Rush Limbaugh: Huckabee is Not a Conservative

Well, the modern measuring-stick of conservatism has spoken. Rush Limbaugh stated today on his show that Huckabee is not a conservative.

From The Politico:

"Ladies and gentlemen, Gov. Huckabee, mighty fine man and is a great Christian, is not a conservative, he’s just not," Limbaugh said. "If you look at his record as governor, he’s got some conservative tendencies on things but he’s certainly not the most conservative of the candidates running on the Republican side."

What have I been saying for months?

I overheard bits and pieces of Rush's show today. I remember one caller, about 5 minutes before the show was over, who was a Huckabee supporter. The caller insisted Huckabee was conservative on all issues. Rush did a fair job of pointing out that Huckabee isn't, but could have done better.

Here's what I wish Rush had asked the caller:

Did Huckabee condemn legislation to deny driver's licenses to illegal aliens?

Did Huckabee support legislation to provide in-state tuition rates for illegal aliens?

Did Huckabee call efforts to deny such benefits "racist" and "bigoted?

Did Huckabee condemn immigration raids to identify and deport illegal aliens?

Did Huckabee engineer a sweetheart deal to bring a Mexican consulate to Little Rock--the same kind of consulate that issues "matricula consular" ID cards to illegal aliens in the U.S. which gives them the appearance of having entered the U.S. legally?

Did Huckabee say illegal immigration was not really a problem?

Did Huckabee beg the Arkansas legislature to raise taxes on anything?

Does Huckabee want to close Club Gitmo?

Does Huckabee want to make nice with countries that have stabbed us in the back?

Did Huckabee oppose vouchers?

How many conservatives does the NEA endorse, as they have endorsed Huckabee?

Did Huckabee work to release a convicted rapist who then raped and murdered at least one other woman?

Did Huckabee free another rapist and murderer who kidnaped a woman from an Air Force Base, raped, beat and ran over her?

Did Huckabee free a man who murdered a preacher?

Did Huckabee free a 4-time drunk driver?

Did Huckabee grant clemency to more convicted criminals than 5 other neighboring states COMBINED?

Does Huckabee buy into the man-made global warming fantasy?

Does Huckabee support socialized medicine and programs like SCHIP?

Does Huckabee slam business like a Democrat?

Can any of these positions be defined as "conservative?"

The answer to every one of these questions--except the last--is YES. These are NOT the positions of a conservative.

Huckabee has been called a "pro-life, pro-gun liberal" by some. I'm afraid that's about what he is.

As Judge John Jay said, Christians should prefer Christians when it comes time to vote. But implicit in that statement is that the professing Christian candidate should have a worldview consistent with the Bible, not feel-good liberal dogma.

I'm not stupid enough to support a candidate just because he says he's a Christian (Jimmy Carter made the same claim, and look what a disaster that was).

Especially when there is another Christian candidate who is conservative across the board: Duncan Hunter. Hunter isn't as up-front about his Christianity as Huckabee, but I have heard his Christian testimony and he consistently votes in favor of religious rights issues in Congress.

Why support a pro-life, pro-gun liberal when you could support a consistent conservative like Duncan Hunter?