Posted on 12/05/2011 6:21:33 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
Tax cutter. Those lifetime lessons have made a big impact. Huntsman, like Thatcher, seems to be a conservative of intuition derived from personal experience. Huntsman a conservative? As governor, he massively cut income and sales taxes — instituting a 5 percent flat income tax — while expanding the state’s “rainy day” reserve fund. His approach to healthcare reform relied on markets rather than mandates. As the Club for Growth describes it, “Utah’s main health reform contained no individual mandate, no employer mandate, and has very limited regulatory authority. … It empowers individuals to take ownership of their own health insurance and to choose coverage that works for them.”
If elected president, Huntsman says he would like to slash tax rates to their lowest levels since before America entered World War One and eliminate taxes on capital gains and dividends. Powerful supply-side medicine for an anemic economic recovery. Huntsman has embraced Rep. Paul Ryan’s transformational, market-oriented, debt- reduction plan, calling it “the model I would work from.” He’s also pro-life, a dedicated free trader and – at least as evidenced by his sweeping bank reform plan — an ardent anti-crony capitalist.
Of course, conservatives would sure like more details about Huntsman’s views on dealing with climate change. And just how would he match defense cuts that might reduce spending to Clinton-era levels with superpower America’s global commitments and power-projection capabilities? A lot more clarity is needed there. And the Club charges Huntsman with being disinterested in cutting spending when governor.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.american.com ...
It seems to have worked.
While Huntsman strikes me as intelligent and has done some things I agree with, a poster just above points to his insulting of conservatives reflexively. He also hasn’t passed the first test of being a competent president—getting the support of voters. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re the smartest person in the room if you can’t get anyone else to recognize that.
I recall hearing that, at the time. That Obama considered Huntsman to be one of his biggest 2012 election threats, and did indeed nominate him to eliminate the election threat. I’ll vouch for that - at least insofar as I heard exactly that at the time.
I also recall Obama was mighty ticked, that Huntsman came back to join the race. All that rings true.
Huntsman actually says some of the right things, but he really needs to get off his brainwashing about “free trade”.
Of all people, I originally thought he would get that.
Was he sleeping at his desk over there? Is he that clueless, he doesn’t get that China is not a trade “partner”.
Or did he go native? What’s with him? If he wants this job, he needs to wake up and get with the program.
Right now he’s out to lunch. Who wants more Chinese imports?
Nobody. Cripes.
I don’t remember Huntsman helping to balance the budget four years, or his contract with America,or winning back the congress for the first time in 40 years........Newt has certainly had his stupid moments but if he is judged by his overall record he ain’t that bad.
Well you are consistent...
But Huntsman, really?
No thanks.
Huntsman is a ‘moderate’.
More like a liberal squish.
Queer marriage/partnerships
Gorbal warming cheerleader
anti-military
pro-immigration
Repulsed by the thought of a border fence
Supported healthcare mandate in 2007
An all around green weenie on energy
Problem is Newt has a lot of stupid moments. More problematic: he is exactly the kind of Washington insider the Tea Party should despise. However, his star is due to start fading pretty soon, just like the rest of them.
I think Huntsman is worthy of serious consideration.
If it fades it fades,I see nothing in Jon Huntsman other than another social liberal willing to throw most consevatives under the bus. How is he differant from John McCain?
I love humor columns in the morning.
Running against Conservatives is an odd way to seek the Republican nomination.
This is about as believable as the latest lies about unemployment resulting from obammunism. They still believe that emulating the styled hair and high-end suits of mitt the twit will buy them a nomination.
At least Gingrich doesn’t look down on his own potential voters.
John Huntsman is a moderate at best. Trump is right about his China policy. Its a roll over.
Huntsman is very straight-forward, conservative and informative every time he opens him mouth. Yes, his campaign has had mis-steps just like any; but unless the right is looking for rhetoric or pandering, he explains himself and his record with articulate conviction, consistency and clarity.
He is a nice, extremely accomplished guy who is not hateful and certainly doesn’t deserve to be so maligned.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. His AGW stand is a deal breaker for me. Every conservative impulse he might have is trumped by this irrational drive to drag the economy back 50 years.
If Huntsman is the candidate I stay home.
I agree. Questionable strategy. But his record and platform speak for themselves. He is to the right of Newt and Mitt. That’s not a question.
At some point this becomes a branding or marketing problem.
He isn’t for cap and trade or another other massive intervention in this economy (just like Gingrich and Romney). In 2011 Huntsman said, “Cap-and-trade ideas aren’t working; it hasn’t worked, and our economy’s in a different place than five years ago. Much of this discussion happened before the bottom fell out of the economy, and until it comes back, this isn’t the moment.” Not only that, but his suggestion that we drill from Alberta oil sands actually creates significantly more in the way of greenhouse gases than does producing conventional oil from drilling.
where is the rino barf alert.
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