Home -> Columnists -> The Parental is Political |
 |
Who's Who Among Presidential Candidates: Fred Thompson
By Julie Marsh |
January 8, 2008
|
|
Read more: presidential election, parental is political, fred thompson
|
Who's Who Among Presidential Candidates is a series of distillations of individual candidates' views on 24 topics loosely grouped into four categories, as presented on non-partisan website On The Issues.
Fred Thompson
Fred Thompson is a former Senator from Tennessee (1994-2003). In the 1980s, he worked as a personal injury lawyer and as Special Counsel to Senate committees. Since leaving Congress, he has been the Chair of the International Security Advisory Board, served on the advisory board of the legal defense fund for Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and contributed to ABC News Radio.
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
Foreign Policy - Supports diplomacy, with use of force if necessary.
Homeland Security - Believes first responsibility of government is to protect the American people, the homeland, and our way of life. Supports expansion of military to achieve these goals.
War and Peace - Opposes withdrawal of troops from Iraq, favors remaining in place to facilitate stabilization.
Free Trade - Supports global free trade.
Immigration - Supports securing borders and enforcing immigration laws. Ties border security to national sovereignty. Opposes amnesty for all illegal immigrants.
Energy and Oil - Supports investment in alternative fuels. Concerned about dependence on foreign oil, but also voted to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 2002.
DOMESTIC ISSUES
Gun Control - Strongly supports the Second Amendment (right to keep and bear arms).
Crime - Supports the death penalty, believes it deters murders.
Drugs - Voted to increase drug offense penalties in 1999.
Civil Rights - Voted for DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) in 1996. Opposes gay marriage but would leave legislation up to states.
Jobs - Supports free market economy. Supports unions (with some reservations).
Environment - Views are generally conservative.
ECONOMIC ISSUES
Budget and Economy - Supports deficit spending on the military, infrastructure, and research and development.
Government Reform - Supports limited, federalist government, giving authority to state and local governments.
Tax Reform - Supports elimination of inheritance tax and alternative minimum tax. Supports reduction of corporate tax rates.
Social Security - Proposes 2% contribution to private accounts, matched by government.
Welfare and Poverty - 1990s welfare reform empowered states.
Technology - Technology has "democratized" politics; individual impact is much greater now.
SOCIAL ISSUES
Advertisement
Education - Voted for No Child Left Behind, but agrees that it hasn't created accountability as intended. Supports voucher programs and charter schools.
Health Care - Supports individually purchased health care via open market with more providers and lower costs.
Abortion - Pro-life. Believes life begins at conception.
Families and Children - Supports strengthening institutions of traditional marriage and family.
Corporations - Opposes corporate tax rate (highest level is 40%). Supports expanded foreign trade.
Principles and Values - Rights come from God, not government. Believes in free markets, free people, free enterprise.
SUMMARY
Based on how his views align with the VoteMatch quiz topics, Fred Thompson is classified as a hard-core Conservative. His positions on both economic and social issues are staunchly conservative - meaning that on economic matters, he opposes government intervention, and on social or personal matters, he favors government intervention.
Thompson's public service experience is relatively recent and limited compared to that of other Republican candidates. He and John McCain finished neck-and-neck in the Iowa caucuses, with 13.4% and 13.1% of the votes respectively. But in pre-New Hampshire primary polling from late last week, Thompson is trailing far behind all other Republican candidates.
Stay even more informed about politics and parenting issues
by visiting our Parental is Political resources.
|
| Julie is a former Air Force officer and professional project manager turned web writer. She spent four years at the Pentagon and five years in New York City, and her suburban life in Colorado seems pastoral by comparison. She's no political pundit, but she is a rational thinker determined to chart her own course whether the other parents approve or not. She writes for Cool Mom Picks, The Soccer Mom Vote, mothergoosemouse, and is co-founder of The Parent Bloggers Network. |
|
|
Leave a comment:
|
|
|
|
|
Home -> Columnists -> The Parental is Political |
|
| Sign up for Imperfect Parent News |
|
| We will never share or sell your email address |
|
