ejonesie22]

She is in love with Mitt..

[ejonesie22]

Shenna, you still have not told me if you are particular about how many planets Mitt populates in the next life.

Also what happened to your tag, you going stealth now?