Thursday, December 11, 2008

This is Why We Like Mike

The following article has a few quotes of Mike Huckabee towards the end of the article that are important in showing why I like Mike Huckabee for president in 2012. He stands strong against more and more bailouts of failing companies and stands for doing the right thing when it comes to government spending.

Will Republicans find rallying point in bailout debate?
By Chuck Raasch, GNS Political Writer

The recent declaration that the economy has been in recession for a year was not news to Americans who have lost jobs, income, health insurance or retirement security.
Democrats are in power partly because they felt people's pain before the Bush administration and the Republican candidates for president did. If Republicans do not figure out why they missed so many economic distress signals for so long, they have little hope of returning to power for at least a generation.

But now a GOP rallying point has presented itself. It is in response to what appears to be an unprecedented, massive rush to government bailouts of private industry. The public has deep reservations about such commitments. A CNN poll taken just before the executives of the Big Three automakers pleaded for tens of billions in government loans said 61 percent of Americans were against any such bailout.

This reality not only invites Republicans to return to the small-government philosophy they have abandoned, but it also could force them to speak to a middle class that GOP candidates had trouble hearing during the 2008 election. Too often, Republican candidates responded to kitchen-table concerns with textbook-dull homilies on free enterprise.

Looking back on the presidential election, there was one especially predictive moment for the Republicans.

Both the Dow Jones and the S&P hit record highs Oct. 9, 2007. Coincidentally, Republican presidential candidates debated that night in Dearborn, Mich., the epicenter of the auto industry. Despite the bulls on Wall Street, MSNBC anchor and moderator Maria Bartiromo pointed out that two thirds of Americans had just told pollsters they believed the country was in recession. The National Bureau of Economic Research says the recession began two months later.

But some of the Republicans on stage in Dearborn that night appeared to have no clue as to what Bartiromo was talking about. Those who did were unable or unwilling to keep driving an economics message home for the next 13 months.

In the debate, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, fairly fresh to the campaign trail, said, "There is no reason to believe that we're headed for a recession." Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Michigan was undergoing a "one-state recession" while "the rest of the country is growing and seeing low levels of unemployment." Ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani primarily paid homage to the free market as a "wonderful thing."

Some Republicans did hit the right note. Ron Paul declared "this country is in the middle of a recession for a lot of people ... Wall Street doesn't know about it. Washington, D.C., doesn't know about it. But it's because of the monetary system and the excessive spending.''

But the GOP hierarchy and the mainstream media treated Paul as a gadfly.

The eventual nominee, John McCain, acknowledged that economic worries were bigger than Michigan and said that at "every town hall meeting that I have," people were worried about keeping health care coverage.

But he spent a lot of the next 13 months defending his decision to back the surge in Iraq, and he did not have a consistent economic message. Democrats - first John Edwards, then Hillary Rodham Clinton and then the eventual winner, Barack Obama - focused like a laser on the economy.

When McCain suspended his campaign in September and eventually sided with the massive bailout of banks and industry - a commitment that could heap trillions in new debt on succeeding generations - he lost an opportunity to connect with average Americans who still wonder if it is the right course.

In the Dearborn debate, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who three months later won the Iowa caucuses, turned out to be the most prescient.

"I want to make sure people understand that for many people on this stage the economy is doing terrifically well, but for a lot of Americans it's not doing so well," Huckabee said. "The people who handle the bags and make the beds at our hotels and serve the food, many of them are having to work two jobs. And that's barely paying the rent."

But Huckabee did not have the money to sustain a long campaign, and his economic message often was overwhelmed by a false assumption that he was the candidate of the religious right.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Please say it ain't so Joe...

I really hope this doesn't happen but I'm afraid it will. Of course we've seen what happens when Romney goes up against Huckabee. I think that the same would happen if a Romney ran against a Barack Obama too. However, even though Mitt Romney flip-flops on social issues, if the economy is still a wreck in 2012, I prob wouldn't mind him taking the reigns from Obama. It's just that I'd much rather have Mike Huckabee at the helm.

Republican Mitt Romney is laying the groundwork for a possible White House campaign in 2012, hiring a team of staff members and consultants with money from a fund-raising committee he established with the ostensible purpose of supporting other GOP candidates.

The former Massachusetts governor has raised $2.1 million for his Free and Strong America political action committee. But only 12 percent of the money has been spent distributing checks to Romney's fellow Republicans around the country.

Instead, the largest chunk of the money has gone to support Romney's political ambitions, paying for salaries and consulting fees to over a half-dozen of Romney's longtime political aides, according to a Globe review of expenditures.

Romney founded the Free and Strong America Committee shortly after dropping out of the 2008 presidential primary. He filled its coffers by telling conservative contributors around the country that their money would be used to support Republican candidates and causes.

According to the Globe analysis, he spent $244,000 on contributions to congressional and other candidates between April and the November elections. He has spent more than twice as much on staff salaries and contracts to hire professional fund-raisers, who are compiling contributor lists that will serve Romney well in a future presidential campaign.

In essence, Romney is financing a political enterprise that he can use to remain a national GOP leader and use as a springboard should he decide to launch another presidential bid for 2012.

Romney aides insisted that the primary mission of the Free and Strong America Political Action Committee is to raise money for other Republicans around the country and to promote GOP policies. The committee says that booster work included flying Romney to various districts to help congressional candidates, many of whom happened to support his 2008 presidential primary candidacy.

But the committee's track record of spending most of the money on other expenses, such as Romney's political staff, raises questions about written fund-raising solicitations he has made that were mailed to potential contributors, including this one:

"It is more essential than ever that conservative candidates and organizations have the resources they need to get their message out to voters," Romney said in the fund-raising appeal. "Because of your help, my political action committee . . . is supporting over 70 candidates this election cycle. Your continued support today will ensure that they have the assistance they need to win."

Campaign finance experts say the Free and Strong America committee's use of its funds for Romney's political expenses is well within the legal restrictions set by law. They also note that it is not entirely unusual for high-profile politicians to use such political action committees, despite their appeals to donors like the ones Romney makes, to keep large sums for their own purposes.


The story continues here...

Friday, December 5, 2008

Huckabee: No Bailouts

This is one of the reasons I really like Mike. He's come out very strong against bailouts. Period. Not the auto industry, not the banks. Nobody gets bailed out. NOBODY.

Bailouts are totally not cool. They ultimately fail and they do not produce growth or innovation. They keep companies that need to go bankrupt for the economy to move on, limping along and dragging down the rest of the economy. Are they painful? Of course for all involved they are. However, continuing to finance a failure cannot in the long run produce success.

In order for success to be defined, failure has to be a possibility.

The Race Begins Now

Pretty soon (barring the unlikely event of his birth becoming an issue) we'll be inaugurating the furthest left president ever. The media is in the tank for Obama still and will continue to be for a long time coming. However, their being in the tank for him may backfire on them when things go wrong.

Pride Before a Fall
Michelle Obama has stated that America is a mean country. While that may be so, I think overall that I would say a greater sin that America faces is one of pride. I think we're in the process of being greatly humbled through the economic devastation. A nation that is proud can fall a long way.

Obama even admits that one characteristic he doesn't have much of is humility. He props up his ego in amazing ways in presuming that the presidency was his by creating his own presidential seal and now even with his whole "the office of the president elect."

Conservatives need to adopt an attitude of gratitude and humility. I believe that these where two characteristics that made Reagan a great man. He was honorable and had a distinct sense of humor and didn't stoop for crassness. Yet, even in his confidence, he was not proud.

If conservatives can present their ideas in a way that doesn't come across as condescending, they can advance their cause greatly and have a stark contrast between themselves and a president Obama.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Huckabee 2012

Conservatives are disappointed. Our guy lost.

However, we don't give up but rather begin our efforts to work harder for the next election. 4 years is a short amount of time but the damage that could be done if the leftist president Obama has a full 8 years, could be insurmountable.

Liberals found a Jimmy Carter. Conservatives must find a new Ronald Regan to defeat him in four years. Personally I believe Mike is our best bet. He's much weightier than Sarah Palin and will have a broader appeal. I tried to get excited about Palin and as a strong supporter of Mike in the primaries, Sarah was pretty close to what I wanted. However, she doesn't have the gravitas that Mike has and Mike is much more thoughtful and perceptive.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Grateful Politician

You wouldn’t usually put politicians high on a list of people who have an “attitude of gratitude.” I mean, when you think about it, when was the last time you heard a politician say “thank you” and you could tell they sincerely meant it (i.e. they aren’t in a position to get more campaign money for their political campaign, etc).

Well, you watched this morning’s interview of Mike Huckabee on Morning Joe, you don’t have to go back far to find such an example. As soon as he came on with Joe and his co-host, Mike said “thanks for having me.” I hadn’t really noticed it before, but I began to really think about that little one line statement tonight as now more than ever before do I sense that when Mike says that, he really means it and is truly grateful for the opportunities that he has to be in the place that he is.

Too often the attitude among politicians is that they deserve the attention they get. This is one area where I feel that Mike stands head and shoulders above his peers in politics. I don’t get a sense from him that he feels that he is someone super special and deserves the recognition that he receives; he’s merely trying to advance the principles that he knows have made America great in the past and will keep her great for years to come if they are allowed to have a continued elevated place in the areas of public policy.

Thanks for being grateful Gov. Huckabee. We could all learn a lesson from you.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Speaking From the Heart, Huckabee Makes Sense

When Gov. Huckabee speaks, I'm inspired. When Huckabee speaks, people listen. When Huckabee speaks, he wins votes. When he's not speaking is when the tide turns against him.

And that is exactly why Huckabee scares a lot of people who don't want him to be "in control." They understand that he is a fantastic communicator.

I hope that over the next four years, Huckabee continues to speak and reach out to people. I hope the media pays some attention to him and that America begins to listen. I hope that he runs in four years. I hope.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Huckabee Addresses Obama's Speech



Huckabee talks like probably no other Conservative talks... maybe we conservatives need to take a lesson from him and realize that there is a bit of hate coming from the "conservatives." Conservatism without vitriol? What a concept!

Transcript below:

HUCKABEE: [Obama] made the point, and I think it's a valid one, that you can't hold the candidate responsible for everything that people around him may say or do. You just can't. Whether it's me, whether it's Obama...anybody else. But he did distance himself from the very vitriolic statements.

Now, the second story. It's interesting to me that there are some people on the left who are having to be very uncomfortable with what Louis Wright said, when they all were all over a Jerry Falwell, or anyone on the right who said things that they found very awkward and uncomfortable years ago. Many times those were statements lifted out of the context of a larger sermon. Sermons, after all, are rarely written word for word by pastors like Reverend Wright, who are delivering them extemporaneously, and caught up in the emotion of the moment. There are things that sometimes get said, that if you put them on paper and looked at them in print, you'd say "Well, I didn't mean to say it quite like that."

JOE SCARBOROUGH: But, but, you never came close to saying five days after September 11th, that America deserved what it got. Or that the American government invented AIDS...

HUCKABEE: Not defending his statements.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Oh, I know you're not. I know you're not. I'm just wondering though, for a lot of people...Would you not guess that there are a lot of Independent voters in Arkansas that vote for Democrats sometimes, and vote for Republicans sometimes, that are sitting here wondering how Barack Obama's spiritual mentor would call the United States the USKKK?

HUCKABEE: I mean, those were outrageous statements, and nobody can defend the content of them.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: But what's the impact on voters in Arkansas? Swing voters.

HUCKABEE: I don't think we know. If this were October, I think it would have a dramatic impact. But it's not October. It's March. And I don't believe that by the time we get to October, this is gonna be the defining issue of the campaign, and the reason that people vote.

And one other thing I think we've gotta remember. As easy as it is for those of us who are white, to look back and say "That's a terrible statement!"...I grew up in a very segregated south. And I think that you have to cut some slack -- and I'm gonna be probably the only Conservative in America who's gonna say something like this, but I'm just tellin' you -- we've gotta cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told "you have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can't sit out there with everyone else. There's a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Here's where you sit on the bus..." And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.

MIKA: I agree with that. I really do.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: It's the Atticus Finch line about walking a mile in somebody else's shoes. I remember when Ronald Reagan got shot in 1981. There were some black students in my school that started applauding and said they hoped that he died. And you just sat there and of course you were angry at first, and then you walked out and started scratching your head going "boy, there is some deep resentment there."

Huckabee Alliance: A Place for The Rest of Us

The new Huckabee Alliance is a place for former Huckabee fans and bloggers to gather and continue to contribute ideas and battle plans for future work for the values that we hold dear.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Huckabee in 2012. They Shout YES!

By Grant Swank on Mar 8, 08

It’s 2012 for Mike Huckabee.

His daughter Sarah told media that they have learned a lot in this campaign try. Therefore, they're going to use it as resource for the next go-round. It's no time to quit, Huckabee assures his friends and colleagues.

Huckabee even projects being on a radio talk show whereby he presents the conservative principles he believes in. His convictions basically are biblical when it comes to moral issues. Therefore, Huckabee holds that he will have the evangelical audience for certain.

Moralists in general will take to his continuance, Huckabee reports. They will grow in concern, in knowledge and in power.

Huckabee says he wishes John McCain the best and will work for him. He has not been asked to be McCain's vice presidential running mate, but does not rule that out. He just has not been approached on that as yet.

Nevertheless, Huckabee is not ready to pack up his bags. He�s ready to keep going in strategic venues that will continue to carry his message.

He has strong faith to believe that he has a very dynamic contingency in America. And that block wants him to sit in the Big Office.

Time flies by quickly. It just could be that Huckabee could become a staple in national politics. One day he may live in that White House.

If it's up to Sarah, it's a guarantee.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Social Conservatism: The Foundation of Conservatism

The other day, I saw Mike make a very interesting statement and I'd like to paraphrase what he said. He said something about how there's a lot of these "economic conservatives" out there who believe strongly in government stepping out of the way of monetary affairs and free trade and free markets. While that is all fine and dandy, he pointed out that economic conservatism can only get you so far. He used the example of a person going to prison and how it costs more to house one person in prison for 1 year than it does to put a student through all four years of college and buy them books. Good point. Mitt Romney was right when he said that a strong country is based on three things: strong familys, strong economy and strong military. However, he gets it wrong when he puts a strong economy and a strong military right in there with strong families, as the strong families belong in a category all to themselves. A country with strong families can remain strong even in times of economic turmoil and strong families are the basis of a strong military since good soldiers realize that they are not in the military for themselves but to protect the freedoms of their families.

Hence conservatism that doesn't value the family first is a weak form of conservatism which will eventually give way to the tenacious grip of liberalism that seeks to destroy social conservatism first and then following that destroys the fiscal conservatism and security conservatism.

I like to think of it this way: Social conservatism is the foundation for the other two conservatisms. Social conservatism is the first one that liberals go after and seek to destroy. Social conservatism is the one that stands firmly on the 1st and second ammendments of the constitution, defends the rights of every individual, doesn't bow to new cultural fads (gay marriage, abortion, etc). Without social conservatism, economic conservatism and security conservatism really have no basis and eventually fall to liberalism completely.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Building Blocks... of Society

It's sad that Huckabee's out of the presidential race now.

America isn't ready for a Christian leader that lives out Christianity in his everyday life. Apparently America can't handle the idea of God in the public square anymore.

America was founded on the principles of Christianity. Liberalism infiltrated the church and now has infiltrated society. Slowly but surely the basic building blocks of a civil, Christian society are being destroyed bit by bit.

The first institution ordained by God, Marriage is under attack and liberals would like to completely recreate it's definition.

God created life and man has now the ability to destroy it in ways never known before. Abortion is now accepted by many. Abortion quickly degenerated into partial birth abortion. Some zealots for the "cause" of abortion would like to extend it to 18 months! So if you want to kill your 9 month old baby just because you don't like to hear it cry it's ok?

America, America... where is your heart? Where is your soul? Can't you see the direction of progressivism? Will I ever be able to be proud to be called an American again?

Two Winners from March 4th Primaries

"Even if John McCain secures the nomination tonight, Mike Huckabee will still be a winner. He will exceed Mitt Romney in delegates (267 in counting), and will be involved in the GOP for years to come. He came from nothing, but now is a national figure. Mike Huckabee is this year's 2nd place, but perhaps could end up in 1st in years ahead"

–Carl Cameron

Continuing on the Right

Gov. Huckabee didn't run a campaign... he started a movement! That movement is just starting and will continue to grow and if he chooses to run again in 2012, the movement will still be there. There will be others also who will pick up the banner of Faith, Family and Freedom and continue to press on.

Like Huckabee, we don't give up until the race is done. And this one is just starting now!