Thursday, January 3, 2008

Why Do "Conservatives" Hate Mike Huckabee?

On his radio program Thursday, Michael Medved asked people who dislike or hate Mike Huckabee to call and explain why:

Why Do "Conservatives" Hate Mike Huckabee?

I have been pondering this, for a month. Conservative regulars, people I have read for years, are almost apoplectic about Huckabee. And if he wins in Iowa, based on experience so far, I would predict that the howling will only get worse, probably accompanied by remarks about the foolishness of Iowa voters.

You understand that competitors will disparage him. But, EVERYONE is lining up: Robert Novak, George Will, Charles Krauthammer, Fred Barnes, John Fund, Rich Lowery, Ann Coulter, Phyllis Schlafly, Hugh Hewitt, Rush Limbaugh… I could go on. In fact, it’s WAY easier to name the noted conservatives who have not disparaged or complained of Huckabee than the ones who have. I wonder as you do…why is this?

Your callers are typical of the rank & file conservatives who have picked up pop-culture stories about him being “soft” on immigration, a taxer and spender. I have studied his record and his thoughts and words all year. These stories just aren’t true. Okay, you tell a lie long enough…etc.

But, what should we think about these writers, who can’t be so clueless and divorced from the facts? Understand first, that I am a lifelong conservative. I was a Republican activist who left the party and voted third-party for a few cycles (I know you hate that. I disagree, but set it aside for now). Novak, Will, Limbaugh, Coulter and others are quite explicit about what is often implied: that Huckabee is NOT a conservative. Honestly, it’s painfully difficult to believe that these sentiments are genuine.

But, NOT a conservative? Compared to WHOM? The Bushes? Bob Dole? Where were these critics with these guys? Dole claimed NO allegiance to the Republican platform. Bush Sr. raised FEDERAL (not state – Huckabee knows and frequently cites the 10th Amendment. Bush Jr. presided over a broader and deeper expansion of even DOMESTIC spending than Clinton had, and WITH A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS!

What about Huckabee’s competitors” McCain and Thompson not just voted for, but PROMOTED McCain-Feingold, an audacious defiance of the 1st Amendment. Romney and Giuliani both have defiled the 2nd Amendment. Giuliani endorsed Mario Cuomo, for Pete’s sake, and doesn’t understand the crucial relationship to American civility of the first assertions of The Declaration of Independence. Romney does…NOW…wait a minute, that isn’t the only thing he’s “changed on, is it? Whatever is driving his postures, it isn’t a well-seated moral and/or philosophical framework.

But, where is all of THAT noise among these “conservatives?” Huckabee would not have done ANY of these things. On campaign finance, he has already proposed what I have always believed: that contributions should be unconstrained, but fully disclosed, now almost immediately on the Internet. George Will hammered on McCain over McCain-Feingold before the 2000 election. But I surely sense that he’s rather see a president McCain than a president Huckabee. What the heck is going on?

Unable to believe that many of these complaints are genuine, I am left to speculate. With some, the animus may simply be reflected in Huckabee’s common statement that, “I’m a conservative, but I’m not mad at anybody about it” Maybe, these are just disconcerted by a supposed conservative who doesn’t emanate enough anger for them. Maybe they could say, “I’m a conservative, AND I’M AS MAD AS HELL AT A LOT OF PEOPLE! Ann Coulter, for instance, only likes Duncan Hunter. Actually, he isn’t an ugly guy and he’s very serious. But, he has enough appeal to put him around 1% ‘Nuff said.

Big money traders and managers may not like The Fair Tax: every luxury can be written off as a “business expense,” shifting the tax-burden downward. People accustomed to privilege may not be so hot for a system that is “fair,” taxing everything from jets to paper clips. It’s funny to hear these people despair that The Fair Tax is “regressive.” The wealth will maintain their privilege under Democrats. In fact, creeping socialism favors established business and money. It suppresses aspiring business and money. Will the establishment support the social conservative when the “go-along” shoe is on the other foot?

But with some people I think it may be a very visceral discomfort with an unshaded evangelical Christian faith. Sure, sit in your pews and recite your liturgies…even offer your personal prayer. But for God’s sakes, don’t TALK ABOUT IT! Eccch! How gauche! It’s so…well, unsophisticated!

Like I said, these people aren’t stupid, and their actual words lack credibility, in light of the available facts. So, I’m left to speculate.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great post, Larry.

It's puzzled me for some time and I think it boils down to this:

Huck is not dependent upon these people.

I really think it is that simple.

Winghunter said...

You are in DEEP denial Larry.

The charges ARE very true and just because you wish to be anothers willing fool doesn't mean we have to be.

Wake up and smell what you're shoveling.

Candidate Research - Know Who You're Voting For!

Andrew said...

Great article; I dugg it for you. Do you know how to embed digging on your blog? I'd be glad to help you with that.

Unknown said...

Larry,

Don't listen to winghunter. Huck is the real deal. If you had visited Arkansas before and after his time and office, no amount of lying could convince you otherwise.

Go HUCK!

Anonymous said...

bigjolly:

I think you're right. And, this resistance has always distressed ME, but Huckabee has blithely dismissed it, saying things like "They don't control me," "The Republican Party needs changing," and, "I want to be the candidate of Main Street," etc.

Well, Huckabee won Iowa, tonight. Now, he heeds to get Neil Boortz and John Linder and as much as The Fair Tax team as possible up to New Hampshire to paint it with tax freedom. I'll try to check in at Lone Star Times, tomorrow.

Winghunter, if you are correct, you have worded it correctly And, it's a REMARKABLE thing. I watched Mike Huckabee's words and record all year in 2007, and I probably read over 90% of every word posted on the Internet about Huckabee. And, if you're right, I AM IN DENIAL, because I don't see it. Nopt only is Huckabee a conservative, but he's by far MORE CONSERVATIVE than anyone in the race. That's a black and white fact, no matter the color of the fog that has been raised. UNLESS, you define "conservative" as being furious and retributive toward anyone who is not conservative. He's more respective and he's more referential to The Constitution, by a long shot.

HATE is is big problem: the fact that some hate him and he doesn't hate others. He's strong on securing the border and bringing integrity to the law. He's a fiscal conservative: he understands that the federal government has properly enumerated powers, and lavish unnecessary government spending is destructive of social development & often counterproductive of even what it supposes to help. But, he isn't hateful and spiteful. That's a bad thing? I spent much of my life telling liberals that conservatism doesn't mean selfishness and indifference to others. Do some conservatives want to say that I've been wrong? There are definite moral problems with that. And practically speaking, do you want to campaign on that and do you think you're going to win?

admin:

I've been blogging since early in 2007, but I'm new to it and still learning. And no, I don't know how to embed digging into my blog, and I'd appreciate help very much. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, David. Is this one of the 3 or 4 Davids that I know, or one of the other 20 million Davids? :-)

Anonymous said...

Top 10 Reasons Huck Will Pick Chuck As His VP!

http://www.voterswrite.org/2008/01/top-10-reasons.html

Anonymous said...

Thinking conservatives look at the facts and one glaringly obvious fact shines through - Huckabee is NOT an economic, fiscal or philosophical conservative.

He's a progun prolife Christian tax-and-spend populist.

Anonymous said...

He's strong on securing the border "

NOt he's not:

Huckabee on sealing the Mexican border with armed forces:

“I also would have had a real problem with using a military force for a police function… Part of my problem with that would have been that we have, in essence, militarized a peaceful border, and I think that’s a terrible precedent.”

Huckabee on Amnesty:

“I tend to think that the rational approach is to find a way to give people a pathway to citizenship. You shouldn’t ignore the law or ignore those who break it. But by the same token, I think it’s a little disingenuous when I hear people say they should experience the full weight of the law in every respect with no pathway, because that’s not something we practice in any other area of criminal justice in this country.”

Huckabee on President Bush’s illegal immigration plan:

“To think that we’re going to go lock up 12 million people, or even round them up and drive them to the border and let them go, might make a great political speech, but it’s not going to happen. What should happen, however, is exactly what I think the president has proposed, and that is that we create a process where people make restitution for the fact they have broken the law.

It’s not an amnesty, and I know that there are some who think that anything less than essentially grabbing them by the nape of the neck and tossing them over a fence, real or imaginary, is amnesty. But I think that’s ridiculous. And whether it’s Patrick Kennedy, Rush Limbaugh, or an illegal immigrant, there ought to be some rationality in how we apply our law. We do that every day.



“Suddenly to say that these people that came over here to pluck a chicken, pick a tomato, or make a bed should suffer the full consequences of the law as if somehow they’ve totally violated our peace and prosperity, is absurd.”

Huckabee on the reaction to the immigration bill:

“You can’t get them off of it, and you can’t have a discussion beyond the classic, “what part of illegal do you not understand?” I understand it correctly. I know exactly what that means.”

http://race42008.com/2008/01/09/this-huckabee-guy-scares-the-bejeebus-outta-me/

Anonymous said...

Mike Huckabee is a huge tool. He and his Elmer Fudd dumbassedness are screwing everything up.

The man is a loser. Grow up, Huck.