Con: "I've always thought that Roe v. Wade was a wrong decision, that they usurped what had been the law in this country for 200 years, that it was a matter that should go back to the states. When you get back to the states, I think the states should have some leeway. I might vote against one approach, but I think the states ought to have it. Essentially, federalism. It's in the Constitution."
Not Clearly Pro or Con: "[Interviewer] Could you spell out for us how dangerous do you think the Chinese military are?
[Fred Thompson: ] They don't have to be a threat sufficient to invade the United States. They just have to be a threat sufficient to go against our interests. ... Certainly if Taiwan comes up again, most people think that they're not in a position, for example, to invade Taiwan tomorrow. Obviously they could unleash devastation on Taiwan through the air. But they're behind the curves pretty substantially. The question is not today; the question is tomorrow, and the next day and the day after that.
As everyone knows, they think in long terms, and we think in short terms, usually. And the fact of the matter is that they could be as big an economy as ours before long. That would allow them to continue their military budget increase. They are now at 17 percent, so you know it's substantially more than that. Nobody really knows how much the increase is, but it's going to continue to increase. They are making great strides in technology. They are getting technology from all over the world including the United States -- something that I'm very concerned about. I think we've been blind to that. We've assisted them in ways that we shouldn't be assisting. We're concerned about what's going out the back door in terms of theft of sensitive nuclear technology. But we've been negligent in terms of what we're giving them out the front door in terms of our trade and dual-use items -- things that can be used for military purposes.
But they're gathering all of that and they're very, very good with that ... in using that to enhance their military. So all that is going on, and it's not important that we pick a date in which it's the most dangerous to us. We know what the trend is, and we have to be concerned about it."
Pro: "Our goal for Cuba is nothing less than the complete freedom of the Cuban people. All sanctions must remain in place as long as the current regime, or any 'transitional government,' refuses to hold free and fair elections, to release all political prisoners, to allow private enterprise to flourish, and denies the Cuban people their God-given freedoms. The United States must strengthen its ongoing efforts to build international support to isolate the Castro regime, and stand with the Cuban people. We also need to look at new ways to further weaken this regime, and hasten the democracy, freedom and self-determination of the Cuban people."
"Statement by Fred Thompson on the President's Speech on Cuba," Press Release, Fred Thompson's official campaign website, Oct. 25, 2007
None Found: No position found as of Jan. 9, 2008. ProCon.org also emailed the Thompson campaign on Dec. 13, 2007 with this question. They did not respond to our email.
Pro: "Our country seems to be able to come to the right conclusions over time, even when we're being told over and over again that we're wrong. When I say the right conclusions, by the way, I mean conclusions supported by honest research and real evidence. I've got a good example -- capital punishment.
For decades, the self-proclaimed smart kids have been telling us that the death penalty just doesn't work. The people with the top jobs in academia and the news business have scoffed at the American people's insistence that executions prevent murder...
The reliable two-thirds of Americans who have always supported the death penalty probably wouldn't be surprised to find out that study after study has shown that the death penalty deters murders. Some studies show really dramatic effects, with each execution of a murderer deterring as many as 18 or more murders. That's according to Emory University professors, who found as well that delaying execution also leads to further murders. Most studies have concluded that some number of murders between three and 18 are prevented for every application of capital punishment...
Certainly, the use of DNA evidence to clear long-held prisoners from murder charges proves that we need to be more careful about handing out death sentences; and science must be used even more and earlier in the criminal process to protect the innocent and convict the guilty. However, these studies are important in properly analyzing the effect of the death penalty."
"Common Sense on Capital Punishment," The Fred Thompson Report, ABC Radio Network, June 27, 2007
None Found: No position found as of Jan. 9, 2008. ProCon.org also emailed the Thompson campaign on Dec. 13, 2007 with this question. They did not respond to our email.
Pro: "The problem of rising tuitions is known to many of us, but it is worth restating for the record. From 1990 through 1996, average tuition for a full-time resident undergraduate student rose 43.8 percent. But during that same period, the consumer price index rose only 15.4 percent and median household income rose a mere 13.8 percent...
But there are enumerable other factors that make up the cost and price of a college education: administrative costs; faculty salaries; technology; federal regulation; endowments; state appropriations; and many more. This is clearly a case where not one single factor works in a vacuum to affect the cost and price of a college education. Just as not one single factor affects the cost and price of a college education, there is not one single answer to the problem.
Colleges and universities must work to control costs. Public officials must ensure that public aid programs work to the public good. And we must all work together to ensure that purveyors of fraud do not take advantage of students and their families."
"Opening Statement of Senator Fred Thompson Chairman Committee on Governmental Affairs: The Rising Cost of College Tuition and the Effectiveness of Government Financial Aid," U.S. Senate website, Feb. 9, 2000
Pro: "I came from the outside to Congress. And it always seemed strange to me. We've got a situation where people could give politicians huge sums of money, which is the soft money situation at that time, and then come before those same politicians and ask them to pass legislation for them. I mean, you get thrown in jail for stuff like that in the real world. And so I always thought that there was some reasonable limitation that ought to be put on that, and you know, looking back on history, Barry Goldwater in his heyday felt the same thing. So that's not a non-conservative position, although I agree that a lot of people have interpreted it that way."
"Choosing the President," FOX News Sunday, Mar. 11, 2007
None Found: No position found as of Oct. 19, 2007. ProCon.org also emailed the Thompson campaign on Nov. 9, 2007 with this question. They did not respond to our email or follow up call.
Pro: Voted Yes on the "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge amendment," (S.AMDT.3132) "To create jobs for Americans, to reduce dependence on foreign sources of crude oil and energy, to strengthen the economic self determination of the Inupiat Eskimos and to promote national security," on Apr. 16, 2002:
"SEC. 1902. DEFINITIONS.
(1) COASTAL PLAIN.--The term 'Coastal Plain' means that area identified as such in the map entitled 'Arctic National Wildlife Refuge', dated August 1980, as referenced in section 1002(b) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 3142(b)(1)), comprising approximately 1,549,000 acres, and as legally described in appendix I to part 37 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations...
SEC. 1903. LEASING PROGRAM FOR LANDS WITHIN THE COASTAL PLAIN.
(a) IN GENERAL.--The Secretary shall take such actions as are necessary--
(1) to establish and implement in accordance with this title a competitive oil and gas leasing program under the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) that will result in an environmentally sound program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the Coastal Plain.
None Found: No position found as of Jan. 9, 2008. ProCon.org also emailed the Thompson campaign on Dec. 13, 2007 with this question. They did not respond to our email.
Con: "Some people think that our planet is suffering from a fever. Now scientists are telling us that Mars is experiencing its own planetary warming: Martian 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.
NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] says the Martian South Pole's 'ice cap' has been shrinking for three summers in a row. Maybe Mars got its fever from earth. If so, I guess Jupiter's caught the same cold, because it's warming up too, like Pluto.
This has led some people, not necessarily scientists, to wonder if Mars and Jupiter, non signatories to the Kyoto Treaty, are actually inhabited by alien SUV-driving industrialists who run their air-conditioning at 60 degrees and refuse to recycle.
Silly, I know, but I wonder what all those planets, dwarf planets and moons in our SOLAR system have in common. Hmmmm. SOLAR system. Hmmmm. Solar? I wonder. Nah, I guess we shouldn't even be talking about this. The science is absolutely decided. There's a consensus.
Ask Galileo."
"Plutonic Warming," National Review online, Mar. 22, 2007
Con: "I strongly support the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms. Gun control is touted as a major crime-control measure. But some of the places with the strictest gun-control laws also have high violent-crime rates. Disarming law-abiding citizens does not prevent crime. The answer to violent crime is smart, effective, and aggressive law enforcement. The real effect of these gun-control measures is to place onerous restrictions on law-abiding citizens who use firearms for such legal activities as self-defense, sport-shooting, hunting, and collecting."
"Issues," Fred Thompson's official campaign website (accessed Nov. 29, 2007)
Not Clearly Pro or Con: "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."
"Healthcare," Fred Thompson's official candidate website (accessed Oct. 23, 2007)
Not Clearly Pro or Con: Voted No to "S.812: Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act of 2002
Title II: Importation of Prescription Drugs - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to permit pharmacists and wholesalers to import (reimport) U.S. made prescription drugs into the United States from Canada."
"S.812: Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act of 2002," Library of Congress website, July 31, 2002
Pro: "We not only should, but we can [build a fence/wall along the Southern border of the U.S.]. The law requires it. There are laws on books right now that require several hundred miles to be built, that we haven't already built. It's definitely part of the solution. We need additional wall. We also need to use electronic surveillance. We need additional patrolling in areas where fencing might not be appropriate... It's not only the right thing to do, it's a matter of national security."
"Ask Fred - Building the Border Fence," Fred TV, Fred Thompson's official candidate website, Oct. 16, 2007
Not Clearly Pro or Con: "It's time for the world to finally send a stern message to Iran. Ahmadinejad has called for the destruction of Israel, is supporting terrorist groups throughout the Middle East, and is responsible for supplying weapons to extremists who are killing US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. And with Iran's ongoing pursuit of nuclear weapons and development of long-range missiles, that country is a threat not only to the region and our allies, but to the entire free world. It's time for the United Nations to take more serious action against this terror regime.
The Security Council needs to begin placing comprehensive, multilateral sanctions on Iran's economy, to include banning foreign investment, stopping export credits to companies doing business there, and prohibiting any business dealings with Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Iranian banks should be denied access to international banking and financial institutions, and World Bank loans should be suspended. All arms sales to Iran need to be halted. And travel by Iranian officials should be stopped and their assets frozen. Cutting off Iranian access to refined gas imports will certainly get Tehran's attention and cause them to reconsider their priorities. If the UN can't reach agreement on these measures due to continued Russian, Chinese or others' intransigence, then we need to work directly with our allies and go around the UN roadblock.
The international community has been negotiating with Iran for more than four years to no avail in seeking to halt the mullahs' nuclear program. I believe strongly in diplomacy, but it has its limits, especially when the other side is made up of extremists. If we don't get serious and act now--before they build atomic weapons--the stakes will be even higher, and our hand much weaker. The United States and its allies cannot afford to let that happen. As president, I certainly will not."
"Thompson: No Ahmadinejad Entry Into U.S. Proposes Economic Sanctions to Freeze Iran's Assets," Press Release, Fred Thompson's official candidate website, Sep. 20, 2007
Pro: "What people don't think enough about is what if we had not gone into Iraq. You know, after defying the UN 17 times, after corrupting the oil-for-food program and the UN itself, and defying the US, Saddam would have been there, the new king of the hill in that part of the world, with his murderous sons still putting people in human shredders, still a threat to his neighbors, still developing his plans for a nuclear capability.
I mean, he had those plans. He had the technical expertise. Whether he had them on one particular day or not is almost irrelevant. Especially today, looking at what Iran is doing, he certainly would have had his hands or been working assiduously toward getting the capability of nuclear weapons. And that's what we would have been faced with had we not done that. Going in there and deposing him was a good thing."
Hannity & Colmes, FOX News interview, June 5, 2007
Con: "While backing the war, [Fred] Thompson said, 'No one wants to drill in a dry hole forever.' He has consistently opposed a timetable for withdrawal."
"Thompson Urges More Military Spending," Mike Glover, Associated Press, Oct. 3, 2007
Not Clearly Pro or Con: "Hamas is another terrorist organization that must also be disarmed and disbanded. The United States should not recognize any Palestinian government run by Hamas, nor provide it financial assistance until Hamas recognizes Israel's right to exist, renounces violence and terrorism, and adheres to all previous Palestinian agreements with Israel. The continued build-up of advanced weaponry by Hamas is a sign that the group does not desire peace and, though Israel should demonstrate restraint, it may be forced to take action against this growing threat."
"Israel," Fred Thompson's official campaign website (accessed Jan. 11, 2008)
Not Clearly Pro or Con: "[Katie] Couric: Harry Truman said, 'A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other.' Some people don't feel comfortable supporting a candidate who hasn't been faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand their reservations?
[Fred] Thompson: Yes. I can understand where that's coming from.
Couric: Do you think it's an appropriate way to evaluate a candidate?
Thompson: Everybody's gotta make up their own mind about that. I think that you can evaluate a candidate any way you want to. It's a free country. There are a lot of things that go into it. When we elect a president, we're electing the leader of the free world. We're facing tremendous challenges ahead. I don't think we've come to terms with the nature of the threats against us, really in terms ... of radical Islam and the things we've got to do and the threats to the economy with the growing retirement population, things that, of that nature.
So, nobody's perfect. Everybody has weaknesses and has made mistakes one time or another in life. But everybody's gotta decide for themselves what they want to consider that go into making up. The leader is going to have to deal with these problems of the country."
"Candidates Offer Views on Infidelity," CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, CBSNews.com, Dec. 19, 2007
Pro: "The latest example of that [judicial activism] has to do with the same-sex marriage issue, where judges have taken it upon themselves to take something that has been the case since the dawn of civilization, and that is the recognition that marriage is between a man and a woman -- turned it on its head.
When I was in the Senate, we fought for the Defense of Marriage Act, passed that act, basically defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and saying one state, if they do such a thing, does not have to be recognized by another state when someone moves to that new state.
This is a totally judicially created problem. I propose a constitutional amendment which will stop this particular brand of judicial activism in its tracks."
"Fred Thompson Speaks to the Value Voters Summit," Fred Thompson's official candidate website, Oct. 19, 2007
Not Clearly Pro or Con: "You know, there are federal laws involved and there's federalism issues also involved. It depends on a lot of different circumstances, and I just can't give you a definitive answer to that right now."
"Your Guide to the Candidates' Views on Medical Marijuana: Sen. Fred Thompson," Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana website (accessed Oct. 24, 2007)
None Found: No position found as of Jan. 11, 2008. ProCon.org also emailed the Thompson campaign on Dec. 13, 2007 with this question. They did not respond to our email.
Pro: "I believe that we should stop spending billions of dollars on programs we don't know are working and allow faith-based programs to compete for this funding. These programs can work, and the federal government can set this initiative up in a way that satisfies Constitution requirements. President Bush's proposal for the Faith-Based initiative is an example of what can happen when government decision-makers search for creative approaches to building effective social programs."
"Help for Our Local Heroes," Senator Fred Thompson's weekly column, Official Senate website, Feb. 9, 2001
None Found: No position found as of Nov. 29, 2007. ProCon.org also emailed the Thompson campaign on Nov. 9, 2007 with this question. They did not respond to our email or follow up call.
Not Clearly Pro or Con: "Fred Thompson believes that workers should have the option of making contributions to voluntary Personal Retirement Accounts, which will work like a 401(k) plan, and thereby permit all American workers to participate in the expansion of wealth in America. Specifically, he proposes that Social Security establish voluntary Personal Retirement Accounts (PRAs) for which:
Each worker would automatically contribute 2% of his/her wages into a voluntary Personal Retirement Account.
This employee contribution would be matched by 2.5 for 1 ($2.50 for every $1 dollar contributed) on the contributions from the first $1000 of wages earned each month. The match would be made from existing contributions.
All additional contributions would be matched fifty cents on the dollar.
If a worker does not want to participate in the voluntary PRA, he/she could 'opt out' of the program at the beginning of each year."
"Saving and Protecting Social Security: A Plan to Ensure Retirement Security for All Americans," Fred Thompson's official candidate website, Nov. 29, 2007
Con: "On stem cell research, I'm for adult stem cell research not stem cell research where embryos of unborn children are destroyed. It looks to me like there is a lot of promising developments as far as adult stem cell research is concerned anyway and we don't need to go down that other road."
"Exclusive: Fred Thompson Pro-Life Video Address," Christian Broadcasting Network News website, June 14, 2007
Pro: "There has been no greater friend to the American taxpayer than Fred Thompson, and there will be no greater friend than a Fred Thompson Administration. I ran as a consistent, tax-cutting, small government conservative. I supported all three major tax cuts put before me in the Senate. As Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, I sought to save the American taxpayer $20 billion in wasteful spending. The Bush tax cuts must be made permanent, and we must cut government spending. I am the only consistent, pro-growth conservative in the race.
While I was fighting for tax cuts in Congress, others were opposing tax cuts in New York state. Others were claiming not to be raising taxes but were instead raising every state-mandated fee and imposing 'hidden taxes' on unsuspecting taxpayers. While others were repudiating Reagan-Bush tax policies, I was fighting for them."
"Thompson: 'While I Was Fighting for Tax Cuts in Congress, Others Were Opposing Tax Cuts in New York'," comments made during a speech at the Club for Growth Fall Economic Policy Conference Luncheon, Fred Thompson's official candidate website, Oct. 17, 2007
Pro: "The latest example of that [judicial activism] has to do with the same-sex marriage issue, where judges have taken it upon themselves to take something that has been the case since the dawn of civilization, and that is the recognition that marriage is between a man and a woman -- turned it on its head.
When I was in the Senate, we fought for the Defense of Marriage Act, passed that act, basically defining marriage as between a man and a woman, and saying one state, if they do such a thing, does not have to be recognized by another state when someone moves to that new state.
This is a totally judicially created problem. I propose a constitutional amendment which will stop this particular brand of judicial activism in its tracks."
"Fred Thompson Speaks to the Value Voters Summit," Fred Thompson's official candidate website, Oct. 19, 2007
Pro: "As a general proposition, I've always thought that when you get right down to it, the measures have to meet the situation. If our country is faced with an imminent loss of lives of innocent Americans, and we have someone - and we're confident enough in our intelligence to be secure in the knowledge that this person has important information that could save the lives of innocent Americans - all I can say is that as president ... the measures will always meet the circumstances. And I will do what I think is in the best interest of my country."
"Fred Thompson, in S.F., Calls Civil Unions 'Not a Good Idea'," San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 1, 2007
Special Counsel to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1980-1981
Special Counsel to Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander, 1980
Chief Republican Counsel (Minority Counsel), U.S. Senate Watergate Committee, 1973-1974
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Middle Tennessee, 1969-1972
Former Campaign Manager and Staff Attorney for U.S. Senator Howard Baker (R-Tennessee)
Education:
JD, Vanderbilt University, 1967
BS, Memphis State University, 1964
Affiliations and Memberships:
Actor: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), Law & Order (115 episodes, 2002-2007), Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005), In the Line of Fire (1993), Die Hard 2 (1990), Days of Thunder (1990), The Hunt for Red October (1990)
Other:
20 votes missed (3.2 percent of 633 total votes) during 107th Congress
3 votes missed (0.4 percent of 672 total votes) during the 106th Congress
0 votes missed (0 percent of 612 total votes) during the 105th Congress
10 votes missed (1.1 percent of 919 total votes) during the 104th Congress
Former factory worker, shoe salesman, and truck driver