Posted on 02/14/2011 9:36:14 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
When former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee ran for President in 2008, he did so in the guise of a conservative. But those of us who listened closely to his speeches heard a message that was far from compatible with the ideals of limited government and expanded liberty: two benchmarks of conservatism by any measure. Instead we heard Huckabee openly support a nationwide, federally mandated smoking ban, and expanding the powers of the federal government to mandate limits on carbon emissions via cap and trade.
Because of the exponential growth things like a national smoking ban and cap and trade legislation would cause in the size of government, Rush Limbaugh often warned that Huckabee was a “populist” rather than a conservative. In other words, Huckabee had a good grasp on how to give speeches in the vernacular of heartland America, but his solutions to the problems faced by those same people rested in an expansion of government for which the constitution made no provision. (Like Clinton, Huckabee could feel our pain, and like Obama, he could ease that pain via government intervention.)
And believe it or not, Huckabee’s record on taxes (and tax increases) is even more dismal than his record on smoking bans and cap and trade legislation. While Governor of Arkansas, he literally begged state legislators to support tax increases on the citizens of that state.
(VIDEO AT LINK)
When Arkansas faced what FOX NEWS’ Carl Cameron described as “general revenue shortfall in the state budget,” a desperate Huckabee stood before the state legislature and told them he’d found a way to meet Arkansas’ near $100 million shortfall:
“There’s a lot of support for a tax at the wholesale level for tobacco, and that’s fine with me. I will be very happy to sign that, because it’s a revenue stream that will…help us meet that 90 to 100 million target.
Some have suggested [a tax on] the retail level of tobacco. If that ends up being your preference I will accept that. Others have suggested a surcharge on the income tax. That’s acceptable: I’m fine with that. Others have suggested perhaps a sales tax. That’s fine.
Yet others have suggested a hybrid [tax] that would collect some monies from any one or a combination of [these] various ideas. And if that’s the plan the House and Senate agree upon, you will have nothing but my profound thanks.”
Not only was Huckabee’s support for any and every tax scheme imaginable antithetical to the conservative mind, but the way he groveled before the legislature was shameful: not at all indicative of a leader.
To make matters worse, when Huckabee ran for president in 2008, he tried to pawn himself off as a tax cutter while refusing to apologize for his tax increases. When Face the Nation’s Bob Schieffer cornered him on these things, Huckabee said: “I worked with our legislature and we got major improvements done on our school system…without [which] our kids would still be languishing in last place. …I don’t apologize for raising the expectations and the hopes and the opportunities for the kids in my state. I don’t apologize for building roads either.” (Note: Huckabee seems to equate raising taxes with raising “expectations” when the revenue raised is spent on education.)
Isn’t this always the response we get from tax hikers? They never want to talk about the money they took from the people: they just want to point out all the wonderful things they bought with the money they confiscated through higher taxes.
Rush was right when he discerned the populist strain in Huckabee’s message, and that strain threatens the very conservatism Huckabee claims to embrace.
We don’t need a Republican presidential candidate for whom government is the solution. Rather, we need someone who lives by Reagan’s mantra: “Government isn’t the solution, government is the problem.” Huckabee has these things reversed in his mind.
Snake oil salesman.
Snake oil salesman.
A charlatan/snake oil salesman hybrid.
Not a dimes worth of difference...
What we need is a radical government slasher; someone that will take a figurative axe to the federal monstrosity. Obama’s grossly irresponsible budgets are bankrupting as as fast as possible; we need radicial austerity measures and a wholesale return to federalism. Not cap and trade and federal smoking mandates.
He'll put illegal immigrants ahead of the children of those who built this country.
I remember this so very clearly - I nearly blew a gasket (as did many others) - but with a Dem controlled state legislature - they were salivating at the prospect of having his co-operation in jacking the taxes up yet again.
And lest we forget: Huckabee also refused and fought rabidly against cutting the grocery taxes. It took his liberal Democrat successor to agree to cut those taxes... go figure.
You would think that the amount of money the Huckabee family spends on groceries (have y’all seen that family photo circulating on the net?) he would want to cut the grocery tax!
People who want a pastor as president? That’s all I can figure out.
Easily fooled Southern Christians. I know cause I live here and they are his main base of supporters.
Thanks for posting...BTTT!
OK, so why should I support Huckabee over Palin? Evangelicals, talk me into it, if you can. Bob
Snake oil salesman.
Conservatives are not too crazy about governors who release violent criminals so they can kill and rape some more. That’s Huskster.
He reminds me more of W than Clinton.
I detest and distrust Huckabee. He talks a lot, I’ll give him that.
Talk about bloated and overweight, the most dangerous place in Arkansas was being in the path of these guys and the last pork chop.
“What we need is a radical government slasher;”
I think Michelle Bachmann is up to it.
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