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George Will: Fred Thompson Ain't All That ...
Matt Lewis ^ | 4/7/07

Posted on 04/07/2007 4:48:57 PM PDT by Valin

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1 posted on 04/07/2007 4:48:59 PM PDT by Valin
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To: Valin

Fred Thompson’s Idea of ‘Reform’

By George F. Will
Sunday, April 8, 2007; B07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/06/AR2007040601783_pf.html

(snip)

One litmus test of conservatism is: Whom would you have supported for president in 1912? The candidates were a former president, Theodore “I don’t think that any harm comes from the concentration of powers in one man’s hands” Roosevelt; the incumbent president, William Howard Taft, and the next president, Woodrow Wilson. Conservatism warns against overreaching, hence rejects the energetic Wilson, would-be fixer-upper of the whole wide world. And conservatism teaches distrust of hyperkinetic government, the engine of which is the modern presidency, of which TR was the pioneer. So: Steady, prudent Taft.

Thompson has never had to show consuming energy as a candidate, never having been in a closely contested race. He won his two elections with 60 percent of the Tennessee vote in 1994 (for the remaining two years of Al Gore’s Senate term) and 61 percent in 1996. He did not seek reelection in 2002 — not a painful sacrifice for a man who disliked the Senate: “I’m not 30 years old. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life up here. I don’t like spending 14- and 16-hour days voting on ‘sense of the Senate’ resolutions on irrelevant matters.”

Does Thompson have enough energy to raise the money he will need to be competitive — say, $50 million by the end of November? He would need to raise $1.5 million a week, starting immediately.

Is he wise? As a senator he insistently advocated increasing the government’s regulation of politics. One of only four senators who supported John McCain’s candidacy in 2000, Thompson argued for the McCain-Feingold legislation that regulates the content, timing and amount of political speech.
(snip)


2 posted on 04/07/2007 4:49:24 PM PDT by Valin (History takes time. It is not an instant thing.)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Valin

“fred thompson’s idea of reform” was already posted here today:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1813677/posts

So does a post from a blog with nothing more than excerpts from an already posted article add anything new? At all????


4 posted on 04/07/2007 4:52:47 PM PDT by flashbunny (<--- Free Anti-Rino graphics! See Rudy the Rino get exposed as a liberal with his own words!)
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To: Valin
George Will attack piece isn’t all that.
5 posted on 04/07/2007 4:52:47 PM PDT by Always Right
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To: Always Right

George Will must have gotten the memo: Thompson is a maverick who might not toe the globalist line.


6 posted on 04/07/2007 4:54:21 PM PDT by James W. Fannin
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To: Valin

Who is George Will’s “dream candidate” for 2008?


7 posted on 04/07/2007 4:59:53 PM PDT by operation clinton cleanup
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To: James W. Fannin

I personally like the idea of having a “non-professional politician” in charge for a change.


8 posted on 04/07/2007 5:02:18 PM PDT by politicalwit (Family values don't stop at the border...but Federal laws do.)
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To: Valin

George Will seems to be complaining that Fred is too lazy to be president. People complained that Ike was lazy too, but he gave us ‘Operation Wetback’ spent a lot of time on the golf course and the country got along just fine. Lots better than we’re doing now.


9 posted on 04/07/2007 5:02:52 PM PDT by Hatband
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To: politicalwit

Me, too.


10 posted on 04/07/2007 5:02:55 PM PDT by MamaB
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To: James W. Fannin

who might not toe the globalist line

1 what makes you say that?
2 Why is being a globalist a bad thig?


11 posted on 04/07/2007 5:05:36 PM PDT by Valin (History takes time. It is not an instant thing.)
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To: MamaB
I don’t like spending 14- and 16-hour days voting on ‘sense of the Senate’ resolutions on irrelevant matters.”

I have to admire an individual that has enough sense to recognize all the BS in politics.

12 posted on 04/07/2007 5:07:08 PM PDT by politicalwit (Family values don't stop at the border...but Federal laws do.)
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To: Hatband
George Will seems to be complaining that Fred is too lazy to be president. People complained that Ike was lazy too,

They also said that Reagan was lazy. Maybe even Georgie did?

13 posted on 04/07/2007 5:12:17 PM PDT by Prokopton
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To: operation clinton cleanup

Probably a Chuck Schmagel or Rudi type of “moderate”.


14 posted on 04/07/2007 5:12:35 PM PDT by txradioguy (In Memory Of My Friend 1SG Tim Millsap A Co. 70th Engineer Bn. K.I.A. 25 Apr. 2005)
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To: Hatband

People bitched about Regan not burning the midnight oil too.

We all know how taht turned out.


15 posted on 04/07/2007 5:13:45 PM PDT by txradioguy (In Memory Of My Friend 1SG Tim Millsap A Co. 70th Engineer Bn. K.I.A. 25 Apr. 2005)
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To: Valin

“One litmus test of conservatism is: Whom would you have supported for president in 1912?”

Another is “who will you vote for in 2008?”


16 posted on 04/07/2007 5:13:53 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Valin
Why is being a globalist a bad thig?

It depends on what you mean by globalism. If it's open borders, trade with our enemies, and politically correct attitudes toward "the religion of peace," then I'd rather go a different direction, and I won't support candidates who want to stick with the same old approach.

It's not working. Or maybe you took a different message from the latest midterm election?

17 posted on 04/07/2007 5:15:03 PM PDT by James W. Fannin
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To: politicalwit

I agree with you. My first thoughts. Get over the bs


18 posted on 04/07/2007 5:16:27 PM PDT by freekitty
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To: Valin
Dear Mr. Will -

You are an idiot. Please shut up the hell up.

Happy Easter,

Volunteer


PS - Go Fred!

19 posted on 04/07/2007 5:17:22 PM PDT by Volunteer (Just so you know, I am ashamed the Dixie Chicks make records in Nashville.)
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To: Brilliant

I am now looking at the candidate, assessing their positions & voting records, then I will decide who has the least chance of winning and that’s my guy.


20 posted on 04/07/2007 5:18:08 PM PDT by Valin (History takes time. It is not an instant thing.)
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