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Personal Responsibility . The corollary to liberty is responsibility. No society can succeed and thrive for any duration
unless free people act in a responsible way. All of us must take responsibility for our actions and strive to improve our own
lives and to contribute to building a better society.
Individual Liberty . As Jefferson spelled out in the Declaration of Independence, our basic rights come from God, not from
government, and that among these inalienable rights is the right to liberty. We must allow individuals to lead their lives with
minimal government interference.
Free Markets . Free people are best equipped to order their own affairs, and the common interest benefits from and is
improved by the aggregate success of all. We must reform our tax system, encourage investment, support entrepreneurial spirit,
open markets abroad to American goods, and minimize burdensome government regulations to continue to expand the economy
and bring increased wealth to all Americans..
Anyone who has heard me speak knows my firm
commitment to what I call “First Principles.”
These grow out of the documents of our
Nation’s founding and the wisdom of the ages.
They are core beliefs that guide my approach to
the issues that are crucial to our Nation’s future.
I believe in--
Limited Government . Government must be strong
enough to protect us, competent enough to provide basic
government services, but limited by the delineated powers
in the Constitution.
Federalism . Our Constitution innovatively guarantees
our liberties by spreading power among the three branches
of the federal government, and between the federal
government and the states. In considering any action by the
government, we must always ask two questions: is the
government better equipped than the private sector to
perform the task and, if so, what level of government
(federal or state) ought to do it. Washington is not the seat
of all wisdom.
Protecting our Country . The first responsibility of the federal government is to protect the nation and the American
people. There is no more important task. We must have a strong and effective military, capable intelligence services, and a
vigorous law enforcement and homeland security capacity.
Traditional American Values . A healthy society is predicated on belief in God; respect for all life; strong families
centered on the institution of marriage—the union of a man and a woman; and self-respect and tolerance of others. While we
are all free to live our lives in the pursuit of our own happiness, the government has a responsibility to respect the right of
parents to raise their children and to promote the values that produce the strongest society.
The Rule of Law . We protect our liberty, secure our rights, and promote a just and stable society through the rule of law.
We owe to ourselves and our fellow citizens our own adherence to the
rules, but tough law enforcement and punishment for those who do
not. A free and independent judiciary that interprets the law by
adhering strictly to legal text and respects its limited role in our system
of government is essential to our security and freedom, and we need
judges who understand that role if we are to preserve our republic and
freedom.
Conserving Our Nation’s Resources . Each of us is put on
Earth for a limited period of time. We must always strive to ensure that
the resources we use to lead our lives are here for future generations
to enjoy and use as well.
~Fred Dalton Thompson~
From Stevan at Land of Da Free Blogspot
Fred Thompson on Federalism