POLITICAL VIEW

HUCKABEE RIDES ON

2008-02-09T22:23:00.000-08:00

I don't know whether to feel like a traitor or like St. Peter who denied knowledge of Jesus at the hour of need. Having vigorously campaigned for Huckabee throughout the primaries only to jump ship at his greatest hour of need, when Lazarus all but clinched the GOP nomination is mind-boggling to say the least. After Super Tuesday’s convincing performance by McCain, I must confess that being a numbers person, I could not foresee him catching up to McCain let alone beating him. His victories in Kansas, Louisiana and Washington are a major step in the right direction.

Indeed with 988 delegates left to campaign for, with some states proportionally splitting the delegates between the candidates, it was mathematically impossible for Huckabee to beat McCain. Then it hit me that if Huckabee miraculously won all the remaining delegates, McCain would not reach the magic number of 1191 that guarantees the nomination. This unfavorable yet possible outcome would lead to a brokered convention where super delegates would pitch in to decide the nominee. Thomas Dewey in 1948 was the last GOP candidate selected through a brokered convention. He beat Robert Taft of the then powerful Ohio Taft family. I suspect this is the underlying reason the Bush Administration has refused to outwardly endorse any candidate so as not to influence the decision of the electorate. They are playing it safe and allowing the people to make their own decision. One should not expect the administration to stay mum once the nominee is determined. After all the underdog Giants persevered the pressure from the pundits and cynics and ruined the perfect season by upsetting the heavily favored Patriots in the super bowl.

With Romney out of the way, Huckabee is sweeping the conservative votes like taking candy from a kid. Not to say that McCain is not a true conservative; it's just that he appears to be a moderate when compared to Huckabee and the voters are increasingly making that distinction known. With the Evangelicals, the core social conservative base, backing Huckabee, and the fiscal conservatives snubbing McCain, the moderate Republicans and independents who have carried McCain might not be enough to propel him to an easy victory. McCain will have to earn it the hard way. Through Huckabee.

Riding high on God's shoulders, and operating on a shoe string budget, Huckaboom continues to prove that miracles do happen and that we must not let our faith dissipate like a fart in the wind.

If Romney gives his pledged delegates to Huckabee, then there is a strong chance that Huckabee will go toe to toe with McCain to the end and actually upset him without invoking the delegates at the convention. If this is the driving force behind Huckabee's refusal to concede to McCain, then I am all for it. However, if he is just politicking and taking us for a ride in preparation for 2012 then I think that it is selfish and he should do the honorable thing and suspend his ambitions for the sake of the party.

The dems are set to go all the way to their brokered convention. It would be advantageous for the GOP to field their nominees and get a jump start on the national campaign. This is not to say that Huckabee should concede, however I reiterate, that in the absence of a deal with Romney where he would get all Romney's delegates then he should let the party prevail over his passionate ambitions.

HUCKABEE TO ACCEPT VICE PRESIDENCY

2008-02-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

Former Arkansas Governor and Republican presidential candidate issued the following statement regarding the exit of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney from the presidential race.

"Today, Mitt Romney announced that he will no longer seek the Republican nomination for President. I wish Mitt and his family all the best.
"Over the past year, Mitt and his entire family have sacrificed a lot during the course of his campaign and for that, we should all be appreciative of their service and dedication.

"This is a two-man race for the nomination, and I am committed to marching on. I believe in the importance of a strong national defense -- which includes winning the war against Islamic extremists and the protection of American sovereignty.
"I am redoubled in my resolve to carry on my campaign in a civil, dignified manner. The issues that got me into this campaign-protecting life and traditional marriage, enacting the Fair Tax, and border security are going to keep me in this campaign.

"As a true authentic, consistent, conservative, I have a vision to bring hope, opportunity and prosperity to all Americans, and I'd like to ask for and welcome the support of those who had previously been committed to Mitt."

Ever since I first heard the Huckster talk earlier last year, I knew that he was a man of substance and one that would lead this nation in the Right direction. I believed that then and still do today. Huckaboom has waged a civil and dynamic campaign, toppling well financed and well recognized candidates along the way such as Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney. The fact that he was able to accomplish all this on a shoe string budget, says a lot about his drive and politicking superiority.

While others were throwing tons of money including personal fortunes into their campaigns, Huckabee fed off the land and doubled up his grass roots efforts which ultimately paid off on Super Tuesday when he swept all the southern states. So important and decisive were his victories, that they effectively reshaped the dynamics of this race forcing the other dominant opportunist, the Flip Flopping Romney to officially withdraw his candidacy today.

With the Amoeba out, it is now abundantly clear that Lazurus is the man to beat and that is as tall an order as it gets. While the immediate primaries and caucuses schedules favor Huckabee, at this point I will have to ask him to join Lazurus, McCain, in uniting the party against the Democrats who seem poised to duel it all the way to their convention in Denver, Colorado. This will give the GOP an early start on the general elections and an unprecednted advantage over the dueling dems.

Although I would have loved to see a Huckabee-McCain ticket, we must resign to the notion that a McCain-Huckabee ticket is half the battle won. Young as he is, 52, Huckabee will live to win another day; for now, it's best that he does what's best for the party and that is to retain the keys to the Whitehouse.

Therefore I ask my friend and brother in Christ to officially suspend his presidential candidacy and accept the vice presidency offered by John McCain. While he may not be the one making the final decisions, at least he will be close enough to keep McCain honest and whisper words of encouragement when called upon. There is not a better job to audition for the Presidency than that of the vice president. Above all, for McCain to win the presidency, he has to carry the south in the general elections; Huckabee can and will deliver the south.

HUCKABEE: THE DAY AFTER SUPER TUESDAY

2008-02-06T23:59:00.000-08:00

I think it's a very tough sell for one who has been accused of being a 'Knuckle Dragging Neanderthal Conservative', to be labeled a liberal leftwing spoiler!! Such was the ill advised assumption going in to Super Tuesday where the ever misguided Amoeba having squandered millions of his fortunes and even delved into his sons trust funds, was blurting out at every opportune in the 60 hour marathon preceding the polls.

Huckaboom, riding high on God's shoulders, slapped the pundits on the kisser by virtually sweeping the south, the core of the Republican Conservatives. Running on a shoe string budget, Huckabee proved that indeed, there was a true conservative in the race. So stunning was his victory, that The Amoeba, who had all along claimed that this was a two man race and that Huckaboom was just a spoiler convened a senior staff meeting today after a thorough heart to heart with his family and confidantes.

Ronald Reagan's legacy was not simply that he was "a campaigner and orator of uncommon skill," President Reagan's gifts to the Republican Party were ideas: growing the economy through tax cuts, limiting government's size, forcefully confronting totalitarian threats, making human rights a centerpiece of America's foreign policy, respecting unborn human life, empowering the individual with more freedom. Those ideas endure.

They give Republicans a philosophical foundation on which to build. The Reagan coalition has a natural desire to stick together. Fiscal, defense and values conservatives have more in common with each other than with any major element of the Democratic Party's leadership and Huckaboom has stayed true to those ideals.

Super Tuesday, Super Huckaboom

2008-02-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee has issued the following comment in response to the tragic deaths as a result of severe weather in Arkansas:

Little Rock, AR - Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee has issued the following comment in response to the tragic deaths as a result of severe weather in Arkansas:

"The news of these deadly tornadoes bring back many memories of dealing with numerous tornadoes during my tenure as Governor, and Janet and I know all too well the horrors faced by those in a tornado's path. While we hope tonight is a time for us to celebrate election results, we are reminded that nothing is as important as the lives of these fellow Arkansans, and our hearts go out to their families."

Speaking at his headquaters in Littlerock, AR. Huckaboom, emboldened by wins in the South, told cheering supporters the one thing that they all wanted to hear; that he would press on with his White House candidacy.

"The one way you can't win a race is to quit it, and until somebody beats me, I'm going to answer the bell for every round of this fight."

Huckabee beat rivals Lazarus, McCain, and The Amoeba, Romney, in West Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and his home state, and early returns showed him leading in a few more Super Tuesday states. He said he would emerge from the virtual national primary contests as the alternative to McCain, the Arizona senator and Republican front-runner.

Huckabee decisively won the first victory of Super Tuesday 2008 by winning West Virginia’s 18 at-large delegates this afternoon.

Earlier today, Huckabee spoke at the West Virginia Republican Convention, emphasizing his positive message of family, life, and freedom which he said “triumphed in the Mountaineer State” and will continue to resonate in numerous Super Tuesday states, from Alabama to Alaska.

“Two days ago, the New York Giants pulled off the greatest upset in Super Bowl history. Today, as pundits write my political obituary, we won a key Super Tuesday victory. Time and time again, my campaign has defied conventional wisdom. We did so in Iowa, after being outspent 20:1, and we did so today by winning what I hope will be the first of many Super Tuesday victories.”

“Our campaign is testament that the American dream is alive and well,” said Huckabee. “Running for President isn’t about who spends the most money or who has the most support on Wall Street or on K Street. If that was the case, the nomination picture would look vastly different.

”This victory was a triumph of Main Street, sending a message that becoming President of the Unites States is about message not money, principles not politics, and courage not convenience. Luckily for America, in places like Iowa and West Virginia, voters lead example and do the right thing regardless of what the pundits might say,” said Huckabee.

The Big Eve

2008-02-05T00:05:00.000-08:00

On the eve of the biggest election in Huckaboom's life, we find ourselves praying and hoping that the almighty lord has somehow unleashed his holy spirit to guide the hand of the multitude to vote in favor of Huckaboom. While the media has opted to pick its 4 candidates, effectively shutting down Huckaboom and Ron Paul, the Hand and Will of the almighty God is hard at work and will not let down his worker.

Whereas Lazarus and the Amoeba were jocking each other to gauge who was the true conservative, the media entirely ignored Huckaboom, the true and tested conservative whose roots don't waver with the winds of change.

Our work is done for this episode and will await to hear from the Huckaboom tomorrow as he celebrates with a few victory dances.

If there is an undecided out there who so happens to read this blog before they vote, please remember that there is one candidate who has not wavered on the sanctity of life and moral dignity of mankind; a candidate who understands that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Vote Huckaboom.

Huckabee: The Spoiler? Yeah Right!!

2008-02-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

At this point everyone has to look deep within Mike Huckabee and appreciate his candor and honesty. He is truly the most honest candidate in the race, given that he is literally sitting on the Republican nomination. If the pundits are right, and their analysis is true, then McCain will run away with the nomination. The tentative alliance Huckaboom formed with Lazarus, McCain, earlier in the campaign to counter The Amoeba’s, Romney’s, attempt to buy the GOP nomination, yielded the momentum that will carry Lazarus to the GOP convention for the official coronation as the GOP flag bearer.

The mistaken notion that the God Mocking, Abortion endorsing, Gay Marriage advocate, flip flopping Amoeba is now the true conservative candidate is not only insulting to core conservatives like us, but is also a total disregard for Huckabee’s candidacy for he is truly the most conservative of all the candidates who ran for this year’s presidential election.

Whatever McCain did to cross the core conservative base is unclear to me, however it can not be worse than what they think of Huckaboom who has been true to the conservative party and its ideals and is being crucified for “making it tough for the Amoeba”. Rather than embrace him, the establishment is beating up on Huckaboom, the true conservative in the race at the expense of a Mormon who has total disregard for the Bible and the sanctity of life.

Right-wing bull horns such as Bob Novak, Mary Matalin, Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin and Rush Limbaugh can’t demonize the Huckster enough and are currently living their overtly pharmacicated miserable lives for the day the Huckster drops out from the race. Limbaugh warned in January that if McCain or Huckabee gets the GOP nomination, "it's going to destroy the Republican Party, it's going to change it forever, be the end of it. A lot of people aren't going to vote."

Unlike wine, these Right-Wing talking heads did not age well and will endure everlasting nightmares when the Huckaboom, riding high on God’s shoulders beats the odds like the NY Giants to win the nomination. These so called bull-horns are in essence tearing apart the Reagan coalition and serving as surrogates for the liberal left whose initial cat fight has subsided with the pledge to pounce on the GOP.

Ronald Reagan's legacy was not simply that he was "a campaigner and orator of uncommon skill," as Don Campbell argued last week in USA Today. President Reagan's gifts to the Republican Party were ideas: growing the economy through tax cuts, limiting government's size, forcefully confronting totalitarian threats, making human rights a centerpiece of America's foreign policy, respecting unborn human life, empowering the individual with more freedom. Those ideas endure.

They give Republicans a philosophical foundation on which to build. The Reagan coalition has a natural desire to stick together. Fiscal, defense and values conservatives have more in common with each other than with any major element of the Democratic Party's leadership.

While both parties have an immense and unwavering love for this great nation of ours, there are fundamental differences as to the direction they would want the country to follow. The leftwing liberals prefer to squander morality and the fear of God, for pleasures of the flesh and total disregard for the sanctity of life. These are the fundamental differences between the two parties and for a candidate to swear allegiance to one while upholding the core principles of the other is in essence a wolf in sheep’s clothing and should not be entrusted with the party leadership.

Such is what The Amoeba, Romney and those who support him represent. They should be stopped once and for all and if the Huckaboom does not win this nomination, then by all means I pray and hope that Lazarus wins it for he understands and appreciates the conservatism in Huckaboom and will favor him with the vice presidency, a step closer to the leadership, and a major stepping stone for the next election.

Go Huckaboom Go.

Governor Huckabee Vows to Make Immigration Reform a Top Priority as President

2008-02-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee today signed a campaign pledge, authored by U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), demonstrating “his strong commitment to securing America’s borders as president.” (Click here to download the pledge - PDF)

“I appreciate Senator Sessions' strong leadership on the critical issue of immigration reform and I share his resolve to make it a national priority when I am elected president,” said Huckabee, who has authored his own nine-point plan to secure America’s borders. Huckabee’s “Secure America Plan” is the most comprehensive of any put forth by a presidential candidate.

Campaigning in Alabama today, Huckabee said he joins with the two-term Alabama Senator in calling on the federal government, as well as other presidential candidates, to push for passage of important immigration measures such as border security, workplace verification and "no amnesty."

The questionnaire, called “A Roadmap for Demonstrating Presidential Credibility on One of America’s Most Important Issues,” deals with five key areas, including securing the borders, ending the magnet at the workplace, enhancing state and local law enforcement, discouraging sanctuaries, and improving the legal immigration process.

Answering a host of questions dealing with the illegal immigration problem, Huckabee said, if elected president, he would secure the border including construction of the 700 mile southern border fence required by the Secure Fence Act, constructing more miles if needed, and keeping the National Guard on the border until it is secured.

Sessions, a member of the Senate Armed Services, Energy and Judiciary Committees, is a strong proponent of enhanced federal enforcement of the immigration laws of the United States. Huckabee says he also shared Sessions’ commitment to “confirming federal judges who follow the law and who do not legislate from the bench and his focus on reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil.”

Huckabee is scheduled to campaign in Georgia on Sunday, February 3, 2008 and in Tennessee and Arkansas on Monday, February 4.

Huckabee Campaign Promotes Faith And Pro-Tax Cut Message In Ad Buy

2008-02-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

Above Chuck and Gena Norris have a message for Students for Huckabee as we move towards Feb. 5

Presidential Candidate and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is hitting the airwaves with two television ads geared to help Feb. 5 primary state voters understand his record in public service, vision for America’s future, and plans to strengthen the U.S. economy.

“Believe,” a 30-second ad, will be a part of a national cable buy that was launched Jan. 31st. It will also broadcast in key Southern states, including: Alabama, Missouri, Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

"Faith doesn't just influence me, it really defines me,” says Huckabee on camera, echoing a sentiment he often expresses on the campaign trail. “Believe” reiterates Huckabee’s strong stand on pro-life issues, including his belief that life begins at conception, and dedication to conservative values. “Let us never sacrifice our principles for anybody's politics. Not now. Not ever.”

The second 30-second ad, “Common Sense,” begins airing on Friday, February 1st, on national cable networks. “Common Sense” highlights Huckabee’s Main Street message and the need for major reform in Washington, beginning with abolishing the IRS and ensuring that taxation, regulation, litigation are kept to the bare minimum.

The ad echoes a major campaign theme by Huckabee that he’ll lead the fight to help Americans keep their jobs and paychecks. “This ad highlights a high priority for Governor Huckabee, that he wants to be the president that nails the going out of business sign on the IRS,” said Campaign Manager Chip Saltsman.

Mike Huckabee Issues Statement On Year-End 2007 FEC Filing

2008-01-31T23:07:00.000-08:00

"My presidential campaign has defied the odds, and will continue to do so, as we head into the Super Tuesday primaries, proving the power of message over money and mechanics. I believe the record will show that mine has been one of the most cost-effective presidential campaigns in recent history -- at a time when the campaign season has been the longest. This affirms what I have always known, that this country is not for sale and the office of president cannot be bought.

"My campaign filed our year-end 2007 FEC report in compliance with federal law -- and all of the details are available online. While my fund-raising has increased significantly, with each quarter outperforming the previous one, a majority of my donors are a part of a grassroots army of concerned citizens from across America -- individuals who may have limited financial means but who care about this country deeply and are giving what they can to support my campaign.

"At every juncture, I've been amazed at the power of the people, who represent the core strength and values of this country. I am deeply appreciative of their support, which has fueled my candidacy and will continue to power our campaign in the weeks and months ahead."

Huckabee Delivers a Strong Performance at the GOP Debate at the Ronald Reagan Library

2008-01-30T22:51:00.000-08:00

Huckabee spoke to the American people about the vital issue of the economy at the GOP Presidential Debate at the Reagan Library. Huckabee reiterated a common theme of his campaign, that average Americans are struggling in the current economy.

“If you talk to people driving trucks, they’ll tell you fuel prices are higher. They are not making more money to haul items, but they are spending more to do it,” Huckabee said. “I think what Americans are looking for is someone who will talk straight with them. We need to have someone who will address policies, not just for the people at the top, but for the average American.”

Huckabee said a new infrastructure package would help stimulate the U.S. economy. “For every dollar we spend, it would create jobs. “Let’s create more jobs with American workers, American concrete and American steel,” he said.

Huckabee has the most executive leadership of any Republican candidate, having served as governor of Arkansas for more than ten years. He believes that experience makes him the best qualified person to lead this country.

“When you’re a governor you manage a microcosm of the federal government,” Huckabee said. “Washington doesn’t understand how states operate, but states understand how Washington operates because we had to deal with unfunded mandates.”

Huckabee touted his conservative credentials, earned while serving as governor of Arkansas.

“I created the first broad-based tax cut with a 90 percent Democratic legislature. I balanced a budget every year, I consistently supported the human life amendment, I also supported the marriage amendment – two conservative hallmarks,” he said. “I believe in less government and lower taxes.”

On the issue of illegal immigration, Huckabee spoke of his plan to build a border fence.

“What we have to do is have a secure border fence and I propose to do that within 18 months of office,”

Huckabee said. “We have to have a process where the people who are here have to go to the back of the line and start over, that way we create a system that’s legal and protects the dignity of all Americans.”

Huckabee said he supports the “Reagan doctrine” on peace through strength. “We must have enough troop strength of the regular Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine, so that we don’t have extended deployments out of the National Guard.”

On the issue of Iraq, Huckabee said the U.S. needs to do what it takes to “get out of there with victory and honor. We owe it to those who have gone before – so that they have not gone in vain, and for our future sons and daughters, so that they don’t have to go there again soon.”

Huckabee said he has a consistent record of being pro-life.

"I value every human life, I would make every decision on the side of life.” It goes to the heart of who we are as a country,” Huckabee said. “I’m pro-life.”

Noting that the last four of out of five presidents were governors, Huckabee said that “governors understand leadership. There is no such thing as an isolated issue – education, health care, economic development, they are all related.

“Governors don’t get to specialize – we don’t have that luxury. We need to be able to handle on any given day, a variety of issues, and understand how they are woven together. “Real leadership recognizes what your decisions do to people at the bottom – it’s seeing the whole field,” he said.

When asked if President Reagan would endorse his candidacy, Huckabee said “I endorse President Reagan and let me tell you why: Ronald Reagan was more than a policy wonk – he loved this country and he inspired us to believe in ourselves again. He loved America and he knew it is a good nation.

“We need to recapture that American can-do spirit. He brought that to our country and made us believe in ourselves. I hope we continue to believe in ourselves again, and what made him a great American.”

Another tough loss

2008-01-29T22:06:00.000-08:00

Huckaboom still limping from the devastating loss in South Carolina which by design or fate was purely the doing of the sharpei faced Thompson, suffered another loss today in Florida. In bracing ourselves for this loss, we were hoping for a strong third place finish, but were able to manage a fourth. Strapped for money and time, and going against competition that had unlimited resources and had spend several months and some years campaigning in Florida, Huckaboom was more than happy to concede once again to Lazarus who since his resurrection has refused to succumb to bullying or death once more.

Attacked by the establishment and the Amoeba as being anti republican and even a democrat, Both Lazarus and Huckaboom have withstood the challenges and repeatedly proved the conventional wisdom wrong for they are winning all the states that count.

Now Huckaboom has to make one last stand on Super Tuesday where he can count on the delegates from the southern Bible belt to propel him to the delegates’ convention. Having lost South Carolina and Florida, the ubiquitous truth is that it has become markedly difficult to win the nomination; then again, everyone had written off the Huckaboom from the get go so this is dejavu for him. He has been here before and rose to the mountain top.

Riding high on God's shoulders, nothing is impossible. Go Huck Go.

Spiderman to Endorse Huckaboom

2008-01-28T22:10:00.000-08:00

In another light hearted moment that is increasingly being referred to as a Huckaboom moment, he surprised reporters who thought that they had him cornered by letting them n on his secret about Spider Man endorsing him by the end of the month.

In his campaign stumps in Florida, Huckaboom hammered the economy all along pressing his fair tax concept as the best approach to this economic and fiscal crisis. Below is the entire article from his website.

-I support the FairTax.

-As Governor of Arkansas, I cut taxes and fees almost 100 times, saving the taxpayers almost $380 million. I left a surplus of nearly $850 million, which I urged should go back to the people.

-Our massive deficit is not due to Americans' being under-taxed, but to the government's over-spending.

-To control spending, I believe the President should have the line-item veto.
I believe in free trade, but it has to be fair trade.

-Globalization, done right, done fairly, can be the equivalent of a big pay raise by allowing us to buy things more cheaply.

I'd like you to join me at the best "Going Out of Business" sale I can imagine - one held by the Internal Revenue Service. Am I running for president to shut down the federal government? Not exactly. But I am running to completely eliminate all federal income and payroll taxes. And I do mean all - personal federal, corporate federal, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment. All our hours filling out forms, all our payments for help with those forms, all our shopping bags filled with disorganized receipts, all our headaches and heartburn from tax stress will vanish. Instead we will have the FairTax, a simple tax based on wealth. When the FairTax becomes law, it will be like waving a magic wand releasing us from pain and unfairness.

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.

Our current progressive tax system penalizes us for working harder and becoming more successful. As we climb the ladder, the government lurks on each rung, hungry for a bigger bite out of our earnings. The FairTax is also progressive, but it doesn't punish the American dream of success, or the old-fashioned virtues of hard work and thrift, it rewards and encourages them. The FairTax isn't intended to raise any more or less money for the federal government to spend - it is revenue neutral.

Expert analyses have shown that the FairTax lowers the lifetime tax burden of all of us: single or married; working or retired; rich, poor or middle class.

The FairTax will instantly make American products 12 to 25% more competitive because the cost of those goods will no longer be inflated by corporate taxes, costs of tax compliance, and Social Security matching payments. When we buy products now, those taxes are built into the cost, so all of us pay corporate taxes indirectly on top of the personal taxes we pay directly. Compliance costs are just make-work with no real added value, yet they consume as much as 3% of our gross domestic product annually. These costs are an especially heavy burden on small businesses, which generate most of our jobs.

If you buy a bottle of domestic wine, you're paying the taxes/compliance/matching payments of all the folks who produced the grapes, the wine, the bottle, the cork, the label. If you buy a bottle of French wine, the producers had their Value Added Tax rebated to them when the wine was exported. So French consumers pay those taxes, but you don't. Our current tax system puts our goods at a disadvantage both here and overseas. Other governments give their goods an advantage on the world market, an advantage estimated at 18% compared to American goods.

So no matter how hard Americans work, no matter how innovative and creative we are, no matter how superior our products are, we suffer from a built-in competitive disadvantage simply because of our tax system. A recent study by MIT found that our tax system deprives us of about $1 billion in exports annually. When you export over-priced goods as we have, you inevitably end up exporting jobs and industries as we now are. We are the square peg trying to fit into the round hole of international trade. The rest of the world isn't going to change, it's time that we do.

Under the FairTax, American companies are far less likely to move overseas and foreign companies are far more likely to come here, hiring Americans to build and work in their new plants. The FairTax encourages growth by promoting investment and capital formation.

We have to scrap a 20th century tax system that is holding us back and keeping us down in the 21st century. The FairTax is the path to greater prosperity and job security for us and for our children.

As Governor of Arkansas, I pushed through the Arkansas Legislature the first major, broad-based tax cuts in state history - a $90 million tax relief package for Arkansas families. I also doubled the standard deduction to $2,000 for single taxpayers and $4,000 for those who are married. Some taxes I eliminated entirely: the marriage penalty, bracket creep caused by inflation, income tax on poor families, and capital gains on home sales. To encourage investment, I cut capital gains for both individuals and businesses. To help people better themselves, I provided tax credits for employee training and education. In total, I cut taxes and fees nearly 100 times during my ten-and-a-half years as Governor, saving the people of Arkansas almost $380 million.

When I left office in early 2007, Arkansas had nearly $850 million in state surplus, which I urged should go back to the people in the form of either a tax rebate or tax cut.

I believe that our massive deficit is not due to Americans' being under-taxed, but due to the federal government's over-spending. Achieving and maintaining a balanced federal budget is an important and worthy goal necessary to our long-term economic well-being. To achieve a balanced federal budget, I believe the President should have the line-item veto.

I believe in free trade, but it has to be fair trade. We are losing jobs because of an unlevel, unfair trading arena that has to be fixed. Behind the statistics, there are real families and real lives and real pain. I'm running for President because I don't want people who have worked loyally for a company for twenty or thirty years to walk in one morning and be handed a pink slip and be told, "I'm sorry, but everything you spent your life working for is no longer here."

I believe that globalization, done right, done fairly, can be a blessing for our society. As the Industrial Revolution raised living standards by allowing ordinary people to buy mass-produced goods that previously only the rich could afford, so globalization gives all of us the equivalent of a big pay raise by letting us buy all kinds of things from clothing to computers to TVs much more inexpensively.

HUCKABEE SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON FNS

2008-01-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Mike Huckabee

Asked whether he was jockeying for the vice presidency or a lesser cabinet post in the McCain administration, Huckabee reaffirmed his strong friendship with Lazarus and pointed out that while their similarities outweighed their differences, there were indeed some differences in the two campaigns and that he was in for the long haul.

Citing polls along the Bible belt where he was leading comfortably and the fact that he was also running second Nationally, Huckaboom unequivocally made it clear that this was anybody's race and that he should not be summarily dismissed as Chris Wallace and the establishment so wished to emphasize.

Huckaboom also took time to expose The Amoeba's shortcomings such as the secret timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. He also hit The Amoeba on the economy by reminding Chris Wallace that he inherited a deficit in Arkansas and helped to built a $850 million surplus.

He went on to quote Abraham Lincoln "God must have loved the common man because he made so many of them" Huckabee said that he was not out to make the rich people poor rather help the poor people get rich.

Pushed to contradict himself, Huckaboom explained that the bunker mentality not only underscored Rumsfeld's shortcomings, but actually meant that by approaching foreign policy as all or none, we risked the opportunity to loose the 80% the foreigners were offering by demanding they give 100%.

Nevertheless Huckaboom performed well and will continue to perform well in this race.

Huckabee the Healer

2008-01-26T16:43:00.000-08:00

Outspend 50-1 The Huckaboom is taking everything in stride and is very upbeat in the Florida campaign. While a victory in Florida would catapult Huckaboom to the front of the pack again, his main focus is his stronghold, the bible belt where he has a commanding lead over his rivals in the absence of Hollywood, Fred Thompson. With Lazarus and Amoeba dueling it out in Florida, and The Consultant, Rudy betting his life on a Florida victory too, watch out for Huckaboom sneaking in with his core support, the Evangelicals and winning Florida.

I still believe that Huckaboom and Lazarus let the Amoeba off the hook on Thursday’s debate, by refusing to push him to answer for all the outsourcing he is directly responsible for while restructuring his companies. The Amoeba laid-off several people permanently by moving his operations to Asia particularly China.

How can a delinquent opportunist responsible for contributing to the unemployment problem be charged with the responsibility of fixing it?

While this was a missed opportunity on Huckaboom-Lazarus’ part, it is definitely in line with his policy of positive campaigning. I hope that Huckaboom can ante up just a notch while addressing The Amoeba who is bent on buying the presidency.

The Audacity of Huck

2008-01-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

by Michael Brendan Dougherty

Mike Huckabee was supposed to be an amusing sideshow. Just last August, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani dominated the GOP big tent, capturing the spotlight with their massive fundraising efforts and early endorsements. Meanwhile, without a single reporter in tow, Huckabee wandered around New Hampshire and Iowa, speaking to perhaps a dozen people at a time, joking that other candidates “pay $150 for an exfoliation. I could just hand them a bar of Lava soap.” Beltway conservatives and consultants, enjoying Huck’s genial act, speculated that he might make a nice vice president and laughed at his harmless quips. They aren’t laughing anymore.

As Huckabee moved up in the polls, his campaign chairman Ed Rollins declared the Reagan coalition dead, implying that Huckabee could form a new one in its place. The leaders of the conservative movement struck back: free-market activists spent thousands on ads to halt Huckabee’s rise in Iowa, and editors of the leading conservative publications denounced his “populism” and “evangelical identity politics.” Rush Limbaugh told his 20 million listeners that a Huckabee nomination would be a disaster.

Then he started winning. In Iowa he beat the heavily funded, establishment-approved Romney by 9 points and moved from sixth to third in New Hampshire, scrambling the entire Republican race. He is running close to John McCain in national polls and leading in delegate-rich states like South Carolina and Georgia.

Huckabee has convinced his supporters that the Religious Right has too long endured second-class citizenship in the conservative movement. Ironically, the anti-elite posture that Beltway conservatives taught heartlanders to assume when confronting the media or academia has been turned against establishment conservatives themselves. David Brooks declared in the New York Times, “The old guard threw everything they had at him, and their diminished power is now exposed.”

The Beltway Right has reason to worry. As a rhetorician, Huckabee is as good as anyone in politics today. He can stir an audience like Barack Obama, but he adds a deft sense of humor and pop culture that allows him to keep up with media figures like Stephen Colbert or Jay Leno—qualities unexpected in a leader of the Religious Right.

But obvious as his talents are, Huckabee’s policy prescriptions have been hard to decipher. On foreign policy, he grabbed headlines by denouncing the Bush administration’s “arrogant bunker-mentality,” and in a nod to realism, he wrote that the U.S. policy toward Iran should be containment, not confrontation. He says that there are options between “shock and awe” and “cut and run.” But just as observers began speculating that Huckabee might decouple Christian conservatives from the aggressive foreign policy of the Bush administration, he suggested that Palestinians could form their own state in Egypt or Saudi Arabia. So far, he has managed to make members of nearly every school of foreign policy uneasy.

Asked about economics, Huckabee claims to be “a Main Street Republican, not a Wall Street Republican” and preaches a message of economic independence—even nationalism. Speaking to a group of social conservatives, he declared, “A country that cannot feed itself, that cannot fuel itself, and that cannot fight for itself with its own weapons which it manufactures itself is a nation that is not longer free. … I don’t want to see our food come from China, our oil come from Saudi Arabia, and our manufacturing come from Europe and Asia.” Yet Huckabee has not called for an end to NAFTA or for implementing protective tariffs, insisting against evidence to the contrary that he is a free trader.

Establishment conservatives, deciding that the joke from Hope has gone on long enough, have begun sneering with increasing condescension. “That bait shop on the lake—it’s looking good,” Lisa Schiffren blogged on National Review Online. “You’ll be surrounded by nice neighbors, real Christians, and you can be the smartest guy in the room. … Remember Huck—Jesus wouldn’t be dumb enough to go into politics. You were right on that one. Maybe it’s not what he wants from you either.”

Former House majority leader Dick Armey penned a blistering attack on Huckabee’s “feel good politics” and told TAC that he “sounds more like John Edwards than John Edwards.” According to Armey, the conservative movement must balance its priorities: “The traditional, successful, happy Reagan coalition is a coalition of conservatives that came from an economic wing and a social wing tied together by their commitment to constrain the growth of government.” Armey laughs at the idea that Republicans want evangelicals in the backseat: “I can’t remember someone who has been elected besides Reagan that hasn’t caused Jim Dobson to say, ‘He’ll betray us.’”

Asked which candidate comes closest to his vision for the party, Armey chooses Rudy Giuliani. The former mayor’s tax plan, Armey enthuses, “is the biggest supply-side statement of any candidate in the race,” and Giuliani’s commitment to small government commends him to the conservative movement. Of course, Giuliani is also pro-choice and pro-civil-unions.

It is precisely Armey’s understanding of “balance” that has created the backlash for Huckabee. Consider: Romney’s conversion to social conservatism is recent and, to many, unconvincing. Yet National Review endorsed him. Giuliani has been considered an enemy of social conservatism since he was first elected mayor of New York. And John McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts. Writing in The American Spectator, George Nuemayr sympathized with evangelicals: “How is it that the bar of conservative entry for a presidential nominee lowers for the Romneys and McCains, then rises for the Huckabees?” Nuemayr suspects that vitriol is directed at Huckabee not because he “takes this or that heterodox position on issues of economics/trade/foreign policy; it is that he’s a transparent Christian conservative.”

Joe Carter, an activist at the Family Research Council, took a leave of absence to spend a month acting as Huckabee’s rapid-response man. He seconds Nuemayr’s analysis and highlights the barely disguised class conflict in the GOP: “The establishment Republicans don’t want some hillbilly preacher to be president.” To Carter and others, the conservative establishment’s contempt for Huckabee feels familiar. It mirrors the liberal establishment’s disdain for conservatives generally. And so just as Beltway conservatives have taught middle America to resent the liberal elites, so Huckabee and his supporters have leveraged evangelical discontent at those who tell them to “sit down and take what the party gives you.”

The turning point in Huckabee’s campaign came at the Values Voters Summit held by FRC last October. All the Republican candidates came to speak to the largely evangelical crowd, and the leaders of social conservatism hoped to announce their united endorsement. Though Romney was given the keynote spot, Huckabee blew the doors off the conference, saying, “I come today as one not who comes to you, but as one who comes from you. … I think it’s important that people sing from their hearts and don’t merely lip-synch the lyrics to our songs.” Attendees bought Huckabee’s identity-based appeal and voted for him overwhelmingly in the event’s straw poll.

In the weeks that followed, Huckabee continued to call for evangelical solidarity, telling Zev Chafets of the New York Times, “If my own abandon me on the battlefield, it will have a chilling effect.” Recently, campaigning in Michigan, Huckabee told reporters, “Many of us who have been Republicans out of conviction ... the social conservatives, were welcomed in the party as long as we sort of kept our place, but Lord help us if we ever stood forward and said we would actually like to lead the party.” For years the Beltway Right had posed to heartlanders as an “us,” but for evangelicals supporting Huckabee, National Review, the Club for Growth, and the Republican establishment now resemble a “them.”

Huckabee’s success also corresponds with an intellectual shift among conservatives focused on rising middle-class anxiety. This summer, Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam are set to publish Grand New Party, in which they argue that the Republican Party must address the economic needs and aspirations of its middle-class base, transforming itself into the party of Sam’s Club rather than the country club. They praise Huckabee’s populist sensibilities.

Similarly, in a column that told Huckabee-fearing Republicans, “Be Not Afraid,” neoconservative David Brooks framed the preacher’s rise this way: “Huckabee understands that economic well-being is fused with social and moral well-being, and he talks about the inter-relationship in a way no other candidate has.” Brooks argued, “A conservatism that pays attention to people making less than $50,000 a year is the only conservatism worth defending.” Huckabee doesn’t yet demonstrate policy sophistication, but it’s easy to imagine reform-minded conservatives refining his instincts.

Even if Huckabee fails to capture the nomination, he may still effect significant change in the GOP coalition. In 2004, Republicans nabbed three out of four white evangelical votes. Karl Rove credited them with Bush’s re-election. But just as these voters demonstrated their power, their leadership was disappearing. James Kennedy and Jerry Falwell have passed away; others like James Dobson are on their way out of public ministry. Carter believes Huckabee can easily fill the void of evangelical leadership, but he warns that Republicans shouldn’t expect another compliant pastor who will shepherd the masses to the polls then otherwise leave them alone. “Because Huckabee doesn’t come from the establishment, he doesn’t owe them any favors. He has the potential to lead a new movement—and not just evangelicals alone.”

If the affable preacher consolidates his influence over the largest bloc of voters in the GOP, he’ll have the whip hand in the Republican coalition. No wonder the establishment is wincing.

The Florida Debate

2008-01-24T22:39:00.000-08:00

In another brilliant display of leadership and oratory eloquence, Huckaboom took the Florida debate by storm; from the war in Iraq to the ailing economy, Huckaboom had a catchy line that drew applause after applause from the all serious crowd yet unequivocally delivering the message. He is a real joy to listen to.

“How often do we hear people talk about trickle down economics that if you have a wonderful surge in economics it works itself to other sectors but there is another issue too there is a trickle up impact when the economy begins to go sour”

When challenged by Lazarus on the fair tax proposal, Huckaboom pounced on the opportunity to enumerate his fair tax policy, the IRS killer. reminding his colleagues that he was the only one on the stage at the Republican debate in Michigan last October willing to admit that the economy had problems and those on the lowest rung of the economic ladder were hurting the most.
"What I think people need in the president," Huckabee said, "is somebody who understands the totality of the American family, and not just the folks at the top."

Huckaboom reminded his colleagues that he was the only one on the stage at the Republican debate in Michigan last October willing to admit that the economy had problems and those on the lowest rung of the economic ladder were hurting the most.

While all the candidates are worth commending for maintaining civility, there are those who lost the opportunity to make a name for themselves. Clearly Huckabee won the debate and should benefit the most in the forth coming Florida primaries.

Another one bites the dust

2008-01-23T19:22:00.000-08:00

The departure of Fred Thompson couldn't have come at a more opportune time. Having ruined the outcome for Huckaboom by splitting the conservative vote, Fred's departure was the most welcome news.

Now if he can hold off clearing his perpetually congested throat until the Florida elections, before endorsing his long time friend and ally, Lazarus, John McCain, The Huckster will probably get a second wind from winning the sunshine state.

While the candidates are running helter skelter hat in hand to raise enough money for commercials prior to Super Tuesday, The Mormon has tapped into his immense resources to finance his campaign. His idea is to outspend his opponents and literally buy the election from them.

Outside looking in is Bloomberg, the New York mayor who has vowed that he would have to be hand-cuffed to the water heater in his basement to prevent him from running if the Mormon got the nod. So convinced of victory is Bloomberg, he has sworn to spend well over $1 billion of his own money to best The Mormon, Romney.

Bloomberg is smart enough to know that he has as much a chance as I do to win the presidency going against Huckaboom or Lazarus.

The Huckaboom reiterated today that he would continue on his shoe string budget as he stomped through out the Sun Shine State. Nevertheless, he will need to raise all the money he can if he is going to be the next president. Huckaboom needs to ante up his fundraising because while he is consistently and unwavering on his message, he needs to get it out there for the people to hear it.

PROTESTING ROE V WADE

2008-01-22T23:39:00.000-08:00

Huckaboom reiterates his unwavering belief in the Sanctity of life:

Speaking at the Georgia Right to Life Memorial Service for the Unborn at the State Capitol steps in Atlanta, GA. The Huckster said:

“Today is the 35th anniversary of a great American tragedy, the Roe vs. Wade court decision that has led to the loss of millions of innocent lives. These children were denied the right to life our Constitution grants to everyone in America, only because they had yet to emerge from their mother’s womb. As President Bush noted today, America is better than this.

“I support and have always supported passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life. As president, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My convictions regarding the sanctity of life have always been clear and consistent, without equivocation or wavering. I believe that Roe v. Wade should be over-turned.

“I applaud those who are marching in Washington and elsewhere to call attention yet again to this terrible injustice. I stand with them in calling for the passage of a Constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade and restore the constitutional rights of the unborn, and I will march with them next year if I am elected president. As president, I pledge that I will continue the fight so that every child can have his or her God-given right to life.”

On other important developments marking the 35 anniversary of the barbaric Roe v Wade ruling, Hollywood, Fred Thompson, dropped out as a presidential candidate ending a short-lived campaign that got off to a late start and never gathered much steam.

Thompson, a former Tennessee senator whose sharpei face is familiar to millions of Americans from his movie and television roles, pulled out of the race after finishing a distant third in South Carolina on Saturday and not doing well in New Hampshire and Iowa.

Speculation immediately centered on whether Thompson would endorse Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain or someone else. Both Thompson and McCain served in the Senate together and have strong stances on national security.

Thompson advisers doubted an endorsement was coming, at least in the short term and possibly not at all.

Many political analysts believe Thompson drew support away from former Arkansas Gov. Huckaboom in South Carolina, helping McCain to a narrow victory over.

"His being in the race had the biggest impact on me in South Carolina," Huckabee said. "We still feel like we would've won South Carolina if there had been a margin and Fred had not been there."

Thompson, 65, hoping for a Hollywood entrance with theme music and stunts, Announcing his candidacy on NBC's "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, instead of attending a Republican debate in New Hampshire, woke up to the realization that he was more of a nuisance than a viable candidate.

Now The Huckster can focus on combating the momentum behind his friend Lazarus and reverse the immerging ticket of McCain-Huckabee to Huckaboom-Lazarus.

LITTLE ROCK, AR – Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee issued the following statement today:

"Today, Senator Fred Thompson announced that he will no longer seek the Republican nomination for President. I wish Fred the best.

“Fred’s decision, along with my friend Congressman Duncan Hunter’s departure from the race, narrows the presidential field. I want to thank these fine men for their contributions to the debate. Our Party, and our nation, depends upon the patriotism and dedication of men and women who get involved in the political process.

“I commend Fred and Duncan for their focus on America’s role in the world. I share their absolute conviction that the first responsibility of government is to protect the American people. Our country must prevail in our fight against radical Islamics who want to destroy us.

“As a pro-life, pro-lower tax conservative Republican, who believes in the Second amendment, I believe that one of the greatest ongoing threats to our constitutional republic is the politicization of the federal judiciary. The role of a judge is to interpret the law, not to legislate from the bench; as president, I will only appoint men and women who share this view.

“As we move forward, I’d like to ask Fred’s supporters, and Duncan’s, to join our campaign. As a true authentic conservative, I have a vision to bring hope, opportunity and prosperity to all Americans, and I welcome their support.”

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday

2008-01-21T23:23:00.000-08:00

Republican Presidential hopeful, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, center, flanked by Jennifer Beal, left, and Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King, takes part in a ceremony honoring Martin Luther King, Monday, Jan. 21, 2008, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

By CHARLES BABINGTON
Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA (AP) -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee paid tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at a lengthy memorial service Monday at King's old church and was endorsed by several black religious leaders.

While his main GOP rivals campaigned in Florida, Huckabee sat quietly through a nearly four-hour King ceremony at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. He was overshadowed by fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton, who received a long ovation for his 18-minute address.

The former president acknowledged Huckabee, who did not speak. "We don't agree on much, but he is a very good man," Clinton told the audience of several hundred.

Huckabee said he was willing to put aside campaigning for a half day to attend the King event, which he called inspiring.

The former Arkansas governor finished second in the South Carolina Republican primary over the weekend after campaigning in which he said the federal government should stay out of disputes over display of the Confederate battle flag in the state. He said last week, "If somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we'd tell 'em what to do with the pole, that's what we'd do."

The flag is a symbol of racism to some, of Southern pride to others.

After his South Carolina loss, Huckabee needs strong showings in states such as Florida, Georgia and Alabama to keep his campaign alive. He went to Orlando for a late-afternoon rally and fundraiser Monday and planned to return to Atlanta Tuesday for an anti-abortion event.

"Winning Florida would be great," Huckabee told an Orlando airport crowd of about 100, speaking of the state's Jan. 29 GOP primary. But winning the nomination is the bigger goal, he said. "Nobody is going to have this wrapped up by Florida," he said.

"We plan on carrying Georgia," Huckabee told reporters.

After leaving the King ceremony, Huckabee was endorsed by three dozen African-Americans, most of them connected to conservative religious organizations.

Huckabee's strong opposition to abortion and gay marriage matches the "high moral values" of many black Americans, said William Owens, founder of a group called the Coalition of African American Pastors.

Norris says McCain too old for president

2008-01-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

Campaigning for Mike Huckabee, actor Chuck Norris said Sunday that Sen. John McCain is too old to handle the pressures of being president

"I didn't pick John to support because I'm just afraid that the vice president would wind up taking over his job in that four-year presidency," said Norris, who was hosting a fundraiser for Huckabee at his Lone Wolf Ranch.

"So we need to find someone that can handle it for four years or eight years ... that has the youth and vision and communication skills to make that work." Norris, 67, is four years younger than McCain, who will be 72 in August.
Huckabee will be 52 in August.

The former Arkansas governor, coming off a disappointing second-place finish in the South Carolina GOP primary to McCain, distanced himself from Norris' comments.
"Only John McCain and his hairdresser know for sure," he quipped, at a ranch house on the sprawling East Texas estate. "It is a very stressful position. ... I'm not going to say he's too old. I think he's got a lot of inner strength, good genetic factors by his mom."

McCain's campaign did not immediately have a comment.

As the first Southern primary, South Carolina was supposed to be friendly territory for Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister.
"We obviously wanted to win and we really thought we would win," he said. "The fact of Fred Thompson's being in the race took some votes that we would have most likely had."

Huckabee also blamed late snowfall in parts of upstate South Carolina.
"The snow not only froze the streets of the Greenville-Spartanburg area, the votes kinda stopped once it started snowing," he said. "That was an area we were looking forward to having a significant vote margin."

Huckabee hoped the fundraiser would be the start of a momentum shift in his favor.
"Starting today, we reset the clock," Huckabee said. "I woke up this morning and I thought 'the momentum is back.'"

Huckabee next turns to Florida, which holds its GOP primary Jan. 29. He seemed to be preparing for a long haul. "Even a contest of delegates isn't going to be over after Florida and probably even after February 5," he said. "So everybody's sort of retooled and said, 'No, this could go on all the way to the convention.'"

Norris estimated that more than 200 people had paid at least $1,000 for a plate of barbecue and a chance to watch Huckabee play bass guitar with his band, Capitol Offense. Some paid $2,300, but fundraising totals were not yet available.

After repeating his stump speech to the rural Texas crowd, the band joined Huckabee on stage for some classic rock tunes, kicking off with "Only in America."

By APRIL CASTRO, Associated Press Writer

Huckabee Concedes South Carolina

2008-01-19T21:44:00.000-08:00

CHARLESTON, S.C. — John McCain defeated Mike Huckabee in the South Carolina Republican primary on Saturday, giving the Arizona senator a boost as the wide-open nomination fight heads to Florida.

After decades of deceit, Americans are now ready for straight talk. While my heart is with the Huckster, Lazarus won a hard fought battle and deserves a pat in the back. Try as I did, I could not find fault in his leadership. To forge forward, he has reached across the aisle in the most challenging of issues. I have always said that if not Huckaboom, Lazarus was the next best choice. Wounded he might be, but Huckaboom vows to go on. Go Huckaboom go. The real story was that despite the other notable contenders in the race, The Consultant, Rudy, Hollywood,Fred, The Amoeba, Mitt and even the Doc, Ron, the focus was on Lazarus and Huckaboom. This is a clear indication that the people have spoken and made a clear distinction between the real candidates and the joke arounds.

After lying his way to the Governor’s Mansion in Massachussetts, The Amoeba once again overcame Mt. Mormon in Michigan by deceiving the voters that he would return their jobs and like idiots they bought it. He swapped talk of resurrecting the auto industry that won him MI. by pledging to focus on the textile and other industrial job losses that have punished the south. The Amoeba, Romney, should be stopped at every opportune.

The Amoeba and Billary are mistakes that America can not afford. Flip flopping on his part, divisiveness & deceit on hers, are vices the nation does not afford.

Dirty Politics

2008-01-17T22:05:00.000-08:00

The following article was copied in its entirity from AOL

Huckabee Says Let SC Decide on Flag

AP
Posted: 2008-01-17 15:09:04
even though Klaudt was wrong to trick the girls into letting him touch them, his actions did not amount to rape because the girls consented in the belief that they could make money from donating their eggs to infertile couples.

But prosecutors said Klaudt raped the girls because he coereced them into the fake medical examinations and they did not consent to what Klaudt was really doing.

The charges involved two former foster daughters who testified Klaudt touched their breasts and penetrated them with his fingers and a vibrator while conducting what he said were examinations to determine ifthey were healthy enough to donate their eggs.

During one of the legislative sessions, one of the girls served as a legislative page - high school students who run errands for lawmakers.

The girls lived in Klaudt's home as part of a program that provides foster care for young people who have no safe home to return to after completing time in juvenile reform programs.

One young woman, now 19, testified that Klaudt did up to 10 tests on her, but only three occurred in Pierre in his motel suite. She said she went along with the exams because she believed the egg donation was real and she hoped to make thousands of dollars.

The young woman said she cried during each examination and Klaudt warned her not to tell anyone or she would likely be locked up until she was 21.

The second yound woman, now 20, said she initially wanted Klaudt to examine her because she wanted to make money donating eggs. But she said when he examined her in the Pierre motel in early 2006, she asked him to stop a genital examination three times but he did not stop.

Law officers also testified that Klaudt tried to manipulate the girls by sending e-mails and Internet chat messages, often with vulgar language, under a number of aliases. One of e-mail accounts pretended to be a woman who worked for an egg-donation program, and that fake person urged one of the foster daughters to let Klaudt perform another exam.

Klaudt served eight years in the House from 1999-2006 and left because of term limits. He ran for a Senate seat in 2006 but lost to the Democratic candidate.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
01/17/08 15:08 EST

Click here to view the Story

*************************************

Was this misprint a deliberate attempt to remind people of Huckabee’s alleged hand in the Wayne Dumond pardon, or was it an honest mistake? Why is it still live on the internet several hours after it was initially reported to AOL? When the first emails and phone calls to pull it were made this afternoon? These are dirty politics reminiscent of the Clintons and the responsible GOP campaign should be publicly admonished. Then again, it could be The Machine’s shot in the dark to discredit Huckaboom long before the general elections. One can never put anything past them.

Dirty dirty politics.

I have faith in The Huckster and trust that he will come through for us. He is God’s anointed candidate in this race and the 2 loses he sustained so far are to remind him that he is mortal and thus strengthening the existing strong bond between him and God.

Go Huckaboom Go.

It's the Economy, stupid!

2008-01-15T21:23:00.000-08:00

Outspent 50-1 by The Amoeba whose campaign future wholly rested on a Michigan victory, The Huckster took his 2nd runners-up in Michigan in stride and pledged to win the first in the south primary, South Carolina. While Huckaboom would have loved to win Michigan, he was content with the strong 3rd place finish, ahead of wealthier and more prominent names such as “The Consultant”, Rudy, “Hollywood”, Thompson and even “The Doc”, Paul, a fete he attributed to the remarkable effort of the volunteers in Michigan.

Huckaboom touched on his economic and fair tax plan which states “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.”

On the democratic front, Billary continued to play Obama for the fool; keeping alive the race debate, and blaming it on her surrogates and supporters while she and her husband, President Bill Clinton who is vigorous campaigning for the position of 1st pimp, subtly yet succinctly enough conjured and perpetuated the attacks, from diminishing the role of Martin Luther King’s historic revolutionizing of our civil rights, to suggesting that a black American President was a "fairy tale".

These are the same two characters who suggested that Obama was a Muslim and that he had wanted to become the President ever since he was in kindergarten sighting his phantom childhood essays as evidence. Once the seeds of doubt were planted, the surrogates and sidekicks ran away with the story doing more damage to our progress than has been evidenced in any other election in recent history.

Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York unequivocally bashed Obama as he continued to discredit MLK, a political mistake that will haunt him in years to come, while Bob Johnson, BET owner and the 1st black billionaire joined the chorus to berate Obama on his self published drug use, only to come back and rescind his comments.

The racial overtones in this presidential race are a clear indication of a baseless campaign that aims to divide than to unite. In a myriad of important issues to pick from, the candidates have chosen to attack each other rather than the issues that matter most to those that they aspire to represent. Americans are not stupid and will see clearly through the entire charade and nominate the right candidates from each party along the way to electing the right President; Huckaboom.

And what’s with the stunts!! Last week we had Billary weeping for her failing campaign, and last night a girl fainted at a President Clinton rally, only to be helped up by Chelsea while all the others in the crowd stood by and watched. When will they stop?

Faith on the trail

2008-01-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

Once again The Huckster took time off his busy schedule to attend service and even preach a summon or two, a strong reminder that he is not disconnected from his faith based approach to Government. In Huckabee, the Christian conservatives and social moderates have found their leader, one who understands that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

“The First Amendment requires that expressions of faith be neither prohibited nor preferred. We should not banish religion from the public square, but should guarantee access to all voices and views. We should share and debate our faith, but never seek to impose it. When discussing faith and politics, we should honor the "candid" in candidate - I have much more respect for an honest atheist than a disingenuous believer.” Said the Huckster regarding faith in politics.

Huckaboom adds “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. Real faith makes us humble and mindful, not of the faults of others, but of our own. It makes us less judgmental, as we see others with the same frailties we have. Faith gives us strength in the face of injustice and motivates us to do our best for the least of us.”

Then he capped his views with one of his famous one line cliché’s “Our nation was birthed in a spirit of faith - not a prescriptive one telling us whether to believe, but one acknowledging that providence pervades our world.”

On the democratic front, we find ourselves in the middle of a lost campaign. While Clinton may have clawed her way out of an abyss in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, the shadows over her campaign are a reminder that the path she's forging is still in the deep woods. The questions surrounding the crocodile tears are systematically being answered.

On realizing that her top advisor had been busted and spend the day in jail for driving under the influence, (DWI) and reckless driving, 70mph in a 30mph zone, (residential), Billary shed a tear to mark the impending end of her campaign because the polls showed Obama winning by double digits.

As the liar she is, she did not disclose this information to the New Hampshire voters, nor did she publicly condemn Sid Blumenthal. Her lack of disciplinary action would have infuriated the mothers against drunk drivers, the majority of whom are baby boomers, her core voting block.

Billary is so full of it, she mistakenly thinks Americans are idiots too. On “Meet The Press Yesterday”, she unequivocally claimed that the Iraqis are changing their ways because of her remarks. “The Iraqis follow everything that I say” she ranted on while all along she has been ambivalent on the war, speaking against it yet voting in support of the President’s entire requests, from war authorization to additional funding. Now with success in sight, she unashamedly takes all the credit, while in fact she never had anything to do with the effort other than croak away her ambivalence; another pathetic show of idiocy.

That is truly the fairy tale. And it is driven by a refusal to admit real success because that success has been achieved under the leadership of President George W. Bush! Surely, when will she stop?

How can the most divisive and least popular politician be elected into office? With a lot of questions surrounding their horrid past with a blood trail rivaled only by the Nazis, the Clintons campaign based on deceit and disinformation is walking on very thin ice; when the people know the truth, will they be as sympathetic?

Face the Nation

2008-01-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

Once again the Huckster went national with the campaign when he appeared this morning on “Face The Nation” hosted by bob schieffer. As expected, The Amoeba, Romney, who had appeared minutes before Huckaboom, had used his airtime to discredit the Huckster. The Amoeba’s campaign has always been in trouble for lack of principle, substance and most important, direction, hence the name Amoeba, for his flip-flopping on key issues.

Nevertheless Huckaboom had another stellar performance, answering all the questions and hammering in his key economic points. In his rebuttal to The Amoeba’s frivolous accusations, he reminded everyone that as Governor of Arkansas, he pushed through the Arkansas Legislature the first major, broad-based tax cuts in state history - a $90 million tax relief package for Arkansas families. He also doubled the standard deduction to $2,000 for single taxpayers and $4,000 for those who are married. Some taxes he eliminated entirely: the marriage penalty, bracket creep caused by inflation, income tax on poor families, and capital gains on home sales. To encourage investment, I cut capital gains for both individuals and businesses. To help people better themselves, he provided tax credits for employee training and education. “In total, I cut taxes and fees nearly 100 times during my ten-and-a-half years as Governor, saving the people of Arkansas almost $380 million.
When I left office in early 2007, Arkansas had nearly $850 million in state surplus, which I urged should go back to the people in the form of either a tax rebate or tax cut” said Huckaboom.

He went on to add, “I believe that our massive deficit is not due to Americans' being under-taxed, but due to the federal government's over-spending. Achieving and maintaining a balanced federal budget is an important and worthy goal necessary to our long-term economic well-being. To achieve a balanced federal budget, I believe the President should have the line-item veto.”

On free trade the Huckster said “I believe in free trade, but it has to be fair trade. We are losing jobs because of an unlevel, unfair trading arena that has to be fixed. Behind the statistics, there are real families and real lives and real pain. I'm running for President because I don't want people who have worked loyally for a company for twenty or thirty years to walk in one morning and be handed a pink slip and be told, "I'm sorry, but everything you spent your life working for is no longer here."

Clearly the Huckster has all the bases covered despite The Amoeba’s insistence on negativity and the fact that The Amoeba was born and raised in Michigan a state where his father also served as the Governor. The Amoeba’s entire campaign now depends entirely on Michigan and as such he has transferred all his resources there to ensure victory; it’s a shame that all his millions can buy him is a soft second. The Huckaboom is 3rd and gaining ground fast.

On the democratic field, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton may have clawed her way out of an abyss in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, but the shadows over her campaign are a reminder that the path she's forging is still in the deep woods. The questions surrounding the crocodile tears have been answered. On realizing that her top advisor had been busted and spend ½ the day in jail for driving under the influence, (DWI) and reckless driving, 70mph in a 30mph zone, (residential), Billary shed a tear for the impending end of her campaign because the polls showed Obama winning by double digits. As the liar within prevailed, she did not disclose this information to the New Hampshire voters, nor did she publicly condemn Sid Blumenthal following the elcetions. Her lack of disciplinary action would have infuriated the mothers against drunk drivers (MADD) the majority of whom are baby boomers, her largest voting block.

She dodged another one! Nashua police say Sid Blumenthal was arrested early Monday morning after an officer pulled over a car traveling 70 mph in a 30 mph zone.

We all know about her husband's last day in office pardons; do we want to continue the trend?

Were the arresting officers promised promotions or the chief promised a cabinet post? We will never know, nevertheless, one can see the machine’s finger prints in silencing it when it matteresd the most. They are using every dirty trick in the book. They might fool some people sometime, but the can’t fool all the people all the time.

The Clintons subtle racist remarks are hitting home in perfect rhythm. One couldn’t have scripted it better. Their pattern of uttering calculated and negative innuendos at Obama only to come back and rescind them and apologize for their insensitivity, is not only disheartening and ingenious, it is down right low and dirty. Nevertheless, it scores them free airtime as they get in sound bites that promote their fledgling campaign but most importantly serve to remind the white majority that there is a stark racial difference between the two candidates.

As America struggles to lick the wounds from its tortured past, present and future leaders should refrain from exciting dormant passions and focus on healing and building the nation. The race and gender card that the Clintons keep taunting their opponents with is unhealthy for the nation and they should be unequivocally admonished racial and gender incitement.
.

I'll reiterate my earlier remarks:

If a democrat, Billary is the one mistake we can not afford.

THE HUCK ATTACK

2008-01-11T15:52:00.000-08:00

When President Bill Clinton chastised the Hawkeyes for not electing his wife, billary, and lashed out at the granite state for seeming to follow suite, electing a black man over his weeping white wife, he officially opened the gates not only for negativity, but for fear mongering. Now The Consultant, Giuliani, a mayor who has based his whole campaign on his management of the 9/11 crisis, has elevated the fear mongering to new heights with a new battery of ads.

Scaring the votes out of us will not work; all they have to do is stick to the truth: If the impending recession is not bad enough with the foreclosures themselves worse than 50 Katrina’s, with millions of Americans displaced from their homes and others loosing their investments overnight through evaporated equity resulting from their neighbor’s foreclosure, the high cost of food and energy and the inflation that has gripped the country, then the candidates are running for the wrong job.

We have Arabians and Chinese literally buying us out of our country in a back door assault to our sovereignty by investing heavily into our fledgling financial institutions which own the foreclosed mortgages. These foreign investors are not entirely transparent and one should seriously question the auterior motives behind their flamboyant investments. Just like the terrorists used our planes to attack us on 9/11 these foreigners are using our economy against us. It's a shame that some candidates are even consulting with them to facilitate the whole process. Others have received noticeable campaign contributions from the marauding investors.

With several important issues that merit debate such as healthcare, gun control, saving social security, education, the list goes on and on, the candidates should succinctly elaborate their policies rather than attack each others fallacies. Last night’s debate in Charleston, SC. provided yet another opportunity for the candidates to showcase their ideas and policies for the next administration, but they opted to go at each other instead.

Morning Joe presented Huckaboom an opportunity to pick up from where he left last night. “The Huck Attack”, Huckaboom’s rebuttal to Hollywood’s attacks couldn’t have come at a better time. Either Hollywood, Thompson, was menstruating or had an upset stomach, either way you view it, he was in a bad mood. Hollywood woke up from his habitual slumber with a hatchet in hand and liberally wielded it on Huckaboom’s head, accusing him of everything from being a liberal to belonging in the “blame America first club”. While I like and respect Hollywood Fred, I was taken a back by his attacks, given the fact that he aspires to lead America and not just the red states. In a time when we need unification, it is disheartening to see our leaders attacking each other on who is more conservative than the other. One is almost forced to conclude that Hollywood was out doing McCain’s bidding, attacking the Huckster relentlessly.

The truth is that Huckabee is the candidate to beat and Hollywood understands that his campaign’s future depends on his success in South Carolina. On the other hand, The Amoeba was relentlessly going at Lazarus. The Amoeba, Romney, having pulled his resources from all the other states in favor of Michigan, feels compelled to hit Lazarus, McCain, with everything he has to counter the recent surge in polls that show him on the lead. While The Amoeba has the money to go the distance, his crippled fundraising will take a nose-dive if he does not deliver Michigan. Heck, his whole campaign which was predicated on his winning the 1st two states, IA. and NH. will definitely vanish like a fart in the wind.

It’s unfortunate that the Huckaboom-Lazarus marriage is coming to a hem before they terminally knock out The Consultant, Giuliani, out of contention; nevertheless The Huckster rolls on and his victory is nigh.

Time to Work Together

2008-01-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

To the victor goes the spoils, came true for Huckaboom whose victory in the debates won the hearts of the Iowans, and has now elevated him to a convincing lead in the national polls, officially earning him the extra airtime that he could ordinarily not afford given the frugal campaign he is running.

“People want the federal government run like we’ve run our campaign, very frugally as there they know that if we spend an extra ordinary amount of money and act like there is no limit to what we can spend in a campaign, that’s probably how we’ll approach government spending and the last thing people want in this country is that people feels like the tax payers give them carte blanche to write whatever amount on the check they can, and that’s what’s wrong with frankly the republicans right now, there’s been this that the republicans spend the money just as bad if not worse than the democrats that’s why Americans are not interested in whether you’re a democrat or republican or they want to know are you responsible if you are authentic can we count on you to be consistent? And if the answer is no, they don’t care what party your are they’re just saying they’ll keep shopping” said Huckaboom with a cup of coffee in hand while describing his campaign’s recent success.

“If you throw a rock over the fence it’s the hit dog who hollers” quipped Huckaboom referring to The Amoeba, Romney. As always, Huckaboom is a breath of fresh air and his entertaining and casual approach to serious business coupled with his insistence of refusing to go negative on the Amoeba, have now become his registered trademarks.

How much I want him to win.

If America is lucky to nominate Huckaboom and the Big Hope, Obama, Americans will be entertained every day until the elections; debate nights will an additional treat, a bonus, because we will get them together at the same time; I can’t wait.

“The time has come for a president who will be honest about the choices and challenges we face who will listen to you and learn from you even when we disagree who won’t tell you what you want to hear but what will tell you what you need to know in order for us to move this country forward, that time has come right now” said Obama in accepting the long sought after Kerry endorsement.

How I like to be proven right; for months we have been calling for a Kerry endorsement of Obama but most thought we were nuts; a few months ago, we finally put it all together: for Obama to defeat the machine, he would need Kerry's backing, Gore's nod and the Kennedy machine.

While Gore might be slow to give his nod, albeit a likelihood of running with Bloomberg, the Iowa win to a large part substituted his endorsement.

With Billary taunting the gender card and President Clinton, vying for the title of 1st Pimp, chastising Iowans for electing Obama, and lashing out at granite state voters for heading in the same direction, there is no end to this multi-frontal assault from this duo headed serpent. Barack, the Big Hope, needs all the help he can get to elevate America from its bigotry laden history to the beacon of democracy that it so seeks to identify itself with. This is the true test of democracy.

While there are several who legitimately question the discrepancy of New Hampshire results, given the Clintonian antics, one wouldn’t put it past the machine to somehow find a way to rig the vote count, and yet Obama has not even hinted at contesting the outcome. Instead he has focused his attention on running a positive campaign as opposed to the machine that went as low as his kindergarten to search for mud to sling at him!!

The Big Hope went on to say “the time has come to built a new majority that can lead this country out of political darkness democrats, but also independents and republicans, who are tired of the division and destruction that has clouded Washington who know that we can disagree without being disagreeable who understand that if we mobilize our voices to challenge the money and influence that has stood in our way and if we challenge ourselves to be better citizens, better parents, better spouses, better at whatever it is that we do, to add to the life of our community then there is no problem that we can’t solve, and there is no destiny we can’t fulfill.”

Obama’s as well Huckabee’s remarks are reverberating above partisan politics as they now focus on the bigger price in sight; the general elections!! Nevertheless they should not get cocky and forget how they got here in the first place, nor forget to that the road to the general elections is through the primaries; they have to win the primaries first.

THE AGONY OF DEFEAT

2008-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

In yet another tell-tale sign that the tandem was succeeding, The Amoeba, Romney, has decided to pull his advertising from South Carolina, where he was hoping to take on Huckaboom and Lazarus, John McCain, and from Florida, where Rudy Giuliani has been spending time and money. "We feel the best strategy is to focus our paid messaging in Michigan," Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said Wednesday as the campaign launched its "National Call Day" fundraising effort.

This tough decision comes on the heels of back-to-back losses in Iowa and New Hampshire for the Mormon. The Amoeba, a multimillionaire who had used a lot of his own cash, had invested heavily in both states, counting on the two to give him the momentum toward the nomination

Earlier on Wednesday, The Amoeba spend his time deceiving his top financial backers that he would win the upcoming Michigan primary, as he and his staff worked to soothe supporters unsettled by his losses in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

"It's just getting started," The Amoeba, told supporters gathered at a convention center for a follow-up to his campaign's "National Call Day," which raised an unprecedented $6.5 million a year ago. He promised to carry on to Michigan, which votes Jan. 15, as well as Nevada and South Carolina, which vote Jan. 19.

The public spectacle, a rarity for the normally tightly controlled Romney political operation, included appeals for calm from a top financial backer, eBay CEO Meg Whitman, and a top political supporter, former Sen. Jim Talent of Missouri.
"To a person, we remain incredibly optimistic that we still have a chance to win this thing," Whitman told the crowd, which included everyone from Fortune 500 executives to entrepreneurs.

This is welcome news to both the Huckaboom and Lazarus camps given that they both worked tirelessly in tandem to dislodge the Mormon. As the process moves mid-west to Michigan and on to Nevada and South Carolina, we pray and hope that the core remains true and Huckabee prevails. Rudy is his own enemy and his antics speak for themselves.

At what point the tentative alliance will break is unknown however, I wouldn’t put it past the two to work together to win the Whitehouse. A Huckabee-McCain ticket is a sure winner, especially against Hillary. A resurgent Barack Obama might pose a real challenge.

PURIC VICTORY

2008-01-08T21:58:00.001-08:00

Americans are stupid, retarded imbeciles who can not discern fact from fiction; at least this is the logical conclusion one deciphers from Hillary’s crocodile tears and rhetoric in describing her 35 years of failure as 35 years of change. One can not have experience and change at the same time! The changes Huckabee, Obama and Edwards are advocating are moving in a different direction from the status quo, away from Hillary’s antics. Nevertheless, a sucker is born everyday and there is always a smarty waiting to capitalize!

Reeling from defeat in Iowa, the machine kicked into high gear and hammered and pounded relentlessly on Obama until they got the granite state voters to believe their lies. One should never underestimate the machine.

The youngsters can never be trusted; they are not battle tested and will easily forgo the elections on a dime as they don’t have a grasp on their true meaning! They will however go to the rallies to socialize just like they would go to a club on a Friday night.

The machine is battle tested and. How did they twist this yarn from a double digit margin lead 2 weeks ago to a comeback kid? Were the polls manufactured? Obama did not even enjoy his Iowa victory for a week before the two headed serpent was on the attack; and attack they did!! Clearly agitated from the embarrassing loss they suffered in Iowa, President Bill Clinton lost all his cool and lashed out at the electorate, literally scaring the votes out of the granite state. What were the Iowans thinking electing Obama and dissing his wife? Were they insane? He was furious with the electorates demand for change. While he was emphatically cracking his whip, Hillary was busy playing the sweet little girl being ganged on by the big bad boys, playing the sympathy vote. Like I said, a sucker is born everyday and there is always one ready to pounce!

Apparently the message sank and the baby boomers, still struggling to fully embrace the notion of equality, having grown up in a segregated America and sat on several dinner tables with grand parents who owned slaves fought their conscious in the booth but lost to tough breeding. Barack was clearly on message and was posed to run away with the nomination, if you believe the media; however, he was fighting a two headed beast with the backing of the machine.

Barack has to regroup and view this as a positive wakeup call; coming this early in the race, a little slap on the hand might be the tonic to remind him that he got here through hard work and should not let down his defense nor underestimate the machine. He is battling a two headed snake and needs to remember every second of that. The gloves are off and everyone is swinging away. Barack should not allow the Clintons to ride on this manufactured wave!! He should reach deep inside that special well and pull out his best act, and swing away like his life depends on it; it does!

On the brighter note of the night, McCain regained his form and repeated his 2000 victory in New Hampshire. The Amoeba lost as prediction would have had it. McCain was too strong of a strain for Romney to handle. Wounded by Huckabee in Iowa and crippled by McCain tonight, the mortal blow will be dealt by Huckabee in South Carolina, if he should somehow survive Michigan, his father’s state. The Huckster came in a respectable 3rd, ahead of the Consultant, the Doc and the Movie Star.

You couldn’t have written a better script.

CROCODILE TEARS

2008-01-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

Truth; if the President tells Americans the undiluted truth, whatever little hope that may exist to salvage this fledgling economy will evaporate instantaneously. The ridiculous attempts by both the Fed and the current administration are nothing short of Band-Aids on a gusher, bleeding us, the greatest economy in the world to death.

The ubiquitous truth is that we are knee deep in a recession and sinking fast. That our fraudulent banks coupled with greedy corporate executives, have crippled our economy. That the subprime scam and outsourcing were the biggest fraud in history is an understatement.

Just like the terrorist used our planes to hit us on 9/11 the Chinese and Arabians are using our economy against us. If the golden rule applies, he who has the gold makes the rules; then foreigners will soon own a substantial chunk of the US. Of course this means war.

These foreigners are pseudo-government conglomerates masquerading as holding companies with the sole purpose of toppling our nation in a hostile takeover of our economy. To postulate that this is idle chatter would require the “Willing Suspension of Disbelief”.

Drastic changes have to be made to subvert this downward slide or the repercussions will not be anything to brag about. Entering the final leg of his Presidency, President Bush is faced by a hostile Congress that is struggling to win back the confidence of the people, hence the name, “do nothing Congress”. So partisan is this Congress that the President has had to order new ink cartridges for his gold pen, having wielded it with authority to veto impossible bills, laden with partisan politics.

In a time of war and economic disparity, we need to unite behind our leaders to forge a way forward out of this daunting predicament. In what is viewed as a lame duck session, many analysts believe nothing will change in the way of vertical progress as more legislators will seek to disassociate themselves with the President in their perpetual selfish ambitions to prolong their political careers at the expense of those they swore to represent.

Having set the backdrop of the potential climate that the next administration will inherit, it’s time to focus on the current field of candidates. In nominating Obama and Huckabee, the Iowans unequivocally proclaimed that a change in direction was the way they wanted to go. As expected, all the other candidates who had run on the experience platform immediately adjusted their rhetoric to incorporate change. Some mistakenly took Americans for fools and are justly receiving their punishment as the polls so clearly indicate.

Americans are stupid, retarded imbeciles who can not discern fact from fiction; at least this is the logical conclusion one should decipher from Hillary’s rhetoric in describing her 35 years of failure as 35 years of change. One can not have experience and change at the same time!! The changes Huckabee, Obama and Edwards are advocating are moving in a different direction from the status quo, away from Hillary’s antics.

Not to be outdone or to appear out of character, The Amoeba jumped on the change bandwagon, dancing to the tune of Obama’s drumbeat while distancing himself from his immediate nemesis of change, Mike Huckabee. The Amoeba, Romney, has flipped his positions so many times in the past, (abortion, gay marriage, gun control, etc) that this new flop, strange as it might be, supporting a member of the opposition party at the expense of the sitting President from his Republican party is not even national news.

Reaching out to Granite State residents who are still undecided one day before the primary was important to the candidates; however they need to start addressing the bigger issues that face the nation. Ultimately as Americans, the fate of our nation lies in our hands. Perhaps it’s the pressure or just some choreographed frolics, nevertheless, whatever the reasons are some contestants are breaking down in sobs, at the rejection of their idiocy, a clear indication that they are definitely not worth what they are vying for.

The candidates all have an economic stimulus plan, but none has actually addressed the fraud that occurred in the last 5 years, where banks unchecked, robbed the Americans off their dreams and investments. The subprime scam was so rampant that all one needed was a name and a social security number to get a ½ million dollar house without the prospect of paying for it. The idea seemed alright at first with all the speculators rushing to invest in homes, driving up the prices and making instant millionaires of the lucky few who cashed out immediately. Many folks who had paid off their homes woke up to the realization that they were sitting on gold and were lured into refinancing their homes too. With the massive layoffs resulting from the ridiculous outsourcing, a direct result of corporate greed, families are now facing the possibility of loosing their homes to foreclosures. This housing mess has trickled into the broader economy domestically and on the global stage.

America is limping and like predators, our enemies are confluencing on our jugular. The Chinese and the Arabians are now investing heavily in our fledgling economy in what can only be interpreted as an attempt to topple our nation economically. Just like the terrorists used our planes on 9/11, these masked adversaries are using our economy to attack us. Pseudo-government conglomerates masquerading as holding companies are gobbling chunks of our financial institutions, the same institutions that are foreclosing on hardworking Americans. By owning these institutions, these governments in effect, will own America; this is the back-door assault that they have devised and we need our leaders to see it and react appropriately. Some of the contenders have received sizable donations from questionable characters representing these invading nations, while others have set up consulting firms to facilitate this hostile takeover.

If we are going to talk about change, we need to address our perception of these phony investors, effectively defeating their systematic acquisition of our nation. We need to overhaul our banking practices, investigating and punishing those who willing and knowingly engaged in fraudulent or predatory lending. We need to subsidize domestic manufacturing so as to level the playing field and discourage outsourcing.

If there is a leader who addresses all these concerns, then by all means let’s vote for them. If there is none, then let’s find one who does not deviate too far from these principles. Let’s get a leader of high morals standards; one that values the family and above all, a leader that understands and cherishes the power of God.

Whether the Americans from the granite state emulate the Iowans will be determined tomorrow, nevertheless, the unmitigated disaster threatening our nation accentuates the serious urgency of now.

Spineless As An Amoeba

2008-01-06T21:48:00.000-08:00

“Insanity is unsuccessfully trying the same thing over and over again and expecting a positive result each time”; so said President Bill Clinton in discrediting President Bush’s efforts in Iraq; well, success in Iraq is nigh and President Bush stares at vindication straight in the eye as his change in strategy in Iraq continues to yield positive results by the minute. The surge is working and the cynics are experiencing difficulties in accepting the facts; once again, President Bush gets the last laugh.

Contradict this with the other “agent of change”, Hillary, who for 35 years has unsuccessfully tried the same old thing, obstinately expecting positive results and somehow rationalizing her failures as the opposition’s misdoings; could this be the insanity President Clinton was actually referring to?

Americans are stupid, retarded imbeciles who can’t discern fact from fiction; at least this is the logical conclusion one would decipher from Hillary’s rhetoric in describing her 35 years of failure as 35 years of change. One can not have experience and change at the same time!! The changes Mike Huckabee, Barack Obama and John Edwards are advocating are moving in a different direction from the status quo, away from Hillary’s incompetence.

The ubiquitous truth is that Hillary is not an agent of change, nor does she represent change. The only difference she would make would be occasionally wearing a skirt while advocating for the status quo. I strongly believe that a female President would serve just as effectively as her male counterpart; however, Hillary is not the right woman. She is easily the most divisive, unpopular and manipulative political figure, and Bill knows it too. America is facing serious challenges and Hillary is the wrong gamble to vet them.

If a democrat, Hillary is the biggest mistake Americans don’t have to live with.

Mitt Romney and John McCain sparred Sunday over their tax and spending records and who was a better agent for change, in the second Republican debate of the final weekend before the New Hampshire primary.

McCain, a senator from Arizona, listed the pork-barrel spending he has exposed, as well as an Air Force tanker contract he squashed. "I think it was a reason why I wasn't elected Miss Congeniality in the Senate," McCain said. "I have a record of saving billions of dollars."

Romney on the other hand represents a different kind of change; he literally switches his positions as a matter of principle. Just like changing socks in mid summer, the only constant in Romney’s dismal political career is changing his positions on matters of importance. From dissing Pres. Bush, to gay marriage, gun control, economy, religion, amnesty and above all, the sanctity of life.

Romney is as spineless as an amoeba, alternating his views to advance his fledgling political career. His flip-flopping trademark complemented by his negativity confluence in a sea of deceit and disillusion. Why would he confuse a cult, Mormonism, with Christianity when he perpetuates difficulties accepting the Bible as the true and only word of God?

A savvy entrepreneur he might be, but a conservative politician he is not. If a politician, he is the quintessential independent; pledging allegiance to none but loyal only to himself.

Just like Hillary, he is a mistake Americans don’t have to live with and wouldn’t surprise me at all if he deflected from the GOP to team up with her for an ambitious independent push; oddly enough, their antics have an audience; proof that there are suckers larking out there.

Fueled by Romney's criticism Huckabee spoke of "a brotherhood" of sorts with McCain, an essential strategy to dislodge the well funded and resourceful Romney. "We have both been brutally assaulted by Governor Romney with amazingly misleading ads that attacked and distorted and misrepresented our records, Romney attacking me in Iowa, attacking him in New Hampshire," Huckabee said. Romney has to stop lying and wasting all his money to publish deceit and misleading information on the other candidates; then again, that’s the same as asking a leopard to shed its spots.

As one would expect, being in the lead draws a lot of scrutiny from both the media and the public and only a genuine candidate can withstand this pressure. The straight shooting and honest Huckabee took time off his busy schedule to clarify some ambiguities stemming from prior verbal slips, a byproduct of hard work; fatigue. Huckabee succinctly reiterated his position on the issues unequivocally contradicting those who had sought to discredit him as a flip-flopper. "People are going to go through and nitpick. And that's fine," he said. "But I'll tell you why we won Iowa. We won Iowa because people believed that there was a need for somebody who had clarity in his positions. And I've stuck by those positions."

True to his word, he hasn't changed his positions on faith, family values, sanctity of life, gun rights, national security, immigration and President Bush's tax cuts. Huckabee acknowledged some verbal slips, which he appropriately attributed to fatigue and repetition; “I think most of us do, especially if we talk as much as politicians do."

Huckabee continued on high note from last night’s ABC/ FaceBook debate as he stomped the media circuits this morning. His success in last night’s performance, coming on the heels of his convincing win in Iowa, was reflected in today’s New Hampshire polls, where he predictably ascended from 4th to 3rd with a very positive chance of a strong 2nd or even winning it all in New Hampshire. McCain has staked all his presidential hope in New Hampshire and with the aforementioned alliance with Huckabee is the more likely winner of Tuesday’s primary.

The New Hampshire Debate "which one"

2008-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

"It's not amnesty," McCain shot back after Romney criticized his plan for overhauling the immigration system. "My friend, you can spend your whole fortune on these attack ads, but it still won't be true."

Romney has to stop lying and wasting all his money to publish deceit and misleading information on the other candidates; then again, that’s the same as asking a leopard to shed its spots. Romney’s campaign is shallow, empty and spineless. Another classic flip-flop coming as no surprise was his deviation from the experienced candidate, to associating himself with Obama, as the candidate of change. Predictable it backfired on him when McCain quipped with a laugh "You are the candidate of change," referring to his flip-flopping trend on every important issues.

When Romney criticized Huckabee for having written that the Bush administration was guilty of an "arrogant bunker mentality" on foreign policy, he was met by a Huckabee who had his gloves off too; "Did you read the article before you commented on it," retorted Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor. "I read the article, the whole article," quivered Romney realizing that there wasn’t a soft side on either side. As fate would have it, he was sandwiched between McCain and Huckabee, his two main rivals in New Hampshire and by the time the evening was over, he had received all he could handle from the temporary alliance. Both Huckabee and McCain justly punished Romney for having changed his position on numerous issues such as abortion, gun control and gay rights.

The debate was so intense that when Huckabee was admonished not to characterize Romney's position on the Iraq war, he delighted the audience with a wise crack, "which one."

Romney's aggressive demeanor reflected the stakes in the wide-open race for the Republican presidential nomination. Huckabee defeated him convincingly in the Iowa caucuses on Thursday with an under funded campaign. Now Romney faces a strong challenge from a resurgent McCain in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary next Tuesday.

If the alliance succeeds in New Hampshire then Romney is history as he should be. He is not qualified to rule the most prosperous, the most powerful and the best all around nation in the world.

Former Sen. Fred Thompson, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Texas Rep. Ron Paul also shared the stage, but they were largely eclipsed for significant portions of the 90-minute debate as McCain and Huckabee prevailed over Romney.

Like I say about Hillary, voting for Romney is not only an unmitigated disaster, it’s a mistake Americans do not have to live with.

Vote Huckabee

SWEET SUCCESS

2008-01-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

It’s safe to presume that Mike Huckabee slept better last night than the previous night, While he was relishing in the sweetness of victory, enjoying the media and other spoils of victory, his rivals, especially the Mormon were busy conniving and contriving new ways diminish his victory and to stymie his momentum. Given that Romney has more money than both Huckabee and McCain combined, the two contestants have formed an alliance of sorts, an alliance I’ve been advocating for a while now, an alliance that has delivered the first primary decisively.

While Huckabee would love nothing better than to sweep all the states, effectively winning the nomination, and ultimately the Presidency, a strong 3rd in New Hampshire will go a long ways to boost his momentum. The key to his winning New Hampshire. is a Romney loss. If John McCain wins NH. then it is all over for the Mormon and Huckabee will have a clear path to victory lane because the states that follow Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina and California are all his stronghold states and victories in these states might just build enough momentum to get him to the Whitehouse.

The 2nd advantage of teaming with McCain is that being the antiestablishment candidate, he needs someone who would somewhat bridge the divide between him and the conventional GOP. There is none better than McCain who is not only a famous national war hero who has supported President Bush’s war efforts all along, but he also brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on the inner workings of Washington.

Last night’s victory elevated Huckabee’s confidence to unparalleled heights; so high was the boost to his confidence that he has already started tapping nominees to his cabinet with Chuck Norris getting the secretary of defense. I know Chuck is rugged and strong willed but what I don’t know is whether he is ready for such an important post. Then again, if Donald Rumsfeld held it then Chuck is a sure fit. There is another big time Hollywood story currently in the Governor’s mansion in California, not to mention old Freddy who is vying for the top job too. Let’s not forget Ronald Reagan, one of the most beloved American Presidents got his fame in Hollywood too. So yes, I suppose Chuck Norris would make an excellent Secretary Of Defense.

Let’s not get carried away in the heat of the moment and forget the important task at hand; the key to victory is Romney. If McCain can find a way to stop him in New Hampshire, then the Huckster will have a very good shot at winning this thing. While it’s true that “Obey the wind Romney’s” campaign is lacking in substance and direction, he has the resources to propagate and sustain insincere innuendoes with the selfish intention of confusing and dividing the electorate to his favor. I refer to him as obey the wind because of his inconsistency and flip-flopping tendencies. He has supported abortion, gay marriage, gun control, illegal immigration and raised taxes, and yet he has reversed these positions on several occasions each marked by a need to satisfy an immediate circumstance. Clearly this is a man without a backbone and like a flag will blow in the direction of the wind.

Nevertheless Romney’s defeat in New Hampshire is the key to victory and we should all see to it that we get this key. For all you doubters and undecided out there, and all the independents too, if you will not vote for the Huckster, we call on you to vote for McCain in New Hampshire. Remember, New Hampshire is the easiest state to win, because victory takes two meanings; 1. Outward victory or 2. Romney loss. Anointed by the Christian’s as he is, Huckabee’s work is now cut out for him. The battle of good and evil, David and Goliath and most important, Christians versus Mormons is on, and God’s choice shall prevail... His will shall be done through the bass guitar playing, witty former Baptist Minister/ Governor of Hope Arkansas, Mike Huckabee.

THE HUCKSTER PREVAILS CONVINCINGLY

2008-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Once again Christianity prevailed and God’s will was done. Congratulations and salutations are in order for Gov. Huckabee, on his hard won and most deserved victory in Iowa. The Huckster withstood all the negativity from the Mormon and his camp and exemplified character by refusing to engage in negative campaigning.

Tonight’s victory will go down in history as one of the greatest upsets in American history, the ultimate David versus Goliath saga, where a little known and rather unorthodox Arkansas Governor, Huckabee, came from political obscurity to beat the establishment’s candidate, the number one candidate who was led by double digits with less than two months to go. Having been out campaigned and outspend by almost 20-1, this miraculous comeback is nothing short of divine intervention.

Obey the Wind Romney could not topple Mt. Mormon, nor overcome his ledger of deceit and amnesty. His negativity will eternally haunt him for the Iowans, guided by God’s bright light were able to discern the truth and vote for the right candidate.

As the nation wakes up to this monumental victory, our prayers and support will continue to pour onto his camp that he may continue on his victorious march to the coveted Whitehouse.

Viva Huckabee; Viva America

HUCKABEE MEETS JAY LENO

2008-01-03T03:45:00.000-08:00

Man on the move

The Huckster flew all the way from Iowa to California to get his message out; With the Iowa caucus less than 24 hours away, Huckabee made the quick stop at the Jay Leno studio to hail the picketers and also use the forum to reach to the millions across the nation especially those in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Whereas there is conflicting information on whether a deal has been reached with the WGA or not, or the nature of the guidelines set to accommodate the current situation, Huckabee’s presence at the show, helped to rekindle the light that was fading on the fate of the striking writers. He went out of his way to acknowledge and endorse their cause as well as apologize for any inconvenience his presence at the show might have caused them.

In my opinion, this was a good thing for the writers because he brought them back to the spotlight from which the mainstream media has systematically shunned them from. His support for Jay Leno, a decent comedian who has been paying his workers from his own pocket exemplifies his awareness of the plight of the common man. He "reminds us of the guy we work with rather than the one who just laid us off"

He even took a few minutes from his busy schedule to serenade the audience with music by joining the Tonight Show Band.

The Huckster is clearly a multi talented man but above all, he is a legitimate leader.

Kenya's Ethnic Cleansing & The American link

2008-01-02T03:59:00.000-08:00

In the abscense of civilian leadership, military intervention prevails and dictatorships are born.

Perhaps Barack Obama should take this opportunity to prove his foreign policy skills by talking some sense to his fellow Luo tribesman, Raila Odinga. After all, Obama's father hails from the same village as Raila Odinga, a reason why the two met when he visited Kenya last year.

Al Gore should also call Raila Odinga and school him on the merits of life after defeat; that in conceding, Raila will serve the nation's interests and not selfish ambitions.

When civilian leadership fails, military intervention occurs and dictatorships are born. Kenya has been a beacon of peace and hope in Africa; it serves as the strategic nerve center of commerce in East and Central Africa and plays a key role in the global war on terror.

A failed state is unthinkable and should be prevented at all costs. Obama, this is your time to shine.

President Bush can also bag this one easily by openly acknowledging Kibaki's victory and recognizing his Government and asking Raila to concede. Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger, a career diplomat, eloquently portrayed the US position on the outcome of the election without openly endorsing the victor, President Kibaki; leaving the door wide open for President Bush to seal the deal. Nevertheless, the Ambassador in his subtle and diplomatic tone hinted that Odinga, in the interest of the nation, should concede defeat and wait for the next 5 years.

Given that the chaos are in their infancy and localized in opposition strongholds, Kisumu in Nyanza Province, and Eldoret in the Rift Valley Province, the western media should be careful not to incite the excitable public by airing inaccurate information. There have also been incidents of career hooligans and criminals taking advantage of the situation to loot and rob at elevated levels. Consultations with friends in various cities including the capital Nairobi, have confirmed that life is systematically returning to normal despite the heightened tension from the increased security forces.

Huckabee should also find a way to parlay his diplomacy in this situation, and vindicate his foreign policy which has been his Achilles heel on more than one occasion.

Our prayers and sympathies go out to all peace loving Kenyans; may they find strength and courage to deliberate and reconcile their differences peacefully.

The Huckster Stumps on

2008-01-01T23:53:00.000-08:00

After an introduction by his wife Janet Huckabee, Mike Huckabee once again enlightened the audience with another brilliant cliché saying that rather than turning the nation upside down, we should turn it right side up.

Mike has lived by his word and promise that he would not use negative ads against his rivals despite the fact that it may cause him the Presidency. Huckabee has so much goodness in him to share with the world that he has no time to waste on his rivals shortcomings.

His honesty and down to earth approach is the main reason for his surge and predicatble victories.

Invoking Higher Authority

2007-12-31T22:50:00.000-08:00

President Bush is a good man hanging around with the wrong group, the kind your parents warned you about. They do him from all sides. As at any time, Bush has forces pushing against him. But the ones in 2008 are stronger.

A hostile Congress awaits the President as he returns from vacation at his secluded Texas ranch. Bush and the Democratic Congress clashed all year on the war, spending, health care and tactics for interrogating terror suspects. Bush invoked his veto power like never before in 2007, with effectiveness. Lots of key items remain to be done, including terrorist surveillance legislation.

The President is also likely to stick to economic themes in 2008. Bush's message is, the underlying economy is sound but the government must help people deal with mortgage crises, energy bills and education concerns. President Bush’s heart is in the right place, however, the few cronies left from his Texas mafia may have erased what little chance was left of broad, meaningful compromise with lawmakers. Our prayers are with the President as is the troops and Nation’s fate.

Huckabee, the likely successor received some very encouraging news today from polls that edged him past the Mormon with 3 days left before the Iowa caucuses. That Huckabee’s campaign is under funded and under managed is no secret; however, this will soon change after he wins a couple of states and the administration and establishment get behind him. Compared to his wealthier rivals, it’s amazing that he has got thus far in light of his limited funds and small organization. Given the right tools Huckabee is clearly the best choice. He has ascended to the top with the least resources, the mark of a true leader. His clean campaign coupled with his Statesmanship and honesty have won the hearts of the Iowans and the nation at large.

Huckabee is a Good Man and will help to restore our eroding faith, family, and social values; he is the unanimous voice of the Christians; while his ubiquitous appeal transcends the Christian spectrum there are those who subscribe to a different calling, a cult, Mormonism!! And will stretch their imagination and resources in fear of Huckabee’s momentum and what his Presidency represents.

After watching Ron Paul yesterday on MTP, I got a feeling that he would run as an independent. If he joins Bloomberg and the bipartisan coalition brewing in the cauldron, this might pose a big threat to the Huckabee candidacy, by splitting the Republican vote and drawing away the moderates who would otherwise vote for him in spite of the democrats.

Nevertheless, Huckabee, anointed by the Christians, has invoked devine authority and is riding high on God’s shoulders and through him, God’s will shall be done.

Can Huckabee Hang In there

2007-12-30T19:19:00.000-08:00

Huckabee might have predictably slipped a couple of times from the setup questions the press “conveniently” threw at him, such as those involving foreign policy. He is too kind to condemn the dead, and while I don’t condone murder, let alone political assassinations, I'll point out that Bhutto is not the angel the media is so desperately portraying her to be; she was elected twice as the prime minister and expelled both times for embezzling billions of dollars from the Pakistanis. While her father was hanged for political reasons, and both her and her husband jailed for embezzlement, her brothers who might have succeeded her father were killed mysteriously, leaving her as the sole heir to her father’s seat in the PPP. That she was trying to establish a monarchy is evidenced in her final will where she nominates her son as her successor, a far cry from the democracy she was preaching. True she was loved by many in Pakistan, but not the majority.

With the exception of McCain neither of the other candidates has any experience in foreign affairs. One needs to understand that these elections are more than foreign policy; we would never have elected Bush into office the first time around let alone reelecting his after he screwed up the war. Once elected to office, there will be a slew of qualified career diplomats to handle and advice him on foreign policy and help him chatter the best course for our future on the global stage.

That Huckabee’s campaign is under funded and under managed is no secret; however, this will soon change after he wins a couple of states and the administration and establishment get behind him. Compared to his wealthier rivals, it’s amazing that he has got thus far in light of his limited funds and small organization.

Scandalous Giuliani continues to loose stock on account of his persistence to seat on the fence. He is as far from the core conservative values as the moderate democrat. He needs to take a break and from politics and attend to his failing health.

Obey the Wind Romney has Mormonism to overcome before he can tackle flip-flopping, deceit and amnesty. He will say and endorse whatever cause or action that will get him the votes. Perhaps he was trying to court the black vote when he lied that his father had marched with Martin Luther King, or that he had endorsed and advocated for abortion clinics. Let's not forget his first hand in amnesty by persistently hiring undocumented workers irrespective of prior admonishments.

Old Fred might be closer to the GOP ideals in many respects but he needs to wake up and get to work. Perhaps the time away from politics softened him or his young beauty wore him out!

While Ancient McCain is a bonafide Republican, he too has his demons to fight. His call for additional troops and his hand in the failed amnesty agenda left a scathing mark. Nevertheless he has rebounded well albeit lack of time to make a real impact. Should Huckabee succeed, McCain would be his best choice for a running mate closely followed by Fred.

Huckabee will help to restore our eroding faith, family, and social values; he is the unanimous voice of the Christians; while his ubiquitous appeal transcends the Christian spectrum there are those who subscribe to a different calling and will stretch their imagination in fear of Huckabee’s momentum and what his Presidency represents.

Go Huckabee GO:

The Huckster Reels Them In

2007-12-29T02:38:00.000-08:00

Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor is the surprise of the 2008 race, and the stump speech he delivered to a captivated audience of more than 1,000 people in West Des Moines on Thursday night was as unusual and original as his candidacy.

Most candidates in the final days before a crucial election offer a vision of what their leadership would mean to the lives of ordinary people. They include lists of issue priorities of the kind Hillary Clinton offers. They can wrap policy with an inspirational frame of the type Barack Obama presents or sound a call to arms in the way John Edwards is doing. They can identify a single issue to embody a candidacy, as John McCain and Rudy Giuliani have done with Iraq and terrorism. As Mitt Romney has tried but failed miserably only to have to schedule more flip-flopping press briefings to exonerate himself from his previous miscue.

Huckabee's was strikingly different. For starters, it was remarkably short and succinct on policy. Oh, he unequivocally touched on issues like energy and health care and immigration and he talked about gridlock in Washington and the corruption of big money in politics. But all of these points seemed incidental to the broader message of the speech.
Huckabee's speech was ubiquitous on values. It was personal and conversational and, not surprisingly, given what he has shown in debates, often quite humorous. He filled the speech with stories about himself and his family, the corner stone of his campaign.

Some were tender and touching, especially one about a visit with his daughter to Yad Vashem, Israel's holocaust museum that concluded with what, at age 11, she wrote in the book upon leaving the museum: "Why didn't somebody do something?" Others reflected less positively on his family, including a father whose "spare the rod, spoil the child" philosophy left a deep impression on Huckabee.

But all of them conveyed an underlying message of morality and responsibility that underscored why Huckabee's rise has been fueled by a desire on the part of Republican voters for a candidate who is both Socially Conservative and Personally Authentic.

Huckabee was openly critical of his own party and suggested a victory in Iowa would shake the rafters of the GOP. "I love this country and I love it more than I love the Republican Party," he said. "The Republican party needs to be changed. There are some people who aren't that fond of me for saying it.... They want the right and the left to keep fighting, Democrats and Republicans, the liberals and the conservatives."

He also appealed to the audience to upend the GOP establishment by supporting him next Thursday. "A week from tonight, you have an opportunity to do something completely different that would utterly confound the political ruling class in this country," he said, saying a victory would "shock with seismic energy" the political foundations of his party.

Huckabee's support is grounded in the community of evangelical Christians in Iowa, and while his speech did not include fresh calls for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion nor address the fate of homosexuals, he emphasized the sanctity of life and used story-telling to remind the audience that none of them are free agents in deciding right from wrong.

One lengthy story involved one of his sons, who was apparently difficult at a young age and who was left behind at home one day while the rest of the family went out. When Huckabee returned, his son presented him with a cake he had just baked -- a cake that turned out be inedible.

His son, attempting to interpret unfamiliar phrases in the recipe, decided that "a dash of salt" meant a cup of salt -- and in doing so, ruined the cake. The audience was in stitches as Huckabee described the result, a cake no human could eat, but as he said, if you set it outside, the cows would lick it for a week.

Then came the message. "My son did not set out to do anything that turned out so horrible," he said. "His motives were pure. His actions were admirable. He was dedicated to the task. And he intended in every way to do something good. But he made one colossal mistake. My son had made his own definition of what a dash meant.... When we start defining right and wrong with our own definitions...no matter how well intentioned we are, no matter how sincere, the result is a disaster."

Once again Huckabee demonstrated Thursday night an original touch, a unique style and a sense of self-confidence in his own instincts. His performance was the work of a politician who no longer should be underestimated by anyone in his party, nor the opposition.
Huckabee is destined for higher office and higher office is where he will go.

Go Huckabee Go.

When an Assassin Succeeds, Leaders Fall!

2007-12-27T23:49:00.000-08:00

Little Rock, AR – Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee issued the following statement this morning after a campaign event in Florida:

“I am deeply troubled by the news accounts this morning of Pakistani opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in a suicide attack. This is devastating news for the people of Pakistan, and my prayers go out to them as we follow developments regarding this dire situation.

”The terrible violence surrounding Pakistan’s upcoming election stands in stark contrast to the peaceful transition of power that we embrace in our country through our Constitution. On this sad day, we are reminded that while our democracy has flaws, it stands as a shining beacon of hope for nations and people around the world who seek peace and opportunity through self-government.”

The above press release copied in its entirety sums up the tragic events that ended the life of Benzir Bhutto, the former Pakistani Prime Minister. She epitomized the best in a politician, having endured major loses and prison sentences as well as numerous threats to her life and even actual attempts. She took it all in stride and though some will argue that she was high-strung and insatiable bordering on reckless, others might subscribe to the school of thought which is of the opinion that she was a pure and die-hard politician who died doing what she loved best, politicking.

May her soul rest in peace.

America is not new to political assassinations; having lost several leaders, Abe Lincoln, John Adams, the Kennedy's and most recently the unsuccessful attempt on our beloved Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981.

While some argue that politics and Government should not mix, I for one feel more comfortable with a Christian at the helm of our Government. We need a proven leader who is strong, virtuous, and morally upbeat and above all, a leader who acknowledges and appreciates God's presence as supreme and ubiquitous.

East or West, North and South, high and low, search no further for Huckabee is the one who fits this glove.

The Concord Monitor Says No to Mitt.

2007-12-24T04:45:00.000-08:00

If you were building a Republican presidential candidate from a kit, imagine what pieces you might use: an athletic build, ramrod posture, Reaganesque hair, a charismatic speaking style and a crisp dark suit. You'd add a beautiful wife and family, a wildly successful business career and just enough executive government experience. You'd pour in some old GOP bromides - spending cuts and lower taxes - plus some new positions for 2008: anti-immigrant rhetoric and a focus on faith.

Add it all up and you get Mitt Romney, a disquieting figure who sure looks like the next president and most surely must be stopped.

Romney's main business experience is as a management consultant, a field in which smart, fast-moving specialists often advise corporations on how to reinvent themselves. His memoir is called Turnaround - the story of his successful rescue of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City - but the most stunning turnaround he has engineered is his own political career.

If you followed only his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, you might imagine Romney as a pragmatic moderate with liberal positions on numerous social issues and an ability to work well with Democrats. If you followed only his campaign for president, you'd swear he was a red-meat conservative, pandering to the religious right, whatever the cost. Pay attention to both, and you're left to wonder if there's anything at all at his core.

As a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1994, he boasted that he would be a stronger advocate of gay rights than his opponent, Ted Kennedy. These days, he makes a point of his opposition to gay marriage and adoption.

There was a time that he said he wanted to make contraception more available - and a time that he vetoed a bill to sell it over-the-counter.

The old Romney assured voters he was pro-choice on abortion. "You will not see me wavering on that," he said in 1994, and he cited the tragedy of a relative's botched illegal abortion as the reason to keep abortions safe and legal. These days, he describes himself as pro-life.

There was a time that he supported stem-cell research and cited his own wife's multiple sclerosis in explaining his thinking; such research, he reasoned, could help families like his. These days, he largely opposes it. As a candidate for governor, Romney dismissed an anti-tax pledge as a gimmick. In this race, he was the first to sign.

People can change, and intransigence is not necessarily a virtue. But Romney has yet to explain this particular set of turnarounds in a way that convinces voters they are based on anything other than his own ambition.

In the 2008 campaign for president, there are numerous issues on which Romney has no record, and so voters must take him at his word. On these issues, those words are often chilling. While other candidates of both parties speak of restoring America's moral leadership in the world, Romney has said he'd like to "double" the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, where inmates have been held for years without formal charge or access to the courts. He dodges the issue of torture - unable to say, simply, that waterboarding is torture and America won't do it.

When New Hampshire partisans are asked to defend the state's first-in-the-nation primary, we talk about our ability to see the candidates up close, ask tough questions and see through the baloney. If a candidate is a phony, we assure ourselves and the rest of the world, we'll know it.

Mitt Romney is such a candidate. New Hampshire Republicans and independents must vote no.

The above article was (except video) was copied in its entirity from the Concord Monitor. I agree with them.

Huckabee is the man to lead the nation in the right direction.

Go Huckabee go.

I believe in God

2007-12-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

Being Saturday night and the last weekend before Christmas, I will not say much but yield the podium to my friend Huckabee to tell it as it is!!

The Huckster Rolls on

2007-12-21T23:56:00.000-08:00

Huckabee's engaging personality and his status as a "Christian leader" have propelled him ahead in Iowa and boosted his numbers tremendously on the national stage. This is a clear indication that Americans have not entirely lost their grip on religion especially with Christmas around the corner.

Romney still has Mt. Mormon to overcome before he can tackle the wide flip-flopping river of deceit and amnesty. He will say and endorse whatever cause or action that will get him the votes. Perhaps he was trying to court the black vote when he lied that his father had marched with Martin Luther King, or that he had endorsed and advocated for abortion clinics. Let's not forget his first hand in amnesty by persistently hiring undocumented workers irrespective of prior admonishments.

Fred might be closer to the GOP ideals in many respects but he needs to wake up and go to work. Perhaps the time away from politics softened him and will need a few more months to convince the people that he is up to the task.

While McCain is a bonafide Republican, he too has his demons to fight. Most people still associate him with the call for additional troops and his hand in the failed amnesty agenda. Nevertheless he has rebounded well albeit lack of time to make a real impact.

Giuliani continues to loose stock on account of his persistence to seat on the fence. He is as far from the core conservative values as the moderate democrat. He needs to take a break and from politics and attend to his failing health. He will not win this race.

Mike Huckabee will help to restore our eroding faith, family, and social values; he is the unanimous voice of the Christians; nevertheless, while his ubiquitous appeal transcends the Christian spectrum there are those who subscribe to a different calling and will stretch their imagination in fear of Huckabee’s momentum and what his Presidency represents.

Go Huckabee Go!

The many faces of the opposition and the masqueraders

One down seven to go!

2007-12-21T00:27:00.000-08:00

With the predictable departure of Tancredo from the race, the field narrows down from nine to eight. I should say seven because Ron Paul will ultimately run as an independent. If truth be told the race remains the same, Huckabee, McCain, Giuliani, Thompson and Romney in order of their likelyhood to win.

While I was hoping Tancredo would immediately endorse Huckabee, he disappointed me by wasting his endorsement on Romney, the flip-flopping tycoon who attacks the Huckster for giving rehabilitated convicts a second chance, but has no problems attending and endorsing abortion clinics, whose primary objective is to terminate life without a second chance. While Tancredo’s endorsement might mean diddly squat given the low numbers he's been polling, it should be pointed out that Tancredo succeeded in achieving his purpose in his failed candidacy.

Tancredo was never in the race to win the presidency, not by a long shot; rather, it was a shrewd political ploy to gunner free media exposure and use campaign funding to promote his early Senatorial campaign slated for next year.

The media report on the Huckster is very encouraging; that Romney has to overcome Mt. Mormon before he crosses the flip-flop river of doubt; that his border security fence begins on his lawn as he continues to struggle with the Bible as the true and only word of God.

I hope Huckabee does not get distracted by indulging Romney in his desperate attacks nor back down from his definition of Christianity. He can leave the dirty work to those of us who have lost all and are clinging to the last we have, our faith, freedom and family values.

Huckabee has earned his way to the top and will be rewarded by the populace. While he is not the GOP poster boy, he reminds us that one can come from humble beginnings and end at the very top. I should imagine the Huckster is a very personable and easy person to talk to, without that sickening feeling in the back of your head that you get everytime you talk to a tycoon; that they own you.

DROPPING LIKE ITS HOT

2007-12-19T21:40:00.000-08:00

I always thought Tancredo and Hunter would drop out of the race shortly after IA., that Allen Keyes would go first! Well, I was wrong. With the imminent departure of Tancredo from the race, actually tomorrow, the field will narrow down from nine to eight. I should say seven because Ron Paul will ultimately run as an independent.

Whether Tancredo will immediately endorse Huckabee is unknown, however, his endorsement might not mean diddly squat given the low numbers he's been polling. Nevertheless his endorsement coupled with Hunter's would boost any campaign, even if it's by 3 points.

Huckabee has earned his way to the top and will be rewarded by the populace. While he is not the GOP poster boy, he reminds us that one can come from humble beginnings and end at the very top.

SHOT SELF ON THE FOOT

2007-12-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

Politics like long distance running is all about strategy; a look at the best 10,000m runners will indicate that 80-90%, the winner always uses the front runner as a pace-setter only to kick into a sprint on the last lap, mentally overwhelming the pacesetter. Perhaps this was Obama's strategy all along. Perhaps he never had a sluggish summer, perhaps his strategy was to feed-off the front runner, Hillary, without falling back too far behind the pack and when the moment was right, about a month and a half to go, he seized the moment and derailed Hillary.

All along everyone knew that Hillary was feeding off her husband’s popularity and name recognition; that her campaign had no substance, characterized by persistent dodging of questions. As a chess grand master will tell you, the best offense is attained through the best defense. While Clinton was dodging questions with convincing success, Obama was fervently and systematically laying down his foundation, covering his entire basis, visiting and meeting with all the rural caucus goers and making a lasting impression with them. While Hillary was watching the clock tick tock down to victory, Obama with his sleeves rolled up was busy at work, ironing out all the creases in his campaign, doing all the leg work, answering all the questions asked of him, and answering them honestly. Obama has always been on target, and just like Bush, has been very consistent with his rhetoric and spoken from his heart. People see this openness and honesty and associate with it.

Several months ago, I published an article calling for Obama to team up with Edwards to beat Hillary, well; they followed the idea and systematically chipped away her lead. While Hillary was a ticking time bomb, on account of her shallow campaign, it was her husband that these two had to disband and effectively did so with Hillary's help. Once her campaign was exposed, that her strategy was to avoid questions with witty remarks and laughter, every time she has spoken in public, she has shot herself on the foot. Her limp from the multiple self inflicted shots almost has her on a wheel chair. Planting questions in debates or rallies did not help either. That she is the most divisive political figure amongst the candidates has not escaped the Americans who wield the voting power; believe it or not, 911 united Americans and that unity has not yet dissipated despite our legislatures concerted efforts to work along party lines.

Her touting the gender card has almost totally backfired on her because it's the women who see right through her while eying her husband; he is still a handsome and very desirable man; and in most cases very available.

The fact that this is the alternative primary, the official one having been tragically ended with the assassination of JFK Jr. has caught Americans wanting and yearning for the change he would have orchestrated. Business as usual, “experience” according to Hillary, will not work. Whether Obama wins the nomination, and he just might, she will be damaged goods and a walkover for Huckabee, who like Obama, has shot to the top of the GOP by virtue of his stage performance and consistency in his campaign. Like Obama, Huckabee allowed the front runners, Rudy and Mitt, to rile up the masses with their money and fame, while ignoring the core party issues and when the time was right, he seized the moment and distinguished himself as the total package.

If all goes well according to plan, and it should if the evangelicals have their way, Huckabee, once a tier 3 candidate, will emerge as the GOP nominee and walk straight to the Whitehouse. The only real challenge would come from an Obama-Biden candidacy.

Hillary’s nomination will deliver the Whitehouse to the Republicans on a silver platter.

Des Moines Register's Blunder

2007-12-17T01:36:00.000-08:00

McCain will make an excellent VP for Huckabee. It's a shame that the register decided to go with Loyalty vs. Integrity.

Whilst McCain is a true conservative who has shown that he can reach across party lines to work for America, his credibility was irreparably derailed by his persistent support for troop surge and amnesty.

Vindication for him came through the continued successes in Iraq, proving his critics wrong. On the amnesty agenda, Rudy created a sanctuary city, Romney had undocumented landscapers, and Huckabee advocated for merit based aid to offspring’s of undocumented immigrants.

The Register screwed up with Billary. She will split the country along party and gender lines.

The fact that there are a lot of questions surrounding the Clinton's blood trail only intensifies the belief that the media helped in covering up the mysterious deaths involving all those who crossed their paths.

Was JFK Jr. a coincidence or convenience?

Des Moines Register Endorses: McCain & Clinton

2007-12-15T23:07:00.000-08:00

With the wintry weather kicking into high gear in the Midwest, the candidates are finding it increasingly difficult to meet and greet the crowds. Those who didn't do their foot-work earlier in the campaign are having to increasingly rely on the media to convey their message.

One candidate emerges as a clear winner in this regard for on her side she has the best political mind in modern times, Bill Clinton. Not to say that Oprah's is lacking in star power, no; but she is not a politician and spending her weekends campaigning for Obama is not a profitable use of her time. Her one weekend stint might not be enough to overshadow Bill Clinton's experience and concerted effort at the national level., unless people ask questions!!

A seasoned politician, Bill transcends the impossible and brings out the best out of a bad situation. Clearly Hillary is the least liked of all the candidates, nevertheless, Bill has managed to get the people to look at him while voting for her. He has managed to convince the masses that by voting for Hill, they are getting him back to the white house. Who can forget?

In short, he has decided to carry her on his shoulders. So let's take a look at this family; let’s find out what Bill has that's such a female magnet and hypnotizes us all to immediately forgive him for his follies as we eagerly await the next.

One question I would like these anchors and so called experts to ask the candidates is: If JFK Jr. was alive today, what would their campaigns look like? Would they even have a campaign given that the odds would be very much in his favor? Fortuitous as it is, or perhaps it's just a convenient coincidence, did either of the candidates have anything to do with his Assassination? Would they have vote for him today if he was alive or would they challenge him?

Time has run out to for most candidates. Those who didn't hit the trail early have run out of time because they not only have to battle the wintry storms, they have to hope their electorate are as brave.

Now look out for more ads on the TV, internet and Newspapers. Look for some cool ads and some dull ones too. Des Moinse registers endorsement of Clinton and McCain is a long shot at reviving dying campaigns. These endorsements are more from loyalty to the candidates than from their policies.

When Endorsements Count

2007-12-09T21:22:00.001-08:00

Ever since I first heard the Huckster speak 6 months ago, I knew it was him all the way. While others were exploiting their money or name recognition, he was trudging uphill, systematically making believers of all that heard him along the way. Now that he is at the top, no mad slinging will faze him, because in him, the evangelicals, the nucleus of the GOP, have found their long sought after candidate. The dems are still looking.

Clearly Giuliani is done, at least with the evangelicals, the core voting group of the GOP. He has blown all the chances they have given him to get on the right side of the fence.

While Mitt has his own demons to fight, persistently hiring undocumented workers, or flip flopping on “core issues” such as abortion, he too faces the wrath of the evangelicals who view Mormonism as a cult. Whereas he has spent millions of his dollars to sway their vote in his favor, he too has wasted numerous opportunities to redeem himself and convert to the faith of his party. Religion has played and will continue to play a dominant role in the GOP.

McCain will make an excellent running mate, on account that his initial and persistent support for troop surge coupled with his unsuccessful immigration bill dealt his campaign an irreparable blow. Although the polls show that he has vehemently fought back, he has run out of time.

Ron Paul will ultimately run as an independent. Hopefully he will not draw too much of the Republican vote to tip the scales to an Obama-Biden victory.

As Huckabee justly gets much needed airtime from the media that had written him off as a tier 3 candidate, he reaches all the corners of the nation and scandal only propels him further, just like the other famous son of Hope, Arkansas. The Huckster is on a roll and will firmly secure the Oval Office for the GOP if all goes well according to script; if billary wins the nomination:

Huckabee-Hillary Matchup

An Obama-Biden ticket might give him a run for his money. Oprah’s heartfelt endorsement will definitely boost his campaign and just might propel him to the general elections. His campaign of change is hitting home with a lot of Americans on both sides of the aisle. That we have lost a lot in the recent past and stand to loose more in the near future is the untarnished truth and strong leadership is the only way out.

While star power is not lacking in Obama’s campaign, additional endorsements from Al Gore, John Kerry and the Kennedy machine will definitely propel him to the Whitehouse. Obama is a superstar who needs no endorsement from other celebrities; nevertheless, this Oprah endorsement is surely a big boost for him.

God's Choice

2007-12-06T23:19:00.000-08:00

After watching the dismal performance Mitt gave at the recent CNN/YouTube debate, I was convinced that he was done. He was not only well prepared for the debate, but he bit the immigration bait that knocked off his radar and never recovered. He had a hard time, just like Giuliani did, answering the Bible question, giving Huckabee a boost on his flawless performance.

Clearly without the money, Mitt wouldn't be where he is on the polls. I'm not blaming the guy for being rich, oh no, one has to be smart to be rich; however, the exposure his money has bought him is not enough to convince the GOP electorate that he is the right man. His Mormon faith is his biggest downfall, bar none. While some people might understand his feeble claims of not knowing who worked his yard, he was born and bred a Mormon and he is damn proud of it. To most of us Christians (I'm Catholic), Mormonism is a cult. There is no other book in the world that can replace the Bible. That is the bottom line and Mitt has to realize that.

Where as the US President represents all Americans, regardless of religious affiliation, one has to understand that this is the GOP and God comes first.

Giuliani is done, and yet he doesn't know that. His stance on the abortion issue (won't sign bill to criminalize abortion) and gay rights (approves civil unions) is contrary to the core values of the GOP.
Perhaps the dems or independents will vote for him!!

McCain has not quite recovered from his earlier support for the troop surge, nor did his support for amnesty help his cause. Nevertheless, he would make an excellent running mate for Huckabee.

Old Freddy is not sure whether he is in the mix or not, however, he wasted the most important tool he had over the other candidates; name recognition. He too can make an excellent running mate for Huckabee; however, he will have wake up and come to life.

Ron Paul will run as an independent thus squashing any possibility of a Gore-Bloomberg ticket. If history is right, he will be another Ross Perot, because this nation only elects from two parties.

Huckabee emerges as the clear cut winner with all the evangelicals and die-hard Republicans rallying behind him. His experience both as a Pastor and Governor, not to mention a stint as a DJ, have elevated his campaign from a tier 3 candidate to the front runner. His firm conservative views resonate very well with potential voters who actually vote. He has risen above the fray and while being on top paints a big bull’s-eye on all sides is taking criticism very well and trudging on to victory lane.

A misinformed attack by a leftwing liberal blog trying to pass itself as a genuine mainstream news media citing his record as Governor, and trying to tie him to Dumond, a convicted rapist who was paroled only to rape again and murder his victim, was easily and honestly rebutted for what it was. In today’s morning shows, Huckabee addressed the subject without giving credibility to the blog by mentioning its name, saying that he was invited by the parole board to discuss the Dumond issue and that he never pressed them to release him. He went on to say that Dumond's sentence had been reduced at the intervention of the then President Clinton and Governor Jim, paving the way for his parole. The aide who was quoted by the blog was to release a press statement to back Huckabee's remarks, that he was not actively involved in the parole.

With all said and done. Huckabee will make an excellent President and perhaps unite the country that is on the verge of splitting along party lines.

CNN/ YouTube Republican Debate

2007-11-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

What is the most pressing issue that you would like the candidates to tackle? Will you consider voting for the candidate who tackles this issue satisfactorily? Do you honestly believe in these debates? Do you trust politicians? Do you trust the moderators? What would you do differently to make the debates more interactive and fair? Do you believe candidates benefit from the debates? Do you believe the public benefits from the debates? Will you watch tonight’s debate? Who do you think will emerge the winner in tonight’s debate?

PRIORITIZE YOUR POLITICAL ISSUES

2007-11-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

Every Candidate has certain political issues that they prefer to be identified with. The truth of the matter is that regardless of what people say, the candidates will word their political jargon to suit their audience. One has to be extremely cautious in selecting their candidate so that they get the one whose priorities resonate with their ideals. If you are conservative, then you want the most conservative candidate of all; Fred Thompson, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Tom Tancredo and the list goes on and on.

For the liberals, you want to pick the most liberal of all, Hillary, Richardson, Kucinich, Obama, etc.

One just has to decide what characteristics identify their political ideals because nether of the candidates has a total package.

For those who want national and border security, the Republicans are your best bet. On the other hand, those who want to maintain status quo, and possibly revisit the immigration issues with a path to citizenship, then the Democrats are your best option.

Neither platform offers a bailout to the millions of Americans who are loosing their homes, have lost their homes or will loose their homes in the near future because of the bank fraud that landed them in this precarious situation.

Neither candidate is addressing the ongoing war with China; the primary cause for the gradual and systematic erosion of our middle class, the manufacturing class, due to outsourcing to China.