Posted on 11/25/2007 9:48:13 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Republican presidential candidates have pulled out their knives for Mr. Nice Guy. A surprising surge of support for Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, who had long seemed a rank outsider in the 2008 presidential race has turned him into a target six weeks before voting in Iowa.
The Times of London reports that “running on a shoestring budget as an affable conservative with unrivalled religious qualifications (he is a former Baptist minister), Huckabee has been previously dismissed as an under-funded no-hoper. He is mostly known for a quirky sense of humor and his skills on bass guitar - he plays for a band called Capitol Offense.”
But last week everything changed when an opinion poll propelled Huckabee close to the top of the Republican heap in Iowa, the traditional launching pad for presidential careers. He has overtaken Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York and Fred Thompson, the former senator and Hollywood actor. Huckabee is trailing Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, by less than the poll’s margin of error.”
Suddenly, Huckabee’s opponents have provoked a flurry of investigations into his checkered record as Arkansas governor and his potentially damaging history of ethical and financial lapses. He’s been negatively compared to Bill Clinton, another former governor of Arkansas, and portrayed as the liberal, pro-life Republican presidential candidate.
Nonetheless, the rumor mills (unconfirmed) have been swirling that Mr. Giuliani wants to pick Huckabee as his running mate if he’s nominated.
“Nonetheless, the rumor mills (unconfirmed) have been swirling that Mr. Giuliani wants to pick Huckabee as his running mate if he’s nominated.”
LMAO! That just seems like a horrendous ticket.
"Huckabee aid plan for illegal aliens draws 'venom, anger' Monday, Jan 17, 2005 By David Robinson Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Gov. Mike Huckabee's proposal last week to provide college scholarships and loans to illegal immigrants has sparked some emotional talk if not much ink compared to his other proposals. Huckabee wants the Legislature to adopt a law that would allow all immigrants who graduate from an Arkansas high school to be treated the same as other graduates. Aimed primarily at the state's growing Hispanic population, the governor introduced his proposal to lawmakers on Tuesday and almost immediately was on the defensive. Radio and television talk shows have devoted time to the issue, with callers to one radio program blistering Huckabee's idea. Lawmakers in Northwest Arkansas, home to many of the state's Hispanics, also have had little good to say about it. The governor said in an interview Thursday that he had heard callers to the radio program. "It was humorous because they were so misinformed," he said. "You could just see all this venom and anger coming out. "It was as if they thought some kid could swim the Rio Grande tonight and walk in and go have free tuition tomorrow at the University of Arkansas. Clearly, that is not the case," he said. Huckabee gives the example of Hispanic children brought to the United States at an early age and who have excelled in the state's K-12 public education system. "We're not saying that they're getting any special consideration or extra consideration, but that they would simply be treated as any other graduate of an Arkansas high school," Huckabee said. "If they met the criteria to qualify for financial aid, fine. I think it's an issue of basic fairness and consistency. It's highly inconsistent for us to treat that person like an Arkansas student for 13 years and suddenly treat them differently once they have actually succeeded." Under the governor's proposal, such students could qualify for the state's Academic Challenge and Governor's Distinguished scholarships just like other high-performing high school students. They also could go to college at the cheaper in-state tuition rate. According to Huckabee's agenda book, seven states allow undocumented immigrant children to pay in-state tuition - California, Illinois, Oklahoma, New York, Texas, Utah and Washington. A proposed federal law would give such students temporary legal status and expedite their citizenship. Lawmakers in Northwest Arkansas who aren't too keen on the idea say their constituents are already letting them know how they feel. What has citizens concerned, said Rep. Mike Kenney, R-Siloam Springs, and other lawmakers, is that the word "illegal" is associated with the immigrants' status. "If somebody is illegally here, how can you legally take tax dollars and give them something that people who have been in this country a long time that are paying taxes aren't even entitled to, so to speak," Kenney said. Sen. Denny Altes, R-Fort Smith, said the state must do a better job educating its legal citizens, noting that the state is tied with West Virginia in having the lowest percentage of adults with a college degree. "Illegal to me means not legal," Altes said. "We need to take care of first things first and that's the people that pay the taxes." "This has nothing to do with Hispanics or nationalities," said Sen. Dave Bisbee, R-Rogers. "What we're talking about here is college scholarships for people that are illegal." Bisbee said he would prefer to see the students' legal status changed as proposed by President Bush. Huckabee objects to calling the children of illegal residents "illegal," because he said they're in the state at no choice of their own. "It conjures up to me the very things that to me inflame people," Huckabee said. "I think it would be more accurate to call them an undocumented immigrant." Despite some of the negative comments by several lawmakers, the door hasn't closed on the idea. Rep. Doug Matayo, R-Springdale, the governor's House floor leader, said the proposal has merit, but like Kenney, he's awaiting specifics. He said if the children of illegal aliens have attended and graduated from the state's public school system, lawmakers must ask the question: "Are these individuals better off getting a degree and becoming a productive member of society?" Kenney and Matayo also said their views might be affected by whether the benefits go to those working toward becoming a U.S. citizen. Rep. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, said she has been working independently of Huckabee for the past year developing a bill to provide the benefits the governor has outlined. Like Huckabee, Elliott said the issue is much about economic development because the state benefits as its residents attain higher levels of education. "We have a choice, we can have these students in our state as low wage earners, or we can provide them with the opportunity to become high wage earners by getting their college degree if they qualify to go to college," said Elliott, chairwoman of the House Education Committee. "They're not going away from the state; they're going to be here. I'd just as soon have them here as educated citizens." Huckabee said those who oppose the idea should take note of the fact that the state is already educating the undocumented children in grades K-12. "Their argument is that if they're undocumented we shouldn't provide an education," he (Huckabee) said. "My argument is, if we're already providing the education K-12 and we're paying all the freight for that, why do they suddenly become persona non grata the day they walk across and get a high school diploma.""
I take it from your post that you aren’t planning to include Mike Huckabee in your tagline any time soon. ;>)
One could extrapolate that, yes.
Where does Huckabee really stand on the issue of illegal immigration? At first glance of all the chatter, some of the news stories, and the editorials out there floating around, one would believe that Huckabee is, not only soft on illegal immigration, but actually, farther to the left of the issue than our current President. After reading all of the stories out there and listening to the facts in the case against Huckabee, I was beginning to have some serious doubts about the sincerity of this candidate myself, who is admittedly a strong Huckabee supporter.
However, upon doing a little research on this particular issue I discovered that, as usual, there is more than one side to the story. Evidently, the truth of the matter goes a little more like this: Huckabee opposes illegal immigration, supports sealing the border, and opposes amnesty. In a perfect world that would be enough, but this is no perfect world as we all know. The fact of the matter is that there are millions of illegals in this country already, and there is a constant flow of them across our borders each and every day. Another fact, Huckabee supports the deportation of illegal immigrants, but he believes that the process should be a better one.
Case in point is the 119 illegals deported in an Arkansas raid of a plant in 2005, in which officials, without having properly done their homework, proceeded to deport the illegals leaving their children behind here in the states to be a burden to our already overloaded system.
Also, according to the Arkansas State Constitution, children of all ages, whether legal or illegal are entitled to an education. Huckabee following the logic of the state's Constitution, supported allowing children of the illegals to attend Arkansas colleges at in-state rates. Bear in mind these are not individuals who came here illegally, but rather the offspring of those individuals. Holding said offspring responsible for the sins of the parents is like holding anyone else responsible for some crime committed by their forefathers. This is a preposterous notion, a dangerous road, and completely inconsistent with the ideology of compassionate conservatism.
Now, before anyone goes hysterical here, let me point out that we are not suggesting that illegals, who are definately in violation of the law, be given any form of amnesty, nor is there any promotion of the idea of an open border here. However, as in any crime or act of wrongdoing their are always innocents involved who may become collateral damage. Let's be clear there should be a secure border between the U.S. and its bordering nations, there should be no amnesty, and there should always be consequences for breaking the law, but we must remember to follow the ideology of compassionate conservatism as well. After all our system is a system of checks and balances, and we must not forget that there are two sides to the scales of justice. These are the principles that guide Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee. These are the principles that should guide every American.
Source can be found at http://mikehuckabeepresident2008.blogspot.com/2005/08/msm-huckabee-right-on-illegal.html
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2005/08/13/opinion/18editorial.txt
Rots r rafs.
Bumping this thread for the morning crowd, so it gets the notice it deserves.
I will comment on your #6, if you comment on my #3. Deal ?
Huckabee promotes 'open door' policy at LULAC convention
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005
By Wesley Brown
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK - In a impassioned speech before hundreds of influential Hispanic civil rights leaders from across the nation, Gov. Mike Huckabee told a captive audience Wednesday that America is great because it has always opened it doors up to people seeking a better way of life.
"I would hope that no matter who we are, or where we are from, that America should always be a place that opens its arms, opens it heart, opens its spirit to people who come because they want the best for their families ...," Huckabee said as the largely Hispanic audience gave him a standing ovation.
Huckabee was the keynote speaker, along with Tyson Foods Inc. Chairman and CEO John Tyson, at a noon luncheon of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which is holding its 76th annual convention in Little Rock.
About 10,000 political, community and business leaders, along with exhibitors and speakers are in Little Rock attending the convention at the Statehouse Convention Center. The convention started Monday and runs through Saturday.
Although he never actually talked about the U.S. or Arkansas immigration policy, Huckabee made it very clear where he stood on the issue. In his opening remarks, he said the nation will need to address the concerns of the Hispanic community because of its growing influence and population base.
He told the LULAC delegates that their presence in the state's capital city was very important because Arkansas has one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations in the nation. "Your gathering is so very significant for our state," Huckabee said. "We are delighted to have you."
Despite several light moments, Huckabee did not stray away from several controversial issues that made him a target of criticism during the recently ended 85th General Assembly. He said Arkansas needs to make the transition from a traditional Southern state to one that recognizes and cherishes diversity "in culture, in language and in population."
"This is an issue that is going to require extraordinary efforts on both sides of the border, particularly those coming from Mexico," Huckabee said of verifying the status of illegal aliens. "But I am confident that our government will recognize that we should accommodate people who wish to provide the best opportunities for their families (and) employers so that we can make sure our economy has the necessary work force."
During the legislation session, Huckabee criticized an immigration bill by Republican senators Jim Holt of Springdale and Denny Altes of Fort Smith as un-Christian, un-American, irresponsible and anti-life. Senate Bill 206, which died in the Senate, would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote and also force state agencies to report suspected cases of people living in the country illegally. Holt, R-Springdale, replied later to Huckabee's comments that Christian charity does not include turning a blind eye to lawbreaking.
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005
By Wesley Brown
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK - In a impassioned speech before hundreds of influential Hispanic civil rights leaders from across the nation, Gov. Mike Huckabee told a captive audience Wednesday that America is great because it has always opened it doors up to people seeking a better way of life.
"I would hope that no matter who we are, or where we are from, that America should always be a place that opens its arms, opens it heart, opens its spirit to people who come because they want the best for their families ...," Huckabee said as the largely Hispanic audience gave him a standing ovation.
Huckabee was the keynote speaker, along with Tyson Foods Inc. Chairman and CEO John Tyson, at a noon luncheon of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which is holding its 76th annual convention in Little Rock.
About 10,000 political, community and business leaders, along with exhibitors and speakers are in Little Rock attending the convention at the Statehouse Convention Center. The convention started Monday and runs through Saturday.
Although he never actually talked about the U.S. or Arkansas immigration policy, Huckabee made it very clear where he stood on the issue. In his opening remarks, he said the nation will need to address the concerns of the Hispanic community because of its growing influence and population base.
He told the LULAC delegates that their presence in the state's capital city was very important because Arkansas has one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations in the nation. "Your gathering is so very significant for our state," Huckabee said. "We are delighted to have you."
Despite several light moments, Huckabee did not stray away from several controversial issues that made him a target of criticism during the recently ended 85th General Assembly. He said Arkansas needs to make the transition from a traditional Southern state to one that recognizes and cherishes diversity "in culture, in language and in population."
"This is an issue that is going to require extraordinary efforts on both sides of the border, particularly those coming from Mexico," Huckabee said of verifying the status of illegal aliens. "But I am confident that our government will recognize that we should accommodate people who wish to provide the best opportunities for their families (and) employers so that we can make sure our economy has the necessary work force."
During the legislation session, Huckabee criticized an immigration bill by Republican senators Jim Holt of Springdale and Denny Altes of Fort Smith as un-Christian, un-American, irresponsible and anti-life. Senate Bill 206, which died in the Senate, would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote and also force state agencies to report suspected cases of people living in the country illegally. Holt, R-Springdale, replied later to Huckabee's comments that Christian charity does not include turning a blind eye to lawbreaking.
Taxes
______
Is Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee a Pro-Growth, Economic Conservative?
The Club for Growth is committed to lower taxes across the board. Lower taxes on work, savings, and investments lead to greater levels of these activities, thus encouraging greater economic growth.
Governor Huckabee touts himself as an economic conservative, writing in his biography that he “pushed through the Arkansas legislature the first major, broad-based tax cuts in state history” and “led efforts to establish a Property Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights” early on as governor (Arkansas Times 09/22/05), but he only offers a small piece of the picture.
It is true that Governor Huckabee fought for an $80 million tax cut package in 1997 that was passed by the Arkansas legislature (Cato Policy
Analysis No. 315, 09/03/98); cut the state capital gains tax in 1999 (The Commercial Appeal 02/29/99); and passed the Property Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights in the same year, limiting the increase in property taxes to 10% a year for individuals and 5% per taxing unit (AP 03/16/99). However, his record over the rest of his ten-year tenure tells a starkly different story.
Immediately upon taking office, Governor Huckabee signed a sales tax hike in 1996 to fund the Games and Fishing Commission and the Department of Parks and Tourism (Cato Policy Analysis No. 315, 09/03/98).
He supported an internet sales tax in 2001 (Americans for Tax Reform 01/07/07).
He publicly opposed the repeal of a sales tax on groceries and medicine in 2002 (Arkansas News Bureau 08/30/02).
He signed bills raising taxes on gasoline (1999), cigarettes (2003) (Americans for Tax Reform 01/07/07), and a $5.25 per day bed-tax on private nursing home patients in 2001 (Arkansas New Bureau 03/01/01).
He proposed another sales take hike in 2002 to fund education improvements (Arkansas News Bureau 12/05/02).
He opposed a congressional measure to ban internet taxes in 2003 (Arkansas News Bureau 11/21/03).
In 2004, he allowed a 17% sales tax increase to become law (The Gurdon Times 03/02/04).
By the end of his ten-year tenure, Governor Huckabee was responsible for a 37% higher sales tax in Arkansas, 16% higher motor fuel taxes, and 103% higher cigarette taxes according to Americans for Tax Reform (01/07/07), garnering a lifetime grade of D from the free-market Cato Institute. During Huckabee’s tenure as governor, the average Arkansan’s tax burden increased 47 percent, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
While he is on record supporting making the Bush tax cuts permanent, he joined Democrats in criticizing the Republican Party for tilting its tax policies “toward the people at the top end of the economic scale” (Washington Examiner 09/13/06), even though objective evidence demonstrates that the Bush tax cuts have actually shifted the tax burden to higher income taxpayers.
Finally, Governor Huckabee opposed further tax cuts at a 2005 gathering of Iowa conservatives (AP 09/17/05). On January 28, 2007, Governor Huckabee refused to pledge not to raise taxes if elected President, first on Meet the Press and then at the National Review Conservative Summit. The evidence suggests that his commitment to protecting taxpayers evidenced in his early gubernatorial years may be a thing of the past.
Spending
The Club for Growth is committed to reducing government spending. Less spending enhances economic growth by enabling lower taxes and diminishing the economically inefficient political allocation of resources.
Under Governor Huckabee’s watch, state spending increased a whopping 65.3% from 1996 to 2004, three times the rate of inflation (Americans for Tax Reform 01/07/07).
The number of state government workers rose 20% during his tenure (Arkansas Leader 04/15/06), and the state’s general obligation debt shot up by almost $1 billion, according to Americans for Tax Reform.
The massive increase in government spending is due in part to the number of new programs and expansion of already existing programs initiated by Governor Huckabee, including ARKids First, a multimillion-dollar government program to provide health coverage for thousands
of Arkansas’ children (Arkansas News Bureau 04/13/06).
These large increases in government borrowing and spending significantly impede economic growth.
http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/01/a_report_on_mike_huckabees_fis.php
*******
Immigration
_________
Fact #1 As Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee denounced an immigration bill (Arkansas Senate Bill 206) that “would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote and would have required state agencies to report suspected cases of people living in the country illegally.”
(Doug Thompson, “Immigration Bill un-christian..governor says”Arkansas News Bureau 1/28/05)
Fact #2. As Governor, Mike Huckabee offered a proposal to give state funded scholarships and state benefits to illegal aliens.
(Laura Kellams, “Huckabee Plan would give aid to illegal aliens” Arkansas Democrat Gazette 1/12/2005)
Fact #3. Governor Huckabee supported a Bush-backed immigration plan that provides a path to citizenship for some illegal aliens.
(CNN 2008 Election Center, http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/candidates/mike.huckabee.html)
Fact #4. Governor Huckabee refuses to sign the “No Amnesty Pledge”.
The Governor is suffering from what is called “amnesty amnesia”. It is a contagious ailment spreading rapidly through the ranks of the Republican presidential candidates.
Watch Huckabee admit to selling out our citizenship to illegal aliens. He thinks it’s not amnesty, but illegal aliens still get the grand prize: citizenship.
*
January 28, 2005 AR Gov. Mike Huckabee goes on the attack From this:
[AR] Gov. Mike Huckabee on Thursday heaped criticism upon immigration legislation in the Arkansas Legislature, describing it as “inflammatory . . . race-baiting and demagoguery.”
He also challenged the Christian values of its main sponsor.
Huckabee said the bill, seeking to forbid public assistance and voting rights to undocumented immigrants, “inflames those who are racist and bigots and makes them think there’s a real problem. But there’s not...”
...He singled out [Republican Sens. Jim Holt, one of the bill’s sponsors], who often talks of his strong Christian beliefs, saying, “I drink a different kind of Jesus juice. My faith says don’t make false accusations against somebody.
“In the Bible, it’s called don’t bear false witness.”
In response, Holt said he was hurt by the governor’s questioning his faith.
“I just want to uphold the law and protect the benefits that apply to citizens,” Holt said.
*
A lingering controversy over the role former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee played in establishing a Mexican consulate office in Little Rock financed by taxpayers and local businesses continues to follow the Republican presidential candidate’s campaign, even as he enjoys a surge in polls.
Critics in Arkansas contend Huckabee worked with some of the state’s most prominent and politically powerful businesses to draw illegal immigrants to the state to accept low-paying jobs.
Space in an Arkansas government facility was leased for $1 a year to the Mexican government to establish the Mexican consulate until a permanent Mexican consulate facility could be built, at the expense of Arkansas citizens and corporations.
“We wanted people to come to Arkansas and get the proper paper work and do things with a work permit and a visa. It’s so much easier to do that if you have a consulate where people can go to get proper documentation, rather than just accommodating people illegally.” -Huckabee
*****
Global Warming
____________
Former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee, said he supports a mandatory cap-and-trade system to cut US greenhouse gas emissions, becoming the second Republican presidential candidate to call for a carbon market to address climate change.
*****
Nanny-stater
___________
Supports national smoking ban.
*****
Crime
_____
In his book From Hope to Higher Ground, he wrote that Three Strikes was an overraction to the permissiveness of the ‘70s:
“In the 1990s, the pendulum swung harshly back in the opposite direction and very popular policies such as “three strikes and you’re out” and “no parole provisions” were adopted.
Being tough on crime is certainly more popular than being soft, but America needs to be careful that in our attempt to stoutly enforce our laws and protect our citizens, we do not end up with a system that is based more on revenge than restoration. A revenge-based criminal justice system seeks to measure out as harsh a judgement as is possible so as to satisfy the natural inclination to get even.”
*
Huckabee’s poor judgement freed a convicted rapist from prison despite a warning from his victim that he would repeat his crime if turned loose. Soft-hearted Mike ignored the advice and persuaded the parole board to let the dangerous criminal out of prison. Less than a year later, the violent predator sexually assaulted another woman and killed her.’
*****
Huckabee and Ethics
_______________
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2007/10/29/mike-huckabee-and-ethics.html
*****
Betsy Hagan, Arkansas director of the conservative Eagle Forum and a key backer of his early runs for office, was once “his No. 1 fan.” She was bitterly disappointed with his record. “He was pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise a liberal,” she says. “Just like Bill Clinton he will charm you, but don’t be surprised if he takes a completely different turn in office.”
Phyllis Schlafly, president of the national Eagle Forum, is even more blunt. “He destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas, and left the Republican Party a shambles,” she says. “Yet some of the same evangelicals who sold us on George W. Bush as a ‘compassionate conservative’ are now trying to sell us on Mike Huckabee.”
- Sales Tax, 1996 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/07/96)
- Gas and Diesel Fuel Taxes, 1999 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 04/02/99, 04/25/99)
- Sales Tax, 2000 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 09/25/02)
- Cigarette Tax, 2001 (Associated Press, 04/02/01)
- Nursing Home Bed Tax, 2001 (Associated Press, 06/25/01)
- Sales Tax, 2002 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/15/02)
- Income Surcharge Tax, 2003 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/09/07)
- Tobacco Tax, 2003 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/09/07)
- Internet Taxes, 2004 (Bond Buyer, 02/24/04)
You bet, Laurel and Hardy would have nothing on Rudy and Huck as they take vaudeville by storm.
Let the games begin!
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