Early Life

Tommy Thompson was born in Elroy, Wisconsin to a modest family. He earned his B.A. in 1963 and his law degree in 1966, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The same year he finished law school, Thompson was elected as a Republican representative in the Wisconsin State Assembly. In 1973, he was chosen to be the assistant Assembly minority leader and Assembly minority leader in 1981.

Political Career

Elected to serve as the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin in 1987, Thompson was reelected four times, in office for 13 years, which has been more than any other Wisconsin Governor. As governor he pioneered the most successful social policies that the country has seen. His major works include welfare reform and school choice programs. Thompson was responsible for the creation of the United States' first parental school-choice program which gave funding for low-income Milwaukee families to send children to the private or public school of their choice. The BadgerCare program provided health coverage families without employer provided health insurance but also make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. As the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Thompson set up a similar scheme in several other states with the federal waiver program. In 1996, Thompson enacted Wisconsin Works, or "W-2." The program required participants to work, while at the same time providing services like childcare, health care, transportation, and training, to make the transition to work feasible and permanent. The program served as a model for national welfare reform. From 1998 to 1999, he served as president of the Council of State Governments . Thompson left office when he was appointed by President George W. Bush as Health and Human Services Secretary. He served from 2001 to 2005. In 2003, Thompson was elected as Chairman of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Currently, he is a senior partner in a law firm and running a health care think tank.

Thompson announced on April 1, 2007 that he is running for President.

Issues and Positions

Thompson opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and believes that America must enforce its immigration policies to the fullest extent of the law. Thompson favors health care reform. He has a 5 point plan that includes focusing on preventative measures, adopting health information technology, creating state level insurable pools for uninsured, strengthening the country's long-term care system, and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid. He would like to strengthen the military while practicing "medical diplomacy," by which he means bringing medical care and technology to places around the world that need it most. Thompson is pro-life and signed one of the nations first partial-birth abortion bans.Thompson believes marriage is between a man and a woman. He supports states rights in determining the definition of marriage and believes it should be done legislatively or by referendum. During a May 3, 2007 presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Thompson said in response to a question from moderator Chris Matthews that a private employer opposed to homosexuality should have the right to fire a gay worker. First he responded with the answer that it should be up to individual businesses. He changed his position the next day, stating that he did not hear the question correctly, and revised his answer to no discrimination should be tolerated in the workplace. He is anti-gun ordinances and believes that President Bushs tax cuts must be permanent. On the environment, with greater investments in renewable energy (he suggests ethanol).

Thompson's plan for Iraq involves a vote by the Iraqi parliament to determine whether or not the want the U.S. in in Iraq, giving legitimacy to both governments. Much more power would be ceded to the 18 Iraqi provinces. The revenue accrued from Iraq's oil supply would be split into thirds, between the central government, regional governments, and to every citizen.