Posted on 01/01/2009 4:14:12 PM PST by wastedpotential
"Do the Right Thing," Mike Huckabee. Sentinel: Penguin Group, $25.95
In the few weeks Mike Huckabee's book, "Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America," has been out, he has seen great success, already topping The New York Times' Best-Seller List. The start of a new year and a new president is a peak time for Huckabee's book. The reader sees the country's leadership from the inside lens of a man who reveals both interesting and surprising details of the people and the politics.
When Gov. Mike Huckabee entered the 2008 Republican presidential race, he was the dark horse in every sense of the word. How could a man relatively unknown out of the state of Arkansas, with little money, possibly think he had a chance against those with both name recognition and deep pockets? So-called experts were highly amused by this small-state governor from blue-collar roots, who played in a rock band and openly declared his Christianity. He had no staff but family and college students - and some middle-class folks who declared their loyalty to a man they saw with plain common sense and a whole lot of wisdom. On the other hand, there were the rich candidates with full staffs and writers. They included Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Fred Thompson.
If you thought Romney would make the ticket with GOP nominee John McCain, you will think again when you read "Do the Right Thing." For example, during the 2008 campaign, Romney tried to do a leveraged buyout of the Republican presidential nomination.
"That fellow raised more than $107 million that was reported on the Federal Election Commission forms, much of it from himself and his equally blessed friends, thus dwarfing my $16 million. And other candidates pulled in even more: Senator Hillary Clinton raised more than $229 million, and yet she didn't get the nomination, either because, incredibly, she was outspent by Barack Obama," Huckabee writes.
He continues, "Interestingly, Democrats and liberals used to get worked up over 'money in politics,' but of late, they don't complain so much ... In the most civil tone possible, I will assert that it's not good for America if well-funded candidates - and self-funded candidates - dominate our politics ..."
This is a well-written book, and it seems that Huckabee, who was the loser for the Republican nomination, comes out head and shoulders as a winner. His Saturday and Sunday television show at 8 p.m. on Fox News showcases celebrities and real people who are seeking common-sense leadership, he is in demand on the national speakers' forum and this book is extraordinarily presented in truth and with facts to back it up. It rates 5 stars
Huckabee takes on the greed of Wall Street and the lobbyists' K Street corruption. About Sen. Clinton's health-care program, he writes: "Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton didn't lay out a detailed plan as John Edwards did, but what we do know the Democrats stand for a type of socialized medicine that is managed by the federal government ..."
Huckabee shows his humorous side, just as he did in the Republican primaries and as he continues to show on his television program. One of the seminal moments he talks about was on the Fox News-sponsored debate at the Koger Center for the Arts on the campus of the University of South Carolina, when he was addressing the excessive monies of the federal government. "We've had a Congress that's spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop" he said. Not long after that remark, it was revealed that while in Iowa, John Edwards went for a haircut and paid $400 for it. It certainly provided fodder for the late-night TV talk-show circuit and was prior to Edwards' trampy hotel escapade.
The author addressed the war on Christmas and suggested that if the gays and lesbians are on the rampage to stop the Christian celebration, perhaps they should have a day of celebration for themselves. "I suggest April First," Huckabee quipped.
Every part of this book is important to the American people and, in fact, to the rest of the world, but Chapter 10, on "The Fairness and Force of the Fair Tax," is worth the price of the book and more. "The tax system in our nation is broken. Badly broken. Worse than that, it's beyond repair. ... The IRS doesn't understand its own tax code. ... If the Internal Revenue Service doesn't understand it, then how are you and I supposed to? Truth is, we can't and we don't, so we pay accountants and lawyers to help us prepare the tax returns. ..."
Huckabee gives detailed solutions to this enormous problem and, having read his answer, I feel certain the people who prepare the tax returns will want Huckabee's plan to go away. It will not as he is a man after the common sense things that made America great in the first place.
Back to the question in today's headline: Would Huckabee have made a good president? His future is anxiously awaiting your answer, and, in the meantime, he will continue his message, both in and out of the pulpit.
One sparkling truth is, "Do the Right Thing" gives hope to a hurting country, and reading it is a good way to begin your own new year.
Velma Daniels of Winter Haven is a book reviewer and News Chief columnist.
Better than Muhommed Obama??? Duh!!!
“Would Huckabee Have Been a Good President?”
Leagues better than the marxist thug taking office on 20 Jan.
Agreed. NO, capital letters. Absolutely NOT.
vaudine
Both of ‘em are losers.
Willard was just a smarmy flip-flopping big-government liberal who’ll say, (and do), anything to get a vote. The revelation that his people and some of their surrogates in the media and blogosphere were behind the savaging of Sarah Palin makes crystal clear that this man should never be anywhere near the pinnacle of power. He should be at best forgotten about.
The Huckster, on the other hand, is a creepy little Elmer Gantry wannabe who with an “Aww shucks” and “Shazzam!” Gomer Pyle manner mix that Ol’ Time Religion with Marx and Engels. When governor, Huckabee used the power of his office to derail an Arkansas State Police investigation looking into charging sonny-boy with the torture and killing os a dog. He’s a socialist, pure and simple. A boneheaded theocrat and a socialist.
NO, NO, NO. He sucked as a Governor, why on earth would he be a good President?
I agree!
Are Willard or Elmer conservative?
If you think Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dumber are in any sense, (other than talking-and talk is cheap...its actions that speak loudest), conservative, then I’d like to try a blast of whatever you’ve been drinking after I sell you some nice beachfront property in Oklahoma.
NO
Well, at bottom, it was true.
And the sooner we -- and GOP candidates -- stop using the MSM's bias as an excuse for our failures, the better off we'll be.
Conservatives must realize that the MSM is our enemy, defend against them and overcome (or ignore) their propaganda. If a conservative candidate can't do that, he's going to lose in the general (or, maybe, even in the primaries).
Would the Huckster be a good president, as compared to Obama? He would have been far better. Will the Huckster ever be president? Nope, not ever, but he has the fever, and no matter how much he hurts serious contenders, he will keep on trying.
NO!!
He is kind of a wishy-washy populist or kinda soft conservative, I don’t think he could make any hard
decisions.
No!!, He's a social conservative, but he's a big gov't nanny state person too.
No! He’s a politician.
Huckster was a terrible Governor. Destroyed the AR GOP. He would’ve been no different as President.
Actually, I believe that ANY of the other declared Repub candidates would have been more aggressive than McCain. And Sarah Palin would have at least matched them, although she had better sense than to try for the top spot so early in her career.
And I hope that we NEVER AGAIN nominate a sitting senator for President. The US Senate is a graveyard of principle and character like no other institution. My tagline tells you what I think they actually do for a living.
The Alaska Republican primary was closed and held on Super Tuesday. McCain came in dead last. Even Ron Paul beat him.
“Is McCain a conservative?”
Only to those Timothy Leary fans left over from the 60’s.
Regardless of how folks here feel about Huckabee (and I trash talked him pretty seriously), he still would have been a lot better than Obama.
Then again, I am beginning to think that HILLARY would have been better than Obama...
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