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One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. -- Plato (429-347 BC)

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Huckabee's Statements Lead to Questions by Conservatives

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: I like Mike Huckabee and enjoy his Baptist preacher way of smiling and spinning a tale to support his position when speaking. It worked in the pulpit, found success in Arkansas and may be successful in his bid for the presidency. While Mike has declared to the press that he is not a liberal, he has openly acknowledged that he "is not shy in bucking his party on some matters." Now he has declared himself to be “centrist.”

Our former Gov. Mike Huckabee appears to be stumbling with conservatives as he attempts to reach out for more liberal voters. While governor, he tread to some degree on Arkansas families when he forced all schools to weigh students and to send weight "report cards" to parents and added to the tax burden to fund it (slimming the kids and fattening the state's coffers). After he left office, this procedure was repealed.

His comments on the campaign trail continue to raise concerns with conservatives. He has repeatedly identified that he believes obesity is one of America’s top problems. He has said will support a National Smoking Ban. While smoking for some may indeed be harmful and being overweight may have medical consequences, in the United States both smoking and eating are legal. While some States have exercised their right to limit smoking in public places, Huckabee is advocating a Federal smoking ban. As a Baptist preacher is he willing to force his morals on the nation - no smoking, no gluttony, etc.? Will he next tell the fast food industry what they can and cannot serve?

Now, Huckabee is treading on the constitution by saying that if he were president, he would sign the D.C. voting rights bill. In a teleconference with reporters, Huckabee said, “They’re American citizens. They pay taxes and it just doesn’t seem right that someone could be even partially disenfranchised.” DC residents are already entitled to vote. However, Huckabee failed to acknowledge that D.C. is not a State and therefore does not have a right under the constitution to a voting US Representative or Senators. "The Constitution says "the several states" shall send representatives to Congress - not the District or Territories." Previously, a proposed Constitutional Amendment on the issue of granting DC voting representation was not ratified. Now Huckabee seems to be playing to the crowd and is willing to support violating the Constitution via congressional fiat.

A March White House statement said that the president would be advised to veto the bill if it reached his desk, citing concerns that giving the district a representative would be unconstitutional. In an attempt to separate himself from President Bush, is Huckabee willing to separate himself from the US Constitution and Conservative Republicans? In an article Huckabee backs D.C. voting rights bill "Huckabee acknowledged the reluctance of some of his fellow Republicans to back the bill. He has not been shy in bucking his party on some matters, saying, 'I’ve been running for president of the United States, I am not running for president of the Republican Party.'"

Even those of us who know Mike Huckabee are asking questions. He has said he is a centrist, what happened to being the "real conservative" running for president? Huckabee advocates, as we do, for the FairTax. He opposes the current Income Tax but because it is a “dismal failure.” However, he does not oppose the Income Tax because it is constitutionally flawed. This begs the question, what is his real reason for supporting the FairTax? In Arkansas, he sought new forms of taxation. Could he be looking for a new tax source to replace expected future declines in income taxes created by the importing low cost labor, outsourcing, and American jobs going overseas?

Huckabee supports voting representation for D.C. residents in violation of the Constitution. Will Huckabee propose the same for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and America Samoa who each also have a nonvoting member in the House of Representatives? Will he then oppose the Federal Government returning the remaining portion of D.C. to the sovereign state of Maryland as was done with the Virginia portion?

Is the entry of Fred Thompson, a Federalist, into the race, causing our friend Mike Huckabee to move away from conservatives to find new votes? We hope not! Our fellow Arkansan wants to be president of all the people. However, to gain the Republican nomination, Mike Huckabee must gain the vote of conservatives. As conservatives, we are looking for answers to our growing list of questions.

Tags: Arkansas, conservatism, conservative, Election 2008, Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson, presidential candidate, U.S Constitution, Republican, ARRA, Bill Smith
Posted by Bill Smith at 11:00 AM - Post Link

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is rather disheartening :(. I don't know what to think anymore.

9/05/2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fair questions. I think there are quite a few ardent Huckabee supporters asking the same questions right now.

9/05/2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike Huckabee is an adroit public speaker. He communicates his message in life-like, cogent terms, with compelling examples like the story he told (at the Ames Straw Poll) of what his then-11-yo daughter entered into the "Comments" section of a Visitors Book after visiting the Yad Vashem holocaust museum: “Why didn't somebody do something?” Very effective.

Huckabee is all about calling his listeners to "do something," to awaken them to their own empowerment, and summon them to action in order that "Main Street," and not "Wall Street," will prevail in guarding the values and beliefs upon which the Republic was founded.

Huckabee puts his listeners at ease, and reassures them, articulating clear concepts in a natural, easy style (no doubt something well-cultivated as a pastor). He’s not angry or demanding, like a Ron Paul, nor is he as “rigidly-scripted” as Romney, and his large brown eyes peer through a humble demeanor, drawing a striking contrast to a somewhat mechanical-squinty Brownback. One can easily imagine sitting comfortably with this man over a cup of coffee at the Main Street Cafe.

Most importantly, perhaps, Huckabee convinces many that he is ONE with the FairTax grassroots movement. While many - like Romney, and others, who are invested in the current income tax system - seek to demagog the well-researched FairTax plan, its acceptance in the professional / academic community continues to grow. Renown economist Laurence Kotlikoff believes that failure to enact the FairTax - choosing instead to try to "flatten" what he deems to be a non-flattenable income tax system - will eventuate into an irrevocable economic meltdown because of the hidden aspects of the current system that make political accountability impossible.

Romney's recent WEAK response to FairTax questioning on “This Week with Geo. Stephanopoulos” drew a sharper contrast between Huckabee and all other presidential front-runners who will not embrace it. Huckabee understands that what's wrong with the income tax can't be fixed with "a tap of the hammer, nor a twist of the screwdriver." That his opponents cling to the destructive Tax Code, the IRS, preserving political power of granting tax favors at continued cost to - and misery of - American families, invigorates his campaign's raison d'etre.

Of the FairTax, Huckabee asserts that it's...

• SIMPLE, easy to understand
• EFFICIENT, inexpensive to comply with and doesn't cause less-than-optimal business decisions for tax minimization purposes
• FAIR, FLAT, and FAMILY FRIENDLY, loophole-free, and everyone pays their share
• LOW TAX RATE is achieved by broad base with no exclusions
• PREDICTABLE, doesn't change, so financial planning is possible
• UNINTRUSIVE, doesn't intrude into our personal affairs or limit our liberty
• VISIBLE, not hidden from the public in tax-inflated prices or otherwise
• PRODUCTIVE, rewards - rather than penalizes - work and productivity

A detailed benefits analysis of the plan (from The FairTax Book) explains Huckabee's ardent advocacy:

FOR INDIVIDUALS:
• No more tax on income - make as much as you wish
• You receive your full paycheck - no more deductions
• You pay the tax when you buy "at retail" - not "used"
• No more double taxation (e.g. like on current Capital Gains)
• Reduction of "pre-FairTaxed" retail prices by 20%-30%
• Adding back 29.9% FairTax maintains current price levels
• FairTax would constitute 23% portion of new prices
• Every household receives a monthly check, or "pre-bate"
• "Prebate" is "advance tax payback" for monthly consumption to poverty level
• FairTax's "prebate" ensures progressivity, poverty protection
Finally, citizens are knowledgeable of what their tax IS
• Elimination of "parasitic" Income Tax industry
• NO MORE IRS. NO MORE FILING OF TAX RETURNS by individuals
• Those possessing illicit forms of income will ALSO pay the FairTax
• Households have more disposable income to purchase goods
• Savings is bolstered with reduction of interest rates

FOR BUSINESSES:
• Corporate income and payroll taxes revoked under FairTax
• Business compensated for collecting tax at "cash register"
• No more tax-related lawyers, lobbyists on company payrolls
No more embedded (hidden) income/payroll taxes in prices
• Reduced costs. Competition - not tax policy - drives prices
• Off-shore "tax haven" headquarters can now return to U.S
No more "favors" from politicians at expense of taxpayers
• Resources go to R&D and study of competition - not taxes
• Marketplace distortions eliminated for fair competition
• US exports increase their share of foreign markets

FOR THE COUNTRY:
• 7% - 13% economic growth projected in the first year of the FairTax
Jobs return to the U.S.
• Foreign corporations "set up shop" in the U.S.
• Tax system trends are corrected to "enlarge the pie"
• Larger economic "pie," means thinner tax rate "slices"
• Initial 23% portion of price is pressured downward as "pie" increases
No more "closed door" tax deals by politicians and business
• FairTax sets new global standard. Other countries will follow

While passionately supporting FairTax, Huckabee understands that, if elected President, Congress will have to present the bill for his signature. His call to action goes beyond his candidacy, Main Street will have to demand that their legislators deliver the bill.

9/06/2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Questioning the Republican base and sticking to his moral beliefs is admirable in Huckabee. He has done wonderful things in my home state of Arkansas. He is trustworthy, down to earth, and most of all, humble. He truly cares about the people of this nation, rather than his own glory. While he may not win the Republican bid, he is an example for our party to follow. He questions the majority and follows his heart and his people.

9/06/2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Even if we lose elections we should not lose our honor. And that is more important than the Republican party." -- Mike Huckabee

A long-time and seemingly committed Blogger for Huckabee has withdrawn his support for Mike. That is his right, but I believe he's making statements about Mike -- and, frankly, about me -- that are misleading (to say the least). I devoted my column today to the subject, and I want all backers of Mike (and of Mike heading a ticket with Gov. Sarah Palin in the second spot) to know that I have the highest regard for Gov. Huckabee. Thanks.

steve maloney
http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com

9/06/2007  
Blogger Bill Smith said...

Note new posting:
Huckabee's “living, breathing Constitution” posted Jan 18, 2008

1/18/2008  

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