Is Huckabee REALLY a Conservative?
UPDATE: I've asked on this venue, as well as others, "who is on Huckabee's team?"
On Fox News tonight, I learned (albeit belatedly) who is one of Mike Huckabee's team members. Makes me think that the politicians are all pretty incestuous.
I was initially enthused about Mike Huckabee, but there've been a few comments he's made that made me really question whether he is truly a conservative. I questioned him here and here. After a conversation with Dr. Bennett this morning, spurred by a comment from Seth, I decided I'd go to the source and find out for myself.
On Energy Independence;
"The truth is, we are so pathetically behind the curve right now that federal spending for energy research and development is only 40% of what it was in 1979. Our efforts are haphazard and often pointless: today we have six million flex-fuel vehicles built to run on biodiesel or on E85, which is 85% ethanol, but only 1,413 pumps for those fuels in a country with 170,000 gas stations. When energy shocks and crises come, we take aspirin to deal with the pain, but we don't address the underlying symptoms. This oil addiction is killing us. We have to stop popping pain pills and get ourselves cured. "
Federal spending? Since when has any government program resulted in a problem's solution? Mr. Huckabee, how about tax incentives for private sector to find the solution? How about drilling offshore and in Anwar? I didn't see any mention of that solution!
On Education & The Arts;
"Students with strong art and music programs have higher academic achievement overall, are far more likely to read for pleasure and participate in community service, and are less likely to engage in delinquent behavior. These programs have a powerful effect in leveling the academic playing field for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The study of music improves math scores, spatial reasoning and abstract thinking.
Secure America Plan
This is a rehash, which says essentially that he's not given a great deal of thought about this important issue. By his own admission,
"Note: This plan is partially modeled on a proposal by Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. ("Re: Immigration: Ten Points for a Successful Presidential Candidate," National Review, May 23, 2005.)"
Huckabee's positions on Marriage, Sanctity of Life & Taxes (he's a Fair Tax proponent) are all very much conservative positions, but nothing he said on any issue reassured me that he's a true conservative. Nothing I read in any of his positions made the feeling of "this guy's just the GOP version of Jimmy Carter!" go away.
The question I brought up this morning on Morning in America was regarding how important a delegate's team is to how I perceive him/her. I could not find any mention of Huckabee's team. For all I know, they are all former Clintonites, as Dick Morrishas already admitted. Conversely, Rudy Guiliani has a team of top notch conservative advisors. Unless something gawd-awful happens, I'm still leaning toward Guiliani as our best bet. At least he doesn't misrepresent himself as a conservative!
On Fox News tonight, I learned (albeit belatedly) who is one of Mike Huckabee's team members. Makes me think that the politicians are all pretty incestuous.
I was initially enthused about Mike Huckabee, but there've been a few comments he's made that made me really question whether he is truly a conservative. I questioned him here and here. After a conversation with Dr. Bennett this morning, spurred by a comment from Seth, I decided I'd go to the source and find out for myself.
On Energy Independence;
"The truth is, we are so pathetically behind the curve right now that federal spending for energy research and development is only 40% of what it was in 1979. Our efforts are haphazard and often pointless: today we have six million flex-fuel vehicles built to run on biodiesel or on E85, which is 85% ethanol, but only 1,413 pumps for those fuels in a country with 170,000 gas stations. When energy shocks and crises come, we take aspirin to deal with the pain, but we don't address the underlying symptoms. This oil addiction is killing us. We have to stop popping pain pills and get ourselves cured. "
Federal spending? Since when has any government program resulted in a problem's solution? Mr. Huckabee, how about tax incentives for private sector to find the solution? How about drilling offshore and in Anwar? I didn't see any mention of that solution!
On Education & The Arts;
"Students with strong art and music programs have higher academic achievement overall, are far more likely to read for pleasure and participate in community service, and are less likely to engage in delinquent behavior. These programs have a powerful effect in leveling the academic playing field for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The study of music improves math scores, spatial reasoning and abstract thinking.
The success of our schools has to be judged by the results we obtain, not the revenues we spend. A focus on true quality rather than mere quantity requires us to set high standards for our students and teachers, measure their performance diligently, and hold educators and administrators accountable for the results in an atmosphere of transparency and efficiency.
As Governor of Arkansas, I created intensive reading and math programs that went back to basics. I started with elementary students and, as those children thrived, I expanded the program to middle and then high schools. Our test scores rose dramatically. I then created one of the most demanding high school curricula in the country, and the number of students taking advanced placement classes grew by leaps and bounds."
Doesn't sound bad, does it? Except when asked in various venues, he has always said he is against any voucher program to allow parents to afford private schools, when their public school tries to teach their kid the best way to put a condom on a banana! As we learned last night on Jay Leno's show, Huckabee is a bass guitar playeer. (A bit Clintonesque, wouldn't you say?) Also, he has his own band. Guess what the name of the band is? Are you ready for this? Capitol Offense!Secure America Plan
This is a rehash, which says essentially that he's not given a great deal of thought about this important issue. By his own admission,
"Note: This plan is partially modeled on a proposal by Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. ("Re: Immigration: Ten Points for a Successful Presidential Candidate," National Review, May 23, 2005.)"
Huckabee's positions on Marriage, Sanctity of Life & Taxes (he's a Fair Tax proponent) are all very much conservative positions, but nothing he said on any issue reassured me that he's a true conservative. Nothing I read in any of his positions made the feeling of "this guy's just the GOP version of Jimmy Carter!" go away.
The question I brought up this morning on Morning in America was regarding how important a delegate's team is to how I perceive him/her. I could not find any mention of Huckabee's team. For all I know, they are all former Clintonites, as Dick Morrishas already admitted. Conversely, Rudy Guiliani has a team of top notch conservative advisors. Unless something gawd-awful happens, I'm still leaning toward Guiliani as our best bet. At least he doesn't misrepresent himself as a conservative!
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1/18/2008 11:45 AM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
Fred -
1/18/2008 11:45 AM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
Fred -
1/18/2008 11:45 AM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
Fred -
1/19/2008 5:04 PM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
It doesn't look good for my prediction in my last post. -
1/19/2008 5:04 PM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
It doesn't look good for my prediction in my last post. -
1/19/2008 5:12 PM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
It doesn't look good for my prediction in my last post. -
1/21/2008 7:06 AM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
It doesn't look good for my prediction in my last post. -
2/5/2008 10:57 AM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
My oldest son texted me this morning to ask, "Sooo.....Who the he!! is the lesser of the presidential Evils?" -
2/5/2008 10:57 AM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
My oldest son texted me this morning to ask, "Sooo.....Who the he!! is the lesser of the presidential Evils?" -
2/5/2008 5:54 PM
Dagney's Rant wrote:
My oldest son texted me this morning to ask, "Sooo.....Who the he!! is the lesser of the presidential Evils?"
Conservatism consists of three parts; fiscal/tax policy, foreign policy, and social issues. As such, Huckabee only qualifies on the last. He'd be a big spender, and his statements on foreign policy reveal he'd be no hawk.
As you saw on my blog, Romney is my favorite, Thompson and McCain tied for second, with Guiliani next. McCain annoys me on several issues, McCain-Feingold and immigration not the least of them. But at least he'd be a foreign policy hawk, a fiscan conservative, and he is socially conservative too. Guiliani, I think, is too liberal socially and his personal life leaves too much to be desiered. Thompson looks good on paper, but in a debate he can't say a single sentence without three "um"s. Have you noticed that? He does good in prepared speeches but does not speak extemporaneously well.
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My favorite candidate,too, is Romney. However, I really worried about his chances because it was reported on Fox that the Republican Establishment in DC doesn't like him (!) What's not to like?
He has the expertise we need now (business); he has a sterling family and an impressive wife who would be a swell First Lady; never a hint of scandal and he has a good character also.
It really annoys me that the nation has not progressed too far from the years of religious bigotry. Too many people are saying they could not vote for a Mormon. That is nobody's business what anybody's religion is. It's a Constitutional right. I would love to ask someone who can't vote for Mitt if Mormons have ever hurt that bigot or done anything to cheat him in all the long years that he has lived on this Earth, People need to vote with their heads and not their hearts.
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