Friday, December 07, 2007
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Huckabee On Kudlow's Show
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
8:53 PM
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I talked with Larry Kudlow about Romney's speech and the interview Larry did with Mike Huckabee today. The transcript of our conversation is here, but you should watch the Kudlow-Huckabee interview. The former Arkansas governor is channeling Huey Long, and is far, from traditional GOP mainstream positions on economic issues. This is a significant interview.
Watch the interview here.
Watch reaction from other Kudlow guests, including three conservatives, here.
Key excerpt of my exchange with Kudlow on the Huckabee interview:
LK: Regarding Governor Huckabee, Governor Huckabee is a very interesting guy who is not running as the kind of traditional, free-trade, cut taxes, limit government, supply side conservative. He is not. And we walked through a whole bunch of things on trade and China and taxes, and also, he just blurted out CEO pay, which he violently disagrees with. And in fact, he said he would…he doesn’t want to regulate it, but he said at one point he would regulate CEO pay as a last resort.
HH: Oh.
LK: I thought that was very important. He’s very biased against China trade. He’s skeptical. He says the middle class is in trouble. He didn’t acknowledge the prosperity. I really asked him about today’s excellent jobs report, and the general prosperity we’re enjoying. He didn’t want to go there.
HH: You know, Larry, last night I watched Glen Beck as I was preparing to give a speech. I’m told it was a replay of a Huckabee interview. But what I heard last night, he was talking about the ruling class in America.
LK: Yeah.
HH: You know that’s populism, Huey Long yahooism.
LK: Yeah.
HH: That’s not the Republican Party.
LK: Nope. It’s interesting to me, because I mean, I said are you a pessimist, I say you sound pessimistic on the campaign trail. And he said I’m not a pessimist, I’m a realist. And I think he’s the only candidate, Hugh, who is acknowledging these middle class anxieties, almost reaching out to them. He doesn’t have a solution except to curb trade. But he’s really playing to that, in that sense, just like the Democrats are. And the thing is, you have to look at this in a serious vane, because he’s doing so well in the polls. I mean, it would seem that the more his message gets out, the better he’s doing. And I find that quite troubling, but I think that’s the reality. I’m going to look at the tape of my interview tonight, because as you know, it’s awfully hard when you’re on the spot, I’ve got producers in my ear…
HH: Right.
LK: And I want to look at the whole thing. I didn’t dwell on his sales tax hikes and all that in Arkansas, because he’s already answered those charges, and he’s been beaten up. I was interested in what his future policy was, and it’s very vague. The reality is his future policy is very vague.
UPDATE: Powerline's Paul Mirengoff blasts Huckabee's foreign policy and Powerline's John Hinderaker wonders if Huck is the GOP's Howard Dean:
[T]here are severe limitations on Huckabee's appeal to Republican voters. Howard Dean made his name as an antiwar candidate, but his other positions were also reliably liberal. Huckabee's record, on the other hand, is mixed. On fundamental issues like taxes and immigration his record is not at all conservative, and, not only does he have zero experience in foreign policy, his comments on security issues have been less than reassuring. As Republican voters learn more about Huckabee, most of them will like him less, not more.
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To Christians, like Mike Huckabee, morality matters more than money-but not to people like kudlow and hewitt who live for money, and dwell on money 24-7.
I dont really care what Kudlow thinks about Huckabee- Kudlow endorsed Romney because Romney is a multimillionaire and they worship the same God: Money. |
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Huckcabee Doubles Romney in Iowa.
Is it just me, or is Hugh not saying much about the polls this week? |
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Maybe you should stop bashing Huckabee and start promoting the positives in your own candidate. In the last several days, you haven't given me any reasons as to why I should support Romney. I like Romney but right now I like Huckabee even better. I have an open mind and would be willing to switch sides. It is your job to convince voters like me as to why I should join the Romney train and so far you haven't. Simply trashing another candidate like Huckabee won't do the job. |
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Really, I totally disagree with Huckabee's position on trade (I think we should unilaterally drop all tariffs and quotas and let the market work), but to say that curbing trade is his only solution, and that his future policy (I assume LK meant economic policy) is vague totally ignores the Fair Tax, which is the most concrete tax reform proposal of any of the candidates. Thompson has an optional flat tax plan he's promoting on his website, but it seems a little half-hearted for what's needed. Everyone else gives vague promises to lower taxes, eliminate certain taxes, whatever. Huckabee has gone out on a limb and actually taken up tax reform.
If Romney had embraced tax reform (whether Fair Tax, flat tax, anything) rather than a promise to cut taxes that we all know will eventually be raised again, we probably wouldn't be discussing Huckabee at all today. |
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Slate
Where have you been? Eighty-percent of Hugh's posts and his radio show have been relentlessly promoting Romney. The remaining 20 percent his bashes Huck.
If he hasn't already persuaded you to join Romney, he never will. |
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While I heartily disagree with Huckabee on trade (I believe we should unilaterally drop all tariffs and quotas), saying curbing trade is his only solution totally ignores Huckabee's embracing tax reform with the Fair Tax.
If Romney had endorsed tax reform of some sort (Fair Tax, Flat tax, anything) instead of the usual promise of lowering taxes that will eventually be raised again, then we might not be talking about Huckabee right now. |
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I think this is really funny. In order to make us think that Huckabee is a new verision of Huey Long, Hugh posts the link to the interview (which appears to be truncated to the section where Huckabee says he would use Gov't intervention "only as a last resort"), and Huckabee comes out looking rather reasonable. Of course Huckabee's wrong economically, because the market would weed out bad corporate boards without any help from the government at all.
But Huey Long was a communist/populist, which Huckabee is clearly not. You might say that Huckabee is closer to a William J. Bryan style populist, though. (Not that that's really a good thing; while Bryan won the nomination for the Democrat party three times, he lost the election all three times). |
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but it won't help him.
For years the Republican party has been successful because they've been able to capture the middle class vote, the "folks" as Bill O Reilly, himself a populist calls them, because they're alienated by the wacko leftiness of the Democrats. Huckabee is a populist, even more so that Bush was, and he could be dangerous to those who care about capitalism.
The problem is Hugh's candidate Mitt is the greatest throwback I can remember to the image of the corporate, "Country club" republican. Very few Americans can really identify with him. He's going to lose to the populist type every time. |
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What I meant to say was, Huckabee's wrong economically about the government needing to intervene, but he's right politically, because what he said would resonate with so many people who don't have a good grasp of free market principles. |
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He's not a conservative outside of social issues. Huckabee thinks it's "compassionate" to raise taxes and spend peoples money. This is the same excuse liberals use.
Huckabee would be a disaster for the economy because he thinks that people on Wall Street are greedy and that they are short changing the middle class.
What Huckabee doesn't realize is that we live in a 13.3 trillion dollar economy because of Wall Street and big business.
The reason that the middle class is hurting is because of big government. The worker is the one paying to support big government programs that Huckabee and the democrats think are so "compassionate."
If a business makes 1 million dollars and the business owner pays himself 100,000 dollars he/she will be taxed on that 100,000 and have extra capital to build wealth with. The worker makes 100,000 dollars and he's paying the same tax rate as the business owner and he has no extra capital. It's set up this way so the business can reinvest in his business or the next You Tube which in turn will help expand the economy. If you tax it like Hillary wants to and most likely Huckabee then business owners will not invest and this will slow are economy.
The worker should want as little of his 100,000 dollars taken away. These big government liberals and populist like Huckabee do not understand how the free market works. The smaller the government the more money the worker keeps. The bigger the government the more money the worker pays.
I'm for the fair tax but not for Huckabee. I know the Fair Tax will take years to be enacted and I don't want to pay for Huckabee's "compassion" in the meantime.
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Huckabee 39%
Romney 17%
Thompson 10%
Guiliani 9%
McCain 9%
275 likely GOP Caucus-Goers
MOE +/- 6%
I attribute this to Romney's post-"Speech" bounce |
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was the worst possible solution. HH apparently had some excess dramamine to work out of his system from his CNN/CNNi Post-Speech spinning...
Most
Disengenuous
Analysis
Ever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFVXiWtD7UY
watch the whole thing
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If Huck is in the lead, then he'll have to craft better answers to the Wayne Dumond mess and soon. |
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http://www.arkansasleader.com/2007/11/editorialswhos-bigges t-tax-raiser.html
The last thing the republicans need is a populist that doesn't understand market dynamics.
Huckabee like liberals thinks you can fix the imbalance by throwing more money at it in the name of compassion.
The fact is you will never fix the imbalance in society as long as there's big government. In a capitalist structure the worker will be the one paying for big government. If a business owner makes 100,000 dollars and has 900,000 to invest and build wealth, he or she could care less how much of the 100,000 dollars the government takes.
The worker on the other hand is hurting as government grows because the bigger the government the less of there 100,000 dollars they will keep and they don't have extra capital to build wealth so they have to get a second job to make ends meet.
The solution to this is shrink government but Huckabee and the liberals don't understand this. |
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You asked in a post above that someone stop bashing Huck and give you reasons to vote for someone else. This may not be the candidate you asked about, but you should hear everyones stand on the issues. If you go to the official Fred Thompson site click on 'issues' and then on 'white papers'. This will allow you to read in depth. Below are the titles.
Following is a listing of Fred Thompson's white papers.
Border Security and Immigration Plan
Israel
Revitilizing America's Armed Forces
Saving and Protecting Social Security
Traditional American Values
Education
Tax Relief and New Economic Growth Plan
Can anyone show me an extensive list of white papers from their fav?
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Huckabee and his compassion are terrible for the G.O.P.
Huckabee's compassion is the reason he pushed for Wayne Dumond to go free. He actually wrote the guy a letter saying my desire is for you to be set free after the rape victim begged Huckabee not to do it. As you can see Huckabee's misguided compassion can have deadly results.
This is compassion without reason which is liberalism.
Why didn't Huckabee buy Dumand a house next to his if he desired him to be free?
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[slate on December 7, 2007 9:26 PM]"In the last several days, you haven't given me any reasons as to why I should support Romney.... It is your job to convince voters like me as to why I should join the Romney train"
A vote for anyone other than Romney is a vote for the social liberal Giuliani.
Not yet persuaded to hop aboard the Romney train?
Then check out Romney's record:
2002 Romney: I'm moderate, with progressive views-- see 0:50 on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbYdATLV6ZE
Romney on Abortion - 2002-- 5:21 long
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_w9pquznG4
2002 Romneys briefly on abortion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKwVNUz52vo
The Real Romney?-- 5:04 long, from debate with Ted Kennedy shortly before the 1994 tsunami that swept Republicans into control of Congress (Romney failed to beat Kennedy that year)
TOPICS:
abortion, homosexuals and the Boy Scouts, wasn't Republican during Reagan-Bush years, affirmative action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9IJUkYUbvI
Mitt Romney on Abortion -- May 27, 2005
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxV-QNXoRIc
Does anyone here know when Romney was last pro-choice? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQbeBC_fOI
news report on unveiling of the New, Improved Romney with eyes on the White House-- 2:12 long
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97bZHW7q_48
As a bonus, like Massachusetts's John Kerry, Massachusetts's Romney speaks French.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyP2M0DTch8
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Now that the Newsweak poll has Huckleberry doubling up Mitt, it's up to Rudy to save the day on Feb 5. I'm an EC but I prefer Rudy and Mitt over Huckleberry. |
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...have a disproportionate say in who we select as nominees? It's so pathetic to grant the least of America the most influence. |
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I'm with Senator Orin Hatch. We need a financial genius in Washington who understands free markets.
Romney turned arouned over 150 companies while at Bain Capital like Staples and Domino's.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/ar ticles/part3_main/
When he was at Bain he was frugal with other people's money. He would have standard desks in the office when they first started and he would tell employees on business trips to eat a good meal but not a memorable one.
This is a guy who understands the concept of other peoples money.
He turned around the Olympics. The Olympics was running 379 million in deficit, enter Romney and they ended up with a profit of 100 million.
He turned around MA. They had a 3 billion dollar deficit, enter Romney by 2006 they had a 700 million dollar surplus.
This is why Jim Kramer called him one of the best business men in North America.
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Circa May 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rr6-CcOJPw
Watch the whole thing.
Of course, this is *before* he placed his finger in the air and found it blowing *very* hard in the other direction. So he changed his mind.
Mitt changes his mind a lot.
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A recent poll had Romney up and another one had him down by 3 or 4 points.
The Newsweek poll is made up of 275 likely caucus goers. If you read the inside of the poll it's a sham. |
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By 1986, Bain Capital had invested very little. But that year proved a turning point, with major deals that put the firm on the map. The best known was Thomas Stemberg's office supply company, Staples Inc.
At the time, companies bought most of their pens, pencils, and paper from small stationers, usually at significant mark-ups. Stemberg, a former supermarket executive, wanted to change that, but couldn't find investors
Stemberg found someone who would. Intrigued by the concept, and how it spoke to his inherent frugality, Romney called lawyers, accountants, and other professionals to gauge office supply spending, only to conclude Stemberg had overestimated the size of the market.
''Look,'' Stemberg told Romney, ''your mistake is that the guys you called think they know what they spend, but they don't.''
Romney and Bain Capital went back to the businesses and tallied up invoices. Stemberg's assessment of the market seemed right after all.
On May 1, 1986, backed by an initial Bain Capital investment of $650,000, the first Staples opened in Brighton. Explosive growth followed. Today, Staples is a $18 billion company.
Bain Capital, meanwhile, enjoyed a nearly sevenfold return when it sold its stake a few years later, reaping more than $13 million from a total of about $2 million invested.
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Rubin, Jennifer. 5 February 2007. "Mitt Romney's Conversion"
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Utilities/printer_preview.asp ?idArticle=13222&R=111EFD5
Melissa Kogut, NARAL Pro-Choice
Massachusetts's executive director, says, "It is
conventional wisdom that candidates in
Massachusetts need to be pro-choice to win. He ran
as pro-choice. As he began exploring the run for
president, he changed. No matter where you stand
on this issue, you should question where he
stands." Angus McQuilken of Planned Parenthood
says, "When a candidate or elected official can
move so easily from one position to the opposite
overnight, it leaves voters wondering whether he
has any core values."
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Sheriff of Floppingham, Friar Mike
Folger, Janet. 27 November 2007. "Sir Mike-A-Lot and the Queen of Slaughter"
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58879
Morris, Dick & Eileen McGann. 30 November 2006. "The Bottom of the Barrel"
http://www.leadercall.com/opinion/local_story_336211208.htm l?keyword=secondarystory
Romney seems to be a chameleon who adjusts his
positions to suit the need of his environment. When
he was running in a liberal state against the most
liberal member of the Senate, he talked liberal. But
now that he wants to win a Republican primary with
a conservative base, he speaks their language.
Now, he says that his views on abortion have
"evolved and changed" since he sought election in
the most liberal state in the nation and he now
considers himself pro-life.
But on abortion, the only thing liberals and
conservatives agree on is that they can't stand
those who would flip-flop on this moral issue,
adjusting not only to the political winds but also to
the geographic area in which they are running at the
moment. Since Romney has flip-flop-flipped, going
from pro-life to pro-choice to pro-life, he is unlikely
to gain traction on the right.
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Their first job: raise the investment fund. Romney and a Bain Capital partner, Coleman Andrews, went on the road, using overhead projectors and Romney's mastery of details to woo investors. During one pitch, Andrews recalls, an investor asked if Romney would spend money on fancy offices and big expense accounts.
Andrews told him not to worry about Romney. ''He pops his own popcorn and takes it to the movies.''
Frugal with his own money, Romney insisted that Bain Capital be especially careful with other people's money.
The office was Spartan, furnished with gray metal desks. When partners traveled, they flew coach. Andrews recalls that the rule for meals on the road was: ''They should be nourishing, but not memorable.''
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/ar ticles/part3_main/?page=4
This is what Washington needs. There politicians in charge of large sums of other peoples money and they spend like crazy. Huckabee and the democrats replace free markets with what they call free handouts. |
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In time, Romney would lead the shaky start-up from a staff of seven people managing $37 million to 115 people managing $4 billion in assets. During Romney's 15-year tenure, Bain Capital would post an astonishing record, on average doubling its return on realized investments every year. Thomas H. Lee, founder of cross-town rival Thomas H. Lee Partners, calls the company's performance under Romney ''one of the great stories of American capital.''
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/ar ticles/part3_main/?page=1
WOW!! WOW!! This is what Washington needs. |
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If the new Republican Party is built on the twin pillars of Radical Protestantism and the Fair Tax we are doomed to a 60 seat Dem Senate, major losses in the House and Hillary or Obama rubber stamping the Dem Congress. |
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ACLU: 7% (indicates very conservative)
American Conservative Union: 92%
Americans for Better Immigration: A+
Americans for Tax Reform: 88.5%
Campaign for Working Families: 100%
Christian Coalition: 100%
Concerned Women for America: 100%
Eagle Forum: 100%
Family Research Council: 100%
Federation for American Immigration Reform: 100%
Gun Owners of America: A
NARAL: 0% (indicates a pro-life record)
National Federation of Independent Business: 100%
National Rifle Association: A+
National Right to Life Committee: 100%
National Tax Limitation Committee: A
National Taxpayers Union: B
http://www.gohunter08.com |
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Fred's on the way to Iowa from Dec 17,until the vote, except for a Christmas break. A old Tennessee boy like Fred knows the smell of blood in the water. |
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Romney exuded competence in running the economy. He needs to move to that issue against Huck. Romney actually knows what he is doing with the Global economy. Huck has an undergrad degree in religion and then went to divinity school. He knows ZERO about economics much less the Global economy.
Romney need to hit him on this. This is worse than having Billy Graham as the Federal Reserve Chairman. |
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A bit of hyperbole don't you think? To my knowledge Huckabee hasn't proposed limits on the amount anyone and everyone can earn (share your wealth), nor did he tell the papers in Arkansas that they couldn't print negative comments about him (as Long did, thankfully they ignored him).
Hugh there is an outside chance Huckabee will be the nominee. Making ridiculous comparisons of him to someone who scared the s--- out of a lot of people in the 1930s in Louisiana isn't helpful. My grandparents in Baton Rouge remembered Huey well (and couldn't stand him). I don't think they would consider Huckabee to be an heir apparent. |
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BG - that would be a good move on Mitt's part, a businessman is what he is, I have no problem with that. Why didn't he try that in the first place?
He is plummeting in the Iowa polls, the folks are just not buying him when he sold himself as a conservative. Authenticity is the theme this year, and Mitt is having trouble with that. |
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Hugh is in Romnies camp, there is no secrete about that. He must be awfully afraid of Huck.
I just cant vote for a man that is duped by or is complicit with a cult, and no one - Absolutely NO ONE can deny that Mormonism isn't a cult. And anyone that claims Mormons are Christians does not know or understand what Christians are or who Jesus Christ, the only Son of God is. |
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I just can't believe how Christians who are maligned by Hollywood and the media would do the same thing to someone else because they have a different religion.
This is bigotry at it's worst and it shows we are not an enlightened nation. We are still in the darkness of indifference towards the liberty of others.
As a Christian this truly sickens me. This is why I will leave the republican party and switch to independant. I cannot be in a party that exhibits this kind of bigotry. Like Rush Iam shocked that people who call themselves conservatives act this way. We are supposed to be about Liberty.
This just shows we are far from illumination as a nation and we are still stuck in the cave of ignorance and indifference. |
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BG: "Romney actually knows what he is doing with the Global economy. Huck has an undergrad degree in religion and then went to divinity school."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mitt may have an MBA but Huckleberry has a Master's Arts in Snake Oil. |
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"Huck has an undergrad degree in religion and then went to divinity school. He knows ZERO about economics much less the Global economy." - BG
Yes, but he *did* stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...
"And anyone that claims Mormons are Christians does not know or understand what Christians are or who Jesus Christ, the only Son of God is." - Vince
Here we go again. So much ignorance, so little time... |
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Romney is toast.
No matter how many "conservative opinion leaders" *cough* he leaves moist with his smooth talking, he's too untrustworthy for actual voting Republicans.
I love slate's comment asking Hugh to write more positively things about Romney and less nagatively about Huckabee. That says it all: this web site truly is just a bought-and-sold branch of Romney for President, inc.
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From Power Line:
"Consider this piece in the Des Moines Register, in which Huckabee proposes to restore our standing in the world "by showing the kind of respect that other nations would want and deserve." Huckabee explained that "you treat others the way you'd like to be treated; to me the fundamental issue that has to be re-established in our dealings with other countries."
So there you have it; treat Iran, Syria, and North Korea with the same respect with which we want to be treated and experience the joys of international fellowship and good will. I don't recall even President Carter being that naive." |
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If we build the new Republican Party on the twin pillars of Radical Protestantism and the Fair Tax we will get 60+ Dems Senators and a bullet proof Dem Congress not to mention Obama/Hillary or vice versa.
If we really wanted to foul things up add open borders for a 3rd leg of the Party.
If Huck gets the nomination it may be decades before the Party recovers. |
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Hugh says Huck isn't a Republican--that he's a Huey Long yahoo. Powerline says he's like Carter. It's amazing the historic parallels people draw from history's data points.
But Kudlow understands what is going on. The Republican base is telling its leaders--all of official Republicandom, from guys like Rush to guys like Mitt--to go bite themselves. Kudlow, being a smart guy, needs time to think about it. Hugh, being less smart, lashes and foams like the desperate "influencer" he is. |
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. . . building up a billion dollar business, saving the olympics, and turning around Massachusetts,
Huck was doing his thing too as a Governer, for 10 years. and that's the record people should look at.
His running on a "Christian Leader" platform reminds me of John Kerry running on a "Decorated Soldier" platform.
It's designed to appeal to an audience, but let's get past the schtick and onto the policies.
If those are Huck's policies, and the GOP chooses that, to me it demonstrates the success the left has had in pulling the GOP that direction.
If a republican has to run as a democrat in a GOP primary, just to get the nod, then, wow, I overestimated the GOP. |
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Every time we get into one of these wonderful free trade agreements, our trade deficit with said country skyrockets. Why are massive trade deficits good for the USA?
The problem you free trade worshipers have is that we have an advanced welfare state while those you want trade "freely" with have very little (if any) welfare state at all. It isn't fair to place US manufacturers into direct competition with the Third World and expect them to succeed with their hands tied behind their backs. Pushing free trade without decreasing the size of government (tremendously) is no different than putting the cart before the horse.
Additionally, the strongest rope used to bind the hands of the American businessman is our current tax code. While the Fair Tax won't cut the ropes that bind, it'll certainly loosen the knots enough to allow blood flow to the fingers.
The US, under the leadership of the Democrat-Rockefeller cabal, is set up for failure. |
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The Seawall has broken the Huckabee Surge has become a TSUNAMI!!!!!!!---
Somebody keep Hugh from jumping off the balcony!!!! Their will be a cabinet post for his wonderbud!!!
For all of the NAYSAYING HUCKABEE HAS ENDURED--THIS IS AWSOME!!!!!!!!
Fact is that Poll was taken BEFORE Romney's BIG Speech so whatever...whine ALL YOU WANT.
most people who are against him MOST likely have not given him a fair hearing and are just a bunch of bigoted false accusers and grumblers...
get over it....Huckabee is genuine AND CONSISTENT!!!! And has not tried to BUY the voters like the other corporate GOP types did!!!!!!! Finally someone who can ARTICULATE Republican Principles with wit & wisdom!!!! (By the way he has something Al Bore, Howard Scream & Bob Dull never had...He is LIKEABLE and mixes well with people kind of like another ex-governor from Arkansas!!!!)
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isn't a good measure of the health of the US economy. It is merely an indicator of corporate profits.
If companies can ship manufacturing overseas to the Third World and then ship the goods into the US duty free, guess what? Corporate profits will go up. If a corporation can outsource within the US by using illegal aliens, guess what? Corporate profits will go up.
It sucks for anybody who actually works for a living (I mean REAL work, not being a talk show host or a f'n lawyer). We get to pay higher taxes to feed, clothe, educate, and medicate illegals and their families. We also get to pay politicians and trade reps to represent corporate interests in lieu (that's right) of the interests of the US.
But hey! Everythings good so long as every shelf of the Walmart is full of lead-laden Chinese crap and they post better than expected earnings.
"Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains" -Thomas Jefferson
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There seem to be a lot of people posting comments on this site that are big Huckabee fans. What I wonder is how many of them have lived under a Huckabee controlled government. I have. I started out as a Huckabee fan. Voted for him and everything. I defended him to those I work with who didn't like him. Overtime I came to deeply regret my support for him. It was not an easy thing for me because I am loyal to those I vote for. My first wake up call was when Huckabee's 18 year old (at the time) son and a companion hung a stray dog, stoned it, and then slit it's throat while working at a summer camp. This struck me as horrendous. This was a crime that was not pursued. He was the governors son after all. But I was sickened by it and wondered how such a good man came to have such a disturbed son. I tried to resolve this within myself and eventually just had to let it go. It was his son and not Huckabee that did it after all. The doubts remained however because the surface picture began to crumble. As time went on and I paid more and more attention to Huckabee's record I was more and more upset. He claimed to balance the budget. But that wasn't his credit to claim. It was mandated by law. He had no choice. He did it by raising taxes again and again and not by practicing good fiscal policy and spending less. He released hundreds of criminals, many of them violent. It did not make me feel better that he often made it a condition that they went to another state. The list goes on and on. You would think that in an evangelical stronghold, conservative area like west central Arkansas Huckabee would be popular. He is disliked by most people I know. I am surprised by how many people have arrived at the same conclusion as me. Huckabee is not the man to have lead a state, much less a nation. I just wanted to share my personal journey in regard to Huckabee. |
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This guy could--if elected--undo one helluva lot of hard work and consistency done by 'W' on the Int'l stage. It looks like he's got all the breathtaking candle power of a firefly where the world's Demons are concerned. I'd previously thought that the kind of stuff he's credited with in the Powerline artcles was exclusive to the Dems. "Be NICE to Bullies and they'l' be nice to others." Uh-huh. That's the lesson of history, especially 20th Century History.
No Way. Nada. Nein. Nyet. Negative. NO. |
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[BG on December 8, 2007 1:23 AM]"If we build the new Republican Party on the twin pillars of Radical Protestantism and the Fair Tax"
This year I saw "the Fair Tax" being touted on T.H. as an 'action item.' I was urged to contact my representatives in support of the Fair Tax.
"Radical Protestantism"
How so?-- details? Huckabee has broad appeal beyond merely hardcore Protestants, and even appeals to moderates (and many liberals-- he's very likable and human and humorous).
Rosary For Huckabee
http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2007/10/rosary-for-hucka bee.html
"If we really wanted to foul things up add open borders for a 3rd leg of the Party."
What do you think of Huckabee's
"The Secure America Plan
A 9-Point Strategy for Immigration Enforcement and Border Security"?
http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_i d=26
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from your multitudinous posts that a Huckite may be as lunar as a Paulite ain't true! Whew...
Just a random pick...So, Hitler and Abortion are similar? Ummmmm...The hanging, stoning-torturing of a dog is the well known behavior of a fledgling sociopath. Ask the FBI Profiling Dept. Or, ask the victims of the Riverman, Bundy & Dahlmer. Have not the slightest clue as to what Huck's boy is doing now, but hope like hell he got serious psychotherapy. Abortion isn't something I support, but millions of young women are...what...borderline sociopaths or Hitlers??
If the Prozac ain't working, Bubba, try the Paxil or the Zoloft. |
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Nah, that's not me. For the most part, and the guys in here will dispute that, I'm a pretty humble guy--or in any case, I see both pride and shame as a waste of time. One should try to be equal to the world around him, and if possible, a little bit better. |
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a President who does not have a good, no, make that excellent grasp of Western economics. We are facing a Social Security/government programs meltdown probably within 20 years. The next President needs to lead in this field. Why is this important? Our national security, built on the military and intelligence, depends on being strong economically. Our national security cannot be cut, diced up, etc. The next President, and not Mr. Huckabee, hopefully, has to have a good, no, make that excellent grasp of international affairs, with wisdom from on High, to protect this nation. Here's a question for all candidates: What books are you reading to prepare you for being President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States? |
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Some comments that are pertinent:
1. The poll was taken before Mitt's speech so cannot reflect its impact and the political oxygen it sucked up.
2. The sample size is the smallest of any poll and hence the MOE is huge - 7%
3. The poll predates Huck's attempted evasion and floundering on Dumond
4. Huck is nowhere in NH, NV or MI.
5. His GOTV is nowhere near Mitt's in IA and is non-existent outside IA.
6. Newsweek does not have anywhere near the crediblity of say Rasmussen.
7. Huck will spend pretty much all his limited money in IA, NH and will have almost nothing to fight much past FL.
8. THe only state in the early run-up with a highish % of evengelicals is SC - the rest are half or less that IA so Huck's stranglehold on this vote becomes less relevant as the primaries roll out.
9. The poll predates the rising numbers of high profile conservatives critical of Huckabee and publicly expressing support for Romney |
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Those are good points, except for 6 and 9 (which correlates to 3). Rasmussen IS more credible than Newsweek, but it's not like they are in different leagues or something. The difference is in the margins, in degrees.
As for the 9th point, I think the high-profile conservatives critical of Huck is a net plus for Huckabee. Grassroots conservatives have got to be, after the past several years, rethinking their assumptions about government. Between Iraq and NOLA, fiscal mismanagement and cronyism, an eroding middle class at home and an eroding reputation abroad, and a toxic, bought-and-paid-for civic life, down home conservatives have got to be wondering if their leadership is all that. And to be sure, the decline of our country has been a failure of leadership, of our elites--both left AND right. |
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Funny, because I was eating dinner, when I got a chance to see this...
Huckabee actually sounded like Hillary Clinton at times, because he feels wages in US Companies are too high !
LOL
And even stated as a last resort, he may engage in some sort of regulation effort as President.
This was simply bizarre.
He should run as a Democrat... |
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The idea someone would write on this blog, that these fine Conservatives are only interested in 'money' is simply absurd.
To think of all the fine charitable causes and efforts the likes of these Men have dedicated themselves towards.
Even their concern for the health of this fine Nation.
Maybe the problem is 'cornpone harry' has no conception of how disastrous the Huckabee policies are for everyone, especially the poor.
We had to fight for the health of this Nation, after the Carter fiasco, with the Reagan Revolution, and it is simply stunning to see those who are willing to ignore these essentials.
These issues are more important than 'money'.
We are talking about freedom.
And Huckabee is offering more Governmental Control.
That is simply unacceptable.
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A "salute and march" type guy like you may not realize it, but the Republican approach is being reassessed by those conservatives who do not get all their info from Foxnews and talk radio. The failure of Republican governance necessarily leads people to question the philosophy that underpins it. Huck has some different ideas--more fiscally to the left, if still culturally to the right. Who can complain? The current conservative leadership? What record of fiscal responsibility can THEY point to? At least with Huck, you don't get flimflam about "small government."
And so he bridges one of the key contradictions of contemporary conservatism--Huck says: "yes, we will demand virtue from our citizens. We will be morally assertive, and we will invoke our faith. But we will recognize that you cannot properly do those things and then leave everything up to a market-driven, consumerist, business-oriented culture." To me, that's a huge breakthrough for conservatism, given that the current model not only doesn't work, but is patently phony baloney. |
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Huckabee is a disater waiting to happen. The guys a social conservative but the buck stops there.
His fiscal policies are a disaster waiting to happen. Anyone who blames Wall Street and greedy capitalist for the woes of society doesn't understand how the free markets work.
Huckabee and Liberals think you can fix the economic imbalance with more government and regulation.
In a 13+ trillion economy, the reason why the worker is hurting and there's 2 americas John Edwards and Huckabee is because of BIG GOVERNMENT.
Anyone who knows anything about economics knows that big business is not the enemy of the worker. This is what democrats do, they need a villain so they can make people feel like victims and Huckabee does the same thing.
The fact is, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison and others are the lifeblood of the economy. Their success expands are economy and allows people to have more access to capital which in turn helps the Small Business Owner. Think of how many people are employed because of Rupert Murdoch. Yet many democrats want to make these folks the villains to hide the fact that BIG GOVERNMENT is the true culprit.
I had someone say to me that they are paying to much in taxes, I then asked why are you a democrat? Huckabee and liberals don't realize that the bigger the government the smaller the take home pay, the smaller the government the bigger the paycheck for the worker.
If you try to overtax these entrepreneurs in the name of fixing an imbalance then you have fell into the trap of liberalism. Sadly, this is the Huckabee way. |
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"The idea someone would write on this blog, that these fine Conservatives are only interested in 'money' is simply absurd."
But HNAV, that's the Left's number one talking point, and the only one that gets them any real sympathy points from their mindless constituents. Conservatives are *only* about money, don't you see? Clinton, Edwards, Kennedy, Kerry, et al would live in cardboard boxes if only they could, because for them it's all about the *people*. Taxation, government care, federal oversight - that's what we the people *really* need.
Sadly, Huckabee appears to buy into this nonsense. His credentials as a Baptist minister and his popular-but-unrealistic sound bites ("I'll destroy the IRS!!!") are the only thing keeping him in the race at all. Huckabee is a tax-and-spend "conservative," if there is such a thing.
For me, the best candidate is the one who knows how to run a business. How to cut costs without putting the burden on the people, how to streamline, how to maximize efficiencies. Because if there's one thing the government needs right now, it's a total fiscal overhaul. And in this election cycle, the guy that fits that bill is Romney. |
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1996 Romney blasted Steve Forbes's flat tax idea
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/03/mit t_romney_is.html
7 September 2007
"Fee-Fee" Can't Get Free Himself From His Record on Taxes
http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/09/fee-fee_cant_ge.php
In 1996, Romney personally paid $50,000 to fund a series of attack ads aimed at Republican Presidential contender Steve Forbes' flat tax, arguing that a flat tax benefited the rich because the plan would not tax income from dividends, interest, and investment profits. The ad called the tax break 'a tax cut for fat cats.'
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