EMUJeff
January 27th, 2008, 9:55 pm
As the 2008 primaries heat up here is some info on one of the candidates. This is not an endorsement, but a starting point for research.An educated electorate is the only defense against tyranny. Happy voting!EMUJeffThis candidate introduction is from PresidentialCandidates.net
Biography
Gov. Mike Huckabee was born in Hope, Arkansas in 1955. After high shcool he went to Ouachita Baptist University followed by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He then became a Baptist pastor and ultimately moved back to Arkansas. In 1989, he became president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention, with a membership of 490,000. Huckabee's first attempt at politics was in the 1992 senatorial race against incumbent Dale Bumpers. He lost by a large margin but returned to the political realm a year later in the lieutenant governor race in which he won. Mike Huckabee has been governor of Arkansas since July 1996, after then-Governor Jim Guy Tucker resigned.
Positions
I believe that we are currently engaged in a world war. Radical Islamic fascists have declared war on our country and our way of life. They have sworn to annihilate each of us who believe in a free society all in the name of an impersonal god. This war is not a conventional war and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy.
The first priority of the President as Commander-in-Chief is first and foremost protecting our own citizens. While we live in a neighborhood of nations and must strive to be good neighbors, as President, my top priority must be to ensure the peace, safety and well-being of American citizens at home and abroad.
First and foremost, it is vital that we have a secure border. I truly believe our national security is best served by reform in our immigration policy. We’re currently allowing too many people to cross our borders illegally. This must stop. Further, some are entering our country and we have little real knowledge or proof of who they are, where they’re going, and whether or not they have a criminal past or any serious or contagious diseases.
To address the question of what to do about immigrants who entered the country illegally years ago but live as peaceful, responsible taxpayers, I propose starting with the highest law of human behavior: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – but that cannot mean amnesty. There must be consequences for illegal actions – for violation of our rule of law. I propose that such individuals should be required to register with state and federal authorities, receive guest worker permits, pay financial penalties and be given the choice of deportation or undertaking the process of lawful citizenship that does not allow them to cut in front of the line.
I believe federal tax policies should be family friendly, starting with making the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts permanent. As President, I will also push for elimination of the marriage penalty.
It is unfortunate the ‘pay as you go’ discipline in discretionary spending at the end of the first Bush and Clinton administrations appears to have vanished. ‘Pay-as-you-go’ forced Congress and members of the administration to implement spending cuts offsetting any new discretionary spending. It’s time to bring that philosophy back to Washington. D.C. and that is the direction I will take as President.
As President, my education agenda would include working towards a clear distinction between the federal role of assisting and empowering states and in usurping the right of states to carry out the education programs for its students. The federal No Child Left Behind Act is often misunderstood and unfairly maligned as a total federal intrusion. As long as the states are allowed to develop their own benchmark exams, to determine the manner in which they create standards, and are aware of the consequences of failure to adhere to them, there is a value in having a national effort to set high standards.
The health care system in this country is irrevocably broken, in part because it is only a “health care” system. We don’t need universal healthcare mandated by federal edict or funding through ever-higher taxes. We do need to get serious about preventive health care instead of chasing more and more dollars to treat chronic disease that is often avoidable. The result is that we’ll be able to deliver better care where and when it’s needed.
I advocate policies that would encourage the private sector to continue to seek innovative ways to bring down costs and improve the market for health care services. I also value the states’ role as laboratories for new market-based approaches and I would encourage those efforts. As President, I would work with the private sector, Congress, health care providers and other concerned parties to lead a complete overhaul of our health care system, not more of the same, paid for by Uncle Sam at the expense of hard-working families.
I support passage of a federal Constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman, and I will do so as President. As Arkansas Governor, I helped lead successful efforts passing a similar amendment in our state during the 2002 elections.
I support a constitutional amendment written specifically to protect the right to human life. My convictions regarding the sanctity of human life are clear and consistent. They have been articulated as well as formulated into public policy without equivocation or wavering. I also strongly believe that our commitment to protecting life doesn’t end with the birth of a child – but instead, we should be dedicated to preparing every child with a quality education, healthy childhood and the tools he or she needs to succeed.
The reason I believe in the 2nd amendment is that all inalienable human rights, as well as all civil rights, are secondary to the right of self defense. What I mean by that is this: If you cannot defend on your own, with your own resources, any given "right" you have in the instant that another person would seek to violate or deprive you of it, then that right is not inalienable, but rather "on loan" from the government you depend on to ensure your rights. The truth is that we will never successfully disarm the criminal population. By disarming our law abiding citizens we only remove a real deterrent that violent criminals face--that they cannot know who is helpless and who is armed. I once saw a bumper sticker that looked out of place among a collage of very liberal bumper stickers on the back of a Honda hatchback. The sticker summed up why the 2nd amendment should not be tampered with or impeded. Its message was simple and accurate; "Criminals prefer unarmed victims". During his ten and a half years as governor, Huckabee created several initiatives to encourage arts and education. In February 2005, he signed a piece of landmark arts education legislation designed to provide music and art instruction for all Arkansas school children. The legislation, which requires 40 minutes per week of both music and art in grades 1–6, sets standards that make Arkansas the leading state in the nation for required elementary school arts education.
Biography
Gov. Mike Huckabee was born in Hope, Arkansas in 1955. After high shcool he went to Ouachita Baptist University followed by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He then became a Baptist pastor and ultimately moved back to Arkansas. In 1989, he became president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention, with a membership of 490,000. Huckabee's first attempt at politics was in the 1992 senatorial race against incumbent Dale Bumpers. He lost by a large margin but returned to the political realm a year later in the lieutenant governor race in which he won. Mike Huckabee has been governor of Arkansas since July 1996, after then-Governor Jim Guy Tucker resigned.
Positions
I believe that we are currently engaged in a world war. Radical Islamic fascists have declared war on our country and our way of life. They have sworn to annihilate each of us who believe in a free society all in the name of an impersonal god. This war is not a conventional war and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy.
The first priority of the President as Commander-in-Chief is first and foremost protecting our own citizens. While we live in a neighborhood of nations and must strive to be good neighbors, as President, my top priority must be to ensure the peace, safety and well-being of American citizens at home and abroad.
First and foremost, it is vital that we have a secure border. I truly believe our national security is best served by reform in our immigration policy. We’re currently allowing too many people to cross our borders illegally. This must stop. Further, some are entering our country and we have little real knowledge or proof of who they are, where they’re going, and whether or not they have a criminal past or any serious or contagious diseases.
To address the question of what to do about immigrants who entered the country illegally years ago but live as peaceful, responsible taxpayers, I propose starting with the highest law of human behavior: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – but that cannot mean amnesty. There must be consequences for illegal actions – for violation of our rule of law. I propose that such individuals should be required to register with state and federal authorities, receive guest worker permits, pay financial penalties and be given the choice of deportation or undertaking the process of lawful citizenship that does not allow them to cut in front of the line.
I believe federal tax policies should be family friendly, starting with making the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts permanent. As President, I will also push for elimination of the marriage penalty.
It is unfortunate the ‘pay as you go’ discipline in discretionary spending at the end of the first Bush and Clinton administrations appears to have vanished. ‘Pay-as-you-go’ forced Congress and members of the administration to implement spending cuts offsetting any new discretionary spending. It’s time to bring that philosophy back to Washington. D.C. and that is the direction I will take as President.
As President, my education agenda would include working towards a clear distinction between the federal role of assisting and empowering states and in usurping the right of states to carry out the education programs for its students. The federal No Child Left Behind Act is often misunderstood and unfairly maligned as a total federal intrusion. As long as the states are allowed to develop their own benchmark exams, to determine the manner in which they create standards, and are aware of the consequences of failure to adhere to them, there is a value in having a national effort to set high standards.
The health care system in this country is irrevocably broken, in part because it is only a “health care” system. We don’t need universal healthcare mandated by federal edict or funding through ever-higher taxes. We do need to get serious about preventive health care instead of chasing more and more dollars to treat chronic disease that is often avoidable. The result is that we’ll be able to deliver better care where and when it’s needed.
I advocate policies that would encourage the private sector to continue to seek innovative ways to bring down costs and improve the market for health care services. I also value the states’ role as laboratories for new market-based approaches and I would encourage those efforts. As President, I would work with the private sector, Congress, health care providers and other concerned parties to lead a complete overhaul of our health care system, not more of the same, paid for by Uncle Sam at the expense of hard-working families.
I support passage of a federal Constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman, and I will do so as President. As Arkansas Governor, I helped lead successful efforts passing a similar amendment in our state during the 2002 elections.
I support a constitutional amendment written specifically to protect the right to human life. My convictions regarding the sanctity of human life are clear and consistent. They have been articulated as well as formulated into public policy without equivocation or wavering. I also strongly believe that our commitment to protecting life doesn’t end with the birth of a child – but instead, we should be dedicated to preparing every child with a quality education, healthy childhood and the tools he or she needs to succeed.
The reason I believe in the 2nd amendment is that all inalienable human rights, as well as all civil rights, are secondary to the right of self defense. What I mean by that is this: If you cannot defend on your own, with your own resources, any given "right" you have in the instant that another person would seek to violate or deprive you of it, then that right is not inalienable, but rather "on loan" from the government you depend on to ensure your rights. The truth is that we will never successfully disarm the criminal population. By disarming our law abiding citizens we only remove a real deterrent that violent criminals face--that they cannot know who is helpless and who is armed. I once saw a bumper sticker that looked out of place among a collage of very liberal bumper stickers on the back of a Honda hatchback. The sticker summed up why the 2nd amendment should not be tampered with or impeded. Its message was simple and accurate; "Criminals prefer unarmed victims". During his ten and a half years as governor, Huckabee created several initiatives to encourage arts and education. In February 2005, he signed a piece of landmark arts education legislation designed to provide music and art instruction for all Arkansas school children. The legislation, which requires 40 minutes per week of both music and art in grades 1–6, sets standards that make Arkansas the leading state in the nation for required elementary school arts education.