Published by Matt on 30 Nov 2007
Rush Limbaugh does not do endorsements.
But yesterday he came very close. Rush said that Fred was the only conservative on stage at the YouTube-Republican debate, and called the rest moderates.
Limbaugh denounced the idea that Thompson doesn’t have the “fire” to be President, and compared Fred to Ronald Reagan.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_112907/content/01125108.guest.html
Published by Matt on 28 Nov 2007
What would Jesus do? And send Hillary to mars. Just a few of the topics in the YouTube-Republican debate. A wide range of topics, from immigration, to the IRS and taxes, to gun control, to abortion to torture and Iraq was covered. The debate isn’t quite over - but my thoughts nonetheless..
Some danced around issues, others looked bored, and Ron Paul is just plain crazy. Mike Huckabee, Rudy Guiliani, and Mitt Romney ran around their records on immigration. Illegal Immigration is a CRIME, Rudy. Rudy says as Mayor, New York reported illegals who committed crimes. Well, being an illegal is illegal, Mayor. Mitt Romney knows he did not fix the problems of sanctuary cities while he was governor and Mike Huckabee supported in-state tuition for the children of illegals. Fred Thompson has a plan for illegal immigration and he had a straight answer for the questions.
The 2nd Amendment means “Right” to bear arms, and for the most part all of the candidates agreed on this. However, Rudy said to many boos that he supported stricter regulations on gun control. It got good for me here. On the issue Rudy pointed to his record as Mayor and claimed his regulations helped make the city safer. Fred shot that down and said flat out the laws didn’t make the city safer, to which Rudy replied “No, it didn’t make the city safer.” I guess I’m playing “got’cha - but that is politics.
Roe v. Wade came up, not to any surprise. Rudy had a good answer on Roe v. Wade and Abortion but he doesn’t think abortion should be criminalized. Mitt Romney proved he is liberal (with a lowercase ‘L’, in the since of bigger government ) - he would sign a National Abortion Ban. The fact of the matter is, abortion is an issue that should be left to the states. Rudy had a good point in saying that “the problem with Roe v. Wade is that it took power away from the states.” Cooper didn’t let Thompson answer, which is weird considering he has the NRLC endorsement.
The Bible question was loaded. Does one believe “every word?” He was trying to get one to say yes and then he could turn around and point to some things in Leviticus and etc. Mike Huckabee sounded programmed, but he had a good point when he said “Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office.”
Mitt Romney was also afraid to take a stance on torture, saying “he didn’t know enough.” McCain says the United States should not torture. He stood very strong on this issue.
Then Iraq came up. I think Fred won this one. Thompson says “absolutely as long as it takes to complete our mission.” Says Afghan. and Iraq part of much bigger picture. [If we fail it will make a] less secure United States. “Too many people are vested in a scenario of defeat, I’m vested in a scenario of victory.” Ron Paul says give them their country back. Uh, we’re there by invite now buddy. Ron Paul says the surge isn’t working. Nutjob. McCain says we didn’t lose Vietnam, American opinion lost Vietnam. SAME THING WITH IRAQ NOW. We aren’t losing the war, and never really have been close to losing - but Al-Qaeda is fighting a war against the American people.
Duncan Hunter says openly gays in the military would hurt unit cohesion. Romney again would not take a stance. He has lost any support he had from myself. Multiple times tonight Romney said he would “want to learn more.” Well maybe you should learn more before you decided to run for President, Mitt. I will say that I’ll support him if he gets the nomination. McCain says don’t ask, don’t tell should be continued.
Social Security came up near the end. Fred knocked this question out with one punch. The other candidates know that Thompson is the only one with a plan and they cannot compete. Again, Mitt Romney danced around this question. 
Overall, it wasn’t really an exciting debate. I think Fred was left out a little bit more than he should have been, but I think he did well enough. The real winners were John McCain and Duncan Hunter. Hunter has a lot of really ideas and I agree with a lot of the things he says and thinks - but he really does not have much of a shot. Huckabee had his moments but sounded programmed and sounded like a recitalist. Rudy got attacked and did not stand up as well as he usually does - I think he’ll start to fall over the next month.
My ranking
Published by Matt on 26 Nov 2007
Another real plan from Presidential Candidate Fred Thompson. The former Senator from Tennessee has a seven point plan for tax relief and economic growth, shall he become elected President.
The plan includes permanently extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, permanently repealing the death tax, permanently repealing the Alternative , and extending taxpayer choice.
This plan, based on a proposal in the House of Representatives, would simplify the tax code and allows taxpayers a choice between two tax codes. One could elect to use the current tax code, or use a new simplified tax code that offers two rates of taxation. Oh, and about the whole ‘only the poor pay taxes’ thing? Under Thompson’s plan, a family of four would be exempt from income tax on the first $39,000 of income if they chose the simpler of the two tax codes.
Thompson is currently trailing Rudy Giuliani by about 14% in National polls, but I’m still not sure why. Fred has now released four comprehensive plans on key issues including Immigration, Social Security, Armed Forces Reform, and now Economic growth. You can find them all on his website.
Fred has also said he would sign the FairTax, if the bill came to his desk as President.
