Education, Experience, Values
The following information I obtained from NY Times website (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/fred_thompson/index.html?inline=nyt-per). In this information, the reader can see Mr. Thompson’s education and experience.
I will just make some quick comments. I have already criticized Mr. Thompson for sounding too much like a politician, which we do not need.
The public at large wants to criticize Thompson for his involvement in campaign finance reform.
I believe the arguments in this criticism is that such reform violates their “right to redress” their government and right to free speech. All I can say is that I do not think that the founding fathers intended for a political system where the only way people could talk to their elected representatives was if they had large amounts of money to donate to political campaigns.
Are there not snail mail, telephones, and email, not to mention showing up at their office and hounding them?
In addition, I was going to profile all the republican presidential hopefuls. However, Thompson, McCain, and Romney, in my opinion are the only ones with a real chance.
I have done McCain and Thompson. I have nothing good to say about Romney. I see him as a person not smart enough not to be taken in by a superstition and the Mormon cult is in direct opposition to my Christian faith.
Therefore, I will not be profiling Mr. Romney on my blog.
Biography
Full Name: Fred Dalton Thompson
Party: Republican
Political Office: U.S. Senator from Tennessee, 1994-2003
Business/Professional Experience: Minority counsel, Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities ("Watergate Committee"), 1973-74; Attorney/lobbyist, private practice, 1974-1994; Attorney at the Washington firm of Arent, Fox, Kintner, Plotkin & Kahn, 1991-1994; Actor, 1985-present; Commentator, ABC Radio Network, 2006-present.
Date of Birth: August 19, 1942
Place of Birth: Sheffield, Ala.
Education: B.S., Memphis State University (now University of Memphis), 1964; J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 1967.
Spouse: Married (2nd) to Jeri Kehn, 2002.
Children: (with Sarah Lindsey; m. 1959; div. 1985) son Fred Dalton Jr., born 1960; daughter Elizabeth, b. 1963 (died 2002); son Daniel, b. 1965; (with Jeri Kehn) daughter Hayden, b. 2003; son Samuel, b. 2006.
Religion: Church of Christ
Home: McLean, Va.
Web site: fred08.com
The following information I took from Mr. Thompson’s official website.
National Security
The first responsibility of government is to protect the American people, the homeland, and our way of life. Today we face the urgent threat of radical Islamic terrorists. Al Qaeda is committed to attacking us here at home, and wants to use weapons of mass destruction (WMD) to kill millions. We must never give them that opportunity. We must defeat the terrorists abroad, and that begins in Iraq and Afghanistan—the central fronts in this global war. We must show the world we have the will to fight and win. A weakened America - or an America that appears weaker - will only encourage further attacks. We must persevere. As Commander-in-Chief, the president must ensure the United States has the means to achieve victory. Presidential leadership requires talking to the American people about these stakes, mapping out a clear vision for success, and devising a comprehensive strategy for achieving it. I am committed to:
· A larger, more capable, and more modern military that can defeat terrorists, deter adversaries, and defend the U.S. and our interests.
· A missile defense system that can protect the U.S. and our allies from long-range ballistic missiles.
· An enhanced intelligence community, with robust human-intelligence capabilities, focused on terrorism and proliferation.
· A robust approach to homeland security that will protect our nation from terrorists and WMD, regardless of where they come from.
· A strengthened system of global alliances to better combat terrorists, proliferators, and traditional threats to our interests.
· A judicial system that deals with the realities of terrorists and unlawful enemy combatants.
Federal Budget and Spending/Budgetary Reform
In a few short years—not a generation from now—a fiscal tsunami that could imperil our security and economic prosperity will hit our nation and place an unfair burden of debt on our children and grandchildren. The tens of trillions of dollars in debt that will be accumulated over the next few decades will do immense harm to our economy. This burden is now estimated at $170,000 per person and $440,000 per family. Time is running out to address this looming crisis. We need market-based approaches to reform that guarantee benefits for those who need them and embrace personal responsibility and cost-effectiveness without raising taxes. Given the scope and urgency of this problem, and the burden it will place on our children, reform is not only an economic necessity, it is a moral imperative that requires action now. I am committed to:
· Opening the government’s fiscal books on this looming crisis for all to see and understand.
· Working with individuals of all political persuasions to develop a comprehensive solution to the pending fiscal crisis.
· Leading and making the hard choices necessary, to include cutting wasteful government spending, to safeguard our security, promote our prosperity, and protect our children and grandchildren from fiscal calamity.
Tax Reform
The U.S. tax code is broken and a burden on U.S. taxpayers and businesses, large and small. Today’s tax code is particularly hostile to savings and investment, and it shows. To make matters worse, its complexity is a drag on our productivity and economic growth. Moreover, taxpayers spend billions of dollars and untold hours each year filling out complicated tax returns, just so they can send more money to Washington, much of it for wasteful programs and the pet projects of special interests. We need lower taxes, and we need to let taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned dollars—they know best where and how to spend them. And we need to make the system simpler and fairer for all. To ensure America’s long term prosperity and economic security, I am committed to:
· Fundamental tax reform built on the principles of simplicity, fairness, and growth.
· A new tax code that gets the government out of our citizens’ pocketbooks, while enhancing U.S. competitiveness abroad.
· Dissolution of the IRS as we know it.
Healthcare
Americans have the best healthcare in the world. Some, however, choose not be insured; others cannot afford it. Every American should be able to get health insurance coverage that is affordable, fully accessible, and portable. Coverage should meet their individual needs and put them in control. Those who propose a one-size-fits-all Washington-controlled program ignore the cost, inefficiency, and inadequate care that such a system offers. Access to affordable, portable health care can be made available for all Americans without imposing new mandates or raising taxes. Current government programs must also be streamlined and improved so that those who truly need help can get the health care they need. I am committed to a healthcare system that:
· Realigns programs and creates a system around individual consumers and patients by providing more information and more opportunities to choose affordable health care options that best meet their needs and those of their families.
· Improves the individual health of all Americans by shifting to a system that promotes cost-effective prevention, chronic-care management, and personal responsibility
· Modernizes delivery and administration of care by encouraging the widespread use of clinical best practices, medical information technology, and other innovations.
· Increases competition and consumer choice while streamlining regulations through free-market solutions that benefit individuals and reduce costs for employers.
· Promotes and speeds medical research and life-sciences innovation.
Immigration
The United States is a nation of immigrants. Throughout our history, legal immigrants have brought energy, ideas, strength, and diversity to our country, our economy, and our culture. This must continue. But in the post-9/11 world, immigration is more of a national security issue. A government that cannot secure its borders and determine who may enter and who may not, abrogates a fundamental responsibility. I am committed to:
· Securing our borders and enforcing immigration laws. Amnesty is not an option and the toleration of “sanctuary cities” must end.
· Reviewing our immigration laws and policies to ensure they advance our national interests.
· Uniting Americans by welcoming legal immigrants willing to learn English, assimilate into our communities, and become productive citizens.
Education
A well-educated citizenry is vital to our security, our economy, and our democracy. Despite the tens of billions of dollars spent on education by Washington each year, and the hundreds of federal education programs now in place, our children are still falling behind, particularly in subjects crucial to the global economy in which we live. At a time when America is behind other developed countries in education excellence, the federal role in education is too intrusive and too bureaucratic, and has become part of the problem. State and local governments are closest to the parents, the kids, and the schools, and best situated to implement changes and innovations that best educate children. I am committed to:
· Giving parents more choices in education and schools less bureaucracy.
· Reviewing federal programs for cost-effectiveness, reducing federal mandates, returning education money to the states, and empowering parents by promoting voucher programs, charter schools, and other innovations that enhance education excellence through competition and choice.
· Encouraging students and teachers to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math—fields that are crucial to our security, competitiveness, and prosperity.
· Promoting transparency to assess performance, promote accountability, and share innovations in education at all levels.
Appointing Judges Faithful To Our Constitution
Activist judges across the country seem intent on legislating from the bench to promote a culture of abortion, redefine marriage, and undermine families—in effect re-shaping the values of our entire society without the consent of the people. We need judges who recognize their role in our democracy is to interpret, not make, the law. I am committed to:
· Appointing strict constructionist judges who will interpret the law, not impose their views on us by legislating from the bench.
Energy Security
The energy challenges our nation faces today are real and significant. Our dependence on foreign sources of oil threatens our national security and puts our economic prosperity at risk. America must rise to the challenge and take the steps necessary to become more energy independent before this becomes a crisis. No one solution will solve the energy challenges we face; all ideas must be on the table. Greater energy security will enhance our ability to pursue our foreign policy and national security objectives. Increasing our energy independence and investing in alternative energy sources will also produce a healthier environment. And while we don’t know for certain how or why climate change is occurring, it makes sense to take reasonable steps to reduce CO2 emissions without harming our economy. Overall, I am committed to:
· A balanced approach to energy security that increases domestic supplies, reduces demand for oil and gas, and promotes alternative fuels and other diverse energy sources.
· Investing in renewable and alternative fuels to promote greater energy independence and a cleaner environment.
· An energy policy that invests in the advanced technologies of tomorrow and places more emphasis on conservation and energy efficiency.
· Conducting research and development into technologies that improve the environment, especially the reduction of CO2 emissions.