Posted on 11/10/2007 9:32:34 PM PST by dano1
If Mike Huckabee is right, the millions of dollars that his rivals for the White House have poured into their campaigns have been wasted.
Buoyed by polls that show him in second place among Republicans in this state, the former Arkansas governor has turned aggressive on the stump, picking fights last week with his competitors and promising to hit the airwaves with the $1 million he raised online last month, after raising just over $2 million in the first nine months of the year. He has moved almost his entire Little Rock operation to Des Moines and is preparing to hire more staff here soon.
The onetime Baptist preacher is betting that his mix of down-home Southern charm, social conservatism and economic populism will deliver a surprise on Jan. 3, when Iowa's voters cast the first ballots of 2008. He is encouraged by a sense that he has finally become a threat -- and a target.
Last week, former senator Fred D. Thompson of Tennessee called Huckabee pro-life "but liberal on everything else." Iowa front-runner Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, recently accused him of supporting "special tuition breaks" for the children of illegal immigrants. And critics of his Arkansas tax policies released a Web video renewing their claims that he is a "serial tax hiker" and a liar about his record.
In response to the attacks, Huckabee flashes the toothy grin that helped him twice win the governorship of a state not all that different from Iowa. While admitting that he raised some taxes, Huckabee says he lowered 94 others and raised the gas tax for roads only after a public referendum showed strong support for the idea. He said Thompson's claims that ...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I just watched a Ron Paul YouTube that has pissed me off.
He mentions he was married for 50 years to one woman (which is a great thing) and says that means he doesn’t have the baggage of other candidates.
They show Giuliani, and that makes sense because he’s on the 3rd wife.
But then they showed Romney, with a headline about Polygamy.
If Ron Paul was honorable, he wouldn’t allow his campaign to do an ad that attacks a family man like himself married to one woman and never divorced.
Up til now I just thought Paul was a little off with the war. Now I realise he’s willing to lie and falsely attack the character of others just to get elected.
I’ll note Huckabee ALSO is has a single marriage.
Actually, Ron Paul has been very civil towards the other candidates (unlike them who snickered at him during the debates & the supporters of said candidates who routinely call Paul vile names). He praised Romney's religion here and believed that his pro-life conversion was genuine. He's just not the type of person who'll engage in personal attacks on the other candidates.
If you can find the video please post it - it was probably made independently from the campaign with his soundbites inserted in it.
Man is Huckabee ever getting played like a fiddle. I have never seen such a giddy but naive candidate before, not since the media was hyping up McCain in 2000.
From the Sept. 17 Values Voter Debate:
Dr. Scarborough: Good to see you this evening, Governor Huckabee. Who would have believed 30 years ago, while we were attending Southwestern Seminary, we would be in a setting like this tonight. Few value voters question your views on key social issues. But you have received much criticism from some in the conservative circles for doing too little to restrain the growth of government and for raising taxes in Arkansas while you were governor. How do you respond to this?
Huckabee: With the truth, Rick, with the truth. I cut taxes 94 times as governor. I actually signed a first-ever broad-based tax cut in the 160-year history of our state, and I did that going uphill against the wind because 90 percent of the legislature was Democrat when I became governor in 1996. As governor, I didn't have the joy, the pleasure, or frankly the dubious honor of what members of Congress can do and that is print money, or even just borrow money. We have to live within our budget. I think the federal government ought to do the same thing.
Of a budget that only had 9 percent margin after we paid for education, Medicaid and prisons, the three basic necessities of government, only 9 percent was left in the general revenue budget. I cut 11 percent during the recession. The fact is that people will look at our record – what they'll find is that not only did I cut taxes repeatedly as a governor, but I managed the state in such a way that after 10 and a half years of executive experience, more than any other person running for president, more than Rudy Giuliani had as mayor, the fact is we left that state with an $850 million dollar surplus, no deficit. And the spending we held was held within one-half of 1 percent per year for 10 and a half years, unless you factor in federal pass-throughs – and many of the criticisms have come from people who simply don't understand the nuances of a state budget. Let us go beyond that.
What I did do is one thing. That's a good indication of what I would do. But here's what I pledge. I would not only support but I would sell the Fair Tax. If we could have a tax that is flat, fair, finite and family-friendly, we could change the economy of this country. [applause] And for those who are pastors who would love to be able to speak freely and clearly without the IRS getting in their way and telling them what they can preach from their pulpits – do you know the simplest way to do it? Get rid of the IRS, get the Fair Tax and we'll change the economy in America. [applause]
Huckabee is offensive.
Wasn’t it Limbaugh who warned Republicans a long time ago about the dangers of being courted by the liberal media ? It’s like a drug to the uninitiated.
"Gov. Huckabee is a candidate that should appeal to fiscal conservatives. He has signed the Presidential Taxpayer Protection Pledge which binds the signer to "oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates"; he supports the FairTax, which would abolish the IRS and replace the Internal Revenue Code with a consumption tax; he believes in free trade (that is, fair trade) and claims that "globalization, done right, done fairly, can be the equivalent of a big pay raise by allowing us to buy things more cheaply.""
"Some of us were initially duped by the white paper on Huckabee that was released by the Club for Growth. Even though CFG is slightly outside of the mainstream on conservative fiscal policies (CFG is to fiscal conservatism what the Christian Coalition is to social conservatism), we respect the organization and appreciate their valuable work. Nevertheless, we were dismayed by their report that was at times misleading, if not outright dishonest."
"We acknowledge that the Club for Growth believes that state sales taxes should never be increased to pay for such entitlements as education, Medicare, highways, and economic development. We understand that this is the reason that they oppose Gov. Huckabee’s record. But we believe that most Americans—and most conservatives—are not minarchists. We do not think the fiscal conservative bona fides of a man who cut taxes and fees almost 100 times, saving the taxpayers almost $380 million, and left a surplus of nearly $850 million should be denigrated because he took such actions as implementing a 1/8-cent sales tax hike. Although we respect the CFC, we are dismayed at the disingenuous means that the group has used to smear the Governor’s character. "
Mikey, Mikey, Mikey... still shovelin’ it like your fellow dope from Hope.
Huckabee is GWB “lite” in a bad way.
His comment about illegals and those who opposed Amnesty had me seeing red to this day, I’m no racist, and for him to pop that garbage get’s my goat.
Yes, it was Limbaugh. You’d think the poster would buy a clue and stop trying to hoodwink FReepers who know better than to support Huckster.
Dano is just on auto-pilot. It’s just how he rolls.
>>>Somebody needs to ask Sen. Holt what welfare this bill would stop,” Huckabee said in a question-and-answer period with reporters on Thursday morning. Many aid programs are state-administered but federally funded and are mandated to be available to people in need, Huckabee said.
Even if benefits to people who are in the U.S illegally could be stopped, “I don’t understand how a practicing Christian can turn his back on a child from this or any other state,” Huckabee said.
Huckabee said he took exception to characterization of immigrants in the bill and by its supporters as exploiters of social programs. “They pay sales taxes on their groceries,” Huckabee said. “They pay fuel taxes. If they’re using a fake Social Security number, they’re paying Social Security taxes and will never receive any benefit. It would be closer to the truth to say they’re subsidizing Joe McCutchen and Jim Holt more than the other way around.
“Something that’s not worth sharing is not worth celebrating,” Huckabee said. “This is the kind of country that opens its doors. This bill expresses an un-American attitude.” <<<
Mike Huckabee can take his gabbly gook and stick it. The man seems wholly incapable of comprehending the duties of the state and differentiating them from the duties of a Christian.
The duties of a state are to its people—and to no one else. The duties of a Christian are to all of mankind.
I have to ask what the point of church charity is in all of this? I mean, the state is far more effective at extracting funds from the entire populace. Why not just let the state run a massive charity effort and supplant that of the church? *rolls eyes*
I cannot nor will not ever support a candidate who believes that those in this nation are illegally should in anyway be entitled to state-granted welfare. If he wants to fund that nonsense, let him fund it through his church. Our nation has laws, and if Huckabee doesn’t respect them, he in no way belongs in the executive branch of government.
Huckabee watch list ping.
MIKE HUCKABEE: Well, I think the failure of the government has been they haven't sealed the border. It's harder for me to get on an airplane in my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, than it is for an illegal to cross the border. That's what makes Americans mad.
They're not mad at immigrants. They understand immigrants want to come here for the same reason their ancestors did. But here's where the failure is: You can't allow people to break the law and then have no consequence.
My reasons for supporting the idea that, if a student had been in our schools, had performed academically and behaved, and had done everything that we asked of one of the students in our school to qualify for a scholarship, then it's in our best interest to let the student apply for the scholarship because they would -- part of the provision was they'd have to apply for citizenship.
But here's the other part. You don't punish the child for the parents having broken the law. We don't do that. We don't say, "OK, your parents broke a law, so we're going to punish you for it." I just don't understand why anybody would think that that's a good thing to do.
MARGARET WARNER: That's not a popular position among a lot of Republicans.
MIKE HUCKABEE: No, it isn't. It's not very popular at all, and I took a lot of heat for it, and still do. I still get criticized.
But I'm a person who believes in strong border security. I don't believe in amnesty. But neither do I believe in, again, doing something that is ultimately harmful to a person who didn't break the law. You know, a kid who comes here who's 3 years old, I don't think he had a whole lot of choice about saying, "Hey, Dad, let's break the law. Let's cross the border." He didn't even know where he was going. So let's not punish him.
Source: Huckabee Gives His Take on Conservatism, Faith and Iraq
PBS Newshour | October 5, 2007 | Huckabee interview with Margaret Warner
Are you quoting from somewhere, and if so do you have a link for these quotes? Thanks very much.
It has been reported that Mike Huckabee supported benefits for illegals immigrants while he was Governor of Arkansas.
Governor Huckabee never supported benefits for illegal immigrants. In Arkansas, illegal immigrants do not receive welfare benefits or food stamps. Governor Huckabee has always, and will always be supportive of the laws and regulations of the country.
It has also been said that Mike Huckabee was in favor of providing college scholarships for illegal immigrants while he was Governor.
The governor only supported the measure that applied to those who met the academic qualifications and applied for legal citizenship. The measure didn't pass. Governor Huckabee stressed that any student would simply be treated as any other graduate of an Arkansas High School, and not given any special consideration.
Critics say that Governor Huckabee's motives behind opening a Mexican consulate office in Little Rock was to court illegals to come work in Arkansas.
The Mexican consulate provided Arkansas businesses with access to Mexico and opportunities to expand their markets, and would help further ensure that immigrants from Mexico are legal and better able to secure legal documentation. At the same time, the office would open up opportunities for Mexican investors to invest money with Arkansas partners, which would help create more jobs in the state.
Source: Truth Squad: Immigration Facts, Huckabee website, November 02, 2007
Me too. I was seeing red when he was on Hannity’s talk show denying everything he stands for. What a creep.
I do not like Huckabee. I think he is a con artist.
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