10 Points!
That there's some world-class weaseling. Bravo!
[Emphasis added]WALLACE: Let’s turn to immigration, because you put out a new immigration plan this week. You called for building...
HUCKABEE: Yes.
WALLACE: ... a border fence, for cracking down on employers, for telling illegals to go home.
But last year in an interview, you said something somewhat different. You said this, “I think that the rational approach is to find a way to give people a pathway to citizenship.”
Governor, in your new plan, the only path is to go home and to get on the back of the line, which, of course, would mean years of waiting. Why the change?
HUCKABEE: Well, I don’t think there’s an inconsistency. When I said a pathway, I didn’t say what the pathway was.
I now believe that the only thing the American people are going to accept — and, frankly, the only thing that really makes sense — is a pathway that sends people back to the starting point.
But this idea of the waiting years — no, I don’t agree with that. In fact, look, if we can get a credit card application done within hours, if we can get passports done within days, if we can transact business over the Internet any place in the world within seconds, do a background check instantaneously — it’s our government that has failed and is dysfunctional.
It shouldn’t take years to get a work permit to come here and pick lettuce. So part of the plan that I have is that we seal the borders. You don’t have amnesty and sanctuary cities. You do have a pathway that gets you back home.
But that pathway to get back here legally doesn’t take years. It would take days, maybe weeks, and then people could come back in the workforce.
Let me tell you why that’s important. Two reasons. Number one, the American people say, “Do something. Do it now. We don’t want to have this country ignoring the illegal problem.” I get it.
Secondly, I want people who are in this country to hold their heads up high. You know, right now there are a lot of people who really are here because they’re trying to feed their families. I don’t begrudge them that.
I say every day I thank God I’m in a country people are trying to break into, not break out of. But let’s give them a means by which they can get here through the door legally, and when they’re here they don’t have to hide, they don’t have to keep their heads down and hope nobody catches them, they have their heads held high.
Everyone living within the borders of the United States ought to do so with dignity and with a sense of pride, not a sense of fear.
10 Points!
That there's some world-class weaseling. Bravo!
The money quote: “I now believe that the only thing the American people are going to accept..is a pathway that sends people back to the starting point.”
He could not have been more clear if he’d come right out and said, “I’m only saying my position has changed to get elected.”
Talk is cheap, gov, and the best predictor of future actions is past actions.
Once again, Huckabee proves is out of touch with reality. If anyone here is under the illusion that getting a passport only takes days, go and apply for one!
sw
I was listening to Laura Ingraham talking with Center for Immigration Studies Mark Krikorian yesterday . Huckabee claims Krikorian devised his ‘immigration’ policy for him. Mark said he had been contacted by several people and wrote up a brief ‘what had to be done list’, by no means a complete policy that was published some time ago.
Huckabee simply took that article, added little to it and implied Mark and Huck worked out this new ‘policy’. Mark has never worked with or endorsed Huck. Never.
His supporters made it sound like CIS had worked with him on this and thereby endorsed him for Pres.
Krikorian says, [Well, at least he credited me with writing it]
Cool clips (Laura365)
NEW! Mark Kirkorian on the immigration issue.(pay to play)
This seems to be the article Krikorian was talking about that Huckabee hijacked.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2005/mskoped052305.html
Ten Points for a Successful Presidential Candidate
By Mark Krikorian
National Review
May 23, 2005
SEE ALSO:
Cato Institute’s Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors: 2006. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6724
Arkansas Mike Huckabee, Republican Legislature: Democratic Final-Term Grade: F Final Overall Grade: D
Thanks to a final term grade of F, Huckabee earns an overall grade of D for his entire governorship. Like many Republicans, his grades dropped the longer he stayed in office. In his first few years, he fought hard for a sweeping $70 million tax cut package that was the first broad-based tax cut in the state in more than 20 years. He even signed a bill to cut the state’s 6 percent capital gains tax—a significant progrowth accomplishment.
But nine days after being reelected in 2002, he proposed a sales tax increase to cover a budget deficit caused partly by large spending increases that he proposed and approved, including an expansion in Medicare eligibility that Huckabee made a centerpiece of his 1997 agenda. He agreed to a 3 percent income tax “surcharge” and a 25-cent cigarette tax increase. In response to a court order to increase spending on education, Huckabee proposed another sales tax increase. Huckabee wants to run for the GOP presidential nomination next year. He’s already been hailed as a viable big-government conservative candidate by some. That seems about right: Huckabee’s leadership has left taxpayers in Arkansas much worse off.
Apparently the good folks in Arkansas had a rough time of it with Mike Huckabee: Big Government Conservative.
Huckabee was in line with these governors:
Montana Brian Schweitzer (D)* 47 F Alabama Bob Riley (R) 47 F Washington Christine Gregoire (D)* 47 F Arkansas Mike Huckabee (R) 46 F Nevada Kenny Guinn (R) 46 F Delaware Ruth Ann Minner (D)* 44 F North Carolina Michael Easley (D)* 44 F Arizona Janet Napolitano (D) 43 F Louisiana Kathleen Blanco (D)* 43 F Ohio Bob Taft (R) 53 C Kentucky Ernie Fletcher (R) 53 C Maryland Robert Ehrlich (R) 53 C Vermont James Douglas (R) 53 C Michigan Jennifer Granholm (D) 53 C
http://ajacksonian.blogspot.com/2007/12/looking-at-republican-field.html
It is looking more and more like the Huckster must be asked to define the meaning of the words he uses!
So we need to ask the Huckster to define what he means when he says "amnesty"! And before he goes any further in the Primaries!
Just so he can never say:
"When I said a amnesty, I didn’t say what the amnesty was."