Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee visited Bellevue, yesterday. He gave your standard series of political stump speeches at a KCGOP fundraiser and the Harbor Club in Bellevue, visited the Microsoft campus and chatted with reporters briefly. Huckabee also taped an interview with Fox News Hannity and Colmes.
Huckabee brought a rather optimistic and upbeat message to town mixing it with a little southern, down-home charm and humor. As has been noted his political star has been on the rise of late and he continues to gain momentum as the critical decision dates in Iowa and New Hampshire approach. This is due in no small part to Republican voters still casting about for an actual candidate with conservative credentials and dissatisfaction with the original "Big Three" front-runners - Giuliani, McCain, Romney - who are seen as moderate or left-leaning.
One of the things you get after chatting with actual Republican voters - people who'll be making a decision in the caucuses and primaries - is they like Mike Huckabee personally. This is then followed with the dreaded conjunction "But" and finished by the statement "I'm not sure if he can win".
Asked how he would convince Republican voters that he is electable Huckabee responded that he is the only candidate who has consistently improved his poll numbers; he did begin the race in the low single-digits.
"I'd much rather peak on election day in New Hampshire and Iowa than six months ago," Huckabee said.
He compared his campaign to Ronald Reagan's in 1979 saying the Republican establishment couldn't stand the Gipper either and he was lagging behind in the polls at the same point during the race.
He acknowledged Mayor Rudy Giuliani's lead and the notion that no small amount of the New Yorker's support comes from the belief in Republican circles that Giuliani is the only one who can defeat Sen. Hillary Clinton in the general election.
Naturally Huckabee disagrees.
"I'm the only candidate who has run against the Clinton political machine and won four times," said Huckabee; twice as governor and twice as lieutenant governor of Arkansas.
He shrugged off news of televangelist Pat Robertson's endorsement of Giuliani saying that D.C. based religious leaders are becoming increasing disconnected with the core of their supporters at home.
"I'd rather have 100,000 soldiers than the one general any day," Huckabee said.
Conventional political wisdom is holding that openly courting Christian voters is a way to ensure political failure. Huckabee is bucking that trend and several times last night bragged about the support he is getting among evangelical voters while emphasizing his pro-life stance.
During one of the previous GOP debates, Huckabee established his pro-Iraq war credentials by going toe-to-toe with fellow candidate Ron Paul. He disagrees with his opponent's notion that Iraq is a political liability for Republicans and added that success in the war is more important than success politically.
"Iraq is bigger than the election," Huckabee said. "In war, whoever gives up loses. If we say that's it, we embolden an enemy that has its intent to destroy us. They don't care if it takes 1000 days or 1000 years."
Huckabee acknowledges mistakes were made in the war, said more troops should have been put on the ground during and immediately after the invasion and said too much credence was given to advisors with "silk ties" instead of listening to the generals whose boots were on the ground in Iraq.
He recommended reading the book "In the Words of our Enemies" written by former under secretary of defense Jed Babbin. Using the phrase "Islamo-Fascism" later in the evening, he warned that Islamic fundamentalists are trying to push a new Caliphate.
Huckabee noted there have been successes in Iraq and Afghanistan and these will continue as long as the locals take more responsibility. The process has been helped with radical members of the Taliban and Al Qaeda overplaying their hand and turning the people against them.
During his speech in front of Republicans at the Westin, later that evening, Huckabee announced his support of replacing the IRS and national income tax with a consumption tax; i.e. a national sales tax.
"Our tax system is more onerous than France...tinkering with the tax code is not enough," Huckabee said. He feels eliminating the income tax will bring back manufacturing jobs and investment money "parked in offshore accounts" and will save billions of dollars now spent by companies and private citizens to comply with IRS rules.
Briefs:
* Has made energy independence a part of his campaign and spoke about it last night. At MikeHuckabee.com it lists nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel and biomass along with conservation as avenues to achieve this goal.
"I would love to be the president to tell (the Middle East) we need their oil as much as we need their sand."
* Doesn't support a draft although he notes that too much burden has been put on the families and employers of National Guard soldiers; favors strengthening the U.S. military whose resources are stretched thin.
*Touted his tax cutting credentials in Arkansas including child care tax credits and eliminating the marriage penalty.
* On illegal immigration he advocated a secure, fenced border and spoke against amnesty and sanctuary cities.
Extra: Press conferences are an interesting phenomenon as I've mentioned in the past. One of the most under and misreported stories is what goes on before, during and after one of these events and how the personalities of those involved go more towards influencing what is news and not news more than what is actually done or said.
Yesterday's press scrum at the Westin was amicable, if, sparsely attended. It probably comes from the actuality that Huckabee is just so damn likable. He has one of those infectious personalities which made even the most serious journalists in attendance chuckle at his stories and self-deprecating humor.
There were only six of us there last night, not counting a camera man from Q-13 and including myself, the Times, PI, a UW student and a rather self-conscious unpaid intern from The Stranger. The Seattle Weekly showed up much later...
David Postman did a good job but focused mostly on electoral horse race questions and the endorsement of Dr. Joe Fuiten. The Huckabee camp and the folks at Cedar Park Church in Bothell sent out press releases yesterday about the pastor's support.
Neil Modie of the Seattle P-I tried to goad Huckabee into making an attack on Mitt Romney's religion. It was your pretty standard tactic. Take something that a candidate said, in this case Huckabee's criticism of all presidential candidates for not being more open about their religious faith, and then twist the words in order to get the candidate to say something embarrassing. Does Huckabee think Romney should be more open about HIS religion, wink, wink, etc. etc.
The point was to drive a schism between the ordained Baptist minister and the Latter Day Saints because...isn't that the lede in all those stories... Baptists think Mormons follow a cult? Pretty clumsy attempt and Huckabee, politely, didn't answer.
The other character you'll sometimes see at these affairs is your national reporter. Local guys have a disadvantage because you don't get a lot of face time with the interview subject and you're competing with all the other reporters asking questions over a short period of time. Yesterday's press talk lasted just under 30 minutes. By necessity the questions asked were overly broad.
Contrast this with the national guy who follows a candidate from town to town, chiming in a few queries here, getting some one-on-one time in between rest breaks there and often coming up with some of the most narrow, and at times bizarre, topics.
In this case there was a writer from the New Yorker (I'm told). He tasked Huckabee with some more general questions about Iraq, after I brought the topic of the war up, then the conversation devolved to the Taliban's tactics against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. By the time things were done he had maneuvered Huckabee into a position where he was speculating why the USSR lost strategically in Afghanistan during the 1980s and comparing it with United States' liberation of that country today. Half-way through that particular Q&A you could tell Huckabee wanted to get out of that bear trap but fast.
As a government employee, I can assure you that there is nothing inappropriate or suspicious about Huckabee's staff destroying these hard drives. In the old days this info would have been on paper and sent to the shredder. As hard drives can never really be erased clean, the safest thing is to crush them.
This story comes from a biased bit of reporting that appeared in U.S. News and World Report.
Posted by: Jason O'Toole on November 16, 2007 06:49 PMhttp://Nov20ForTheChildren.com
Posted by: Thaddeus on November 16, 2007 06:59 PMGovernment is the "necessary glue" that enables the social fabric to cohere. It does this by effecting "rules" that ostensibly provide members with equitable access to wealth and resources. It also must provide ostensibly equitable enforcement of those rules in order to mitigate threats to the social fabric. It is unrealistic to believe that the structures of a national government can be supported on donations, thus the need for taxes. Naysayers love to characterize anything purporting to be a "fair tax" as an oxymoron - but it is not true. The idea of fairness has to do with equitable sharing in the cost by all members who depend upon the social fabric for food, shelter, clothing and post-necessity economic enterprise. And, because of the shift of power from politicians and special interests under an enacted FairTax, the elected will find it more difficult to both enlarge government, and implement any dual system of taxation. FairTax strategist, Dennis Calabrese, discusses how the FairTax repeals the income tax, how it does away with the IRS, and how it addresses other aspects of frequent concern to skeptics.
The FairTax has a much greater opportunity for success to operate as a "self-regulating" mechanism because of increased visibility. One finds that the current system, ostensibly regulated by the Internal Revenue Code, is in fact poorly regulated because of continually increasing complexity (the effect of tax favors from politicians, through lobbyists, to favored corporations and other special interests) stemming from the desire by those holding government position to steer public behavior using tax code "carrots." We have seen how 100 years of this type of behavior has eroded the Nation's currency and the purchasing power of working family incomes. "Visionist," Tom Frey believes the current tax system will simply collapse; and economist Laurence Kotlikoff heralds - short of enactment of FairTax (or an otherwise unlikely change in spending habits) - the U.S. will shortly face an irrevocable economic breakdown. (Kotlikoff believes that passage of the FairTax can stave off the economic ruin we're facing, but would be surprised to see it happen.)
Frey and Kotlikoff may be right on both counts, and we may not be able to successfully evoke change; but shall we not try?
Mike Huckabee believes we should.
(Permission granted to republish, in whole or part. -Ian)
Turn around, breathe deep and vote Giuliani.
Posted by: John Bailo on November 16, 2007 08:26 PMFunny thing. I never saw much in the way of political instruction for the government in Jesus' teaching. He didn't even seem to condemn the treatment of the Jews by the Romans or capital punishment or all kinds of things that people seem to think a "Christian" ought to "be". His message has always been one of a personal nature. If you really think a Christian must act politically, in regards to the security of this nation, as Christ says we should act personally, then you are actually advocating that any Christian in government (and that includes EVERY major candidate in the race) turn the other cheek, give the coat when the shirt is asked, and otherwise allow any other country to invade, destroy and pillage the country.
If you really do think that a Christian cannot act in the national interest, and to be sure, any defense of our nation is in its national interest, than you advocate non-defense. Thus, the only way to defend the nation is to have NON-Christians in the government. The Secular Progressives will agree.
Your understanding of the true liberating message of the gospel appears to be naive or else you are just trying to discredit Huckabee because of his faith, but if so, you would have to say the same for every candidate who calls himself or herself a Christian. And I believe they ALL profess the same faith though some are more political about it than others.
Posted by: Eyago on November 16, 2007 08:35 PMToo bad. He's one of the very few real statesmen around.
Posted by: Independent Voter on November 16, 2007 08:56 PMWe attacked a country that did not threaten us.
We attacked a country to remove WMD that did not exist.
Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.
We killed over 600,000 Iraqis.
Jesus said "love your enemies". I'm pretty sure that means don't kill them.
Posted by: Scott on November 16, 2007 10:01 PMROn Paul is for a fair flat tax too. Only his flat tax is actually zero rather than way too much as huckabee prposes.
Oh and before you argue that Huckabee is more viable than Paul perhaps you should check the latest polling and fundraising numbers. Or even look outside at the signs in teh street and stickers on the cars. Or look at any of the hundreds of straw polls. Or if you would like, just join a meetup and attend a rally for Ron Paul.
Posted by: Travis on November 16, 2007 10:12 PMWOw... I think you convinced me to vote for him. You are so convincing!
Posted by: Travis on November 16, 2007 10:16 PMAnother consideration is hypothetically how he would do against Hill-Billy ? They would have their way with him - he does not have the political smarts of them.
Posted by: KS on November 16, 2007 10:47 PM"Naysayers love to characterize anything purporting to be a "fair tax" as an oxymoron - but it is not true. The idea of fairness has to do with equitable sharing in the cost by all members who depend upon the social fabric for food, shelter, clothing and post-necessity economic enterprise."
This could have been written by a socialist or a Democrat. In a free market society, we do not depend on sharing costs for food, shelter and clothing. We do not tax all of the people so that all of the people can get these goods from the government. That is socialism. We recognized that the poor will have better access to all of these things, to the extent that government leaves all of us free to pursue our own interests or to give to private charities as we see fit.
The way these costs SHOULD be "shared" is that those who use more food, clothing, etc. should pay more, and the best way to do this is to rely on prices, not taxes. And who gets to define "post-necessity economic enterprise?" It is socialists who like to define this for us, while we free-market fans of liberty insist that only individuals can define this for themselves.
This is Ron Paul's position. Mine too.
I certainly hope that Ian's post does NOT reflect Huckabee's thinking on the matter. If it does, I think Huckabee might be running for the nomination of the wrong party.
I like Huckabee's goal of eliminating the privacy-destroying IRS. But wouldn't it be better to replace it with NOTHING? The fair tax is a massive, 22% or 27% national sales tax, that would cripple the critical and fundamental consumer segement of the economy. It seems to be an attempt to force asceticism on society.
I am a frugal saver. I identify with the virtue of self-restraint. I drive a '98 VW Jetta, and I get my shoes and clothes at Target though I could afford much better. But I will NOT attempt to use the government for social engineering as Huckabee appears to be doing. I will not force my frugality on others, no matter how wise I think it is. This would be fundamentally socialistic, and against liberty.
Ron Paul points out that if we bring the troops home, and reduce government spending to fiscal year 2000 levels, we can delete the IRS and replace it with NOTHING. You can not both be a fiscal conservative and an Iraq war hawk. The two positions are mutually exclusive.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 17, 2007 12:21 PMCheck out their analysis:
http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/11/updated_huckabee_white_paper.php
Then there is a great YouTube video of Huckabee saying that any tax the Arkansas legislature wants to pass is just fine with him...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaJW7nXw30A
Yucko.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 17, 2007 12:44 PMYou pull out tired arguments and fail to address any of the actual points I made. Try again.
Posted by: eyago on November 17, 2007 12:54 PMHuckabee 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 as "mechanically-scripted" as Romney, nor angry or demanding, like a Ron Paul, and his large brown eyes, peering through a humble demeanor, draw a striking contrast to a unconvincing, tired-looking Thompson. One can easily imagine sitting comfortably with Mike 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
• Global "free (and equitable) trade" becomes possible for currently-disadvanted U.S. exports
• U.S. 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
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.
(Permission is granted to reproduce, in whole or part. - Ian)
Huckabee is a big-government RINO. What do you think of the Club For Growth piece? I'd love to get your take.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 17, 2007 08:38 PMI'm sure you don't want to take my word for it, but if you or anyone else wants to see what the Bible has to say about war and pre-emptive strikes, check out this post on my blog: http://therepublicanevaluator.blogspot.com/2007/11/is-it-anti-christian-to-go-to-war.html
Mike Huckabee understands this concept - the protection of the American people, while still not shedding blood needlessly, and yet still having compassion for everyone.
God Bless,
- Andy Hudson
I'm sure you don't want to take my word for it, but if you or anyone else wants to see what the Bible has to say about war and pre-emptive strikes, check out this post on my blog: http://therepublicanevaluator.blogspot.com/2007/11/is-it-anti-christian-to-go-to-war.html
Mike Huckabee understands this concept - the protection of the American people, while still not shedding blood needlessly, and yet still having compassion for everyone.
God Bless,
- Andy Hudson
As someone who seems to have a lot of opinions, I'm sure you understand the value of looking at both sides of an issue. That's why I'd recommend that you read this article. Here's the link again: http://therepublicanevaluator.blogspot.com/2007/11/chuck-baldwin-and-mike-huckabee-rest-of.html
God Bless,
- Andy
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/national/203850/
that says:
"The 90 cuts reduced tax collections by $ 378 million, according to the Department of Finance and Administration. Meanwhile, the department counts 21 tax increases that raised collections by $ 883. 1 million."
I realize that about $400 million of the increases were over Mike's veto, but that still leaves Arkansans with tax increases.
It then goes on to list some of the tax cuts, and all the ones they chose to list are to special interests.
Oh, and your defense of the war probably relies on the Old Testament. Jesus had something to do with an update to that one, I think... "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" is a fascinating question to me. I think that Jesus would "render un to Ceasar what is Ceasar's" and have little, if anything to do with government at all. There is a reason to argue that Jesus was a bit of an anarchist. He never advocated a government solution to anything, as I recall.
Check out the Christian credentials of Ron Paul. He is pro-life, and has been married to the same woman for 50 years. I think he is a Baptist. And he has NEVER voted to raise taxes or his own pay.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on November 18, 2007 01:59 PM