Posted on 10/26/2007 8:37:20 AM PDT by pookie18
In some quarters, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee appears to be the flavor-of-the-month Republican candidate for president. Given his folksy charm, social conservative credentials, and embrace by the mainstream media, it is not surprising that some are increasingly enamored with him. But this flirtation does a great disservice to the conservative movement if it overlooks Huckabee’s stunning record of big-government liberalism.
During Huckabee’s tenure as governor, the average Arkansan’s tax burden increased 47 percent, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A dyed-in-blue tax hiker, Huckabee supported raising sales taxes, gas taxes, grocery taxes, even nursing home bed taxes. He virulently opposed a congressional moratorium on taxing Internet access, and sat on the sidelines while his Democratic legislature pushed the largest tax hike in Arkansas history into law. What’s more, on his watch, and frequently at his behest, state spending increased by 50 percent, more than double the rate of inflation, and the number of state government workers rose by 20 percent. Yes, as a presidential candidate, Huckabee has signed on as a supporter of the Fair Tax and pledged against raising taxes, but when a candidate’s long and clear record flies in the face of his election-year symbolism, you can chalk it up to politics every time.
Of course, there is little actual chance of Huckabee winning the presidency — at least not in 2008. Notwithstanding his improved polling in Iowa, Huckabee isn’t really running for president — not with a near empty campaign treasury. Rather, the second iteration of the Man from Hope is trying to parlay his social conservative credentials and aw-shucks congeniality into the vice-presidential nomination next year. Before conservatives jump on that train, however, they should consider the likelihood that the presence of such a big government backer on the ticket would hurt the party’s prospects more than it helps.
In 2006, Republicans suffered a severe lashing at the polls in retaliation for years of out-of-control spending and government expansion. In the final days before last year’s elections, the Club for Growth commissioned a poll among voters in the 15 most competitive congressional districts across the country. The results showed a remarkable and painful erosion of the Republicans’ fiscal branding among these key swing voters.
For example, we asked voters whether they agreed or disagreed with the following statement: “The Republicans used to be the party of economic growth, fiscal discipline, and limited government, but in recent years, too many Republicans in Washington have become just like the big spenders that they used to oppose.” Sixty-six percent of voters in these key districts agreed with the statement, including 72 percent of Independents.
In order to earn back the public’s trust on economic issues, not to mention offer a compelling contrast with a Hillary Clinton-led Democratic ticket, Republicans must present a consistent message. A big-government liberal like Mike Huckabee, who takes pleasure in attacking the Republican party as the “party of Wall Street,” will only reinforce the image of Republicans as “the big spenders that they used to oppose.” A Huckabee nomination, even as vice president, will make it impossible for the Republican party to reclaim its brand of fiscal conservatism and limited government, without which it cannot be a majority party again.
Huckabee makes no secret of his desire to turn the GOP leftward, calling himself a “different kind of Republican,” adopting protectionist positions, and peppering his campaign speeches with the kind of class warfare rhetoric one expects to hear from John Edwards. No doubt, this is the reason that the liberal media is so smitten with him.
Instead of talking about curtailing government spending, Huckabee refuses to endorse President Bush’s veto of a vastly expanded S-CHIP. He is an unabashed fan of No Child Left Behind and an opponent of private school choice. Huckabee is also quickly becoming the labor unions’ favorite Republican, recently gaining a union endorsement along with Hillary Clinton.
In frontrunners Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, and Mitt Romney, the GOP is well on its way to nominating a candidate for president with a strong fiscal record. Each of them would provide a great opportunity for the GOP to reestablish its vitally important brand as the party of pro-growth tax policy and smaller and more affordable government. But no Republican presidential candidate can effectively claim that mantle with Mike Huckabee standing by his side.
Beyond those currently running for president, the eventual nominee has any number of strong across-the-board conservative prospects for vice president to choose from within the GOP ranks. Surely, he can do so without assuming the tax-and-spend baggage Mike Huckabee would bring.
In 2006, Republicans paid a steep price for big-government conservatism’s record-setting domestic spending spree. That is a lesson we should take to heart as we consider the choices facing us in 2008.
— Pat Toomey is the president and CEO of the Club for Growth.
In some quarters, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee appears to be the flavor-of-the-month Republican candidateI can tell you exactly what "quarters": the MSM quarters.
They annointed McCain.
When that failed, they annointed Giuliani.
Now that that's failing, they want to annoint Huckabee.
It's all pretty transparent.
Huckabee is Susan Collins with a 5 o’clock shadow...
Huckabee makes no secret of his desire to turn the GOP leftward, calling himself a “different kind of Republican,” adopting protectionist positions, and peppering his campaign speeches with the kind of class warfare rhetoric one expects to hear from John Edwards. No doubt, this is the reason that the liberal media is so smitten with him.Why is he even in the Republican Party? He and L Ron Paul should join the Democrats, where they belong.
Thanks for continuing to post this.
How can a man who believes that humans can control the earth’s climate be considered sane enough to be the President of the USA?
Global warming is one of my top litmus tests to even be considered for my vote.
Basically, Huck is another GWB.
‘Huckabee is Susan Collins with a 5 o’clock shadow...’
Well, he’s not anywhere near as mealy mouthed as that idiot, but his record does resemble hers.
When he said he would support a federal smoking ban I figured he was no better than Bloomberg or most Democrats. Yet in the debate the other day he tried to sound like a conservative, and said we would suffer a loss of personal freedoms under a Clinton presidency?? Sounds like HRC is no worse than he is in many ways.
My thought also.
“In some quarters, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee appears to be the flavor-of-the-month Republican candidate
I can tell you exactly what “quarters”: the MSM quarters.
They annointed McCain.
When that failed, they annointed Giuliani.
Now that that’s failing, they want to annoint Huckabee.
It’s all pretty transparent.”
Concur, except rather than “transparent”, I call it blatant.
No Way would I vote for Huck....I am in all the way for RUDY!
The MSM is pushing the Huckster to bring Thompson’s and Romney’s numbers down for a Rudy win.
It only seems to be effecting Romney at this point , as Fred’s support is holding steady .
Huckabee is Susan Collins with a 5 o’clock shadow...
^^
LOL! So true!
You forgot the sarcasm tag.
I see nothing wrong with protecting your country through legislation.
And I don’t need the MSM to tell me who wins these stupid debates or who’s up in the polls.
It so simple. If every conservative would just go to each of these campaign websites, review their positions and then review their voting records on said positions we would be guaranteed a conservative candidate.
And this Huckapalooza would end
According to the latest polls, it’s Giuliani who’s suffered the biggest slide lately, going from 30% nationwide on oct 16, to 20% yesterday (rasmussen). I count 6% of that as former McCain voters who left McCain and then returned to him (since McCain did go from 8% to 14%). But the other 4% might have gone to Huckabee.
I don’t think the media has a well-planned game. They’ll just support any liberal in the Republican midst. And they have a tendency to jump on bandwagons and right now ManBearPig Huckabee is the hot bandwagon for aspiring young leftist journalists to jump on.
Fred's support has been dropping steadily. Especially since his post-announcement high. Read the polls. He's down below his pre-announcement highs already, having lost his entire announcement bounce and back down to where he was before he even started campaigning, participating in debates, and running ads, etc.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.