Ed's Views on Important Wisconsin Issues

[top] The Courage to Lead and Win

Ed Thompson has the grassroots closeness to people, down-to-earth common sense, and the dynamic vision to meet the challenges facing Wisconsin. Ed's courage and willingness to stand up to machine politicians and powerful special interests will help him steer Wisconsin to a remarkable rebirth. A veteran, a mayor, a successful small business person, and the father of four incredibly talented children, Ed Thompson is the best candidate to lead Wisconsin.

[top] Slashing Your Tax Bills Comes First

With Ed Thompson as governor, you can count on having more of what is rightfully yours - more control of your own money through lower property and state taxes. For too long Wisconsin has been one of the most taxing states in America. Ed will get Wisconsin off the Top Ten List of most taxing states and keep us off that terrible list. Of all the candidates wanting to be your next governor, only Ed Thompson believes that you are smart enough to make decisions for your own life and the lives of those you love. With Ed as your governor, you will have more control of your own money. You will have more control over the quality of your children's education through increased school choice and readily available education tax credits. More control in protecting your health and the health of your love ones through medical savings accounts. More control over your environment by restoring the right of property owners to prosecute any polluter under trespass, nuisance, and negligence laws. And you will have more control of your streets as Ed reforms the criminal justice system to focus on violent criminals and those who prey on the weak.

 

As part of Ed's efforts to hear what's on the minds of voters, he spent a day listening to Wisconsin dairy farmers at the state fair

[top] Let the Sun Shine in Dark Corners of State Government

There's a new light shining on the horizon in the form of Ed Thompson. When Ed ran to be Mayor of Tomah, he promised to open up government, giving the people more access to their own government. He opened up City Hall, even bringing cameras in to cover city council proceedings. As governor, you can count on Ed to open up the budget process to more public scrutiny and to fight the dark recesses of the caucus system where laws about you are crafted in secret.

[top] Reform Public Education, Don't Just Throw Money At It

Only Ed Thompson has the courage to stand up to the powerful special interests that have been harming public education. He will increase standards and accountability while decreasing state over-regulation and bureaucracy so you can improve your public schools.

[top] Empower Families With School Choice

Ed will lead the fight to expand charter school programs and make private school options affordable for families. His opponents are afraid of the special interests that oppose parents having school choice. Ed fights for what's right.

[top] Clean Air and Water is Vital

Ed Thompson believes that pollution is a trespass and should be treated as such. Thus the person or corporation that would do harm to your land, air or water - not the taxpayer - should be the one who has to clean up the mess and make things right. This point of view comes from a healthy understanding of private property rights and the ancient principle of trespass. Nobody has the right to take away the value of their neighbors' property by causing pollution. Ed will make polluters pay, not the hard-working citizens of Wisconsin.

[top] Safer Streets Demand Real Reform

Ed's concern for seniors is always sincere: here at a Habitat for Humanity construction site.

Wisconsin spends too much on prisons. When a Wisconsin Public Television journalist pointed out to Ed that his brother built most of the new prisons, Ed pointedly replied, "I don't care who built them, it's wrong!" Unjust and racially biased enforcement of drug laws are doing more harm than good when it comes to this important health-related issue. Many of the people crowding prisons are there for nonviolent drug offenses: people who didn't hurt anybody else. Yet at the same time, with mandatory minimum sentencing madness, rapists, murderers and thieves are going free with less time served. Ed believes this is just plain stupid and that prisons are for people who would do harm to you and the people you love, or who would take from you and your family those things you've worked so hard to earn. Taxpayers would save billions of dollars and citizens would better be able to seek therapy if nonviolent drug offenses were removed from the criminal justice system and the priority placed on those who do harm to you and your loved ones.

[top] Taking Politicians Out of Your Private Medical Choices

When it comes to your medical decisions, only you and your healthcare provider should be involved in deciding what's best to restore your health. Ed believes that allowing sick and suffering patients to use medical marijuana in consultation with their own physicians is right. The people of Wisconsin support this measure. In fact, the people all across America support this measure. In every single jurisdiction - from Maine to California - where the issue was placed before the voters, the people have said that the right to chose medications and therapies belongs in the hands of doctors and patients, not politicians and bureaucrats.

[top] Alternatives to Handouts for Our Noble Farm Families

Wisconsin's farmers built the backbone of this state. Ed doesn't believe they should be slaves to bureaucrats and politicians, begging for handouts. They should be given more freedom to respond to the market place. That includes industrial hemp production, which offers an incredible opportunity for Wisconsin farmers to raise a profitable, environmentally friendly cash crop that would help to free them from the dependence on subsidies distributed at the whims of politicians. This plant offers a great opportunity for paper production, fabrics that can compete with cotton and linen, and oils for both industrial and health value. The federal government has already granted waivers to Hawaii, and Ed will pursue them for Wisconsin's farmers.

[top] Slashing Regulations

Thousands of regulations are strangling Wisconsin's small businesses. Only Ed Thompson seems to recognize that small businesses offer you and I the best hope for growing our economy and providing good jobs. Ed will slash regulations, making it easier for small businesses to thrive and grow.

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