Reagan Reincarnate?

The parallels drawn to Ronald Reagan are almost too obvious. Both very successful actors. Both hate taxes. Both favor spending huge amounts of military spending. Both admire strict constructionist judges. Of course I'm referring to former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson.
Thompson was fairly unknown to me but reading up on him and listening to a number of interviews has me very impressed with his demeanor and his measured, substantive ideas. His reasons for running seem more sincere than most and he'll definitely contribute in a positive manner to the Republican primary race. A few good ideas benefit everyone and he, in Millian fashion, wants to contribute to the sharpening of conservative ideas. Ultimately, Thompson doesn't come off as a divider, instead viewing himself as extremely electable though totally willing to take a back seat if the voters feel otherwise. I loved his interview with the Hoover Institution (http://fredfile.imwithfred.com/2007/15-minutes-with-fred/), as he touched on a broad range of topics. A few highlights for me were his discussion on the role of government in today's society. He mentioned that all these liberal social welfare systems, which of course entail higher taxes, are about "redistributing the wealth" when a less restricted economy will create a bigger pie for everyone. I think that's a great point that people often ignore. Extremely generous welfare systems, and universal health care, entail sacrificing the future for the here and now. The Wall Street Journal ran an excellent article about the positive effects Bush's tax cuts have had on the economy (http://fredfile.imwithfred.com/2007/case-closed-tax-cuts-mean-growth/#comments). The winner in '08 will likely decide the fate of those tax cuts; an extremely underrated factor in this election. A candidate's opinion on whether or not to extend them should almost be a litmus test for anyone who cares about free enterprise and small government. Thompson is keeping it simple. Low taxes- good, high taxes- bad.
A later question was posed that really had only one right answer. What is the worst Supreme Court decision of the past 40 years? With no hesitation Thompson responded, "Roe v. Wade." A necessary response for any conservative, and anyone who cares about the direction of Constitutional law. We can argue for days whether or not abortion should be legal; but that's precisely the point...WE the people should be arguing, NOT 9 men in black robes. The country may or may not protect abortion with legislation but we won't know until the Supreme Court rectifies one of its landmark screw ups. Thompson has a strong legal background, serving as an assistant US attorney from '69-'72, which could prove invaluable in this time of collapsing federalism.
Thompson is steadfast in his commitment to a mighty US military, which is music to my ears. More importantly than that he seems willing to see terrorism, or human rights violations, or any external threat for what it is and take appropriate action. Also, he wants to revamp the intelligence agencies and return them to their Cold War prowess. That is one thing I will never understand. Who thought it was a good idea to drastically cut intelligence spending? Military tactics may change, technology will evolve, but information will never go out of style. We can't predict what will happen and who will be threatening us in 20 years but we can set ourselves up for success with the best trained and funded military in the world.
So it appears Thompson passes my Common Sense test. Lower taxes help the economy which helps everyone. Check. Judges shouldn't decide controversial social issues, citizens should. Makes sense. People hate America and the world is in constant flux so we should be ready to defend ourselves. Logical. Maybe I'm overly swayed by his gravely, grandfatherly voice and poised demeanor but I hope you at least give Thompson a chance to impress you.