A Big, Hairy Huckabee Question
Has Huckabee Lost His Conservative Card?
By Hunter Baker Posted in 2008 | huckabee | Small Government | taxes — Comments (77) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
I tend to like Mike Huckabee. I admit that I appreciate him mostly because he's a pro-lifer who doesn't sound like an idiot when talking about his faith.
There are lots of knocks on Huckabee. The big one is that he's not an economic conservative and that his record in Arkansas proves that. Here's my question:
Did Mike Huckabee do anything in Arkansas other than make some marginal tax increases in order to fund a state government that is still probably much-underfunded per capita relative to other states? Are we suggesting there is never a time a conservative, free-market politician would do such a thing?
Let's deal with only that question. I'd love to hear what you have to say.
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A Big, Hairy Huckabee Question 77 Comments (0 topical, 77 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
If you were to say that Arkansas is underfunded, you might be right. But you'd also have to consider why they are underfunded. I think that's because Arkansas isn't exactly the wealthiest state in the union. It's like squeazing blood from a turnip. Sure you might need more funds, but instead of raising taxes, why don't you cut spending in some areas?
Huckabee's problem is that he was all-too-willing to raise taxes without curbing spending or exploring other options. It just goes to show that he is severely lacking in intelligent ideas for solving the tax/revenue/spending problems in a state. Instead of managing the state well enough to avoid large tax increases (net of over $500 million), he used the default Democratic option: if you need revenue, raise taxes.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
Curb spending?? Specificly, exactly, what spending in AR are you talking about?
Tell me where exactly this can happen to effect the amount of money that Huckabee needed to do the things that desperately needed to be done.
Jim Tomasik
.... maybe the spending that went to scholarships for illegal immigrants?
There are ways to cut waste in every state, even Arkansas. Even temporary measures can be taken to avoid raising taxes. The problem with Huckabee is that he didn't even seem to try any other alternatives to raising taxes. He raised taxes and he raised spending. Those aren't the marks of fiscal conservative or a Republican for that matter.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
On the Illegal alien scholorship thing... How much money was spent. As far as I understand it never even actaully happened.
Generalities is not what I asked for. I want specifics.
Jim Tomasik
I apologize. I don't have the Arkansas budget for every year that Huckabee was in office right in front of me. If you could provide a link, I'd be happy to review them.
However, I'm just wondering how Massachussetts was able to balance their budget 4 years straight without raising taxes under Mitt Romney (facing nearly a billion dollar deficit as I recall). I wonder how Bob Riley has been able to stand up to the spending-crazed, tax-hike Democrats that have run the state of Alabama for so long.
Then I look at Mike Huckabee and Arkansas. Instead of managing the state's affairs responsibly in such a way that would keep taxes low and still direct funds to where they were needed, he begged for tax increases. As I said earlier, he defaulted to the Democratic option: when all else fails, raise taxes.
But for your reading pleasure, I found an article from an Arkansas website concerning his tax policies over his 10 year tenure.
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
. . . with this. When a department store wants to raise more money they put things on sale. Though the prices are lower, people who otherwise might not buy anything do. The department store does not necessarily raise its prices. Of course prices do go up with inflation, but the point is a tax cut is motivation for people to spend more money with the state (by perhaps moving a business there that otherwise would have been placed in another state); whereas a price hike tends to cause people to "spend" their money elsewhere.
R. Michael Woodard
Excellent point!
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill
Look, if a Republican has increased taxes, or signed a tax without objection, then he loses my vote. I will not be voting for this guy.
From the best I can tell, and this may be wrong, nothing.
three plus times the rate of inflation over his ten years in office.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
I do think that his immigration stances ARE a real issue.
And while he's #5 (of 5) on my list for the primary, I will not have any kind of problem voting for him in the general.
I do think there is another set of vulnerabilities here for Huckabee:
1) The parole case
2) The fair tax embrace (even Boortz says that Fair Tax is easy to demagogue)
3) the Baptist preacher label
I'm not against either 2 or 3, ubt I think they can be used against him in a general election.
Although I have no problems with him being labeled a Baptist preacher, the problem is when he uses "Christian Leader" in his political ads. I'm pro-life and I want the FMA passed, but that maneuver crosses the line for me.
...he will win in a landslide.
Against a Democrat, Huckabee will be in full control of all these issues: education, health care, taxes, the war, social conservatism, etc.
Huckabee is the Democrats' worst nightmare.
I thought Rudy was their worst nightmare. I guess they found someone more liberal than Rudy to be scared of.
And not that it's dispositive, but Huck runs the worst of all of the big 5 in head-to-head matchups against Hillary.
I don't see who Huck wins that Bush didn't and I see who he loses (anyone who clung to the hope that Bush was an exception to the small government ethos of the Party).
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I got hung-up trying to figure-out what the heck he was trying to tell me here.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
...was never their worst nightmare. Kos rightly stated a year ago that he was the most afraid of Huck due to Huck's charisma. Huck has a real ear for mainstream conservatism and he has a way to express it in a way that attracts moderates.
Huck has the endorsement of both the influential homeschooling association HSLDA as well as the New Hampshire NEA -- tell me another politician who can pull that one off.
Mike Huckabee takes "class warfare" completely off the table, due to his own personal story of working his way up all his life. Mike Huckabee also appeals to minorities (48% of the black vote + much of the Hispanic vote).
And of course Huck's conservative views on major issues like abortion and gay marriage have won him the evangelical and Catholic voting bloc.
1) You use Kos as an analyst. And then ignore that Kos' point was that Huck is economically liberal and thus connects with some people.... like Rudy with some social moderates.
2) You think Huckabee's economic views are "mainstream conservatism"
3) Huck takes class warfare "off the table" by talking about it all time? Isn't that putting it on the table. If both candidates are class warriors, I don't see that as "off the table."
4) Yes, he's pro-life. Like every other R except Rudy. And he's against gay marriage. Like very other R including Rudy.
Huck doesn't attract moderates. He's behind in all head-to-head polls. He attracts people who think Government Fixes Things. But they still like Hillary more b/c she's been on their side all along. Huck loses those who think Government Sucks At Fixing Things.
Go blindly supporting the guy all you want, that's what primary season is all about. But don't think you have a winning argument that Huck is somehow an economic conservative or small government advocate. It's demeaning and it hurts any greater argument you have about him being a good candidate.
It'd be like Rudy supporters saying that we should vote for him b/c he's pro-choice. It'd be laughed at.
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...are not reliable due to the fact that Huckabee still has low name recognition.
And he's against gay marriage
If somebody is against gay marriage, prove it by supporting the FMA that social conservatives are demanding. Fred's worst political blunder was refusing to support FMA.
You think Huckabee's economic views are "mainstream conservatism"
Sure, it's within mainstream conservatism, give or take a standard deviation. There's a reason why Huck is moving up so quickly in all the polls. Huck favors free market solutions for health care, energy, etc. He was consistently supportive of the Bush tax cuts unlike Romney. He has signed the de facto pledge against taxes, unlike Fred.
Huck takes class warfare "off the table" by talking about it all time?
He does it by disarming his opponent.
1. He's an SBC minister. Kiss off 100% of the far left.
2. He's for HLA and FMA. Kiss off huge numbers of independents who are fiscally conservative and socially liberal.
3. He's every bit as fiscally conservative as John Edwards. Kiss off those independents again. Along with a chunk of the Republican base.
4. He's GWB incarnate running for a third term. Kiss off moderate Democrats who will respond to the 527 ads.
5. Class warfare has nothing to do with who the Presidential candidate is, it is the central notion of the Democratic Party. The only way he combats that is to offer to give away more money than the Dems (which he could well do).
6. Getting 48% of the Black vote in AR in a governor's election is comparable to exactly nothing in a national election.
Having Bubba Jr at the top of the ticket will make 1964 look like a Goldwater win. The D's will have veto proof majorities in both houses and the new SCOTUS justices will make sure abortion is not just a right but an obligation to save the environment.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
"...will make sure abortion is not just a right but an obligation to save the environment."
Very Funny!!!! That's quote worthy right there.
but there is actually a movement in Englan (I think) of women doing exactly that.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
"Huck has a real ear for mainstream conservatism and he has a way to express it in a way that attracts moderates."
That explains we he is so popular here.
/SNARK>
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
....I'm not saying a conservative should NEVER under any cirumstances raise taxes, but what evidence is there that Huckabee sought to shrink the state government or cut spending to close the gap?
Bottom line, of all the GOP candidates Mike Huckabee has by far the worst record on fiscal issues. If the Club for Growth is hell bent on defeating him, that sends a pretty strong signal to me.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
I am a Rudy supporter, however this is just an example, not a random Rudy plug. What got New York City out of its financial pit in the 90's was Giuliani cutting taxes to a certain point. You cut too much, you get nothing in return. Cut too little and people just horde their money back, instead of spending. The same happened after 9/11 in NYC, to stimulate spending (growth.) Bottom line: cutting taxes is always beneficial if done correctly. The only result of raising taxes is people have less take-home pay, which means less money to spend. (Paying the bills and saving should always be the top priorities.)
thearmchairrepublican.blogspot.com
"You cut too much, you get nothing in return. Cut too little and people just horde their money back, instead of spending."
Abstention of consumption through savings is vital to economic growth. The act of saving provides the resources for investment, and all real economic growth is derived from investment.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
The year before this infamous speech, Huck helped lead the largest budget cuts in Arkansas history (approx. $380M).
This set the stage, during the post 9/11 economic downturn, for state budget shortages that had to be addressed the following year.
Could there have been further cuts? Probably. Politically difficult though.
Mr. Ed
Straight from the Horse's Mouth
My biggest concern with him is pretty strikingly Edwards-esque rhetoric on trade and a propensity to endorse Nanny-stateism, although I can't I know all that much about his Arkansas record.
"The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions."
Look at his position on crime.
He gave clemency to more than 700 criminals. Many were let go just to end up back in. Also many were in for murder.
With Democrats and other non-conservatives being such a large part of our population, is it really possible for government to be underfunded, or is it more likely that government is overcommitted to too many do-gooder causes and free-market manipulation schemes? I suppose it is possible that Arkansas could be the former, but I am extremely skeptical.
Look at Reagan. He wanted defense spending we needed, but couldn't afford. And there was no way a Democratic Congress was going to give up its social programs for that. Reagan didn't need to raise taxes, because the federal government is allowed to have deficits. Most states don't have that privledge.
The question is, what is the critical spending Huckabee wanted and couldn't fund otherwise? I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on roads. That's core infrastructure, and arguably worth the investment. But when he starts talking about schools, and especially recreation areas, I'm left cold. Were these extra expenditures really helpful, let alone necessary? And couldn't he have shrunk some other part of the budget?
It doesn't help that Huckabee, rather than explaining his deviations from small government, went to this "Club for Greed" tactic. When his rhetoric and record are combined, there's little reason to call him fiscally conservative.
The bottom line when comparing their records on taxation is that Reagan cut tax rates and then raised them. BJ raised taxes and then cut them. When Reagan left office, the tax rates were substantially less than when he entered office and revenues were substantially higher. When BJ left office tax rates were substantially higher than when he entered, to the point that his replacement (a Democrat) cut taxes.
Given than the cost of government increased at 3+ times the rate of inflation while BJ was governor, there is no reason to call him fiscally conservative.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Your name calling is pathetic and makes you out to be a childish fool. Anyone who resorts to such things doesn't deserve to have their comments read, much less taken seriously!
This is mbecker908 you're talking about - he calls everyone names.
And he's got a fair amount of cred built up over more than 2-years of posing on this site - meaning that he's been calling everyone names for over 2-years and has enough cred that he gets away with it.
You, on the other hand? Less than 2-days here. Not so much cred. Just saying.
You might want to tred a little lighter here - but that's free advice, you know, from a completely dispassionate fellow poster.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
And he's got a fair amount of cred built up over more than 2-years of posing on this site - meaning that he's been calling everyone names for over 2-years and has enough cred that he gets away with it.
I am content with it because random readers will be turned off by it anyways.
First, any commentary on the point I made?
Second, I really don't give a rip about your opinion.
Oh, and since I've had a second to think about it, I don't care about your feelings either.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
i'd have to say most other opposition comes from his immigration record, but the fiscal record is still the biggest deal.
Although there's been some discussion on his DefCon bonifides recently--potential support for closing Gitmo if he can conduct it stateside, for one--I think most people don't see him as weak on that issue, at least not in a way that turns them off.
I live in Memphis, less than 10 miles from Arkansas. I am in the state several times each month and we get regular Arkansas news in the paper and on television. I can say with a degree of certainty the conservative intelligentsia is presenting a caricature of Huckabee's economic record in Arkansas. If Americans traveling through Arkansas didn't want gravel roads where an interstate used to be, taxes had to be raised (the citizens voted for that tax increase themselves, Huck just presided over it). Bill Clinton left the Arkansas infrastructure in embarrassingly poor shape and something had to be done. As someone who has spent considerable time in the state over the past 20 years, the Arkansas turnaround is pronounced.
Another point, Huckabee was the governor for a long time (10 1/2 years). During that time, many unfunded federal mandates fell on every state. Under Huck, state spending increased less than 50% while the average for other states was approached 100% (see the recent Dick Morris column on this issue).
The scholarship's for illegals is a nonissue. According to articles from the Arkansas Democrat newspaper, in 2005 there were 600 illegals who would graduate from Arkansas high schools and of those a mere 30 would qualify for the $5,000 scholarship. I don't particularly agree with his stance, but I wouldn't withhold my vote over such a trivial expenditure. Why is everyone so worked up over spending $150,000 a year on some kids while no one is saying one word over the untold millions, if not billions, Massachusetts Mitt's Romneycare, which has been likened to Hillary's plan, must be costing. What if Romney tried to do that to all of us? How much would that cost.
I'm not a Huckabee hack. In fact, I'm still undecided because I see flaws in every Republican candidate. However, I believe Huckabee is getting a raw deal. I suspect part of the reason for the vigorous anti-Huck sentiment is that the conservative establishment is biased against someone they perceive to be a middle-class southern evangelical yokel, while Big Spender Romney gets a pass because he is wealthy and part of the conservative elite.
Not a Huckbot? I am not sure that I buy that. You used entirely too many Huckbot talking points in your comment. Your post is also consistent with the Huckbot attack and distract posting/commenting formula.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
I have taken the time to actually read real newspaper articles written several years ago, before he was running for the presidency. I've also spent a lot of time in Arkansas on business and I fly fish in the Arkansas Ozarks a couple of times each month. I'm not just accepting what the Club for Growth and Hugh Hewitt say. I investigated some of this for myself, not just in regard to Huck, but others as well. So, I am hardly a Huckbot. In fact, if the vote were today, I would vote Fred D. Thompson. But, I am willing to at least consider Huckabee. I like the fact he is sticking his finger in the eye of the conservative establishment. To me that is his most appealing quality.
Huckabee's nanny state tendencies scare me more than the fact that he raised the gas tax to repair pitiful roads that necessitated a front-end alignment after taking a Sunday drive. I believe we've got the right to make poor choices and make ourselves gloriously miserable without government interference. Any freedoms we cede to the government we never get back. And this year it may be a Republican like Huck who has the power, but next year it could be a Dem.
I cannot envision voting for Rudy because of his stance on life and guns. And then Mitt lost my vote the minute he signed Romneycare with its cut-rate abortion (reportedly $50). Mitt didn't help himself when he thought it made sense to mention in the debate that he has two guns because his sons like to buy him expensive things. Could he properly load either weapon? Have they been fired? He doesn't strike me as a strong defender of the 2nd Amendment. Huck and Fred are. I'm unsure about McCain's position on guns.
Once you scratch Rudy and Mitt from the list, you've got to decide between Fred, Huck, and McCain. Each is flawed, but Fred comes closer to believing the things I believe.
Bubba Jr's biggest problem on the fuel tax issue isn't that he raised taxes - and the people of Arkansas NEVER voted on the increase, that was a bill introduced by BJ and passed by the legislature. His problem was how he handled the question: he flat out lied about it on at least five nationally televised occasions. Then he got caught and he blamed C4G for catching him.
From what I know about this particular tax increase, he could have made a very good case for it and it would have blown away in a heartbeat. But when he finds it necessary to lie about it on multiple occasions, it deserves to be a huge issue.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
It may be a nonissue economically, but it sure is an issue from a border security/illegal immigration position. I think you are trying to use economics to mask the fact that Huckabee didn't oppose open borders until he started to run for the Presidency. Huck's support for illegals is not so different than McCain's, at least until the the abortive attempt to push the immigration bill through Congress. Then it appears that Huck got religion on immigration.
Not a Romneybot, but Big Spender Romney has not gotten a pass, especially here at Redstate. His record was examined in detail when he was the "Next Big Thing." Kind of like what is happening to the Huck.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Let me rephrase...I understand the issue and I disagree with him. I wouldn't give any scholarships to illegals because they would do nothing but promote more illegal immigration. However, if Huck is willing to build a fence and actually secure the borders, refuse amnesty, and go after employers who hire illegals (I am unsure if he would actually do those things, I am speaking rhetorically), I could live with his position on scholarships for a handful of kids.
Redstate hasn't given Romney a pass on his health care and spending, but all too many conservative commentators have. Some seem to say if you are an evangelical, as I am, and you aren't for Romney you are bigoted against Mormonism. I am only bigoted against Mormonism if that is what caused him to sign Romneycare. I don't care about his underwear, Joseph Smith's golden tablets, and I don't care that he is a descendant of Brigham Young. But I do care about the possibility of universal health care, even if it is a Republican version.
Kinda requires a bit of a leap of faith, no?
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
In terms of roads, Huckabee made great improvements.
He has also done other positive things for the state as well.
He's not my man, but AR is where I hail from on the maternal side and I can assure you it is in far better shape now than in any time Bubba was in charge. I just have to give the guy some credit.
Luckily, we have had Dubya do a fair job of cleaning up Bubba's foreign policy mess. Now we just need Rudy or Fred to finish the deal.
Huckabee really needs to go home and give AR another republican senator for the rest of his career. Maybe he will after this defeat.
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." ~Professor Dumbledore
"Underfunded", to me at least, argues that Bubba was starving the beast and I simply refuse to believe that.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
I gotta start drinking again.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
out that it was a mess.
Honestly, I'm not sure where Bubba put most of the money. I do know he ran a lot of trucking revenue out of the state and that driving on I-40 in my college car during the late 80's was a very bumpy ride.
But even still...Huckabee isn't my guy and Clinton sucked as a governor. I never voted for him. Never will.
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." ~Professor Dumbledore
Good to hear from you again, by the way.
Best -
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
All these generalities aren't sticking with most people who actually know that Arkansas was simular to a third world country under Bill Clinton and is better off because it had Huckabee as Governor.
Arkansas still as a long way to go but it's better than before Huckabee.
Jim Tomasik
The standard "if only this poor sap knew The Facts™ he would come around" argument by assertion. Swell.
I checked them, Jim. Really. I know the roads were a mess - I give him a pass on that tax increase but am left to wonder aloud why he had to give such a, to borrow a phrase, slick answer when challenged on it.
Otherwise, you're not convincing me Arkansas was "underfunded". You'll want to be arguing "undergoverned" with this sort of deal - as in, Arkansas government under Bill Clinton wasn't doing enough for the state and needed Huckabee to swoop in and do more.
Come to think of it, I can understand why you don't want to make that argument - given that this is a Republican primary.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
If i did, I would ignore you. I just want the numbers to add up to prove you are correct or incorrect.
Jim Tomasik
... but I have to tell you that opening a comment with "check the actual facts" certainly has the ring of "you ignorant fool!"
But, maybe I'm just too sensitive about this.
So if that's not what you meant I'll happily withdraw from that line.
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
Not sure "scemantics" was what I was going for there...
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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
arguing against your being an ignorant fool I wouldn't resort to scemantics. lol
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
Last time I checked LDC's are infamous for being overtaxed. How has Huckadee changed that?
P.S. The term "third world" went out of use about twenty years ago. It does not make sense to have third world countries if there are no second world countries left.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
I am on the very right on everything.
Huck? NEVER.
Sure, he rants and raves about abortion, but almost to the point of being a one issue candidate. If Gulianni really appoints judges who uphold the constitution, then RoevWade would be overturned on the basis of states rights.
Everywhere else he is wrong. Taxes, nannystate and immigration.
One of the last enties said:
"The scholarship's for illegals is a nonissue. According to articles from the Arkansas Democrat newspaper, in 2005 there were 600 illegals who would graduate from Arkansas high schools and of those a mere 30 would qualify for the $5,000"
That is not the point. He is 100 per cent pro illegal immigrant. Fred probably is the only one that is solid (of the top tier) but I would rather have flippers (Gulianni) and floppers (Romney) that have at least finally flipped and flopped in the right direction.
Huckabee? May sit that out. Except for abortion (which he can do nothing about) he not much better than any Democrat.
Last month, I looked at the state and local tax revenues for Arkansas and the country as a whole from 1996-2006, which is Huckabee's tenure that we have data for. Arkansas started the period with per-capita taxation at 93% of the national average and ended with 105%. That will give the Cudgel Club for Growth some ammo, but there was the effect of needing to get the state up to national standards.
However, if we're going mano-a-mano with Mitt Romney, looking at 2002-2006 would be an interesting comparison. State and local taxes went up at a 6.16% yearly rate during that period. Arkansas went up 6.67% and Taxachusetts went up 6.93%. I don't see the Club for Growth giving Romney the business for that stat.
I'm a Huckabee supporter, but taxes were going up in Arkansas a bit more than fiscal conservatives are comfortable with. It might be a selling point in the fall, but it will make his job a bit harder in the primary season.
There's a goof on my above post. The stats there are for state taxes only. I did state and local on Arkansas as well in the post, but the above stats were for state tax revenues only,
...when people are under-taxed to fund the basic, core functions of government and when the funding for the state's non-core functions has been virtually eliminated, then taxes can be raised.
I'd love to see a poll of Arkansas voters asking them if they think that they are over-taxed or under-taxed or taxed just right.
Pointing a finger to another state to determine your own tax rate is stupid. What makes anyone think that another state rate should be the standard.
This silly arguement is used constantly by teachers unions, local governments to hire administrators, school districts etc. If we ain't spending more than the others we ain't cool. It's a never ending keeping ahead of the Jones attitude and is bloating spending.
that those discussions always center on the amount of money being spent, NEVER the value for money spent.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
"doesn't sound like an idiot when talking about his faith"
Anyone who says they don't believe in evolution not only sound's like an idiot, they are an idiot. Sorry to be harsh, but that one is hard to let go of.
Mike Huckabee said that he believes that species evolve and adapt and in natural selection--he just stated that these processes are guided by the hand of God. By the way, I would be willing to bet that a significant percentage of Americans agree with Mike Huckabee on these sentiments and have a similarly nuanced view of evolution--myself included, and I was a cell and molecular biology major in college. On a side note, it is totally uncool to call someone an idiot based on their religious beliefs.
I like Mike Huckabee when it comes to abortion and Gay Marriage issues as well as other social issues.
However, as a current Pastor myself I think Mike would understand what I know. When you operate any budget there is never a need to mandate increased giving. You have to create increased revenue. By growing the economy. In a church setting we cant walk out and say we are raising your tithe from 10% to 15% because we need more money. No instead we look at how we can cut spending and grow the economy. Tax increases dont grow the economy. It only show's me that Gov. Huckabee doesn't know how to 1) Grow and economy 2) is willing to raise taxes instead of doing the tough job of cutting spending. That's what a true conservative does. He is also wrong on Immigration. He doesn't have any foriegn policy experience or knowledge. When Imus asked him serious foriegn policy questions he responded with a joke, why? To cover up with a chuckle what he does not know. We need a proven leader and true conservative across the board. I think Mike could be a good VP choice for Thompson or Romney only and it will give him Lord willing the knowledge he needs to lead in the future.
And I thought the regular Huckabee was a scary enough prospect.
Did Mike Huckabee do anything in Arkansas other than make some marginal tax increases in order to fund a state government that is still probably much-underfunded per capita relative to other states?
Yea, he moved them from 30th taxed to 13th taxed (combined state-local as a % of income). Most of that in a few short years. I think that is a very big deal. Keep in mind, this is compared to other states who were also hiking taxes at the time... just not by nearly as much as the Huckster.
There's nothing "much-underfunded" about any state in this day and age, much less the 13th highest taxed state.
Are we suggesting there is never a time a conservative, free-market politician would do such a thing?
Do we live in the same world? Are you really arguing that government is too small and it doesn't have enough money to do all the cool things we want it to do? If that were the case, this question would make sense. As it sits today, there's no such thing as a state that isn't confiscating enough money from its taxpayers.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
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