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 But, in the interim, he doubled the standard deduction and the child care credit, repealed capital gains taxes for home sales, lowered the capital gains rate, expanded the homestead exemption and set up tax-free savings accounts for medical care and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Most impressively, when he had to pass an income tax surcharge amid the drop in revenues after Sept. 11, 2001, he repealed it three years later when he didn't need it any longer.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 ...

[Miss Didi]

First Frank Luntz on Fox & Friends this morning...now Dick Morris. The gushing for Huckabee never ends.

[pookie18]

Kathryn Jean Lopez: Is Mike Huckabee really as bad as you say he is?

Pat Toomey: He’s every bit as bad, and you don’t have to just take our word for it. Jonah Goldberg, you and your fellow editors at National Review, Bob Novak, and John Fund — to name just a few conservative writers — agree that Mike Huckabee is no conservative. You can read the Club’s white paper on our website, but here is a quick summary of Huckabee’s worst hits. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the average Arkansas tax burden increased 47% over Huckabee’s tenure. Huckabee supported (in chronological order) a sales tax hike; gas and diesel fuel tax hikes; another sales tax hike; a cigarette tax hike; a nursing home bed tax; another sales tax hike; an income surcharge tax; a tobacco tax hike; taxes on Internet access; and higher beer taxes. Huckabee also oversaw a 50-percent increase in spending; happily signed a minimum wage increase and encouraged national Republicans to do the same; favors a national smoking ban, farm subsidies, and a federally mandated arts and music curriculum; opposes private school choice; and employs class-warfare and protectionist language on the campaign trail. Huckabee calls himself an economic conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan, but the above list doesn’t sound like either.

[ejonesie22]

Well considering you think Huck is a conservative, your opinion should be humble at best. So we can go from there on Thompson or anyone else.

BTW your sale ain’t working too good on a conservative site...

[redgirlinabluestate]

Not Everyone Hearts Huckabee
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/not-everyone-hearts-huckabee/

Huckabee Has to Answer These Criticisms
http://www.redstate.com/blogs/perico/2007/oct/22/huckabee_has_to_answer_these_criticisms

[longtermmemmory]

PAHLEZE,

Huckabee supports the PREBATE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM of the FairTax Scam. An entitlement program that truly dwarfs the SOcial Security Program and the Great Society COMBINED.

Huckabee wants to send FREE govenrment checks to EVERY PERSON regardless of citizenship EVERY MONTH.

If Huckabee is conservative then Giuliani is pro-life and opposes gun control.

Huckabee is just a vote splitting troll who is being used to power protect Giuliani.

[musicalee]

I live in Arkansas and some of the increeased taxes were needed. Our roads were horrible and getting worse. He put the mesure to a vote and the people voted for the tax. I dont have a problem with this. What I do have a problem with is his record on being soft on Illegals. I’m voting for Fred ny the way.

[NavyCanDo]

Just what part of his Critisizing Bush for his veto of SCHIP was Fiscal Conservative?

Just what part of his supporting instate tuition for the children of illeagal aliens Fiscal Conservative?

And then there is his nick-name, Tax-Hike Mike...thats Real Fiscal Conservative. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the average Arkansas tax burden increased 47% over Huckabee’s tenure. Huckabee supported (in chronological order) a sales tax hike; gas and diesel fuel tax hikes; another sales tax hike; a cigarette tax hike; a nursing home bed tax; another sales tax hike; an income surcharge tax; a tobacco tax hike; taxes on Internet access; and higher beer taxes. Huckabee also oversaw a 50-percent increase in spending; happily signed a minimum wage increase and encouraged national Republicans to do the same.

[JWinNC]

You know what is helping Huckabee and I’m dead serious...

it’s his NAME. People don’t want another Clinton in the White House and they don’t want another Bush in the White House. The name Huckabee, along with his mannerisms, appeals to the the many folks who just want what they see as a down-to-earth, ordinary Joe, simple guy with a little leadership and government experience.

jw

[Rockitz]

He raised the sales tax one cent in 11 years and did that only after the courts ordered him to do so.

Reference: See the Huckster's lie and the refutation on camera.

The Huckster BUSTED for Lying Once Again

[goldstategop]

Our Presidents have been governors with executive experience. There's only one on the Democrat side and two on the GOP side. Hillary Clinton has never run a state - she has never managed an executive branch. Both Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee have. That kind on hands on experience is important to voters. We don't want a President who needs on the job training. Of course, a governor can be a disaster too. For instance, Jimmy Carter. But there will be bad apples in America's presidential training school, our 50 state governors.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[2ndDivisionVet]

Mike Huckabee disses Americans, Mexicans, promotes illegal immigration: http://lonewacko.com/blog/archives/005609.html

Christians Need To Beware Of Mike Huckabee:
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2007/cbarchive_20071102.html

While Gov. of Arkansas, Huckabee was AGAINST proving citizenship in order to register to vote. He called those who were in favor of this “racists”...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050218/news_lz1e18perkins.html

Huckabee fought hard to kill an Arkansas bill which would have cut off social services for illegal aliens. Huckabee called the bill, “anti-Christian” and “un-American”...
http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2005/01/28/News/316347.html

Huckabee supported in-state tuition for illegal aliens...
http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2005/03/11/News/318458.html

Huckabee’s opposition to the illegal aliens bill:
http://www.diggersrealm.com/mt/archives/000718.html

[trisham]

I don’t know how anyone listening to him on tonight’s debate could be convinced he’s a conservative. He’s at best a liberal.

[ZULU]

How can he be a fiscal conservative when he supports money-sucking illegal aliens?

[unspun]

Do you think bumping this convincing article will do any good, for anybody at all in this forum?

[OB1kNOb]

[PhilCollins]

No one needed to write an article which states that Huckabee is a fiscal conservative. It’s a fact that every voter should have known for at least the past six months.

[Tramonto]

Its a fact that FReepers knew when he was in office.