It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over

Check out this link from WorldNetdaily.com…McCain may be in some trouble.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57317

Hurry!

The following e-mail greeted my inbox from HucksArmy.com:

The mainstream media is trying harder to marginalize Governor Huckabee thanever before. This is your chance to fight back and demand that Mike get theequal treatment he deserves. Recently, Tim Russert offered John McCain and Mitt Romney the full hour to debate each other on Meet the Press this Sunday, RIGHT BEFORE SUPERTUESDAY. Romney quickly accepted, implying that McCain would be a chicken not to, and McCain quickly declined. We need to contact MSNBC to let them know that Mike deserves the same offer that McCain turned down. This would give Mike an opportunity to continue to point out the considerable differences between his and Romney’s record, while showing that he is the true conservative and true leader. And the time slot is crucial for Tuesday’s vote! If Romney declines, we’ve got a second chicken on our hands, and Mike should be offered the entire hour to himself. Members of HucksArmy have already made appeals both to the campaign, to MSNBC, and to members of the MSM to make this happen. Today, Johnathan Martin posted the following on his blog at the Politico:

Attention, all Huckalovers: To the dozens of you Huck supporters who have flooded my inbox this morning, requesting a “Meet the Press” debate between your guy and Mitt on Sunday: Please direct all requests to NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd. His private e-mail address — it goes straight to his ‘Berry — is stillrockingthegoatee@nbc.com    

Maybe Johnathan knows something we don’t know, and is trying to give us aheads up! We quickly sent emails, but, apparently, his email has been shut off, and they’re getting returned to us. Then, one of our member’s found Chuck’s office phone number online!This is a possible alternate email address: ctodd@nationaljournal.com Here it is: (202) 885-4542  The discussion board at Hucks Army has already been abuzz with talks of emails being sent and now with calls being made and the possibility of a big day for Mike on Sunday. We’re sending out this email to make sure that EVERYBODY takes the time to do the following: Gently and politely, but with boldness: Flood Chuck Todd’s answering machine, encouraging MSNBC to extend their debate offer to Governor Huckabee. One call per person should do for now. Make sure to provide plenty of reasons why you think it is important that Governor Huckabee and Governor Romney be allowed the opportunity to stand toe-to-toe at this crucial time in the election process. Feel free to express your support of Governor Huckabee and your frustration at the media’s attempt to marginalize him in the run-up to February 5th. Just make sure to be polite. And, bloggers, you know what to do.Again, it is absolutely crucial that we take action immediately. We don’t have much time. Move out troops! Make those phone calls! (202) 885-4542

 Let’s do something! Make the phone calls! Send the e-mails! I wanna’ see Huckabee invited.

I Am Appalled.

One thing that really eats me up with all the critics in the election (all of them, not just critics of Huckabee, they just triggered this post), is the misdirected refutation. I was listening to a talk radio show earlier called, “The American View“, and one of the things I noticed was that they seemed to think there was only one American view. I understand being and absolutist, but there’s a difference between there only being one way to heaven, and there only being one way to view America, or to view the Constitution, or to view a policy. But that’s a side note. What I really wanted to address is some of the things they said against Huckabee in this broadcast. They took clips of Huckabee’s interview with Tim Russert on Meet the Press and they critiqued it. I want to look at some of the things they said. Some of it absolutely appalled me. Not because they were critiquing a the candidate I’m supporting, but because of the way they did it, it was a beautiful example of miss-the-mark refutation, and a display of narrow mindedness. It was such a bad witness. 

If somebody says they are a Christian, and they believe in these certain values, don’t tell them they are not. These talk show hosts insinuated that Huckabee was not a Christian by saying, “If you are a Christian you understand these things. And he doesn’t get it.” You may not agree with his policies, and that’s fine. That’s your right. But just because you don’t think his ideas advance the values he’s claiming doesn’t mean that he’s lying when he says he values that. It just means you have different ideas about how to uphold that value. Just because he answers the question differently than you think you would have doesn’t mean that he’s not a Christian. The talk show hosts started talking about the scripture in which Jesus says, “if you don’t confess me before men”, and they actually tried to convince the audience that Huckabee “ran away” from professing Christ because he tried to take the attention off of the fact that he was a pastor and put it onto the fact that he was a governor for longer. He wasn’t running from Christ. He was redirecting the conversation back to the reason the conversation was even happening: the Presidency. He’s running for President of the United States, not pastor of the United States.

The communication on this talk show was horrible.  I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking it’s probably not a good witness to be comparing a professing Christian to a snake charmer because he is a smooth speaker and he can answer the question without offending people. 

Huckabee was talking about how he gets asked the God question a lot, and how he wishes that didn’t always come up, and the talk show hosts were trying to convince their audience that those are wonderful opportunities for Huckabee to “give a thirty minute sermon”. (Now I understand that the 30 minutes was sarcastic.) But the thought that every question about God is an opportunity for a sermon is just false. It’s a platform, not a pulpit. There’s a difference. A big one. I applaud Huckabee for NOT giving a sermon every time somebody asks a question about God. You cannot do that as President of the United States and expect to win respect of other countries’ leaders, especially ones that disagree with you. Again, he’s not running to be the pastor of the United States, he’s running to be the President of the United States. That being said, I think Huckabee should expect to be asked those questions, he is the only preacher up there, so naturally the questions will go to him. (That doesn’t make it right, but it’s reality.)

When asked about his quote from his book on homosexuality, and told that it could be perceived as him trying to push his faith on other people, Huckabee responded “It’s not a faith issue, it’s deeper than that.” Their response was, “What? It’s deeper than a spiritual issue? Nothing is deeper than a spiritual issue.” Two logical fallacies in that.

1.) Straw Man fallacy: (Twisting the argument and attacking the twisted argument) He said “faith” issue, not “spiritual” issue. There’s a difference. The twisted the his point and then attacked it. Faith doesn’t equal spiritual. I have faith in the Constitution. It is definitely not a spiritual issue. Your convictions don’t always translate into the spiritual realm. 

2.) Second logical fallacy: Equivocation. (Changing the meaning of a word in the middle of an argument) Huckabee was finding the most common ground with as many people as possible. His point was that it’s not wrong because his religion said so, it’s wrong because at a human level it’s violating a right, a natural order, etc. When Huckabee said “faith” he was referring to religion, not “values”, “God”, or “the substance of things not seen”.

I don’t have a problem with people who disagree with me, or a candidate I support. Go for it. You have that right. But don’t attack their character because you don’t like their policies. Not only is that a bad witness. It’s also unethical. Can you say “ad hominem”?

 

Oooh, look, another fallacy.

 

I’m not saying everything the hosts said was false, or wrong (though a large percentage of it was). But the way the presented it made me ashamed to be associated with them as a Christian. It’s not enough to be right. You have to be able to present it. Professionally. And making judgements about a person’s commitment to Christ because you disagree with their policies or the way they answered the question is not it. 

 

Defending Huckabee

First of all, I want to apologize for my lax in posting. I’ve been out of town running a conference. But I’m back now and should be able to keep up.  
I’ve noticed quite a few attacks on Huckabee’s character in the recent days and weeks. As I was researching them I came across a couple editorials in support of him that address some of those concerns. Definitely read the whole articles, but here are a few excerpts.

Huckabee Hatin’ Could Backfire on the GOP
by Greg Taylor, Real Clear Politics

Rush Limbaugh couldn’t be clearer – supporting former Governor Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign is a really bad idea if you are a true Reagan Republican. In his opinion, Huckabee’s nomination would mark the end of the Republican Party as he knows it. And Limbaugh isn’t alone: Fellow talking head Sean Hannity and a whole host of conservative talk radio hosts love to pummel Huckabee and fellow candidate John McCain. The vitriol formerly reserved for Democrats Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore and Howard Dean is now directed at Republicans like Huckabee and McCain.Why am I interested in the Huckabee campaign? Not because I’m a Republican (though I have voted for Republicans) or that I’m very conservative (although I am more conservative than liberal). It’s because I have something in common with Governor Huckabee- I am, and he was for many years, a vocational preacher. Whether the term is Pastor or Minister or Reverend, my guess is many others in the clergy are certainly intrigued by “the other man Hope.” And while an endorsement would be inappropriate from me or any other member of the clergy, the thought of a preacher in the White House is something I believe merits consideration.

And my guess is I’m not alone in the Evangelical community. Rush and crew should listen up: the Evangelical/Republican marriage could very well be on the rocks. This large and important block of voters who put George W. Bush in the White House twice could well be close to saying bye-bye to the party of Lincoln and Reagan, and conservative talk radio could be the reason why. And don’t let us kid ourselves, without W’s overwhelming support from Evangelicals, Al Gore would be President and the term “Lock Box” wouldn’t be a punch line. Why in the world would Evangelicals bolt? The answer is simple – Rush and crew have demonstrated the values Evangelicals hold dear don’t matter nearly as much as economic and foreign policy positions. No one in the Republican field is more committed to the causes that matter most to the Evangelical community than Huckabee – the former Baptist minister who is pro-life (and always has been), pro-traditional family and even open to amending the Constitution to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman. Huckabee believes in abstinence education and is very pro-states rights.

These positions connect with Evangelicals and frankly are more important to many in these communities than tax breaks for billionaires, border fences or amnesty accusations.  The three tenants of the Reagan revolution seem to be dissolving into just two pillars in the hearts and minds of Limbaugh, Hannity and the like. While trickle down economics and strong foreign policy are very important to the posse, strong social conservatism seems to be optional. Many in the world of conservative talk radio seem to care much more about economic and foreign policy issues, and much less about the issues that matter most to the Evangelical community. Read the rest… 

Huckabee Presents the Best Choice for Reagan Supporters 
by John Linder, Gwinnett Daily Post

I was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives 34 years ago. I have watched this party change for a long time. Some changes have been better than others. Two years after that first election, I went to work on the Reagan campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. I was one of the leaders of that campaign in Georgia, and my friend, Paul Coverdell, led the establishment’s efforts to nominate President Ford. It was the typical establishment-versus-interloper campaign. Most of the friends I had made in the party were in the establishment. Most of them thought the nomination of Ronald Reagan was not only impractical, but would destroy our party. Reagan had just served two terms as the governor of California. His record was not all that conservative. He signed the biggest tax increase in the history of the state. He got the best he could get with a Democrat-dominated general assembly. He signed a bill legalizing abortion. But governors have different challenges than presidents. Frankly, most of the establishment couldn’t have cared less about abortion. They thought the discussion of it was, well, tacky. But we were, at the time, the party that Barry built, and the new foot soldiers cared about abortion. Their concern with Reagan was that he just wasn’t up to it. What did he know about foreign policy? How could he stand up to the Soviets? Did he understand detente? 

During that campaign, as in all campaigns, the establishment sat at the head table, and the rest of us milled around the small round tables below. Coverdell approached me, after Ford had won the first several primaries, and urged me to switch sides. Paul was convinced that Ford had the best chance of winning. Paul recited all of the reservations mentioned above and then said, “John, Reagan cannot win. No one will take him seriously.” That was also the consensus of the Republican writers and commentators. I said, “Paul, I think politics is all about what you believe. I know what Reagan believes. I have no idea what Ford believes. But you need to watch Reagan connect with the people. He is the best communicator I have ever seen. He is bringing new people into the party. And these are folks you won’t be meeting at the club for lunch. They carry a lunch bucket to work. Or a brown paper bag. Read the rest… 

 

That’s just a couple of them. 

Jim Gilchrist Endorses Mike Huckabee

Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minutemen, has officially endorsed Mike Huckabee:

LITTLE ROCK, AR – In Iowa today, former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee received a major endorsement from Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project.

Huckabee said he was honored to receive the endorsement. “No one can question Jim’s commitment to this country and the immigration problem. He has mobilized a group of volunteers to go to the border and draw attention to the issue of immigration. All of us want a policy where people come to this country through the front door, not the back door,” said Huckabee during a morning news conference.

Gilchrist added, “Governor Huckabee actually wrote a plan that I can embrace. I found his ‘Secure America’ plan would open the dialogue and help begin the process of solving the illegal immigration problem.”

Check out Mike Huckabee’s blog for more information!

Issue-by-issue breakdown

I realize that I’ve been sending e-mails telling you to vote for Huckabee, but haven’t really provided much of a reason why beyond the vague, “he’s-a-Christian-conservative-that-has-some-good-ideas”. So let me expound a little bit in an issue-by-issue format. I will borrow heavily from the page on his website on the “Issues”. I’ll keep this as short as I can, but I do want to put as much information in here as I can. I won’t be able to cover every issue, because understandably there isn’t time to read it. But I do want to provide you with some of the biggest ones. These are not in order of importance.

Reason #1, His Faith and Politics:
One of the most important things about a candidate is the way they believe, and whether or not that does, or should influence the decisions that they make. This is what Gov. Huckabee has to say about that:

My faith is my life – it defines me. My faith doesn’t influence my decisions, it drives them. For example, when it comes to the environment, I believe in being a good steward of the earth. I
don’t separate my faith from my personal and professional lives.

He is right. What you believe about God, and whether or not He exists, (and if you think He does) what He’s like, will shape your actions. Huckabee rightly recognizes that his faith more than influences his decisions, it drives them. We need a person like that in the White House.

Reason #2, His Belief in the Sanctity of Life:
Mike Huckabee firmly supports a right to life amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Since we are guaranteed rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, a constitutional amendment sounds like it would be right in line with everything every true American stands for. In fact, Gov. Huckabee first got involved in politics because of his belief about he sanctity of life, when he helped to pass Arkansas’ Unborn Child Amendment, which requires the state to do everything it legally can to protect life.

Reason #3, His Educational Stance:
Gov. Huckabee has a very strong educational stance. He believes that music and the arts are not extraneous or extra-curricular, they are essential, and he wants to provide every student with these. He calls them “Weapons of Mass Instruction”. Test scores rose dramatically while he was Governor of Arkansas because of his education reforms.
- He supports homeschoolers, and believes that the choice between charter, public, and homeschools should be available. From his website:

I have been a strong, consistent supporter of the rights of parents to home school their children, of creating more charter schools, and of public school choice.

We need somebody with these beliefs, with that record for our President. Huckabee has both.

Reason #4, His Stance on Health Care:
I’ll let Gov. Huckabee speak for himself:

- The health care system in this country is irrevocably broken, in part because it is only a “health care” system, not a “health” system.
- We don’t need universal health care mandated by federal edict.
- We do need to get serious about preventive health care.
- I advocate policies that will encourage the private sector to seek innovative ways to bring down costs.
- I value the states’ role as laboratories for new market-based approaches.
- When I’m President, Americans will have more control of their health care options, not less.
- As President, I will work with the private sector, Congress, health care providers, and other concerned parties to lead a complete overhaul of our health care system.
- Our health care system is making our businesses non-competitive in the global economy. It is time to recognize that jobs don’t need health care, people do, and move from employer-based to consumer-based health care.

Of all the candidates he has the strongest stance on health care and he’s absolutely right.

Reason #5, His Stance on Taxes and the Economy:
Gov. Huckabee supports the FairTax. (For more explanation of the FairTax, read below.) As Governor of Arkansas, he cut taxes and fees almost 94 times, saving the taxpayers almost $380 million, and when he left office, he left a surplus of nearly $850 million, which he urged should go back to the people. He believes that our massive deficit is not due to Americans’ being under-taxed, but to the government’s over-spending.

The FairTax will replace the Internal Revenue Code with a consumption tax, like the taxes on retail sales forty-five states and the District of Columbia have now. All of us will get a monthly rebate that will reimburse us for taxes on purchases up to the poverty line, so that we’re not taxed on necessities. That means people below the poverty line won’t be taxed at all. We’ll be taxed on what we decide to buy, not what we happen to earn. We won’t be taxed on what we choose to save or the interest those savings earn. The tax will apply only to new goods, so we can reduce our taxes further by buying a used car or computer.

As always, you can find more information on his website. His record clearly shows that his ideas work. There are rumors out there that he raised this tax or that. But when you look at the overall record: 94 tax cuts, saving taxpayers $380 million, and a surplus of nearly $1 billion dollars, that’s a great record. Let’s give that opportunity to the federal government by putting a man in office that knows how to do that kind of job.

Reason #6, His Stance on the War in Iraq:
Gov. Huckabee’s website:

Iraq is a battle in our generational, ideological war on terror. The Democrats deny that the war in Iraq is part of the war on terror even as we fight Al Qaeda there. Al Qaeda seeks permanent bases in Anbar province to plot and train against us. General Petraeus and our troops are giving their all to provide a window of opportunity for the Iraq government to succeed, while the Democrats are running for the exit doors. The surge is a military means to achieve the political end of sectarian reconciliation. Setting a timetable for withdrawal is a mistake. This country has never declared war until “a week from Wednesday,” we have always declared war until victory. I am focused on winning. Withdrawal would have serious strategic consequences for us and horrific humanitarian consequences for the Iraqis. I support a regional summit so that Iraq’s neighbors become militarily and financially committed to stabilizing Iraq.

Reason #7, His Stance on Immigration:
This is a big issue, so I want to give you the main points of his stance as taken from his website:

* Securing our borders must be our top priority and has reached the level of a national emergency.

* I support the $3 billion the Senate has voted for border security. This money will train and deploy 23,000 more agents, add four drone planes, build 700 miles of fence and 300 miles of vehicle barriers, and put up 105 radar and camera towers. This money will turn “catch and release” into “catch and detain” of those entering illegally, and crack down on those who overstay their visas.

* In this age of terror, immigration is not only an economic issue, but also a national security issue. Those caught trying to enter illegally must be detained, processed, and deported. As Governor, I ordered my state troopers to work with the Department of Homeland Security to arrest illegals and enforce federal immigration law.

* I oppose and will never allow amnesty. I opposed the amnesty President Bush and Senator McCain tried to ram through Congress this summer, and opposed the misnamed DREAM Act, which would have put us on the slippery slope to amnesty for all.

* I oppose and will not tolerate sanctuaries for illegals. The federal government must crack down on rogue cities that willfully undermine our economy and national security.

* I oppose giving driver’s licenses to illegals and supports legislation to prevent states from doing so. In 2005, I signed legislation that prevents illegals in Arkansas from getting driver’s licenses.

* I will stop punishing cities which try to enforce our laws and protect the economic well-being, physical safety, and quality of life of their citizens.

* I oppose and will not tolerate employers who hire illegals. They must be punished with fines and penalties so large that they will see it is not worth the risk.

* I oppose the economic integration of North America that would create open borders among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. I will never yield one iota or one inch of our sovereignty.

* I will take our country back for those who belong here. No open borders, no amnesty, no sanctuary, no false Social Security numbers, no driver’s licenses for illegals.

It’s a tough stance for a tough issue, and we need this man in the White House.

Reason #8, His Ability to Communicate:
One of the most impressive things about Huckabee is his ability to communicate. No, I’m not talking about his suave speaking style or his tendency to be funny and likable. That’s a part of it, but when I talk about his ability to communicate, I’m talking about his ability to state the truth concisely and make others see the beauty in it.

Reason #9, Let’s Face It, This is the Best Reason:
He plays the bass. Plain and simple, that rocks. (And the name of his band is Capitol Offense, if that isn’t brilliant, I don’t know what is!) But in all seriousness, what it does demonstrate is that Gov. Huckabee is real. He has put time into mastering something else besides politics. It shows that his life hasn’t been consumed with his public image and the political world. It shows that he is a normal person, and that he can relate with people because he shares something in common with many of them.

Gov. Huckabee is humble, but he a patriot. He’s gentle, but he’s firm. He will stand up for the truth, because that’s worth standing up for. He has nothing to hide and he hides nothing. He has long held these convictions and he didn’t just find them in time to run for President. If you have any questions about any of his platforms, you can always find out more on his website: http://www.mikehuckabee.com, and then click on Issues.

God bless you all, and don’t forget to vote!