Replies

Where is the link on kids and roads statement?

Before I get into the responses, let me give you some background. I like the guy. I like him because I believe he is able to connect with common people better than most Republican politicians and he espouses conservative values - especially social conservatism. I also think that he gets the fact that the loss of morals in our country is directly related to our financial and foreign policy problems we face today. He is a strong supporter of the 2nd ammendment. Here is an article where the KS governor at the time adopted his Tax Me More Fund idea, and he is roundly praised by Americans for Tax Reform which lists all the reasons they liked him at the time:
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/1/22/182422.shtml

I also LOVE the idea of no longer taxing productivity and taxing consumption under the Fair Tax. I am not sure why the Republicans don’t embrace that idea as well. It would bring investment back to our markets and busineses from all over the world as all tax burdens are done away with.

As for being a true “conservative,” he is not completely PURE. However, he was the only Republican candidate from 2008 of any import to oppose NAFTA. Palin was even silent on that since Juan decided to vote for it. He endorsed true conservatives for Senate seats long ago http://www.redstate.com/mikehuckabee/2010/04/29/why-i-endorsed-marco-rubio-chuck-devore-and-marlin-stutzman/ including DeVore in California, who Palin did not endorse out of “political shrewdness.” I also like the aw-shucks routine as you call it, and find it better than Palin’s “you betcha” superficial responses to tough questions on most matters.

His tax record is often misquoted by the Club for Growth crowd. The truth is, he cut taxes by $70 million in 1997, eliminated capital gains taxes on home sales and double tax deductibles for children and the like. He agreed to raise taxes in 2001, but then repealed the tax hike in 2004 once the need for the tax hike was gone. Did you read the Tax Me More Fund story? Is that a guy who is a “Christian socialist?”

All in all, he had 94 tax cuts while governor, 21 increases. Some of both of these were his idea, some of both were forced on him by the legislature, courts or voters. The 2 large tax increases the guy is criticized most for were passed by voters or forced by the courts. It is very misleading to say he is a “socialist RINO” or “pro-life liberal.” It just isn’t true. He is not a libertarian, but he is not as compassionate a conservative, or a “nanny-stater” on spending as Bush and the Republican congress was.

I disagree with the illegal kid education thing. His position was we should not punish the kids for the sins of the adults. He is a bleeding heart when it comes to kids health, education and other programs and that is what got him in trouble with spending initiatives. This helps win votes with soccer moms, but draws the ire of Club for Growth types. I feel the feds have no role in this at all, but state and local governments do. If the citizens don’t want to pay for initiatives for kids, then vote for guys who won’t. Here in OH, my property taxes have gone up by 60% in 5 years due to VOTER passed education tax levys. Huckabee has stated he believes these are state issues, not federal, as well.
However, his position on illegal immigration is that we should send all illegals home, make them come over legally and build a fence. But I am sure you don’t believe that based on his bleeding heart for the kids, not sure I blame you either. Here is a link to an interview with rightwingnews that explains many of his thoughts on immigration, taxation and the like: http://www.rightwingnews.com/interviews/huckabee.php

He commuted the sentence of a criminal who killed someone else, he has to live with that decision the rest of his life. No defending that.

Will provide you with more, if you want to know anymore.