When I was in the voting booth last night, I was tempted for several seconds to vote for Mike Huckabee as a protest vote against John McCain--even though I know the matter is settled.
The length of my vacillation came mainly because they're both left-of-center and I find them both extremely distasteful as a Republican nominee. I was tempted to make a protest-vote for Huckabee anyway, since at least he doesn't bear contempt for Christian voters (neither Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo or Fred Thompson were on the ballot), but in the end I voted for McCain, since voting for Huckabee wouldn't really accomplish anything and I could at least "support my party's nominee" this way.
Now, after seeing this Huckabee quote posted by Tommy Oliver at Race 4 2008, I'm glad I didn't vote for Huckabee.
“The greatest threat to classic Republicanism is not liberalism; it’s this new brand of libertarianism, which is social liberalism and economic conservatism, but it’s a heartless, callous, soulless type of economic conservatism because it says “look, we want to cut taxes and eliminate government. If it means that elderly people don’t get their Medicare drugs, so be it. If it means little kids go without education and healthcare, so be it.” Well, that might be a quote pure economic conservative message, but it’s not an American message.” -Governor Mike Huckabee, May 26, 2008
Not an American message? It is THE historic and central American message!
Nobody is saying let old people die and let kids suffer without education and healthcare. We're talking about the proper and constitutional role of government, here!
As I said countless times before last fall and this spring, Huckabee is a pro-life liberal. In addition to a profound misunderstanding of the nature of evil, he profoundly misunderstands human nature and the free market system.
Is Mike Huckabee that ignorant of history that he doesn't even realize that charity was handled completely by the private sector before FDR's New Deal?
Doesn't he realize that churches and private charity used to handle all handouts and hand-ups in this country? Huckabee is a former pastor; he ought to know this, in addition to the Biblical examples of private charity, without a single one to government wealth redistribution.
Doesn't Mike Huckabee realize that there is zero constitutional authority for programs which spend taxpayer money for the benefit of the "needy?" An American president should know that our Constitution creates a government of enumerated powers; in other words, if it isn't spelled out and listed, the government has no authority to do it.
Is Mike Huckabee ignorant of what so many great statesmen of America once knew:
- Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated. - Thomas Jefferson
- With respect to the two words 'general welfare,' I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators. – James Madison
- I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents. – James Madison
- Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government. – James Madison
- We have the right, as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right so to appropriate a dollar of the public money. — Congressman Davy Crockett
I hope Huckabee doesn't plan on coming back for another run in 2012. There are enough liberals who run for president in the Democrat Party; we don't need more liberals running under the Republican ticket.
5 comments:
Huckabee made goverment work very well in Arkansas. Taking education from 49th to a reported 8th when he left. The DMV, road systems, computer systems, and state parks were also made to work fantasticaly. He is pragmatic and not an idealouge.
Understand that Huckabee is for lower taxes and that when he talked when talking about libertarianism as a threat, he was talking about how it would not protect the family from same-sex marriage, defend the right to life, etc. Just because Huckabee sees it as a threat does not mean that he disagrees with all of libertarian thought. Some of Huckabee's closest friends have libertarian leanings.
Romney and Huckabee will be back in 2012...that is for sure.
Right now there is a lack of good conservatives making the case for good goverment. I hope they come and lead this country, in the meantime, men like Huckabee serve us well as they make the goverment we do have work efficiently. While there are many RINO Republicans to boot out, Huckabee is an ally to limited goverment despite how some of his comments are taken.
Get to know the guy...you'll be impressed.
I did extensive research last year and got to know the guy. I was disappointed and in some cases disgusted.
Let me guess, your a ron paulite
Just look at the facts. Huckabee has extremely high ratings in Arkansas after his 10 years as governor. He isn't a socialist, but he cares for people. The fact is that it costs less to help people get on their feet than it does to put them in prison.
I have looked at the facts, Shanti, and his popularity ratings are irrelevant.
Based on the policies he advocates, he's a socialist, pure and simple. It doesn't matter if 100% of the people love him, he's still advocating socialist policies. You can care about people without being a socialist; it's called giving of your own time and money, not having the government forcibly redistribute wealth.
And lawbreakers must be punished first, to provide a deterrent and mainly to administer JUSTICE. Then, once they've paid their debt to society, their fellow citizens can help them learn how to live right and get back on their feet.
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