Posted on 06/02/2008 5:55:15 AM PDT by Globalist Goon
Huckleberry hates freedom
May 29th, 2008, 4:20 pm · posted by Steven Greenhut
Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee always set my teeth on edge, from his hokey folksy manner to his love of big government to his shameless use of his religion for political gain. But now I understand exactly why I found the Huckster to be so offensive (and it’s hard to stand out on that score given the overall quality of presidential candidates this year). Here, hat tip to AndrewSullivan.com, is a quotation from Huckleberry on Huffington Post regarding libertarianism:
“The greatest threat to classic Republicanism is not liberalism; it’s this new brand of libertarianism, which is social liberalism and economic conservatism, but it’s a heartless, callous, soulless type of economic conservatism because it says ‘look, we want to cut taxes and eliminate government. If it means that elderly people don’t get their Medicare drugs, so be it. If it means little kids go without education and healthcare, so be it.’ Well, that might be a quote pure economic conservative message, but it’s not an American message.”
So libertarians are unAmerican? Actually, the Huckster completely misstates what libertarianism is about. We don’t advocate kids going without education, but a free system — which will lead to kids getting a far better education than the one they get in the government schools Huckabee loves. We believe in freedom, not government coercion.
Huckabee makes clear what modern Republicanism is all about: paying for government, which explains his support for massive tax increases. The Huckster does make a good point when he explains:
“My experience in Arkansas was, a lot of the so-called conservatives said ‘Let’s cut the budget.’ But they wanted to add prison sentences, they wanted to eliminate parole, they wanted to have harsher sentences for various crimes. And I said ‘OK, that’s fine, but that’s going to be expensive. So which do you want?’ You can’t have both, or you do what the federal government has done, and this is where I think Republicans have been especially irresponsible. Their approach has been [to] just kick the can down the road and let your grandkids pay for it.”
Yes, Republicans such as George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger keep spending, but increase the debt rather than raise taxes. That’s a good point, but Huckleberry agrees with Democrats: increase spending AND increase taxes. It’s honest, any way, but the libertarian alternative — finding market solutions, reducing government, increasing individual responsibility — is far more fair and sustainable.
That is total BS. It is entirely possible to provide the needed services and reduce the size, scope and cost of Govt. Hucky here seems to have drank the Leftist kook aid. He certainly does not grasp that enslaving people to a substance level life subject to the whimsies of govt bureaucracies is NOT showing compassion for them.
It’s not just the Huckster Elmer Gantry whom has damaged Republicanism and conservatism for 2008. It’s his gullible minions and followers and the politically unprincipled and unaligned movements of the “Values Voters”, “Social-Conservatives”, the Evangelicals, and the Monomaniacal Single-Issue Anti-Abortion Party.
These folks were brought into the conservative movement 40 years ago with the naive and strained logic that conservatives and Religionists shared some kind of underlying motive related to liberty and freedom and the role of government.
Turns out (as Barry Goldwater then predicted), the Religionsists have virtually destroyed the GOP, and conservatism is next to go (if not already gone).
A book could be written about this, but it’s time for those who care to focus on this Elephant In The Living Room and to stop worrying about the ineffectual and artless RINOs. The damage they’ve done and can do is just a fraction of what’s been done by Social Conservatives, Values Voters, Evangelicals, and the Huckster Elmer Gantry supporters.
I think it’s time that true conservatives should start to consider moving to the Libertarian Party. It’s going to be easier to take over and eliminate the extremist positions of the Libertarian Party than eliminate the RINOs out of the Rep party. Let the Reps die on the vine and create a true conservative, libertarian party that can compete. We can’t do it this year, but it’s time to look at it for the mid-term elections.
Thats an over simplification of FREE republicans.. You know people not afrais to use the words Socialist or Communist..
Actually your term above is a way to say (BOHICA-A-SUALI).. Bent over here it comes again.. AND.. shut up and like it.. The issue is not just this Presidential election cycle, its the last maybe 4 or 5.. Republicans are being played for fools.. successfully.. Are you a FOOL?...
This guy is only just figuring out that Huckster ought to be kicked out so he can find his proper home amongst the ‘Rats?
First, the Religionists and not the RINOs are the real problem.
Second, the Religionists are the interlopers (e.g., Russell Kirk) within conservatism, and thus they should GO, not us.
If Sullivan and his bedwarming buddies thought Romney was going to be VP he'd be telling us some other piece of misrepresented BS about one of Romney's speeches.
Best bet for those who post "news" from Sullivan is to first report on Sullivan's motives, and not on the supposed content. Remember, Sullivan is "content free" - it's all about what his masters want him to say to serve their interests.
Religionists are not now nor were they ever a problem for the Republican party.
>>>>>Religionists are not now nor were they ever a problem for the Republican party.
Sounds like you’re confused about the role of religion in the conservative movement and the GOP.
There are plenty of older Republicans around who remember the 1960’s and before.
It doesn’t even require any research, just ask one!
And, yes, the Religionists are a huge problem for the GOP and conservatism. Barry Goldwater predicted their destrucitive influence more than 40 years ago.
The Huck clearly said “new brand of libertarianism”
...then he went on to say?
>>>>I agree with Huckabee to some extent. The Anti-Christians like you are a big problem.
Huckabee is a parasite.
No doubt you are unable to differentiate such things from standard grade Libertarianism. Neither is anyone else.
Yep, that sums up what comes out every time Tax Hike Mike flaps his gums.
Except for the 2A and Abortion, Huckabee sounds like a socialist. It makes me question whether his 2A and pro-life views are foundational views or just cover for his left wing positions.
From my perspective as a conservative Christian, DC corrupted the national Christian leadership, not the other way around. Our pulpits have largely been silent in response. And most Christians do not seem to have a proper understanding of the Biblical role of civil government, which is consistent with limited government, not with the federal leviathan.
I will admit, trying to understand what a Republican or Conservative is these days is damn near impossible. Talk about a dumbed down ideology....look at what has happened to the GOP.
Yeah, I remember all the calls for gay marriage in the 50’s. It was a paradise for social liberalism (your entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts).
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