Fred Thompson Emphasizes National Security, Tax Reform, and Smaller Federal Government

Saturday, September 08, 2007, Fred Thompson spoke at a rally in Davenport, Iowa, televised live via C-Span. Fred's initial statements were simple, generalizations about his ideas for making America better. Following a brief speech, Thompson opened the floor for questions from the crowd.

Fred Thompson called for our country to "get back to the principles this nation was founded on." He encouraged supporters to remember our country's heritage. He included the importance of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. He affirmed his belief that basic rights come from God, and are not derived from the Constitution, but are protected by the Constitution. He acknowledged that these truths would be upheld or redefined by the next president in his or her selection of federal judges. He stated his belief that judges should "Interpret the Constitution and law in the way they are written, not in the way it feels to them."

Thompson's message was filled with references to tax reform, national security, and defederalization. He called for Washington to stop wasting time legislating issues that can be handled at the state level. Fred Thompson stated that it makes no sense to him to for local issues to be taken far from home and addressed at the federal level. He believes in the peoples' ability to elect local and state governments that reflect their values. Fred Thompson kicked questions regarding education and medical liability reform back to the states. He stated that it didn't make any sense for the federal government to get more involved in state issues when they can't even handle the ones they now face.