Nice article — good find.
Fred Thompson should sieze on recent reports that ethanol subsidies make no economic sense and come out strongly against ethanol and ethanol subsidies in the next few days, and continue pounding that point between now and the Iowa caucuses. He should advocate a Conservative free-market approach to energy policy that emphasizes development of domestic supplies of oil and nuclear power.
“Why would he want to stick his thumb in the eye of Iowa farm interests?” you may ask. To understand the reason, you have to look at what can happen for Thompson in Iowa if he does not.
If Thompson runs the standard Panderpalooza campaign for Iowa, he will finish, at best, third, and probably fourth. This will be seen by all as a further indicator of his general decline and place a nail on the edge of his coffin that will be driven home by the New Hampshire primary soon to follow. By the time he gets to his Southern strength, it may be too late.
But if Thompson comes out strongly against the standard pander package deal in Iowa, his poor showing there will be seen as a result of his Principled Conservative stand against the subsidies and wasteful ethanol policies that Iowans hold near and dear. He will still finish fourth, or maybe fifth, but this will not be seen as an indicator of general decline, but rather an indicator of his commitment to as a Principled Conservative. Thus he will have a much better chance of surviving Iowa and getting to his Southern strength with a campaign intact.
In other words, Fred Thompson can choose to leave Iowa either as “The Hapless Candidate in Decline” or as “The Principled Conservative Willing to Stand Up for What is Right”. The former story has already been written by everybody in the MSM and is just waiting to be filed. The latter story could be substituted, and would put Fred Thompson in a much better position coming out of Iowa.
Furthermore, Thompson could take all the time and money he has budgeted for Iowa and spend it on other races, and have his stand against ethanol and subsidies to fall back on to explain his poor showing. Since time and money are both in short supply, this should be an appealing prospect.
Call it a long ball, a Hail Mary pass, if you will. But it is the best strategy for Fred Thompson and the Principled Conservative position as well. If Fred is going to win this thing, he is going to win it as the Principled Conservative. It is about time he started acting like it.
Good find!