Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
Please FReepmail jellybean if you want on/off this list. WARNING: This ping list is EXTREMELY active.
Posted on 06/02/2007 8:17:14 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
“In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in men but bind them down from mischief with the chains of the Constitution.”
Millions of us just want government to perform its few — and LIMITED functions — contract enforcement, courts for those matters not the provence of lower jurisdictions and PROTECT US FROM FOREIGN INVADERS (now THAT one needs some real attention!)
Otherwise, we want it to LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE!
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
Please FReepmail jellybean if you want on/off this list. WARNING: This ping list is EXTREMELY active.
Thank you, but a large amount of my information is from the work of Sturm Ruger. His research can’t be beat.
JCEccles wrote: “I like what Fred says, but what are his accomplishments? What has he done?”
Well, here’s just a few of them:
*
“When H 400 passed the House of Representatives on a voice vote, with no member demanding a recorded vote, we knew we were in trouble. S 507 was set to be reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by unanimous consent the following week. We needed one member of the United States Senate with the courage to stand before the Committee and object to the bill.”
“We decided to approach Senator Fred Thompson, and when S 507 came up in committee, he objected on the basis of national security. He had the courage to defy the President and Vice President, the Japanese government, the Chinese government, the Lippo Group of Indonesia, and eighty or ninety of America’s largest multinational corporations. America dodged a bullet in 1997, and Fred Thompson was the man who made it happen.”
- Paul Hollrah, The Conservative Voice, March 30, 2007
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/23891.html
*
Although his towering 6-foot 5-inch frame, basso voice and commanding presence gave him star status on the Hill, Thompson chose the unglamorous work of trying to expose waste and reform the federal government.
He put heat on federal agencies by holding hearings on mismanagement and by asking them to tote up the improper payments they made each year — about $20 billion altogether.
The waste is far from stopped, but agencies are now required by law to disclose their annual overpayments, a practice that is credited for trimming the Department of Health and Human Services’ erroneous payments from $12.1 billion in 2005 to $10.8 billion in 2006.
Paul C. Light, a New York University professor and leading expert on government reform, said, “I consider him to be one of the most dedicated overseers of the executive branch of the last 25 years.”
- Julia Malone, Cox News Service, Friday, May 11, 2007
*
“On the Republican side, Fred Thompson’s record on spending puts the rest of the field to shame, and is even more conservative than that of Newt Gingrich. Perhaps Thompson’s supposed lack of accomplishments in the Senate are the result of a legislator who erred on the side of ensuring that government didn’t grow, didn’t spend more, didn’t meddle more in people’s lives, and generally left Americans alone. In an age of two big-governnment parties, it isn’t surprising that such a candidate is garnering interest.”
Fiscally fisking the 2008 contenders
http://race42008.com/2007/03/24/fiscally-fisking-the-2008-contenders
*
Fred Thompson Senate Committee Assignments:
Member, Foreign Relations Committee, 1995-96
Member, Judiciary Committee, 1995-98
Judiciary Subcommittes
Chairman, Youth Violence, 1995-96
Member, Constitution, Federalism and Property Rights, 1997-98
Member, Technology, Terrorism and Gov’t. Information, 1995-98
Chairman, Governmental Affairs Committee, 1997-2001
Ranking Minority Member, Governmental Affairs Committee, 2001-02
Member, Finance Committee, 1999-2002
Finance subcommittees
Member, International Trade, 1999-2002
Member, Taxation and Oversight, 1999-2002
Member, Social Security and Family Policy, 1999-2002
Member, Health Care, 1999-2002
- Finding Aid for the Fred Thompson Papers, University of Tennessee
http://mpa.utk.edu/thompson/ThompsonFindingAid.pdf
*
Important Bills and Amendments introduced by Sen. Fred Thompson:
Nuclear Proliferation Act
Special Counsel Act
Aviation Security Bill Amendment
FY 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
Regulatory Right-To-Know Act
Homeland Security Workforce Act
Homeland Security Education Act
Thompson amendment to Treasury-Postal Title (Section 646) of the Consolidated Appropriations Bill
Regulatory Improvement Act (S. 981)
Thompson Amendment to the National Homeland Security and Combating Terrorism Act
Thompson Amendment to the National Employee Savings and Trust Equity Act
The Federal Emergency Procurement Flexibility Act
The Federalism Accountability Act
The Government Information Security Reform Act (GISRA)
The Thompson Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act
The Truth in Regulation Act
*
When Fred Thompson ran for the Senate he promised the people of Tennessee that he would work to protect our national security, make government work for families, and improve the way Washington does business. He made good on those promises with a record of achievement and leadership.
Thompson is a well-respected and knowledgeable leader on foreign policy and national security affairs. He served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the prestigious National Security Working Group, which observes and monitors Executive Branch negotiations with foreign governments on a range of national security topics.
FDT believes that the United States has a unique role in the world given our economic prosperity, military power, and the strength of our principles, democratic ideals, and values. He believes the United States should be active in promoting the concepts of free trade and open markets, holding other countries responsible for their actions and affairs, yet acting firmly and clearly where our national interests and values are at stake.
As Ranking Member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, Sen. Thompson held hearings on important national security issues, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons) and missile technology and the relaxation of export controls and sensitive “dual use” items.
He introduced the China Nonproliferation Act, which confronts proliferation by “key supplier” countries like China and Russia to rogue nations like Iran, Iraq, and Libya. This is a dangerous problem that threatens our nation’s security and important interests. The bill requires an annual review of these countries’ proliferation activities, establishes clear standards, reasonable penalties, adequate presidential waivers, congressional oversight, and much-needed transparency.
During the 106th Congress, Thompson was successful in bringing the measure to the floor during the debate on Permanent Normal Trade Status for China. The debate on the Thompson amendment provided the Senator with a valuable opportunity to bring the proliferation issue to the forefront and highlight the problem for his colleagues and the nation.
Fred Thompson has also been at the forefront of the debate on national missile defense. The threats to our country are growing largely because of weapons proliferation to rogue states. The Intelligence Community and a variety of independent commissions have determined that North Korea may have the means of striking the U.S. with a missile in the not-too distant future. Iran is developing nuclear weaponry and delivery systems at a rapid rate. FDT has been a strong supporter of a robust, multi-tier national missile defense system.
He has also consistently supported increased funding for the military, with particular emphasis on expanding the force structure to deal with known threats, building new weapons and providing better training for our armed forces. Most importantly, he believes that our military personnel deserve higher pay, better benefits, improved health care, and more predictability for themselves and their families. This also includes providing military retirees and veterans with the programs and benefits that our country owes them for their service.
Thompson was successful in the 106th Congress in leading a bipartisan effort to pass legislation requiring the federal government to take responsibility for illnesses incurred by men and women who worked Department of Energy (DOE) facilities in Tennessee and across the country. His legislation establishing a compensation program for workers suffering from illnesses linked to their service at DOE facilities was approved as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
“This is a victory for the men and women who helped this country win the Cold War,” Thompson said. “It’s been a long, hard fight, but Congress made good on its obligation to those who are suffering as a result of their service to our country.”
In 1998, Thompson was chosen by Senate leadership to serve on the special Senate task force to examine whether the Chinese government improperly obtained American satellite and missile technology. Governmental Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on International Security and Proliferation held hearings to determine whether export control laws are effective in keeping dangerous, dual-use military technology out of the hands of potential adversaries. As a result, Congress returned satellite export control authority to the State Department.
In 1999, Senator Thompson joined the Senate Finance Committee, where he worked to cut taxes and reform our Social Security and Medicare programs so they will be there for future generations. Thompson was a member of a bi-partisan group of senators endorsing a plan to reform Social Security by cutting payroll taxes and allowing workers to invest in personal savings accounts, while at the same time making structural reforms to the program to ensure its solvency for future retirees.
Fred Thompson also teamed up with Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM) to push for a biennial budget. This bipartisan measure would end the yearly budget battle in Congress and replace it with a less repetitive process that enacts a two-year budget every other year.
“We create a lot of expensive agencies and programs, and then we pretty much turn our backs on them while they run for years and years,” Thompson said. “A biennial budget would give us time to delve into what’s working and what’s not - and it would also encourage members of Congress to stay in closer contact with constituents by freeing up more time for them to spend in their home states.”
Fred Thompson went to Washington with a basic belief that the federal government should be smaller, more efficient, and more accountable. To make that goal a reality, he has worked for and achieved a string of significant reforms, becoming what USA Today called, “a leader on a range of clean-up Washington issues.”
At the start of the 105th Congress, Senator Thompson’s colleagues elected him Chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, making him among the most junior senators in history to serve as a major chairman. This Committee is charged with broad oversight of federal agencies, and Thompson used the post to demand accountability in government.
During the 106th Congress, he authored and passed several important pieces of legislation to change the way Washington works.
Following hearings in the Governmental Affairs Committee that highlighted our nation’s vulnerability to computer attacks - from terrorists, crime rings, and hackers - Sen. Thompson authored the Government Information Security Act. The legislation, which was signed into law, provides a new framework for protecting the government’s computers from outside attack by hackers.
“Effective computer security starts with effective management and this legislation will help federal agencies get a handle on preventing hackers from wreaking havoc with citizens’ sensitive information,” Thompson said.
In the area of regulatory reform, Thompson joined a bipartisan group of Senators to pass the Regulatory Right-to-Know Act. The Act requires the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to disclose to the public the costs and benefits of regulatory programs, as well as an analysis of the impact of federal regulations on state, local, and tribal governments, small business, and economic growth.
“People have a right to know the costs and benefits of important regulatory decisions. This will help the Congress, the President, and the public better understand whether regulations are sensible and fair,” Thompson said.
Thompson also scored a victory in the 106th Congress for those concerned about privacy protection on federal web sites. Congress approved his legislation to ensure that Congress and the public are made aware of potential privacy violations on federal agency Internet sites. Thompson released a General Accounting Office report revealing that many agencies were still using cookies - information-gathering devices that can be used to track the activities of Internet users - on their web sites without disclosing their use.
The American people have a right to know what information is being collected about them on federal web sites,” Thompson said. “This bill will ensure that we know about agencies’ data collection practices so that we in Congress can make sure that privacy rights of citizens are not being violated. The federal government should be setting the standard for privacy protection in cyberspace.” The Thompson privacy amendment requires the Inspector General of each agency to report to Congress on how the agency collects and reviews personal information on its web site.
Shortly after he became chairman, Thompson worked with the General Accounting Office to unveil the first ever audit of the federal government. “The government failed miserably,” Thompson said. “The government’s deteriorating accounting systems put Congress at a severe disadvantage because we lack reliable information to assess program performance, control costs, and stop widespread waste, fraud, and abuse. We must do better.”
Thompson has held a series of hearings and released numerous reports highlighting waste, fraud and abuse involving taxpayer dollars. In 2000, he introduced legislation that would require the use of a technique called “recovery auditing,” which when applied to a federal agency’s records, identifies improper payments or payment errors made by federal agencies.
“Over $20 billion in taxpayer dollars was lost by just a handful of federal programs in 1999,” Thompson said. “Most agencies don’t even know how much they’re losing. This will provide a tool to help discover and eliminate this waste.”
To address mushrooming federal regulations which are imposed with little public scrutiny, Thompson introduced the Regulatory Improvement Act. FDT’s bill promotes the public’s right to know why agencies make regulatory decisions, improves the quality of government decision-making, and increases government accountability to the public.
“We all want clean air, clean water, and safer workplaces,” Thompson said. “Smarter regulation could help us better achieve these goals.” The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis has heartily endorsed the legislation, and estimates that 60,000 lives per year could be saved through smarter regulatory priorities.
Guiding all of Fred Thompson’s efforts is a strong belief in the Tenth Amendment - that government closer to the people works best. He believes that federal and state government should be limited to their constitutionally defined roles, and that in recent years those roles have been distorted by interference from Washington. “Each level of government is uniquely qualified to do certain things,” Thompson said. “And far too often, Washington politicians involved get involved in matters where they have no business, and where state and local governments are in a much better position to respond to people’s concerns.
- Fred Thompson Senate Website Archive - National Accomplishments
http://web.archive.org/web/20021020104429/thompson.senate.gov/accomplishments/national.htm
Yep, I got “Born to Google” tatooed on my right arm, LOL!
Seriously, marketing research was one of my two areas of concentration in grad school. The other was information systems. The marketing research classes were a lot less boring than the other MBA courses...
Yes it is, Fred. Thanks for the ping. Outstanding FReeper comments bump!
Well, I use your stuff constantly. I am trying to give you as much credit as possible. You’re awesome.
Surrender.
Maybe we need a new Free Republic poll, “Who do you think America will surrender to first?”
A) Al Queda
B) The Mexicans
C) The global warming fanatics
You forgot to add to your multiple choice question:
D) All of the Above
E) None of the Above
That’s to make sure that our sampling distribution includes everyone...because we’re fair here (right?) :-)
I heard that even Fred learned some things about himself by reading Sturm’s posts. He’s our not so secret weapon.
:-)
This will be spun by the Dem's and the MSM as uninformed and naive.
Everyone knows these people aren't evil, we are. We have to find out why they hate us and change our ways, I know my wife is looking forward to wearing a Burka. /s
Thank you..... I thought it was around in that some were 37 or so.
It’s Council of Foreign Relations.
It’s a think tank. Period.
Would some super-secret world domination group allow Angelina Jolie to become a member?
“Thompson has broad name recognition from years as a Hollywood actor”
And not a SINGLE mention in that line of “Former US Senator”...
The left is REALLY scared of this guy, aren’t they? Let the minimalization begin...
PC World - only the U.S. is evil, we have no right to judge others - we must accept their diversity - their right to be different! (((gag)))
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.