Huckabee: 'Pro-Life, Pro-Gun Liberal'

The Washington Times has an article today on the growing awareness--and discontent--over Mike Huckabee's liberal record.

"We called him a pro-life, pro-gun liberal, when I was in the state legislature and he was governor," said Randy Minton, chairman of the Arkansas chapter of Phyllis Schlafly's national Eagle Forum.

Mr. Minton voices the concerns of many conservatives that while Mr. Huckabee governed as a social conservative in opposing abortion and same-sex "marriage," he was a treacherous liberal on taxes, social welfare spending and illegal immigration.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement from a conservative organization.

More on Huckabee's liberal bent on immigration:

"Rudy Giuliani spent years defending the right of New York City to remain asanctuary for illegal aliens. Yet Giuliani was a veritable Lou Dobbs Jr. on illegal immigration in comparison to Mike Huckabee," said Jim Boulet Jr., executive director of English First, a Springfield, Va., lobbying group. Mr. Dobbs is a CNN commentator who pursues a tough line against amnesty for illegal
aliens.

"Huckabee's principles regarding illegal immigration seem to vary depending upon his physical location," Mr. Boulet said. "When in Iowa, presidential candidate Huckabee talks tough on border security. But for years in Arkansas, Governor Huckabee talked even tougher when anyone dared complain about the costs of illegal immigration."

I sympathize with those on the Right who fear the unspeakable damage that a second Clinton administration could do to this country.

But while Huckabee is more palatable than Giuliani because Huckabee is at least pro-life and pro-marriage, why settle for half of a conservative? We don't need to settle for this.

There is still time before the primaries for conservatives to get behind a TRUE conservative. Why do conservatives continue to shoot themselves in the foot? Why do conservatives continue to stand in fear of and be intimidated by the "mainstream" media and other elites? Why do conservatives continue to settle for a pale imitation of what this country needs?

I'm beginning to wonder if conservatives have some kind of "Battered Voter Syndrome" where they seem to think they can't do any better than the candidate who panders to them when he wants something, and then "steps out" on them once he's got it. Many conservatives seem so desperate for affection and the illusion of security that they'll ignore a suitor's past behavior as long as he'll pretend he loves them.

We don't need to settle for a liberal on immigration, taxes, big government and the welfare state, just so we can get a pro-life pro-marriage candidate. Not when there are excellent, across-the-board conservative candidates like Rep. Tom Tancredo and Rep. Duncan Hunter.

Conservatives need to stop wallowing in victimhood and start acting like they want to see their values carried out in government. If we think we can't do better than a pseudo-conservative, guess what: we WON'T do better than a pseudo-conservative. We've had plenty of those; we don't need another one.