It's interesting that Huckabee, with his lead in Iowa, does not have a stronger showing on the national scale. His stated positions, at a glance, should make sense to conservatives and libertarians. He wants to get rid of the income tax and stop illegal immigration (Libertarian). He is the "Christian candidate," and supports good ol' family values (Conservative).
Nevermind his record as governor of Arkansas. He raised taxes by A LOT -- try half a billion dollars net gain, as told by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The average tax burden in Arkansas was raised by 47%!!!!! I personally have a hard time seeing those numbers and then listening, straight-faced, as Huckabee calls himself the fiscal conservative. Check out this selection from his site:
"Huckabee, a fiscal conservative, pushed through the Arkansas Legislature the first major, broad-based tax cuts in state history — a $90 million tax relief package for Arkansas families. He led efforts to establish a Property Taxpayers' Bill of Rights and created a welfare reform program that reduced the welfare rolls in the state by almost 50 percent. He also doubled the standard deduction to $2,000 for single taxpayers and $4,000 for those who are married. He proposed The Property Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights which established a uniform notice and due process procedure to guarantee that all Arkansans will be treated fairly in property tax assessment.
In total, Huckabee cut taxes and fees over 90 times during his ten and a half years as governor, saving the people of Arkansas almost $380 million. When he left office, Arkansas had over $800 million in state surplus, which he believes should go back to the people in the form of either a tax rebate or tax cut." (emphasis added)[1]
Why didn't he give out the rebates himself? They don't talk about him giving the rebates, only wanting to give them out. We in California can tell of the spineless jellyfish we have for a governor. He said he would cut taxes, particularly the Car Tax (which he did), but now, with pressure from the legislature, he is bringing it back. Awnuld the Guvenator said he wanted to help, but, like Huckabee, it's what he does that really matters.
As for the conservative and family values, his leanings seem to be those of intolerance. Just take a look at some of his writings where he says that violence in schools comes from pornography and homosexuality. He says that women should stay home and dutifully serve the husband (from what I read, that is a Baptist teaching. Correct me if I'm wrong). In 1992, he proposed a quarantine of people with AIDS. What?!?!?! He has shown himself as a religious bigot, but now seeks to be a moderate. He appears to be an economic liberal and a hard-core social conservative. [2]
As for illegal immigration, wasn't it Huckabee that supported a bill which would allow illegals the same privileges as citizens and legal immigrants living in Arkansas when it came to education? That is NOT very good, and Huckabee needs to be brought to task on it. If you disagree, just read here.
And just to finish up, did you see his slip on Pakistan? Fox News
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2 comments:
Here's several things in addition to what you said:
- He has compared illegal aliens to slaves brought here in chains from Africa, saying, "I think frankly the Lord is giving us a second chance to do better than we did before."
- When an Arkansas legislator introduced a bill that would prevent illegal aliens from voting and receiving state benefits, Huckabee denounced the bill, saying it would rile up "those who are racist and bigots."
- He also made the insane point that companies like Toyota would not invest in Arkansas if the state didn't allow non-citizens to vote because it would "send the message that, essentially, 'If you don't look like us, talk like us and speak like us, we don't want you.'"
- Like all the (other) Democratic candidates for president, he supports a federal law to ban smoking.
- Huckabee has said he agrees with the Supreme Court's lunatic opinion that sodomy is a constitutional right.
- Opposes a Constitutional ban on Homosexual marriage.
Even if one agrees with him on any of these issues, he is certainly not a conservative.
I forgot a great quote from one of my favorite polemics, Ann Coulter:
"Huckabee is a 'compassionate conservative' only in the sense that calling him a conservative is being compassionate."
Another note:
In my opinion Huckabee reminds me a whole lot about Bush (except for the way he talks). Huckabee is conservative on the issues he should be liberal and liberal on the issues he should be conservative.
He's liberal on economic and border issues and conservative on social issues. However, he's just a plain idiot on foreign policy, rivaling only Biraq Hussein Osama.
But I s`pose that's the Republitarian inside of me speaking.
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