At this point, if you are considering Huckabee please, I beg you, put it out of your mind. He will, if nominated, most assuredly not be elected. I am not sure why Duncan Hunter endorsed him, perhaps it was because he felt abortion was the single most important issue and thought Huckabee was the safest bet on that issue. But, Duncan probably does not know Huckabee like conservatives in Arkansas know him. Phyllis Schlafly is an Arkansan, however, and she has more social conservative and right-to-life "bonafides" than just about anyone and should meet any social conservative's gold standard. She said it succinctly: Mike Huckabee has left the Republican Party "
in shambles" in Arkansas. He has supported higher taxes, called people who are against illegal immigration "bigots," criticized the Bush administration foreign policy as a "bunker mentality," and has been in favor of closing down Gitmo. His favorite phrase when given a serious foreign policy question is "I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night." Fred Thompson said it best: these views are perfect views if you are running as a Democrat. Is this really the guy you want determining the most pressing foreign policy crises for the next 4-8 years? Is this the guy who really is going to enact sweeping fiscal responsibility and restore the GOP credibility on spending? His most telling response, IMHO, was how he reacted to some court order in Arkansas which "required him to raise taxes." This is horse manure, and nothing but another way to say "I am too big of a wimp to confront profligate spending and over-reaching by the judicial branch." Is this the guy you really want?
Romney may be a late convert to some elements of conservatism. He may not really be sincere about some of the positions he holds. Nevertheless, he is boldly running on them and if elected he will owe those conservative positions and stances on issues for his success. He is much more likely to stay the conservative course on the most important issues. Huckabee was smart to embrace the "Fair Tax" and base most of his economic policy on the elimination of the IRS. If I even thought that was remotely possible I might vote for him. But it is not, and he knows it. He doesn't have to answer to his raising taxes in Arkansas either because he can just spit out some derivation of the populist rhetoric "If elected I think we should eliminate the IRS and adopt the Fair Tax" and immediately the debate shifts. But this is not going to happen. Even if you had 90 GOP Senators and 300 GOP House members, it is not going to happen. The chickens will never vote for Colonel Sanders. Tax law is the power base in Washington, and bills touting this favor or that is the currency on Capitol Hill.
If you still are wobbly, consider it mere practicality: Romney is slightly ahead of McCain in the most recent FL polls. Giuliani is a distant third, and Huckabee is slightly behind in 4th. Romney needs the conservative vote or we will be facing the Armageddon of a McCain nomination.
well its done. I left the booth with a queasy stomach. But its over. I like Huckabees fair tax talk, and he did bring it further into the limelight, which i think is a good thing. Hopefully one day that sort of evident, uncomplicated tax policy will come to life.
I don't like McCain and hopefully I curbed his rise. I feel sick. Good day.