The following is a summary of Thompson’s views on the issues of National Security, Federal Budget and Spending/Budgetary Reform, Tax Reform, Healthcare, Government Effectiveness, Building Strong Families, Immigration, Education, Appointment of Judges, Energy Security, and the Second Amendment.National Security
In a post 9/11 world, Thompson recognizes the need for America to increase its ability to defeat its terrorist enemies. Therefore, his plans include upscaling the military, improving the missile defense system, enhancing the intelligence community, making homeland security robust enough to protect America from terrorists worldwide, giving backbone the judicial system so it will face the reality of terrorism and unlawful enemy combatants.
Federal Budget and Spending/Budgetary Reform
To ease the burden that threatens future generations of Americans, Thompson plans to make the government’s fiscal records transparent so everyone can understand clearly the impending crisis, devise a comprehensive plan including all political views to help solve the crisis, cut wasteful spending, “to safeguard our security, promote our prosperity, and protect our children and grandchildren from fiscal calamity.”
Tax Reform
Thompson anticipates a full renovation the U.S. Tax code by dissolving the IRS “as we know it.” He wants to devise a “[f]undamental tax reform built on the principles of simplicity, fairness, and growth.” He envisions a tax code that lightens the tax burden on U.S. citizens while at the same time boosts U.S. competitiveness worldwide.
Healthcare
Even though American healthcare is the world’s best, some Americans opt not to have medical insurance, and others cannot afford it. Thompson believes that everyone who wants it should be able to acquire appropriate medical coverage. He realizes that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to healthcare and insurance coverage. He offers a five part solution to the problem: make available information and opportunities that allow individuals to choose the medical care options that best suit them and their families, create a system that actually improves the health of every American by bolstering “cost-effective prevention, chronic-care management, and personal responsibility,” update current administration and delivery by fostering “best practices,” emphasize free-market solutions, support and promote more research in medicine and life-science.
Government Effectiveness
Thompson realizes that current government practices are inefficient and wasteful. He plans to correct this deficiency by placing only the best qualified people in place and then allowing him proper “authority and resources” to their jobs, repair government accounting, making it more transparent, holding agencies accountable, and securing information technologies.
Building Strong Families
Fred Thompson believes that families are the “bedrock of our nation and our culture.” He wants to strengthen the institutions of family and marriage by encouraging policies that promote “a culture of life” and “advance the freedom of religion,” return to state governments authority for protecting families to eliminate intrusion by the federal government and the judiciary, fight obscenity in the media by allowing parents better control and the ability to “exercise their responsibilities.”
Immigration
In a post 9/11 world, immigration has become a security issue. Thompson believes a nation has the responsibility to determine who enters. He therefore plans to secure the borders and enforce immigration laws and end “sanctuary cities,” make sure that existing immigration laws actually benefit our national interest, promote unity by welcoming legal immigration, promoting the English language, encouraging assimilation so that legal immigrants may become productive citizens.
Education
Thompson recognizes the importance of education for a democracy and despite the fact that billions of dollars have been poured in the education systems, our schools are not performing well enough. He wants to lessen the bureaucracy and give parents more choices of schools, reduce federal mandates and return moneys to the state, encourage vouchers, charter schools, and foster competition and choice to improve schools, encourage teachers and students to study science, technology, engineering, and math, because these fields are crucial not only for prosperity but also for security in a post 9/11 world; he is also committed to “Promoting transparency to assess performance, promote accountability, and share innovations in education at all levels.”
Appointing Judges Faithful To Our Constitution
Because activist judges have been responsible for bringing about a “culture of abortion” and have been attempting to redefine and weaken marriage, which undermines families, Thompson intends to appoint only “strict constructionist judges who will interpret the law, not impose their views on us by legislating from the bench.”
Energy Security
Because dependence on foreign energy sources threatens our national and economic security, Thompson plans to seek 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,” encourage non-fossil fuel research, promote policies that enhance energy efficiency, and encourage research and development to improve the environment and lower C02 levels.
Second Amendment
Thompson strongly supports the protection of an individual’s right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the second amendment of the Constitution. He therefore is committed to protecting the individual’s right while “strictly enforcing existing laws and severely punishing violent criminals.”
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Fred ’08
