Fred's "consistency" is that all fifty states should have the right to enshrine Roe v. Wade into law. Without leadership and a clear voice at the top--the presidency--that is more of a possibility than the alternative that you describe.
Fred is completely unwilling to offer leadership on this point. As general, he wants to abandon the field of battle and allow the fractured individual battalions to be overwhelmed one-by-one by the enemy.
Abortion, like slavery, is too important an evil to ignore at the federal level.
The amazing thing about some people here in FR is they are presented with a candidate in Fred Thompson who would clearly appoint judges who would overturn Roe V Wade, which is the first step in doing anything that any of us want, whether it’s letting the states decide (gets my vote), passing a federal law against abortion, or passing a constitutional amendment against abortion (something I also would support, there being a huge difference between a federal law and a constitutional amendment).
None of the things that anyone in FR wants on this issue can happen until Roe V Wade is overturned. That is inarguably the first step. And Fred would promote that.
But that’s not good enough for some of the purists here. They want to skip all the intermediate steps and demand that a candidate declare the last step as his campaign platform. And not his last step, but YOUR last step. And if he doesn’t do that, he’s not pure enough for you and you’ll do what? Go third party?
Are you thinking this through?