Tommy Thompson is back in Wisconsin after spending the past four years in the Bush administration as secretary of health and human services. Thompson was the governor from 1986 until he resigned to take his cabinet post in 2000. Now he has returned home to Elroy, Wis., purportedly in order to start a life that, at long last, will keep him out of the public's eye.
In between relaxing with his family and doing tours to promote the autobiography he is sure to write, Thompson can still play an important role in Wisconsin politics. We may not agree with many of the things he did in both his governorship and his cabinet post. But there is no doubt his voice can serve to counteract the move to the right of current prominent Republican leaders in this state, notably that of the leader of the State Assembly, John Gard, R-Peshtigo.
Gard, who is widely considered to be a front-runner for the Republican candidacy for governor in 2006, has ideas so far out of the mainstream it is sometimes scary. His \God, guns and gays"" agenda prioritizes legislation that does not help solve the state's most pressing problems.
In a time when the state is faced with massive budget cuts, Gard wants to pass the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights, or TABOR, an amendment to the State Constitution that would put a cap on the amount of taxes state residents could pay and could have widespread, detrimental effects on the UW system. In addition, he is likely to push for an amendment banning same-sex marriage and a law that would allow people to carry concealed weapons, both of which the current governor, Jim Doyle, vetoed last year.
Yet although Gard's legislative proposals are often radical, he does not allow dissent within the Republican ranks. He has been known to penalize legislators who do not go along with his radical agenda in caucus.
This is where Thompson comes in. While we do not agree with many of his ideals, we realize he can have a very positive moderating influence on Republicans in the state. Unlike Gard, he is for continued funding for stem-cell research, an issue that could have a major impact on the UW. And while we feel his stances against same-sex marriage and abortion are misguided, it is clear that, unlike Gard, he is willing to tolerate dissenting voices.
We hope Thompson enjoys his private life. But, should he so choose, he can always have an influence on Republican politics in this state. He should use that influence to provide a balance against Gard's unabashed move to the right.
