Posted on 11/16/2007 6:42:18 PM PST by dano1
The Democratic debate was great entertainment, but the political news of the week comes the Republican race.
Two news polls from Iowa have former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee rapidly gaining on the longtime front-runner in that state's caucus contest, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
Romney's poured millions into the state. But In the new American Research Group survey of likely Republican caucus-goers, he leads Huckabee by a meer 26-24 margin. A new The Research 2000 poll has Romney ahead by more -- 27-18 -- but Huckabee is again in second.
Huckabee's stills short on funds. And he's despised by the establishment -- the economic royalists at the Club for Growth are running an attack campaign against him while the National Right to Life Committee just endorsed former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, despite the fact that Huckabee's a far more consistent social conservative.
So why is Huckabee rising?
In tenuous economic times -- characterized by foreclosures, high gas prices and fears of recession -- the Arkansan is campaigning as a populist who criticizes corporations, talks about the need to change our trade policies and promises to tip the balance away from Wall Street and toward Main Street.
Huckabee's actually secured the endorsement of the Machinists union with that kind of talk. But the real breakthrough is with working-class socially conservative Republicans in Iowa. He's giving them an alternative to Tom Frank's "What's the Matter With Kansas?" scenario -- in which low- and middle-income Americans vote against their class interests in order to advance their "moral values."
No, Huckabee is not a perfect player -- his populism has serious limits, as does his approach to foreign policy, and his stances on abortion rights and gay rights are throwbacks. But Huckabee might just be the perfect foil to the corporate slickness of Mitt Romney. And that makes him the most fascinating figure on the campaign trail this week.
Dano1, I must give you credit sir, you are the cacaus of 1 for Mike Huckabee.
Shakey on illegals, AFAIK, he was splitting the baby with “It’s not a Covenant Marriage” vis a vis men marrying men, and he favors a National Healthcare plan.
Sheesh. Now even the Communist Nation is backing Huckabee. You can’t get any redder than that.
The conservative Christians I know want the government to keep its hand out of their pockets, so that they are fully free to show Christian charity according to the dictates of their conscience.
They don't think it's the business of government to extort money from them to spend according to Congress's and the president's idea of Christian charity.
This might sell in Arkansas. But it'll have a limited run in most Republican enclaves.
The only people I know who are excited about Christian socialism are--socialists.
"Unlike in junior high, it's often a good sign in presidential politics when people say nasty things about you. It means you are threatening. It means others fear you. It means you might just win something."
quoted from Salon | November 9, 2007 | Michael Scherer
You get your news from Salon and the Nation?...lol
He opposed corporations while making deals with cheap labor employers and our not-so-nice neighbor to the south - Mexico. We don’t need another President who is going to play hen-pecked-husband to Mexico. Bush is throwing American citizens such as Ramos and Compean to the lions, just to appease Mexico. If you do not put Mexico in the top ten list of national threats, then you have not payed enough attention to the massive invasion that has happened during the past twenty years due to the collusion of our political leaders and corrupt business interests.
I think Huckabee has an appeal to Iowans because he is also a mid-westerner.
"Huckabee is the guy who matches up best with Iowa Republicans, Grassley said. "It's demeanor, background, personal beliefs, friendliness, stuff like that. How he conducts himself, things of that nature. I'm talking about who fits in with the average Iowan, who are they going to feel comfortable with."
MIKE HUCKABEE: Well, I think the failure of the government has been they haven't sealed the border. It's harder for me to get on an airplane in my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, than it is for an illegal to cross the border. That's what makes Americans mad.
They're not mad at immigrants. They understand immigrants want to come here for the same reason their ancestors did. But here's where the failure is: You can't allow people to break the law and then have no consequence.
My reasons for supporting the idea that, if a student had been in our schools, had performed academically and behaved, and had done everything that we asked of one of the students in our school to qualify for a scholarship, then it's in our best interest to let the student apply for the scholarship because they would -- part of the provision was they'd have to apply for citizenship.
But here's the other part. You don't punish the child for the parents having broken the law. We don't do that. We don't say, "OK, your parents broke a law, so we're going to punish you for it." I just don't understand why anybody would think that that's a good thing to do.
MARGARET WARNER: That's not a popular position among a lot of Republicans.
MIKE HUCKABEE: No, it isn't. It's not very popular at all, and I took a lot of heat for it, and still do. I still get criticized.
But I'm a person who believes in strong border security. I don't believe in amnesty. But neither do I believe in, again, doing something that is ultimately harmful to a person who didn't break the law. You know, a kid who comes here who's 3 years old, I don't think he had a whole lot of choice about saying, "Hey, Dad, let's break the law. Let's cross the border." He didn't even know where he was going. So let's not punish him.
Source: Huckabee Gives His Take on Conservatism, Faith and Iraq
PBS Newshour | October 5, 2007 | Huckabee interview with Margaret Warner
Huckabee is a nice guy. A pro-life, pro-gun, Democrat that happens to be a tad left of Zell Miller.
“The conservative Christians I know want the government to keep its hand out of their pockets, so that they are fully free to show Christian charity according to the dictates of their conscience. “
All we can do is to allow the free Christian people of America to openly talk among themselves during this primary.
We must let them decide religious questions with out us trying to bash them, or squelch their freedom to discuss the religious questions of all the candidates.
The Christian people have much to think about in regards to this election season.
Personally, I think that with information and open discussion, that they will see through Huckabees efforts to capitalize on their naivety.
That is just Huckabee talking out of both sides of his mouth and he is very good at it. The only thing I might agree with him is in the case of people who came here with their parents when they were children and are now adults. They could be given some consideration, since it is not their fault and they are so acclimated to this country that they know no other. However, if the children have not been here for many years, they should go back to their home country.
As far as giving a break to people who came as children and are now adults, I think we still have to be very careful because there would be lots of fraud, so I think that it would be necessary to find their records such as census and school records. Just accepting documents will not work because they can buy those in the fake documents market. Everything would have to be checked with original sources such as schools and city halls.
No. Let's reward him, right Mike?
And let the word spread to Mexico that Mike Huckabee wants to force the taxpayers in his state to flop open their wallets for illegal aliens and their children. Like the saying goes, "If you want MORE of something, subsidize it."
Get out of here, Mike. You're toast.
Personally I don't believe any Christian conservatives who truly want to give freely to charity....... would have their panties in twist about their tax dollars going to help the poor etc.
Especially considering our taxes pay for MANY less virtuous causes.
I really think this is a phony argument.
MIKE HUCKABEE: This week?
Huckabee promotes 'open door' policy at LULAC convention
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005
By Wesley Brown
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK - In a impassioned speech before hundreds of influential Hispanic civil rights leaders from across the nation, Gov. Mike Huckabee told a captive audience Wednesday that America is great because it has always opened it doors up to people seeking a better way of life.
"I would hope that no matter who we are, or where we are from, that America should always be a place that opens its arms, opens it heart, opens its spirit to people who come because they want the best for their families ...," Huckabee said as the largely Hispanic audience gave him a standing ovation.
Huckabee was the keynote speaker, along with Tyson Foods Inc. Chairman and CEO John Tyson, at a noon luncheon of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which is holding its 76th annual convention in Little Rock.
About 10,000 political, community and business leaders, along with exhibitors and speakers are in Little Rock attending the convention at the Statehouse Convention Center. The convention started Monday and runs through Saturday.
Although he never actually talked about the U.S. or Arkansas immigration policy, Huckabee made it very clear where he stood on the issue. In his opening remarks, he said the nation will need to address the concerns of the Hispanic community because of its growing influence and population base.
He told the LULAC delegates that their presence in the state's capital city was very important because Arkansas has one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations in the nation. "Your gathering is so very significant for our state," Huckabee said. "We are delighted to have you."
Despite several light moments, Huckabee did not stray away from several controversial issues that made him a target of criticism during the recently ended 85th General Assembly. He said Arkansas needs to make the transition from a traditional Southern state to one that recognizes and cherishes diversity "in culture, in language and in population."
"This is an issue that is going to require extraordinary efforts on both sides of the border, particularly those coming from Mexico," Huckabee said of verifying the status of illegal aliens. "But I am confident that our government will recognize that we should accommodate people who wish to provide the best opportunities for their families (and) employers so that we can make sure our economy has the necessary work force."
During the legislation session, Huckabee criticized an immigration bill by Republican senators Jim Holt of Springdale and Denny Altes of Fort Smith as un-Christian, un-American, irresponsible and anti-life. Senate Bill 206, which died in the Senate, would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote and also force state agencies to report suspected cases of people living in the country illegally. Holt, R-Springdale, replied later to Huckabee's comments that Christian charity does not include turning a blind eye to lawbreaking.
“Personally I don’t believe any Christian conservatives who truly want to give freely to charity....... would have their panties in twist about their tax dollars going to help the poor etc.
Especially considering our taxes pay for MANY less virtuous causes. “
You are on a site that is full of Christian conservatives, we don’t agree with you, but the truth is, that wasn’t what you saying anyway.
You are just playing the liberal game of pretending that govt. power is the same as “Christian charity”.
Why do you even hang out with conservatives with beliefs like you have?
This is a damning article about Huckabee, you should try reading it through conservative eyes.
In this case Jorge, it’s not the tax money per se, it’s the idea that businesses are getting subsidized healthcare for the workers and the entire community is footing the bill in the form of higher taxes and crowded schools.
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