Fred Thompson in 2007 Des Moines Register Republican debate
On Budget & Economy:
$9 trillion debt affects our national security
Q: Does our country’s financial situation creates a security risk?A: Our country has a $9 trillion debt. A good chunk of that is owned by China. We’re bankrupting the next generation without any question. Every economist in Washington who’s looked
at it will tell you that. It affects our national security; for one reason is because we’re squeezing military spending. We’re spending at below historic norms under these circumstances for our defense, and we’re spending twice as much for entitlements.
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican debate
Dec 12, 2007
On Budget & Economy:
Deficit spending ok for military, infrastructure, and R&D
Q: Are there programs so important you’d be willing to run a deficit to pay for them?A: Yes, the military, the security of our people, first and foremost, always; our infrastructure, which is coming apart; and research and development, which is going
to help us solve some of the problems in the future as far as energy and a lot of other issues. But [we need to concentrate on reforming] our entitlement programs; by 2040 or so we’re going to eat up our entire budget.
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican debate
Dec 12, 2007
On Education:
The NEA opposes school choice; we must stop them
The biggest obstacle is the National Education Association, the NEA. Every time someone wants to inject a little choice into the equation for the benefit of the kids, inject a little freedom, inject a little competition because we’re not exactly doing
that well, the NEA is there to oppose it, and bring in millions and millions of dollars to go on television and work and scare people and misrepresent the situation on the ground. That just goes against everything that we know, that can make progress in
this country. We’re a nation of freedom and innovation and choice, and well-to-do people are out in the suburbs. They don’t seem to care that much. Inner city people need a chance to enjoy the choice that the mayor’s talking about for colleges and
universities. Other people have choice too. If they’re wealthy enough to move into a neighborhood because they want their kid to go to school there, that’s choice too. Let’s give it to everybody else and let’s stop people from standing in the way of that
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican Debate
Dec 12, 2007
On Free Trade:
Free and fair trade is the backbone of our economy
Free and fair trade is the backbone of our economy. It’s been just as good for us as it has Mexico. They export or send more people out of the country every year than we do, in terms of illegal aliens. So it’s been a good thing for both countries. We nee
to make a commitment to free and fair trade and enforce the agreements. But too many people close their markets to us. They want to trade with us, but they want to place undue restrictions to our manufacturers and to our farmers. We can’t stand for that.
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican Debate
Dec 12, 2007
On Government Reform:
Focus on the budget, social policy, and bipartisanship
Q: Your key focus areas? A: We haven’t come to terms yet with the nature of the threat that we’re facing or what we’re going to have to do to defend ourselves. We’re bankrupting the next generation and nobody even wants to talk about it, much less do
anything about it. Judges are setting our social policy now in this country and that’s going to stop. I’d bring in members of Congress and say I just got a mandate. We can work and cooperate together or I’ll go over your head to the American people.
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican Debate
Dec 12, 2007
On Homeland Security:
Intelligence and parts of our military were neglected
We have a real problem with our intelligence community. It, along with certain parts of our military, were neglected for a long time, and we’re paying the price for it now. Nobody has any real confidence in the result that they’re getting.
The result was directly contradicted by their strong beliefs just two years ago. So you’ve got to rebuild from the bottom up. In the meantime, we have to rely on other people. The British are helpful to us. The Israelis sometimes are helpful to us.
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican Debate
Dec 12, 2007
On Social Security:
Reform entitlements now so our grandkids don’t have to
I want to take a chance on telling the truth to the American people. Our entitlement programs--by 2040 or so we’re going to eat up our entire budget. Now we’ll go all day here and nobody else will talk about that obvious problem that we’ve got we’ve got
to address.The thing about it is that we can do it now without hurting those programs--actually strengthening those programs so that our kids and grandkids have [what they need]. I don’t think we as
American people are so selfish that we’re going to put this off the table, kick the can down the road and let everybody else solve that problem, you know, when our grandkids get to be working age. That’s not America; that’s not what makes us strong.
And specifically, as far as Medicare is concerned, we need to tell people that are in Warren Buffett’s category we’re not going to take care of all your Medicare in the future; we can’t afford it.
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican debate
Dec 12, 2007
On Tax Reform:
Preserve the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003
Five percent of Americans pay over half the income taxes in this country. 40 percent of Americans pay no income taxes at all.
I think we need to concentrate on preserving the tax cuts of ‘01 and ‘03. That’s going to be a monumental battle that’s going to be coming at the end of 2010.
Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Republican Debate
Dec 12, 2007
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