Fred's Plan for Social Security

From CBS News:

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson outlined Friday a plan to overhaul Social Security that he says would keep the program solvent, but, studies say, could also significantly lower benefits relative to the current system.

Thompson is the first of the major candidates to outline a plan for preserving the entitlement program, which he says will go bankrupt by 2041 if no changes are made. “The ugly truth is that we’re going to lose it as we know it if we don’t do something about it,” Thompson said. “Our current path is unsustainable.”

Under his plan, which the former senator unveiled in Washington, workers would be able to contribute two percent of pre-tax income into a personal savings account, with contributions matched by the government - a proposal not unlike that put forward by President Bush early in his second term that failed to gain traction in Congress.

Benefits under Thompson's plan would be indexed to inflation, not wages as they are now. Because inflation rises at a smaller rate than wages, the practical effect of this change would be a reduction in benefits when compared to the current system - a difference of nearly 50 percent, according to some studies.

“It’s idealistic and does not have a huge political upside,” Thompson said. “But we need avoid pitting one generation against each other.”

However, the plan would preserve benefits for those over 57 years old, a move that could make the proposal more acceptable to elderly Americans, who tend to vote in large numbers.

While admitting his plan would cut benefits to future retirees, Thompson said he believes it is better to solve the Social Security problem now than waiting until the system collapses. “Personal retirement accounts and economic growth cannot solve this problem, even though my opponents say it can,” he said.

In an era of politics when everyone is afraid of their own shadow, it's refreshing to see a statesman tackle a "third rail issue" like social security!

Fred Thompson's not afraid to tackle the tough issues, and to assess them realistically.

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!

Fred Thompson endorsed by Pro Life Group!

Look here:

Nat'l Right to Life to endorse Thompson

Fred Thompson will pick up the support of the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) tomorrow, according to two Republicans familar with the decision.

For a candidate who came up empty-handed last week when three prominent Christian conservatives endorsed GOP hopefuls and is falling in both national and early state polls, the move comes at a critical time.

NRLC is the most prominent anti-abortion group in the country, with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters.

Some critics are poo-poo-ing the endorsement due to Fred's federalist stance on the abortion issue; but in my mind, leaving the power to the States to decide is the quickest, most efficient means to save the most lives in the shortest possible time!

Congrats to Fred for receiving this important endorsement!

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED@!

Col. Joe Repya to Stump for Fred!

Colonel Joe Repya, Iraq war veteran, republican activist, and head of the "Vets for Bush" campaign in 2004, has taken a similar position with the Fred Thompson Campaign!

"GOP Joe" is a discerning conservative, who doesn't take kindly to RINOs.

Andy at Residual Forces has the details.

Fred on the Right to Life

Essentially, it would appear that Fred wants to take us back to pre- Roe v. Wade days:


Fred essentially wants to turn the power over to the states. This I can agree with. To the best of my knowledge, there are no Federal murder laws, outside of those that take place on Federal property. The states, then, would be the rightful stewards of the abortion issue and legislation pertaining to abortion.

Note that Fred would not support any federal funding for abortion, whether domestically or overseas.

Jay, over at Stop the ACLU, says this:

One admirable trait of Fred’s is that he has never pretended to be on both sides of any issue during this election. He has always claimed a federalist view on social issues, and he’s been consistent. I am one of the most social conservative bloggers around, and I agree that most of the solution is with the people. I agree that these decisions should be made by the families and the State representing the views of its majority. Most likely, the only way abortion will ever diminish is if Roe Vs. Wade is overturned. Fred Thompson agrees that this Supreme Court decision was a bad one. It was this decision that put the issue of abortion in the Federal government hands in the first place. Liberals should remember this the next time they complain that the Federal government is trying to “trample on women’s rights’”. Whether its abortion or homosexual marraige it is best left at the State levels.

Fred and Phil Martin

It's all over the place right now that one of Fred's key advisors has a criminal record--from over 20 years ago:

Fred Thompson said Sunday that he wishes he had known earlier that one of his key presidential campaign advisers pleaded guilty to drug charges but he still thinks Phil Martin is "a good man."

Martin, a businessman who has lent Thompson his Cessna to fly around the country, is one of four campaign co-chairman for the '08 Republican candidate. The Washington Post reports Sunday that Martin also posted a guilty plea in 1979 for selling 11 pounds of marijuana and a no contest plea in 1983 for cocaine trafficking and conspiracy.

Judgment was withheld on the first plea while Martin served out probation. The 1983 charges, along with a felony bookmaking charge, came while he was still serving that probation. Martin's probation was extended and he served no jail time.

If this is the worst dirt that one can dig up on Fred, I'd say, have at it.

Martin has turned his life around and has obviously made something of himself. He has given ample time to prove himself in society and has done so.

When Fred himself, or his associates, start engaging in real criminal behavior, let me know.

Until then, yaaaaaaaaaaawwwwnnn....

At the very least, Fred isn't taking money from terrorists.

****UPDATE*****

Martin has voluntarily resigned.

Fred's Views on the Second Amendment

...along with his seriousness in protecting our Second Amendment rights can be fairly well summarized in this article.

When Fred says something, damn it, he means it!

Media Event...

Set your TiVos for tomorrow morning, as Fred Thompson will be on Meet the Press as it nears its 60th anniversary. Meet the Press will air at its usual time of 10 am central, 9 am eastern (except in New York City, when it will air at 8am due to coverage of the Boston Marathon.

FredNews of the Day...

The Politico reports Fred's reaction to the Licenses for Illegals:

"Under the federal 'Motor Voter' law (the National Voter Registration Act of 1993), states must provide applicants for drivers licenses with the opportunity to register to vote," Thompson wrote. "Giving legal drivers licenses to illegal immigrants is wrong and would."

And..Also today -- at a press avail before a fundraiser in California -- Thompson asked, "Why aren’t they being apprehended and sent home if they come in and announce that they’re illegal?"

"We’ve either got to be serious enforcing our laws or not. I don’t think we can afford to be selective in that regard."So much common sense... so little time.

Meanwhile, Fred '08 has this video of Fred's interview on a Sacramento TV news program:


And finally, Marc Ambinder reports that Fred will be on Meet the Press this Sunday:

WHAT: Fred Thompson Appears Live on Meet the Press with Tim Russert

WHEN: Check your local listings

Note: Due to the New York Marathon, Meet the Press will be airing live in New York at 8:00 am ET and at the regular local time in all other markets.

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!!!

Sorry for the lite posting lately...

I have lots of irons in the fire, but I'll try to get back in the swing of things here.

Do note that there is updated Fred News everyday on the sidebar, as well as Fred Thompson videos!

Fred distinguishes self from Rudy...

And speaks of the importance, relevance, and righteousness of running on, not away from conservative principles:

"Some think the way to beat the Democrats in November is to be more like them. I could not disagree more," the one-time Tennessee senator says in remarks he was delivering Monday to the Conservative Party of New York. "I believe that conservatives beat liberals only when we challenge their outdated positions, not embrace them. This is not a time for philosophical flexibility, it is a time to stand up for what we believe in."

Thompson does not mention Giuliani in excerpts made available to The Associated Press, but he is clearly trying to draw a contrast with the rival leads in national Republican polls. Unlike Thompson, Giuliani backs abortion and gay rights. And, the ex-mayor's central argument for Republicans to nominate him is that he has the best chance to win in the general election.

Thompson was more direct in an interview on Fox News Channel before the speech.

"I don't think that the mayor has ever claimed to be a conservative," he said before rattling off Giuliani's history.

He noted that Giuliani, who ran as a Republican, sought and won the Liberal Party's endorsement in his first mayoral race in 1989, and that as mayor, he broke from the Republican Party and endorsed Democratic Governor Mario Cuomo in an unsuccessful race for a fourth term.

"So I don't know that he's ever claimed to be anything else," Thompson said, suggesting Giuliani was more a liberal than a conservative.

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!! (c)

Did I say 8 million?

Make that twelve:

McLean, VA - The Thompson for President campaign will show total donations of more than $12.7 million in its first report to be filed this month with the Federal Election Commission. Sen. Thompson has received donations from more than 80,000 supporters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and has $7 million cash on hand.

"The financial support Sen. Thompson has received from more than 80,000 donors demonstrates his huge grassroots appeal for Republicans who've been waiting for an authentic conservative to enter the race for president," said campaign manager Bill Lacy. "We feel great about future fundraising, knowing there's a big well of support to go back to, since people who've given once are likely to give again."

The average dollar donation to the campaign is $176, with 22,000 donors contributing online and 200,000 Friends of Fred signing up online to support the campaign.

The total raised for the third quarter filing (July 1^st - September 30^th) is $9.3 million. Since Sen. Thompson officially declared his candidacy on September 5^th, the campaign has raised an average of $200,000 per day.

Despite the naysayers, Fred remains strong:

"Some of the other campaigns have spent tens of millions of dollars so far, only to lose support among voters; yet, Fred is running strong in most of the early primary states without having spent a dime on advertising," noted Lacy. "We are on plan and will have the funding we need to get Fred's message to voters."

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!!!(c)

Fred Still Ahead!

So says Rasmussen:

For the seven days ending September 30, 2007 show that Fred Thompson earns 25% of the vote while Rudy Giuliani attracts 23%. Mitt Romney has moved back into third place, supported by 13%. John McCain is now the favorite for just 10% and Mike Huckabee is at 6%. Four other candidates split 4% of the vote while 19% are undecided (review history of weekly results).

The seven day results typically include interviews with more than 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters. This includes both Republicans and those independents likely to vote in a Republicans Primary. In some state primaries, independent voters are allowed to participate in party primaries while in others they are excluded. The margin of sampling error for the weekly update is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

During the short period since his announcement, Thompson has garnered 8 million dollars in donations. Check the link on the sidebar of this blog to put your money where your mouth is and support Fred!

FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!! (c)

Fred Finds a niche.

Running on the Revolution:

When Fred Thompson hits the campaign trail in Iowa next week, he'll be offering a new theme for his candidacy: a return to the revolution. The newest GOP hopeful will emphasize his roots in the so-called Republican Revolution in 1994, when the party swept to power and took control of both houses of Congress for the first time in decades.

Thompson was in the class of 1994 that handed the Clintons a major defeat with a message of small government. His aides will also emphasize that the same year Thompson was calling for taking power away from the federal government and shifting it to states, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was endorsing New York's Democratic Governor Mario Cuomo and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was moving left in his unsuccessful first foray into politics, when he ran against Ted Kennedy for the Senate. "It's only a fair question to ask every candidate in the race what were you fighting for in 1994," said Todd Harris, Thompson's communications director. "This nomination will be won by the candidate who best articulates those conservative principles."

This is a wise strategy, indeed. Much of the increasing disaffection with the Republican party as of the last five years has been due to the steady straying away from the principles that bulldozed them into power in 1994; principles first articulated by the master conservative, Ronaldus Magnus.

The strategy of running as "democrat lite" has proven disastrous, and further treading down that road to hell can only produce exponentially more mayhem. Conservative roots are what have won Republicans elections; articulating and applying true conservative principles will again be the panacea that lifts republicans out of their current electoral woes.

Yet another evangelical's take on Fred

A lot has been made with regard to James Dobson's apparent refusal to support Fred during the primaries; but this evangelical takes a different stand:

Southern Baptist Leader Defends Fred Thompson

September 25, 2007

Richard Land, the President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (which is part of the influential Southern Baptist Convention), tells The Brody File that the criticism leveled at Fred Thompson by James Dobson and others is a tad bit over the top. Recently, Dr. Dobson, Founder of Focus on the Family, said he wouldn’t support Thompson for a number of reasons including Thompson’s stance against a one size fits all marriage amendment. Read more on that here. As for Dr. Land’s comments, here’s what he told me:

“I’ve received phone calls and emails from Southern Baptists about Senator Thompson. They are all furious at Doctor Dobson. They just feel that first of all there was a mischaracterizing of his positions. Do I wish that he supported the marriage protection amendment? Of course I do. To say that he is for 50 different views of marriage in 50 different states is a gross mischaracterization of his position. Secondly, do I wish that he attended church every Sunday? As a Baptist pastor, of course I do. But does that make him a person of unbelief? That’s harsh and unwarranted.”

The split between Dobson and Land on Thompson is a microcosm of what’s going on right now within the Evangelical movement. There are those who think Thompson is the guy and others who don’t.

Dr. Land and Dr. Dobson both believe that there should be a federal marriage amendment to the constitution that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Plain and simple. Fred Thompson agrees but argues that if a state legislature passes a gay marriage law and the Governor signs it, then gay couples should be allowed to marry. So how does Dr. Land reconcile his position that seems to differ from Thompson’s?

“David, the problem with these cotton picking conviction politicians is that they follow their convictions and Fred Thompson has been for a long long time a very staunch federalist and it’s hard to convince conviction politicians to change their minds.”

“It’s (Thompson’s marriage amendment position) a problem. I think Southern Baptists have an ethical issue in which they need to deal. They may face a situation where they have a choice of three candidates. One they agree with 95% of the time, one they agree with 80 percent of the time and one they agree with 10% of the time. It may come to pass that they’re faced with a choice.”

In the end though, Land is still a Thompson supporter. I asked him what it is about Thompson that appeals to him and many other Evangelicals.

“Fred Thompson grew up in a very modest means in a small town in America just like Ronald Reagan grew up in very modest means in a small town in Illinois. You acquire not only an understanding of but a respect for everyday folk when you come from the background that you don’t get otherwise and people sense it. That this is a guy who respects me, a guy who understands that we are the backbone of this country, we are the salt of the Earth and he not only understands us, he’s one of us. He’s a successful one of us but he’s one of us and they trust a guy like that. They give a guy like that a larger margin of error. Nobody gets everything right but its core values. My assessment is that this guy is a whole much like Reagan including his Teflon quality. The press has been beating up with him for these types of gaffes and he continues to climb in the polls.”

Amen, Rev.!

Fred Thompson--out and about

There have been a lot of doomsayers out and about saying that Fred Thompson's campaign for President was "dead in the water" before it started, that Fred is a political lightweight, and that Fred was doomed to be a flash in the pan, among others.

But there is one important fact that all the nattering naybobs continue to ignore:

The voters aren't listening to them:

Over the past four months, Rasmussen Reports polling has consistently shown Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani holding the top two slots in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination. During that time, the weekly poll results have shown Thompson’s support ranging from a low of 20% to a high of 28%. Giuliani’s range has been similar, from 19% to 27%. Although Thompson and Giuliani are the frontrunners, both men still have plenty of detractors who say they can’t possibly win the nomination.

For the week ending September 23, it’s Thompson 26% and Giuliani 22%.

Occupying a precarious niche somewhere between the frontrunners and the also-rans are John McCain and Mitt Romney. Both men were early favorites of Washington pundits but haven’t done as well among Republican primary voters. During the past four months, McCain’s support has ranged from 11% to 14%. Romney’s range has been from 11% to 15%.

Also, despite claims that Thompson won't be well-received by core conservative voters, the NRA gave Thompson no less than three standing ovations during his stump speech at their convention (more on Thompson's success over at National Review).

Despite continued attacks by the conservative establishment on Fred's character and ability to win, Fred and the voters continue to prove them wrong.

So, if the nattering naybobs of the conservative establishment continue to downplay Fred Thompson's effectiveness as a candidate, they continue to do so at the peril of their own credibility.

Get used to it, folks.

Fred has hit the trail running, and he's not looking back.

Full Speed Ahead, Fred! ©

Crazy like a fox?

I have to admit, I had my moments of misgiving about Fred's timing in jumping in the Presidential race. But all along, too, I felt that Fred's support would continue to be strong and even skyrocket once he finally committed.

Turns out that hunch was right:

• CNN.com -- Giuliani & Thompson neck-and-neck in new poll: "Days after he officially jumped into the Republican race for the White House, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson finds himself in a statistical dead heat with Rudy Giuliani, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Tuesday. The former New York mayor garners 28% nationally among registered Republicans, while Thompson is one point behind at 27% -- well within the poll's 5 percentage point margin of error. In a similar poll taken in August, Giuliani registered 29%, while Thompson, then not an official candidate, was at 22%.

• The Washington Post -- "Dramatic erosion" in Giuliani's lead: "Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani continues to lead the race for the Republican presidential nomination, but he has seen a dramatic erosion in his support, which now stands at its lowest point of the year, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Giuliani's support dropped from 37% in a July poll to 28% in the latest (national) survey, and his decline from February has been even more sharp. Then, he had the backing of 53% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents and had a better than 2 to 1 advantage over his closest rival. Former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.), who formally entered the race last week after months of exploration, now stands in second place in the GOP field, with 19%. That is nearly double the support he received in an April poll taken as he began to express serious interest in running."

Full Speed Ahead, Fred!!

Fred: What Global Warming???

With regard to Rev. Algore's church of global warming, Fred Thompson takes it with a grain of salt.

Rather, Fred takes a no-nonsense approach:

By Kevin Mooney
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
September 06, 2007

(CNSNews.com) - Free market advocates in search of a champion who will take a firm stand against draconian global warming laws, might have one in former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), who announced his run for the presidency Wednesday on NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

This vote of confidence comes from a Senate colleague, James Inhofe (R-Okla.), who believes the weight of scientific evidence has shifted decisively against the notion of human-induced global warming in recent years.

Unfortunately, many Republican and Democratic leaders, as well as leading presidential contenders continue to push for legislation that would "shut down America" in the name of "misguided alarmism," Inhofe told Cybercast News Service.

"The Republicans will need a nominee for president who is willing to tell the truth, and so far the one out there with the most courage is Fred Thompson," said Inhofe. "He is aware of all the issues I've raised on global warming, and right now he's the only one I see who is willing to take this on."

Unlike many of his fellow Republicans, Thompson has demonstrated a willingness to confront elite opinion, Inhofe said. While Thompson is sure to antagonize the news media with his stand on global warming, Inhofe thinks he will find a receptive audience among average Americans.

SNIP

"...it is evident the Tennessee Republican's broadsides against "elite opinion" are beginning to attract attention. "Thompson seems to have taken particular pleasure in mocking global warming," a July 27 Washington Post story asserted.

Back in March, during a radio broadcast, Thompson took issue with those who claim there is a scientific consensus in favor of human-induced global warming.

"Some people think that our planet is suffering from a fever," he said. "Now scientists are telling us that Mars is experiencing its own planetary warming. It seems scientists have noticed recently that quite a few planets in our solar system seem to be heating up a bit, including Pluto."

I mean--come on folks--what's there not to like?

Full Speed Ahead, Fred!!

More of Fred on the Issues:

BREAKING NEWS--FRED TO ANNOUNCE TONIGHT!

The conventional wisdom had Fred officially announcing his candidacy tomorrow on his web site, followed by an appearance on Leno tomorrow night.

But Fred is just full of surprises!

From here:

Fred Thompson makes candidacy for president official on 'The Tonight Show?

30 minutes ago

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Fred Thompson, a veteran actor and former Republican senator, launched his bid for the presidency Hollywood style.

"I'm running for president of the United States," Thompson told Jay Leno in a taped appearance on NBC's "Tonight Show" airing Wednesday.

Thompson also is calling attention to his candidacy with a 30-second ad being broadcast during a Republican debate in New Hampshire that he is not participating in. He also will explain the rationale for his candidacy during a 15-minute webcast on his website just after midnight.

"FULL SPEED AHEAD, FRED!"

***UPDATE***

Watch Fred's Formal Announcement Video, now up at Fred '08.com!

Listen closely. Yep. He's the REAL article!

Fred Thompson's Teaser...

As you know, Fred Thompson, who is to announce for his bid for the Presidency tomorrow, opted to do a television ad, instead of being a participant in the New Hampshire debates tonight.

Here is the ad that Fred will run:



Looking forward to tomorrow!!!

Full Speed Ahead, Fred!