Tommy George Thompson
7th Secretary of Health and Human Services
In office February 2, 2001 – January 26, 2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Donna Shalala
Succeeded by	Mike Leavitt
42nd Governor of Wisconsin
In office January 5, 1987 – February 1, 2001
Lieutenant	Scott McCallum
Preceded by	Tony Earl
Succeeded by	Scott McCallum
Born	November 19, 1941 (1941-11-19) (age 66) Elroy, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin-Madison
Religion	Roman Catholic

Tommy George Thompson (born November 19, 1941), a United States politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin and the 7th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Donna Edna Shalala (surname pronounced ʃəˈleɪlə born February 14, 1941) has served as president of the University of Miami, a private university Michael Okerlund Leavitt (born February 11, 1951 in Cedar City Utah) is an American Politician, and is currently the Secretary The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Scott McCallum (born May 2, 1950) is a member of the Republican Party who served as the 43rd Governor of U Anthony ("Tony" Scully Earl (b April 12, 1936, Lansing Michigan) is a United States Politician and a member of the Scott McCallum (born May 2, 1950) is a member of the Republican Party who served as the 43rd Governor of U Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Elroy is a city in Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Baraboo River and at the east end of the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person Governors Initially after the American Revolution, parts of the area now known as Wisconsin were claimed by Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls such as the Iowa Straw Poll. The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday November 4 2008 will be the 56th consecutive The Ames Straw Poll is a Straw poll that takes place in Ames Iowa, on a Saturday in August of years in an election cycle in which the Republican presidential ^[1]

Early life

Thompson was born in Elroy, Wisconsin, where his father, Allen, ran and owned a gas station and country grocery store, and his mother, Julia, was a teacher. Elroy is a city in Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Baraboo River and at the east end of the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail A filling station, fueling station, gas station, service station, petrol station, or gasbar, Retail Outlet A grocery store is a store established primarily for the Retailing of Food. In Education, a teacher is one who helps Students or pupils often in a School, as well as in a Family, religious or ^[2] He is a former Captain in the United States Army and United States Army Reserve, and holds a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. The University of Wisconsin Law School is the professional school for the study of law at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison Wisconsin.

Thompson was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1966, became assistant Assembly minority leader in 1973, and Assembly minority leader in 1981. The Wisconsin State Assembly is the Lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. ^[3] His brother Ed has been and is currently mayor of Tomah, Wisconsin (elected on April 1, and taking office on April 15, 2008) and was a Libertarian candidate for governor in 2002. Ed Thompson (born December 25, 1944, in Elroy Wisconsin) is the Mayor of Tomah Wisconsin. Tomah is a city in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census the city had a total population 8419 Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

Political career

Governor of Wisconsin

From 1987 to 2001, Thompson served as the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, having been elected to an unprecedented four terms. Governors Initially after the American Revolution, parts of the area now known as Wisconsin were claimed by Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut

Thompson's initiatives during his 14 years as governor of Wisconsin were his Wisconsin Works welfare reform and school choice programs. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States Welfare reform is a movement for policy change in countries with a state-administered social welfare systems School choice is a term used to describe a wide array of programs aimed at giving families the opportunity to choose the school their children will attend ^[4] In 1990 Thompson pushed for the creation of the country's first parental school-choice program, allowing low-income Milwaukee families to send children to the private or public school of their choice at taxpayer expense. Bold text WE DOMINATE CUZ WE WEDGEWOOD WOLVES Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS is the largest School district in the state of Wisconsin. He also created the BadgerCare program, designed to provide health coverage to those families whose employers don't provide health insurance but make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. BadgerCare is a health-care cost-reimbursement program created by former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson. Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources Through the federal waiver program, Thompson helped replicate this program in several states when he became Secretary of Health and Human Services.

From 1998 to 1999, he served as president of the Council of State Governments and, with the organization's chairman, Senator Kenneth McClintock, the nonvoting member from Puerto Rico, led a top-level delegation to the People's Republic of China. Founded in 1933 by Colorado State Senator Henry Toll after identifying the need for a national association to serve state leaders and their institutions the Council of State Governments Kenneth D McClintock-Hernández (born January 19, 1957) is a politician in Puerto Rico of Puerto Rican and Irish-American descent Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Thompson left office when he was appointed by President George W. Bush as HHS Secretary. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. He was also a member of the Amtrak Board of Directors and had an Acela locomotive named for him. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 Acela is a Brand applied by Amtrak to its High-speed trains along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast U A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train. ^[5][6][7]

His brother, Ed Thompson, the mayor of Tomah, Wisconsin, and was the Libertarian Party candidate in the 2002 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. Ed Thompson (born December 25, 1944, in Elroy Wisconsin) is the Mayor of Tomah Wisconsin. Tomah is a city in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census the city had a total population 8419 The Libertarian Party is a United States political party founded on December 11 1971 See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Health and Human Services Secretary

Thompson at the 2004 HealthierUS summitt

Thompson announced his resignation from HHS on December 3, 2004, and served until January 26, 2005, when the Senate confirmed his successor, Michael O. Leavitt. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Michael Okerlund Leavitt (born February 11, 1951 in Cedar City Utah) is an American Politician, and is currently the Secretary

2008 Presidential campaign

After first announcing the formation of an exploratory committee in late 2006, Thompson announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential election on April 1, 2007. In the Election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday November 4 2008 will be the 56th consecutive Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[8]

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. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the Presidential library of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States Christopher Matthews (born December 17 1945) is an American News anchor and Political commentator, known for his nightly hour-long Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. ^[9] He said, "I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be. " He called CNN the following morning to say he didn't hear the question correctly. Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner He apologized, saying, "It's not my position. There should be no discrimination in the workplace. Unlike most discrimination policies discrimination between, which is the discernment of qualities and recognition of the differences focused here discrimination against is "

Thompson had stated he would drop out of the race if he did not finish either first or second in the Ames straw poll on August 11, 2007. The Ames Straw Poll is a Straw poll that takes place in Ames Iowa, on a Saturday in August of years in an election cycle in which the Republican presidential Thompson finished sixth, with just 7% of the vote, despite the fact that some major contenders were not competing in the poll. On August 12, Thompson officially announced he would drop out of the race.

In October of 2007, Thompson endorsed Rudy Giuliani. KBE Per, "Postnominal letters should be included when they are issued by a country or organization the subject has been closely associated with Thompson told the Associated Press in a statement that "Rudy Giuliani has shown that he is a true leader. He can and will win the nomination and the presidency. He is America's mayor, and during a period of time of great stress for this country he showed tremendous leadership. " He has since endorsed Senator John McCain after Giuliani's withdrawal from the presidential race. Giuliani is an Italian family name which can refer to Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and former candidate for United States President ^[10]

Private-sector career

Thompson is the President of Logistics Health Incorporated. General Logistics Health Incorported (LHI is an American Corporation based out of its corporate headquarters in He also is senior partner at Akin Gump, a Washington, D. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP was founded in Dallas in 1945 by Robert Strauss and Richard Gump. C. , law firm, and is a senior adviser at the consulting firm Deloitte and the chairman of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. ^[11] Thompson taught a class in the fall of 2005 at the Kennedy School of Government on medical diplomacy. The John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (also known as Harvard Kennedy School and HKS) is a Public policy and ^[12]

Shortly after leaving his Bush Cabinet post, Thompson joined and served for two years on the board of directors of Applied Digital Solutions, makers of the controversial VeriChip: a glass-encapsulated RFID chip that can be injected into human flesh for various database-driven identification purposes. Digital Angel, Inc ( develops global positioning satellite (GPS and radio frequency identification (RFID technology products for consumer commercial and government sectors worldwide VeriChip is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA-approved human-implantable Radio-frequency identification (RFID microchip Radio-frequency identification ( RFID) is an automatic identification method relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or

Thompson currently serves on the board of Directors for Pure Bioscience Inc. (PURE. OB) that is in the process of introducing a revolutionary new class of non-toxic antimicrobial/disinfectant based on silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC). Thompson also serves on the Board of Trustees of the non-profit, Medical Missions for Children and is the co-host for their television series, Plain Talk About Health. Medical Missions for Children is an independent non-profit organization that works to improve health outcomes of the world's critically ill children by providing individual Telemedicine ^[13]

Thompson also serves as a Senior Advisor to Capital Partners, associated with McKinley Reserve, a Wisconsin corporation with ties to both Hilbert, WI and Dubai. Hilbert is a village in Calumet County in the US state of Wisconsin. Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE

He is also the National Policy Advisor to U. S. Preventive Medicine ^[14]

Criticism

Medicare controversies

After leaving office, Thompson promoted changes to Medicare that some complained would benefit companies Thompson has a financial stake in (including Centene and the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions). This article refers to Medicare, a United States health insurance program ^[15]

Additionally, while in office, Thompson was involved in a dispute over whether the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services had to share cost estimates to Congress for legislation that would create a prescription drug benefit. Critics accused HHS of downplaying the true cost of the law by $150 billion. CMS Administrator Tom Scully threatened to fire the actuary if he revealed to Congress his estimate. Investigators determined that the data was improperly hidden from Congress, but did not conclude whether laws had been broken. ^[16]

Statements about Jews, Israel

In April 2007, Thompson apologized for publicized remarks he made while speaking to an assembled crowd of Jewish social activists in Washington, D.C.^[17] On April 18, 2007, appearing before a conference organized by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Thompson made reference to his lucrative transition from public service to the private sector by stating: "You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that. April 2007 is the fourth month of that year It began on a Sunday and 30 days later ended on a Monday. Activism, in a general sense can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Religious Action Center ( RAC) is the political and legislative outreach arm of Reform Judaism in the United States Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently subjected to vandalism and the insertion of personal opinions "^[18] After the conclusion of his address, Thompson was reportedly pulled aside privately by the RAC’s Rabbi David Saperstein, and then returned to the podium to issue a clarification,^[19] adding: "I just want to clarify something because I didn't (by) any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things. What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You've been outstanding business people and I compliment you for that. "^[18]

Later, Thompson told The Politico that his remarks could be blamed on fatigue and a persistent cold. ^[20]

Thompson made a variety of other lesser comments, including referring to the Anti Defamation League as the fringe Jewish Defense League, Israel bonds as "Jewish bonds," and repeatedly to his "Jewish friends. The Anti-Defamation League ( ADL) is an Interest group founded in 1913 by B'nai B'rith in the United States whose stated aim is "to stop The Jewish Defense League (JDL is a militant Jewish organization whose stated goal is to protect Jews from Antisemitism. State of Israel Bonds are debt Securities issued by the Government of Israel. "^[21][22][23] He also discussed his connections to conservative Israeli and Jewish leaders to the mostly left-leaning activist group. ^[21] Thompson also reportedly referred to Winston Churchill as being the first leader of Israel and the region. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. ^[19]

Politicizing of science

In 2001, Nobel laureate physiologist Torsten Wiesel was nominated by Gerald Keusch (then an employee of HHS: director of the Fogarty International Center, the branch of the National Institutes of Health) for a position on an advisory panel in the National Institutes of Health to advise on assisting research in developing countries. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Torsten Nils Wiesel (b June 3, 1924) was a Swedish co-recipient with David H "NIH" redirects here For other meanings of NIH see NIH (disambiguation. Thompson, who at the time was Secretary of Health and Human Services, rejected Wiesel. Thompson's office rejected 19 of 26 nominations and in return sent resumés for other scientists that his employee Keusch described in an interview as "lightweights" with "no scientific credibility". When Weisel's name was rejected, an official in Thompson's office told Keusch that Wiesel had "signed too many full-page letters in The New York Times critical of President Bush. " This incident was cited by the advocacy group Union of Concerned Scientists as part of a report detailing their allegations of President George W. History The Union of Concerned Scientists was founded in 1969 by faculty and students of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, located in Cambridge Massachusetts Bush's abuse of science. ^[24][25]

Electoral history

1998 Race for Governor

• Tommy Thompson (R) (inc. ), 60%
• Ed Garvey (D), 39%

1994 Race for Governor

• Tommy Thompson (R) (inc. Edward R Garvey (born in Burlington Wisconsin) is a lawyer politician and an activist ), 67%
• Chuck Chvala (D), 31%

1990 Race for Governor

• Tommy Thompson (R) (inc. ), 58%
• Tom Loftus (D), 42%

1986 Race for Governor

• Tommy Thompson (R), 53%
• Tony Earl (D) (inc. Anthony ("Tony" Scully Earl (b April 12, 1936, Lansing Michigan) is a United States Politician and a member of the ), 46%

Footnotes

External links

Official sites

• Biography from the White House
• Logistics Health Incorporated

Documentaries, topic pages and databases

• Federal Election Commission - Tommy G. Thompson (President) campaign finance reports
• On the Issues - Tommy Thompson issue positions and quotes
• PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - Vote 2008: Tommy Thompson
• Project Vote Smart - Tommy G. Thompson
• "Tommy Thompson and the Conservative Revolution"; primary source material compiled by the Wisconsin Historical Society
• Tommy Thompson at the Open Directory Project

Media coverage

• New York Times - Tommy G. Thompson news stories and commentary
• Skiba, Katherine M. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence The Wisconsin Historical Society (formerly the State Historical Society of Wisconsin) is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory "Mr. Thompson goes corporate" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 25, 2006