11 February 2008---Huckabee for President--The Long March Continues II.
By BelisariusVII Posted in Archived — Comments (11) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
I am watching the way this selection process is going, like everybody else. What I think is going to happen is nothing less than miraculous. On Saturday morning, the Rasmussen Poll, which normally releases composite results based upon a 4-day tracking process, used only the two days beginning Thursday and the day Mitt Romney suspended his campaign, to post a lead of 55%-24% by Senator McCain over Governor Mike Huckabee. On Sunday morning, Rasmussen revealed that the 3-day composite poll showed that the nationwide margin had changed to 49%-29%. And this morning the numbers had narrowed to 46%-34% McCain, using the entire 4 days of polling. In order for that to happen, the following two days would have to look like this:
Saturday:
McCain-37%
Huckabee39%
Sunday:
McCain-37%
Huckabee-49%
Similar surges are being indicated in the Survey USA, AP, and Newsweek polls, both nationwide, and in the Potomac primary, particularly in Virginia. There is no indication of how the numbers are changing, if at all, today, or how it will go tomorrow. But with a smaller percentage of early voters compared to some of the Super Tuesday states, particularly California, the turnout and the sentiment of that turnout on Primary Tuesday will tell us much of whether the calls will be louder for Mike Huckabee to withdraw, or whether it will be a day even more like Saturday, or the Tuesday before that. A day on which the American political environment becomes completely turned on its head.
In my belief that Governor Michael Huckabee will create that surprise, and will become the leader of a new restructuring of the Republican Party, and the conservative movement in particular. I show myself as either an utter fool, standing in the way of all the conventional political wisdom of all American political experts, of all persuasions, or, as the successful proponent of an extremely fortunate guess.
Based upon what I'm beginning to see, and considering the fact that at least 10% of voters no doubt have voted early, and that the endorsements of the party and its opinion leaders are overwhelmingly for McCain, mostly unwillingly, that McCain has a huge lead among delegates (although Louisiana and Washington may yet slightly alter that), and that the wealth of fundraising is totally on McCain's side, the odds are completely against me. And I am completely assured that I will have great reason to rejoice tomorrow at this time.
Mike Huckabee will eventually be able to describe the victory he will achieve in the words of Mohandas Gandhi, as he described his lead of India's victory over British rule with the following:
"First they ignore you. Then they disdain you. Then they mock you. Then they condemn you. Then they fight you.
.....Then you win."
Let's see the fun.
---The Old Alcalde---
Why I LIKE MIKE HUCKABEE
Supports Israel
Man of Faith
Stood By His Wife During Spinal Cancer
Will Appoint Conservative, Pro-Life Judges
Against Judges Legislating from the Bench
Supports Pro Life
Supports Marriage Amendment
Supports Vertical Politics vs Left Against Right
Will Secure America's Borders
Endorsed by Jim Gilchrist-Founder of Minutemen
Supports Building Border Fence
Opposes Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants
Wants to Provide a Path to Citizenship For Illegal Aliens
Supports the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Believes in Well Rounded Education
Set Up Tax-Free Savings Accounts For College Tuition
Took Arkansas Schools from below average to 8th in Nation-Quality Counts
Implemented Smart Start, Smart Step & Next Step In Schools
Significantly Raised School Test Scores
Believes in High Standards for Schools, Tough Tests, Strong Accountability
Promotes Financial Transparency
Promotes School and Teacher Accountability
Rewards Excellence in Teachers
Holds Parents and Students Accountable For Performance
Supports Homeschoolers
Author of 3 Inspirational Books - Co-authored 3 Books
Supports Fair Tax
Faced ALL His Duties as Governor-Including Carrying Out 16 Executions
HIS Constituents WANT HIM BACK
Wants Energy Independence
Wants Agricultural Independence
Wants Defense Independence
Wants to Put America to Work on Infrastructure
Welfare rolls Declined by Half
For Eminent Domain-Protection of Personal Property
Supports Castle Doctrine Law-A Man's Home is his Castle
Public Official of the Year 2005-Governings
One of Nations Best Governors-Time Magazine
Dist Public Health Legislator of the Year-Amer Public Health Assoc
AARP Impact Award-2006
Honoree-Government Technology Magazine
Leader of Leaders-Chairman of National Governors Assoc
Uninsured Children fell from 18% Down to 9%-Time Magazine
Wants to Promote Health Care vs Disease Care
Established Tax Free Savings Accounts For Medical Care
Has Personal Discipline to Loose 110 lbs and Trains to Run Marathons
Can Rise to Emergency Situations-Op K.A.R.E-75,000 Katrina Victims-WSJ
Good Financial Steward
AR Rds from "Worst Roads-1999" to "Most Improved-2004"- Overdrive Mag
Revenue Stabilization Law-Prevents Deficit Spending
Took $200 Million Dollar Deficit to $850 Million Dollar Surplus
REPEALED a Tax When No Longer Needed-Short Term Save After Sept 11th
Balanced His State's Budget 5 Times
During 10 Years as Gov, AR Taxes Rose ½ as Much as Other States Rose
Got Voter Approval For 1/8 Cent Tax Increase For Parks and Recreation
Friend of the Taxpayer-Americans for Tax Reform
Signed Presidential Taxpayer Pledge
Eliminated Capital Gains Tax for Sale of a Home
Lowered Capital Gains Rate
Expanded the Homestead Exemption
Indexed Income Tax to Inflation to Prevent Move to Higher Tax Brackets
Supports Making Bush Tax Cuts Permanent
Doubled the Child Care Credit
Doubled the Standard Deduction
Eliminated Marriage Penalty
Supports Limiting Earmarks
Wields a Tough Veto Pen
Helped Nursing Homes
Champions Families and Traditional Marriage
Reaffirmed Marriage Vows
Has Been Married to the Same Woman For 34 Years
Sold His Guitar Collection to Buy His Young Wife a Washer and Dryer
Nursed His Wife Himself
Helps His Wife Up Steps Instead of Running on Ahead-Pres Campaign
Against Racism
Against Centralized Power
Against Gun Control
Lifetime member of the NRA, member for over 15 years
First Governor to have concealed-carry permit
Removed restrictions on carry permit holders
Protected gun manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits
Opposes reauthorization of the Assault Weapon Ban
Opposes expansion of the unconstitutional "Brady Bill"
Opposes waiting period for purchase of firearms
Opposes background checks on private firearms transactions at gun shows
An avid hunter and conservationist, and a member of the Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation and BASS.
Won't Pull Our Troops Without Honorable End
Supports Veterans Bill of Rights
Supports Veterans Health Care
Supports Spelling Out Veterans Rights and Then Giving Them to Veterans
Supports Processing Veterans Claims Within 6 Months
Supports Fullest Accounting by Government Relative to POW/MIA Status
Supports Giving Same Rights to National Guard and Reserves
Supports Giving Vets Military Returement and VA Compensation
Endorsed by Calif Rep Duncan Hunter, Now a Senior Advisor-Huckabee Campaign
The Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act (1997 Act 984)
The Fetal Protection Act (1999 Act 1273)
The Physician Assisted Suicide Ban Act (1999 Act 394)
The Woman's Right to Know Act (2001 Act 353)
The Safe Haven Act (2001 Act 236)
The Choose Life Specialty Plate (2003 Act 344)
The Human Cloning Ban (2003 Act 607)
The Right to View Ultrasound Test (2003 Act 1189)
The Right to Receive Nutrition & Hydration (2003 Act 1322)(Terry Schivo Case:Endorsed by her brother)
The Parental Consent for Minor Abortion Act (2005 Act 537)
The Unborn Child Pain Awareness & Prevention Act (2005 Act 1696)
Unborn Victims of Violence Act
VOTE ONLY FOR MIKE HUCKABEE
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* Mitt Romney was Governor for 4 years, and wouldn't be re-elected.
* Fred Thompson was Senator for 6 years, who's career in politics ended when he didn't run for re-election.
* Hillary Clinton was wife, but has been a Senator for only 7 years now with no major accomplishments
* Barack Obama was raised abroad, became a State Senator for 4 years, has been in the U.S. Senate for 4 years, but hasn't voted in the last 2. He has the most liberal record, but nothing to his own name.
The two candidates who are "ready" are John McCain after his previous run, and incredible breadth of experience in the Senate where, like it or not, he was a leader; and Mike Huckabee who has Governed, been re-elected, achieved all the accomplishments listed above and many more.
Now, saying you want John McCain to be President, you could argue that he's "more" experienced to be President; but to say that Huckabee is not is ridiculous.
On every major issue, he has no record of thoughtful presentation of the issue and he has no program ideas that are either workable or his.
On life issues, he advocates for two constitutional amendments which have no chance in hell of doing anything but mobilizing the opposition and will result in having virtually any judge not offered up by Schumer/Kennedy voted down. He would set the prolife movement back 35 years.
On immigration, he's flipped his position 180 degrees and unlike Romney who had the dignity to at least change his positions BEFORE the campaign started, Huckabee flips his positions after it becomes obvious that he has either an untenable position or no position at all. He needs a new position so he goes web surfing and comes up with the CIS website and uses their position papers. He's never had so much as a conversation with Mark Kirkorian the Director of CIS.
Then there's foreign policy. He writes an article for Human Events and shows that he is absolutely ignorant on the subject. When challenged on the article he bails by noting that "staffers" wrote part or all of it. Then, when asked who his advisors are on foreign policy issues he tosses out two names, neither of whom have ever had a conversation with him.
Fiscal policy, taxes and economics. He signed on to FairTax to get a ready made organization. He has no history of supporting, or even commenting on, FairTax prior to aligning himself with their organization. With respect to his economic policies, I'll defer to Club for Growth and CATO. Their opinions have earned the right to respect from their work over many, many years.
Then there's his ethics. He seems to have borrowed Bill Clinton's book of ethics.
On the upside, he's the king of political one liners and an excellent stump speaker. Unfortunately, there's no substance whatsoever behind his rhetoric.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Otherwise I will have a post ready on Wednesday that I sure hope I don't have to publish.
What I meant was that I hope I don't have to comment on a newly competitive race. But if that comes to pass, I have a diary (in concept) ready to go.
I am often amused by people who use the phrase "Stand and Deliver" (as in "we must stand and deliver") without realizing it was a phrase used by highway robbers to mean "hand over the dough."
I bring this up as a way of gently encouraging you to Google the phrase "The Long March."
Drink Good Coffee. You can sleep when you're dead.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
First a picture of Che, and now a reference to the origins of the leadership of that nation north and west of North Korea.
It was chosen deliberately.
Remember, long before Mao's long pilgrimage of death, there was a long march by others: Washington at Valley Forge, and the Israelites in the Sinai before crossing into Canaan. Conservatives freely quote the words of John F. Kennedy ("Pay any price, bear any burden, support any friend, oppose any foe, to advance the cause of freedom in the world."), right along with Reagan's. I admire the principles of The Four Freedoms enunciated by Franklin D. Roosevelt, as any conservative would. I will freely choose the words of revolution, for it was rightfully ours long before Mao.
And I will end by quoting our honorable but needing-to-be-defeated foe Senator Obama: "Some say we should not raise false hopes. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."
So I say again, Mike Huckabee will lead we Americans to accomplish what Barack Obama cannot and must not, by doing what Obama will not, to accomplish what we all must fear not. An America that is economically revitalized, militarily rebuilt, morally restored, and spiritually renewed. And done in accordance with the precepts of the Constitution, just as all of us who call ourselves conservative believe.
---The Old Alcalde---
Belisarius of Jerusalem, and of Constantinople
Until then, it really is all speculation. Although I've heard throat clearing sounds from back stage, the fat lady hasn't sung yet - and it's not 100% certain when she'll step on to the stage or to whom she will sing. We have seen quite a few surprises already this season.
Let's try to approach this with at least a few drops of seriousness, shall we?
Huckabee has a reliable constituency that will probably stick with him as long as he is actively campaigning, and as long as his name is on the ballot. That constituency is somewhere beneath 50% of any *Primary* electorate. He will not be the Republican nominee, either for President or for Vice-President.
He has been a fair-to-middling Governor of Arkansas. He is able to articulate a social-conservative agenda in a way that comes across well on TV, even to people who are not themselves social-conservatives. I wish him a long and productive career in Republican politics, but he is not in any serious way ready to be President. And if he were to be nominated against Nurse Ratched or Obama in 2008, he would lead the GOP over the electoral cliffs-- 200 electoral votes, tops.
That's all.