Having grown up in Wisconsin, I know he did some good things and worked well with and was liked by Democrats, but then he was a less than stellar head of Amtrak (not really his fault since father Bush wanted to kill the railroad) and HHS and then this, so I’m not quite sure what to think. As for RFIDs, we’ve done several stories on them such as this one and this even more pertinent one.

Tommy Thompson: The “Chipper” President?
Election Bid Raises Specter of RFID Implant Threat

Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson is considering a run for president in 2008, a move that should spark alarm among those familiar with Thompson’s calls for widespread RFID chipping of Americans.
[…]
As head of Health of Health and Human Services, Thompson oversaw the scandal-ridden FDA when it approved the VeriChip as a medical device. Shortly after leaving his cabinet post, he joined the board of the VeriChip Corporation and wasted no time in using his clout to promote the company’s glass encapsulated RFID tags. These tags are injected into human flesh to uniquely number and identify people.

In public appearances, Thompson has suggested implanting the microchips into Americans to link to their electronic medical records. “It’s very beneficial and it’s going to be extremely helpful and it’s a giant step forward to getting what we call an electronic medical record for all Americans,” he told CBS MarketWatch in July 2005. He also suggested implanting military personnel with the chips to replace dog tags.

Ironically, Thompson himself has not yet received a microchip implant despite what must be extraordinary pressure from the VeriChip Corporation. He made a promise to do so on national television over a year ago.

Found by my brother, Don.