Posted on 01/12/2008 8:23:54 PM PST by MrArbitrage123
In my post from a couple of nights ago "Attack Christians but give Mormons a Free Pass" Freeper AmericanVictory brought up Governor Mike Huckabee and his concern about voting for him. Since that wasn't intended so much to be a post about Huckabee but more of a post about the gentle treatment of Romney and his controversial faith, I thought I would start a new thread in my response to AmericaVictory regarding Huckabee.
“ It makes me nervous that as a young man I was fooled by Jimmy Carter and wound up voting enthusiastically for one of the worst presidents in U.S. history, and perhaps its pettiest ex-president. My late mother, who had been raised as an Old School Baptist, was not fooled by him. It makes me doubly cautions about Huckabee and wanting to know a lot about his actual record and past positions. “ - AmericanVictory
No need to be nervous about it. This Jimmy Carter comparison is ridiculous and people who do their homework aside from reading those articles against Huckabee alone can see right through it.
Jimmy Carter is ardently pro-abortion, pro communist, pro-castro Jimmy Carter. Some desperate, juvenile minded people have successfully perpetuated that platitude but I think the differences between the two people are quite obvious and I am embarrassed that I am even dignifying that contention by acknowledging it. The Drudge linked video of Huckabee talking about taxes was taken out of context and the entire speech was not even aired.
Do yourself a favor and set aside the rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham. Spend some time doing the research for yourself at Huckabee's website and watch video of Huckabee on sites like youtube answering the accusations directly. It is quite clear that Limbaugh, Ingraham & Coulter have not done their homework. As someone who has researched Huckabee extensively, I can tell by listening to them that they have never delved into Huckabee's side of the story. There are mitigating circumstances surrounding Huck's record and none are presented by these critics.
I have also done my homework on John McCain, legislatively going back to the odious Telecommunications Act of 1996 where he wanted to legislate price controls on the cable companies and prevent them from merging with the phone companies. As a Financial Advisor/Stock Broker with an interest in Telecommunications, Inc (TCI) and wanting to see them merge with then Bell Atlantic, that outraged me as did just about every piece of legislation McCain has promulgated since then. And I agree with Rush completely regarding McCain. Not only is he an economic liberal (just called the pharmaceutical companies “evil” last week), he completely ignored the outcries of his constituents regarding the amnesty issue and thumbed his nose at anyone who disagreed with him. On the issue of abortion, he has voted pro-life but doesn't seem able to articulate the reason for doing so very effectually and I have no confidence that he would be able to select quality justices to the federal courts much less fight for their confirmation in the event he should serendipitously manage to appoint a good one.
The one quality McCain does have is his POW and war hero status. For that I accolade and thank him; however, wisdom & leadership is not necessarily the concomitant of bravery. I was shocked when during the SC debate, McCain made the statement about how he wouldn't want to trade with some Arab faction, (might have been Al Qaeda) because “all they have are Berkas.” I certainly wasn't offended by the statement but it seemed to be an irresponsible and impetuous thing to let slip out for a Senator running for President because if he's supposed to be Mr. Foreign policy and Mr. Diplomacy, why would he make a statement mocking the clothing that so many women, including our allies in the middle east wear? I laughed about him singing the “bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” song, I'm fine with bombing Iran; the sooner the better but it seemed like something a complete political novice would do. Leave that for the talk radio shows.
Ironically, Rush is using “drive-by” tactics on Huckabee. I can't tell you that I agree with Huckabee on everything. I don't support more federal involvement in the education system and although I am somewhat of a musician, I don't believe it's the federal government's business to promote music ed or any other ed. But I am confident that he is the candidate in this race that most closely represents my values - who can actually win against the Democrats this time around. You have to delve more deeply into the issues and don't for a second base your decision on the empty rhetoric and false allegations of pundits who have been campaigning for other candidates like Romney & McCain. It scares Republicans who have bought into the slanted attacks when Huckabee talks in his “populist” fashion.
I understand WHY it scares some people especially when they have the skewed perception of the man after the onslaught of Romney ads and Barnes, Coulter, Ingraham & Hannity talking points day in and day out. But I believe the way Huckabee is talking is brilliant and having someone of his ability to communicate with the “blue collar” worker the way he does will be of paramount importance this November and the only chance we will have of winning the presidency as a party.
I believe that we are heading into something much deeper than a recession based upon what I have been seeing in the financial markets (as a long time financial professional). Let me tell you something. We have been hearing people dubbed as doom and gloomers for the past 25 years for warning about “the coming economic earthquake” due to extravagant lifestyles of American's and a GOVERNMENT living beyond our means. Yet for decades we have been able to cover up the pending crises with ersatz money thanks to the Federal Reserve and our own irresponsibility in living on credit.
From what I see, it cannot be covered up anymore and no matter how much more the Federal Reserve cuts rates, it is going to do nothing to fix the problem and may actually compound it. On top of that we have out of control oil prices, a policy of burning food as a fuel “alternative” causing further escalation in food prices, a drought in Georgia of biblical proportions and while most people have no idea, 2/3 of the honey bees have been mysteriously dieing off causing potentially devastating inflation in its own right. Oh, and the dollar has been in a tail spin for the past few years.
My point is that this election – as much as we don't like it – is going to be won by someone who appeals to the middle-class, “working American” (or out of work) who doesn't understand supply-side economics, Milton Friedman and will not come to understand it in the 60 second sound bites of an election campaign. If you think they are going to be enchanted by some pretty boy billionaire who likes to compare himself to Ronald Reagan, you better re-think that given the current environment in which we find ourselves.
The Republicans who are afraid of him and bought into the Romney/Drudge smear campaign hear him saying things about how “people want a President who reminds them of the guy they work with more than the guy who laid him off” and hear him talk about helping the”little guy” - and they get nervous. Republicans are notoriously horrible strategists. We are masters of losing. I pity the people in this party who don't see what is coming and consider WHO are voting. Middle income families and single mothers are the majority and to not recognize their plight right now is to beg for defeat.
So, they want to crucify Huckabee for recognizing that and relating to them. A Democrat saying that they are going to fight for the “little guy” and a Republican saying he's going to fight for the little guy sound very similar but in reality are two very different things. They may both want to help the little guy (if we take them at face value) but they have two very different methodology in accomplishing that goal. Is the desire to help the working families by implementing a fair tax system and wanting to dismantle the IRS the same as the Clinton plan of helping the “little guy” via Universal Health care, Universal Pre-K and $5,000 baby-bonds in every pot?
Helping the blue-collar worker or single-mother doesn't have to be at the expense of someone else. I believe that is what Huckabee sees and a fair tax plan would help to accomplish a great deal of good for the rich AND the poor. After seeing the pundits like Limbaugh, Ingraham, Coulter, Barnes, Cameron & Wallace jump on the talking points – verbatim, it became very clear that these people made up their minds BEFORE doing their due diligence. They have no idea what kind of setting in which Republicans will find themselves campaigning come November. These voters are going to be hurting, fearful for their financial security and very emotional. It takes a majority to win an election (or something close to that depending on third party candidates). The only way we are going to win is with a candidate who can genuinely relate to them where they are and they are NOT – in their weekend homes in the Hampton's
If Huckabee fizzles, his followers will be looking for another prolife evangelical to fill the void. Hunter fits that bill, no one else in the race is evangelical.
The GOP doesn’t get it. They need to let this faction find a home. The amount of invective aimed at evangelicals is surprising, but then everyone wants their votes.
Huckabee has surged because he won a couple of debates and he’s got evangelical support. If a quick rise can happen to the liberal pro-life evangelical Huckster, it can happen to the conservative pro-life evangelical Hunter.
Prolife evangelicals will be very comfortable in Hunter’s camp, since he’s a prolife evangelical staunch conservative.
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On Poll Results and the End of Conservatism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1951282/posts
Yes, for liberals and those who want another Jimmah Carter for prez.
Mike Huckabee supported Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty that failed in the US Senate and was rejected by a large majority of Americans. He stated that those who opposed the legislation are “driven by racism or nativism.”
Setting aside their opinions of Huckabee, when have they ever been wrong about the public policy issues we all care so much about??
You sound like one of those multi-level marketing hucksters with their "new paradigm" cons: "Forget your common sense life experiences that would make you think I'm trying to sell you on a losing pyramid scheme, learn to think differently and it will all make sense."
Sure. Whatever you say. He's still an unappealing liberal.
Mike Huckabee is Bill Clinton without the bimbos.
According to Coulter, the former Arkansas Governor believes sodomy is protected by the Constitution.
He responded to my column last week — pointing out that he is on record supporting the Supreme Court’s sodomy-is-a-constitutional-right decision — by saying that he was relying on the word of a caller to his radio show and didn’t know the details of the case. Ironically, that’s how most people feel about sodomy: They support it until they hear the details.
I don’t want a president who constantly sides with illegal aliens, frees felons and has no clue on foreign policy. You’re only telling half the story.
When asked whether the U.S. should take any action to kill Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Huckabee replied: “The U.S. should not kill Saddam Hussein or anyone else.” The U.S. military captured Saddam, an Iraqi court convicted him and he was hanged last December.
Governor Huckabee should run for Senate instead.
We might just take the Senate back if he ran against Pryor.
And today he promised free college tuition for national service. John Kerry promised the same thing in 2004. Huckabee sounds like the clear choice for the dem nomination.
As Arkansas governor, he believed a rapist was “saved” and pushed for his release, officials say. The man then killed.
By Richard A. Serrano, Times Staff Writer
Pastor Jay D. Cole had two close friends. One was an inmate in the Arkansas state penitentiary. There, the minister would sit with Wayne DuMond “and pray and read the Bible.” For a while, the prisoner’s wife even lived in Cole’s home.
Cole’s friendship with Mike Huckabee ran deeper, back to when Huckabee was the youngest-ever head of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The two men produced Bible lessons on videotape. “We worked heavily with him when he got politically involved too,” Cole said.
A little over 10 years ago, the paths of these three men merged in Little Rock, the state capital, when Huckabee was the new governor. With Cole’s urging, and with DuMond insisting he was “born again,” Huckabee played a key role in setting free a rapist who was supposed to serve many more years, say three of seven members of the state board that paroled DuMond.
After being released, DuMond moved to Missouri, where less than a year later he suffocated the (sic) mother of three in a Kansas City suburb. Police suspect that he killed another woman there as well.
I assume you mean...
the mitigating circumstances surrounding his oversight of a 65% of Arkansas state spending.
Or was it the mitigating circumstances surrounding his opposition to the school vouchers proposed by his own appointed commission.
Or was it the mitigating circumstances surrounding the 1100 criminals he got out of jail.
Or was it the mitigating circumstances surrounding the label he gave to his own party members of "Shi'ite Republicans" when they opposed his tax increases.
Or was it the mitigating circumstances surrounding his support of Democrats against Republicans in state races.
Or was it the mitigating circumstances surrounding his support of multiple increases in taxes.
I know, he's gettin a bum rap. Poor Mr. Mike.
I would decided to do myself a favor and set aside the rhetoric of Mike Huckabee, thank you very much.
That alone disqualifies the Huckster from getting my vote.
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