A Different Tommy
Wisconsin voters might have fond memories of a popular Governor who wasn't afraid to break from strict conservative ideology, but sadly, after leaving Wisconsin Tommy Thompsonadmitted that Washington changed him.Now, career politician and professional lobbyist Tommy
Thompson has made it clear he is willing to abandon all principles and change his positions toget the Republican nomination for US Senate. Thompson himself even said
he is“
.”
A Different Tommy On Health Care Reform
Then: Washington Post: “Thompson Has Long Been A Rare Republican Advocate For TheIntent” Of The Health Care Reform Law.
Reported the
Washington Post, “Tommy Thompson
is a popular former governor with near-universal name recognition in his home state
—
two traitsthat might lead you to believe that he will be the odds-on Republican nominee to replace retiringWisconsin Sen. Herb Kohl (D). But Thompson has one big problem
—
health care. President
Obama‟s health care law h
as become a touchstone for conservatives who see it as the most
egregious example of the „government can solve our problems‟ mentality of the current
Administration. And, Thompson has long been a rare Republican advocate for the intent
—
if notthe particulars
—
of the law.” [Washington Post,
Video: In 2006 Thompson Supported A Nationwide Indi
vidual Mandate Following Romney’s Model In
Massachusetts.
During a panel discussion at American University in 2006, former Democrat Senator John
Breaux asked Tommy Thompson: “Wouldn’t it be better than, if you have, say, an individual mandate,wouldn’t it
be better to have it on a nationwide basis so that you could form the pools of various states
coming together, than each state doing it separately by themselves?” Thompson replied: “Well, I thinkthat would be better, but the truth of the matter is I don’t
think that’s going to happen, John. Thepracticality of politics in Washington right now is that nothing like that is gonna pass.” Thompson latersaid “I was able to give Governor Romney the waiver this year to allow for the plan that is in
Massachusetts. But I think Massachusetts is sort of the tipping point, I think other states are going tofollow through, but I think unless the federal government is going to be able to come together, which I
don’t think they are, states are gonna do this.” [C
VIDEO: In 2007 Thompson Said “I For One Believe The Mandates For Health Insurance Is Alright.”
During
a speech about health care at the University of Texas, Tommy Thompson said, “I
for one believe the
mandates for health insurance is alright. We mandate insurance for automobiles. You know you can’tdrive in Texas without automobile insurance. You can’t drive in any state you know without automobileinsurance. It’s a mandate, but it’
s certainly something that we should discuss in this country, and I think
Thompson Bucked Conservative Criticisms Of Health Insurance Exchanges In An Op-Ed UrgingGovernors To Take Advantage Of A Provision In The Affordable Care Act.
In an op-ed urging Governorsto support the state-based exchanges created in the Affordable Care
Act, Tommy Thompson wrote: “
Anexchange does not need to create a new bureaucracy. Many of the opponents to the Affordable Care Actare concerned about creating yet another state bureaucracy. They are right about this concern -- but thisconcern can be addressed if states plan wisely. Many states across the country today operate healthinsurance programs of "last resort" for at-risk citizens, and such programs are essentially out-sourced. Ibelieve that this is the right model for exchanges -- states can simply organize the private market, andspecify how an exchange ought to operate to create transparency and audit them, but do not actuallyneed to run them.
” [Huffington Post –
Thompson OpEd, 6/27/2011]
Now: Thompson Called For Repeal And Replacement Of Health Care Reform Law AfterFacing Claims That He Supported The Law.
Reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
“Pushing back against claims that he supported „ObamaCare,‟ Tommy Thompson told a group of
GOP donors in Washington, D.C., Wednesday that the new
health care law „has got to be
repealed and replaced and re-
written.‟” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
A Different Tommy On Stem Cell Research
Then: 2001: Thompson Argued Bush Should Allow Some Research on Embryonic StemCells.
In 2008, Thompson told the World Stem Cell Summit Tuesday a meeting he had in thesummer of 2001 with President George W. Bush and Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove to lunch.
“[Bush] says, „Gentlemen, I want you to debate embryonic stem cells for me,‟” Thompson said.“He says. „Karl, I know you‟re opposed to it, and Tommy, you‟re for it. I want to learn aboutit.‟” Thompson said he told the president “every American” has a relative or friend wh
o has
suffered from diseases like cancer, Parkinson‟s disease and dementia. “And every one of those
individuals that is suffering from that disease has got some inner hope, some inner hope thatembryonic stem cells or stem cell research is going to find a
cure for them,” Thompson said.
[Badger Herald,
Now: 2011: Thompson Distanced Himself From Previous Support For Embryonic StemCell Research.
Reported
UPI
, “Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who once
supported embryonic stem cell research, has backed off that position in a speech at the Vatican.The presumptive U.S. Senate candidate, who is Roman Catholic, spoke in favor of adult stemcells -- cells that aren't taken from embryos -- while appearing to distance himself from theembryonic stem cell research he once defended, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported
Wednesday.” [
UPI,
A Different Tommy On The Stimulus Act
While Speaking At A Tea Party Rally, Thompson Criticized Feingold’s Stimulus Vote.
While speaking at a tea party rally in 2010, Tommy Thompson criticized Russ Feingold‟s
support of the stimulus act. "Does that sound like a conservative?" Thompson shoutedat a
Capitol rally last year in which he was criticizing then-Sen. Russ Feingold. "Then he said, 'Oh,but I vote against earmarks.' Well, he voted, ladies and gentlemen, for the stimulus package thathad 8,000 earmarks in it!" [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/1/2011; YouTube Video Of TeaParty Rally, 4/15/2010]
While Speaking At A Facility That Added Jobs With Stimulus Money, Thompson SaidStimulus Was A Good Thing.
When Tommy Thompson held his campaign announcementevent at a manufacturing facility that had received stimulus money, the Journal Sentinel reported:
“
Thompson said he was unaware that Weldall, the Waukesha metal fabrication plant where hemade his announcement, was a recipient of federal stimulus money. Thompson's response? Hesaid it was a good thing if it created jobs, adding that stimulus money created 100 jobs atWeldall.
Thompson’s Company
Also Took Hundreds Of Thousands In Stimulus Money.
In 2010, the Journal
Sentinel’s Daniel Bice pointed out: “
Thompson is tied to several businesses that have benefited directlyfrom the stimulus plan. For example, he is the president of Logistics Health Inc., a medical services firm
based in La Crosse. Records show the company has won three stimulus contracts from Thompson's
former federal agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for $277,000.
” [Milwaukee
A Different Tommy On High Speed Rail
Then: Thompson: High Speed Rail “Important to the Economic Growth of Our Cities.”
In2001, Thompson praised the plan for rail between Madison and Mil
waukee: “But America's
railway system is not just a matter of history. America still needs a strong passenger rail system.Without it, we discourage economic growth in urban areas. Passenger rail - and specifically,high- speed rail - is important to the economic growth of our cities and our overall transportationsystem in a nation of nearly 300 million people. In Wisconsin and in eight other states, work continues on the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative. In Wisconsin, the goal is to have high-speedservic
e from Madison to Milwaukee by the end of 2003.” [The Dedication of the "Governor
Tommy G. Thompson" Amtrak Acela Locomotive, 11/01/01 (emphasis added)]
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