Huckabee is a Fiscal Conservative

Real Clear Politics ^ | 11/29/2007 | Dick Morris

[dano1]

In Arkansas, the income tax when (Huckabee) took office was 1 percent for the poorest taxpayers and 7 percent for the richest, exactly where it stood when he left the statehouse 11 years later. But, in the interim, he doubled the standard deduction and the child care credit, repealed capital gains taxes for home sales, lowered the capital gains rate, expanded the homestead exemption and set up tax-free savings accounts for medical care and college tuition.

Most impressively, when he had to pass an income tax surcharge amid the drop in revenues after Sept. 11, 2001, he repealed it three years later when he didn't need it any longer.

He raised the sales tax one cent in 11 years and did that only after the courts ordered him to do so. (He also got voter approval for a one-eighth-of-one-cent hike for parks and recreation.)

He wants to repeal the income tax, abolish the IRS and institute a "fair tax" based on consumption, and opposes any tax increase for Social Security.

And he can win in Iowa.

When voters who have decided not to back Rudy Giuliani because of his social positions consider the contest between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, they will have no difficulty choosing between a real social conservative and an ersatz one.

Romney, who began as a pro-lifer and switched in order to win in Massachusetts, and then flipped back again, cannot compete with a lifelong pro-lifer, Huckabee.

But Huckabee's strength is not just his orthodoxy on gay marriage, abortion, gun control and the usual litany. It is his opening of the religious right to a host of new issues. He speaks firmly for the right to life, but then notes that our responsibility for children does not end with childbirth. His answer to ...

[dano1]

"Huckabee now leads Romney..."

Iowa: Huckabee 28% Romney 25%. Wow! No, I hadn't seen that. Thank you very much for pointing it out. I was also really surprised yesterday to see how well Huckabee is doing in Florida.

IMHO, if things keep up this way before long it will be time for Thompson to gather up his chips and say goodnight

[toomuchcoffee]

Dang! Huckabee has no choice but to balance the Arkansas budget, just as Clinton had no choice. It’s required in the state constution.

[codercpc]

I was actually impressed with him in the last debate, but he IS NOT my candidate. I am just amazed at the "surge" and wonder if it is sustainable.

Social Conservatives were desperate for a viable candidate, and as we can see, Fred disappointed them. I am not exactly sure why, but we will see how Huckabee does tonight with all of the other candidates having him in their sights.

[dano1]

re the video, please see below:

News Release: Huckabee Campaign Responds to YouTube Video from 2003

(Source: Huckabee Issues website)

November 14, 2007

 Little Rock, AR – Chip Saltsman, Huckabee for President Campaign Manager, issued the following statement in response to a YouTube video being circulated on the Internet. The video is from an anonymous source and contains excerpts taken out of context from a speech when then-Governor Mike Huckabee was opening a special legislative session in 2003.
 
“The governor called a special session. Several proposals had been made by legislators for raising the revenue to address a budget shortfall for necessary services. In the end, a state income tax surcharge was passed with the provision that it would be a temporary tax. Most temporary taxes become permanent. The governor made sure the legislature kept its promise to keep the tax temporary.
 
“More than 90% of the state budget pays for prisons, education, and Medicaid. None of those would have been funded without that budget. The governor acted responsibly to protect Arkansans who are the most vulnerable but the least connected politically.
 
“The fact is that Mike Huckabee cut taxes 94 times – including the first broad-based tax cut in the history of the state of Arkansas.  While governor, he balanced the budget and returned almost $400 million to Arkansas taxpayers, and left office with almost a $1 billion surplus. The ‘Huckabee Surplus’ enabled his successor to follow Huckabee’s lead to begin the elimination of the state sales tax on food.
 
“Despite what some Washington insiders who don’t understand the fundamentals of governing or leadership will have you believe, when you discern the facts, the reality is that Mike Huckabee is a true fiscal conservative.”
 
read more

[Kuksool]

Huckabee is very affable, but not Presidential material. He should run a mega-church instead.

[RockinRight]

IMHO, if things keep up this way before long it will be time for Thompson to gather up his chips and say goodnight

And with it, the only real conservative in the race would be gone.

But he won't and won't need to, so it's a moot point.

Maybe Mike can play some music at Fred's inauguration.

[11th Commandment]

To me, being a fiscal conservative is not enough. You have to be a fiscal constitutionist. Stop spending money on programs enumerated for the states.

Privatize Social Security

Make it illegal for federal "Funds" to be invested in Treasuries.

Turn Health care over to the States

End of Federal Welfare Program

Abolish the Department of Education (promote higher education via article 1 section 8 of the constitution.

[Fred]

The ‘fiscal conservative’, Huckster, is promising the PORK with farm subsidies, that is why he is going up in the polls. This is the big problem with these dinky early states primaries, these states will pick whoever will give them the most federal pork.

[DManA]

He HAD to do it. HAD no choice. His Martian overlords made him.

when he had to pass an income tax surcharge amid the drop in revenues

[toomuchcoffee]

“Still wishing the huckster wuld just go away.”

You must be an Arky. I feel that I’m in some sort of bad dream. If we close our eyes and wish hard enough, maybe we could make them dissapear.

[NeoCaveman]

And I am the King of Spain.

[RockinRight]

That sounds more like Fred Thompson than anyone else running (who isn’t crazy and has a realistic chance...)

[NeoCaveman]

But how is Huckster on toe-sucking ?

Well he sucks genrerally, if that's any clue...

[toomuchcoffee]

Oh geeze, and every half hour his skinney neck is poking up out of a Star Trek shirt, nagging incessantly about how we should all eat healthy foods in moderation and run marathons. He’s worse than a reformed drunk.

[tioga]

That YOU?

[toomuchcoffee]

And with it, the only real conservative in the race would “be gone.”

Balderdash! Duncan Hunter hasn’t left yet.

[ejonesie22]

Bonus check from the campaign?

[VirginiaConstitutionalist]

Riiiiiiiight. Other articles in this series.

Alan Keyes is pro-abortion
Duncan Hunter loves illegals
Mitt Romney is not a weird name
Ron Paul loves the Federal Reserve
Edwards is a brawny he-man
Kucinich is 6’11”
Hillary Clinton supports the police

[RockinRight]

The only real conservative in the race with more than a snowball's chance in hell of winning would be gone.

[RockinRight]

My favorites:

Mitt Romney is not a weird name
Edwards is a brawny he-man
Kucinich is 6’11”

ROFL