To Set the Record Straight: Mike Huckabee on Faith and Politics

Continuing our "To Set the Record Straight" Series, here is Mike Huckabee on the issue of "Faith and Politics":

Faith and Politics

• The First Amendment requires that expressions of faith be neither prohibited
  nor preferred.
• My faith is my life - it defines me. I don't separate my faith from my
  personal and professional lives.
• Real faith makes us more 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."
• Our nation was birthed in a spirit of faith - not a prescriptive faith
  telling us how or whether to believe, but acknowledging a providence that
  pervades our world.

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.

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."

Our nation was birthed in a spirit of faith - not a prescriptive one telling us
whether to believe, but one acknowledging that a providence pervades our world.

To Set the Record Straight: Mike Huckabee's Immigration Plan

As voting time draws near in Iowa, there are a lot of charges flying around about all the candidates, including Mike Huckabee. Some charge Huckabee is not truly conservative on all the issues. I think it is important to take a look at what Mike Huckabee has actually said he will do as President of the United States. In a series of posts, beginning with this one, we will look at Huckabee on the issues. I will post what he has set forth as his stance on the key issues of the day. We begin with Immigration. You decide for yourself if you think this plan is conservative:

The Secure America Plan
A 9-Point Strategy for Immigration Enforcement and Border Security

Overview: Implement a broad-based strategy that commits the resources of the federal government to the enforcement of our immigration laws and results in the attrition of the illegal immigrant population.

1. Build the Fence

* Ensure that an interlocking surveillance camera system is installed along the border by July 1, 2010.
* Ensure that the border fence construction is completed by July 1, 2010.

2. Increase Border Patrol

* Increase the number of border patrol agents.
* Fully support all law enforcement personnel tasked with enforcing immigration law.

3. Prevent Amnesty

* Policies that promote or tolerate amnesty will be rejected.
* Propose to provide all illegal immigrants a 120-day window to register with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and leave the country. Those who register and return to their home country will face no penalty if they later apply to immigrate or visit; those who do not return home will be, when caught, barred from future reentry for a period of 10 years.
* This is not a "touchback" provision. Those who leave this country and apply to return from their home country would go to the back of the line.

4. Enforce the Law on Employers

* Employment is the chief draw for most illegal immigrants and denying them jobs is the centerpiece of an attrition strategy.
* Impose steep fines and penalties on employers that violate the law.
* Institute a universal, mandatory citizenship verification system as part of the normal hiring process.
* Prevent the IRS and the Social Security Administration from accepting fraudulent Social Security numbers or numbers that don't match the employees' names.*


5. Establish an Economic Border

* Move toward passage of the FairTax.
* The FairTax provides an extra layer of security by creating an economic disincentive to immigrate to the U.S. illegally.



6. Empower Local Authorities

* Promote better cooperation on enforcement by supporting legislative measures such as the CLEAR Act, which aims to systematize the relationship between local law and federal immigration officials.
* Encourage immigration-law training for police. Local authorities must be provided the tools, training, and funding they need so local police can turn illegal immigrants over to the federal authorities.

7. Ensure Document Security

* End exemptions for Mexicans and Canadians to the US-VISIT program, which tracks the arrival and departure of foreign visitors. Since these countries account for the vast majority of foreigners coming here (85 percent), such a policy clearly violates Congress' intent in mandating this check-in/check-out system.
* Reject Mexico's "matricula consular" card, which functions as an illegal-immigrant identification card.

8. Discourage Dual Citizenship

* Inform foreign governments when their former citizens become naturalized U.S. citizens.
* Impose civil and/or criminal penalties on American citizens who illegitimately use their dual status (e.g., using a foreign passport, voting in elections in both a foreign country and the U.S.).

9. Modernize the Process of Legal Immigration

* Eliminate the visa lottery system and the admission category for adult brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens.
* Increase visas for highly-skilled and highly-educated applicants.
* Expedite processing for those who serve honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces.
* Improve our immigration process so that those patiently and responsibly seeking to come here legally will not have to wait decades to share in the American dream. Governor Huckabee has always been grateful to live in a country that people are trying to break into, rather than break out of.

*This policy will be drafted to comply with the final federal court decisions on this issue.

Note: This plan is partially modeled on a proposal by Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. ("Re: Immigration: Ten Points for a Successful Presidential Candidate," National Review, May 23, 2005.)

Huckabee Speaks to Crowd of 1,400 in Des Moines

Mike Huckabee spoke to an overflow crowd of more than 1,400 people yesterday in West Des Moines, Iowa. Huckabee has been drawing great crowds wherever he goes in these closing days before the Iowa Caucuses. This can be contrasted to the reported crowds of 50-100 Fred Thompson has been drawing on his bus tour across Iowa. Here is video of Huckabee's appearance in West Des Moines:

Huckabee Makes Florida Panhandle Stop - 12/27/07

Mike Huckabee made a quick stop in the Florida Panhandle before heading back to Iowa. Here is a report on his visit there:

With just days left until the lead-off caucus and primary, presidential candidate Mike Huckabee made an unscheduled stop in Destin on his way from Orlando to Iowa.

In a little over a month Huckabee has surged ahead in the polls, now leading in a number of states including Florida.

"I think one of the reasons our campaign has taken off is people see I've had more executive experience actually running a government than anybody running for president, Democrat or Republican. And I know that translates into fixing what's wrong rather than just complaining about it," said Mike Huckabee, GOP Presidential Candidate.

The 44th governor of Arkansas and his wife, Janet, were greeted by old friends and supporters at the Destin airport. It was a small crowd with large hopes for the presidential contender.

"He's the 44th governor of Arkansas and I honestly believe he'll be the 44th president," said David Meckley, Huckabee Supporter.

"He's just such a godly man and I think he would be a wonderful president. This is going to be my first year of voting and I couldn't ask for a better man to be running for president," said Bethany Stanley, Huckabee Supporter.

With the Florida primary right around the corner on January 29, Huckabee says he's counting on the Panhandle for support.

"The Panhandle has been sort of the conservative end of Florida for forever. And we feel like if we can do well in the Panhandle we'll carry Florida," said Huckabee.

But first Huckabee wants to make a good showing in the first two races. According to the latest polls, he's well on his way in Iowa, with more work to do in New Hampshire.

Iowans cast the first votes on January 3. The lead-off primary takes place on January 8 in New Hampshire.

Big Trouble for Fred Thompson

It appears Fred Thompson is having huge trouble raising money, so much so that he is unable to run ads in Iowa in the runup to the Iowa Caucuses! This is amazing for a candidate thought to be one of the "top-tier" just a few short weeks ago. Here is a post from over at PoliPundit.com detailing the trouble:

Just when you thought Fred Thompson was turning things around with 9 days to Iowa, the campaign took a few steps back by announcing they are broke:, not broke, just not enough money to air any TV in the last 9 days before the first caucus in Iowa:

When I got a generic fundraising e-mail “from” Fred Thompson campaign manager Bill Lacy last night offering “a quick update” on the effort to get “on the air statewide in Iowa,” I didn’t take it literally.

I should have.

Fred has gone dark in Iowa.

With not enough cash to buy ads, he’s doing all the free media he can on his bus tour. But it’s a remarkable indicator of just how topsy-turvy the GOP race has been that the man once viewed as the party’s savior cannot even afford to buy TV time in the final days before Iowa.

This couldn’t have happened at a worst time for the campaign that continues to experience growing pains and show signs that it’s not quite ready for primetime.

We can argue all we want about whether the “fire in the belly” is there or not, or whether missing the Delaware and DC ballot are meaningless or signs of a bigger problem. We can talk about his low-key Southern demeanor and how that will come off to “big City folk", but you can’t sweep under the rug the fact that a major top-tier candidate can’t raise money and can’t run TV ads the last week before the first and all important Iowa Caucus.

New LA Times Poll Shows Huckabee with Strong Iowa Lead - 12/27/07

A new LA Times/Bloomberg Poll shows Mike Huckabee with a 14% point lead in Iowa just one week ahead of the Iowa Caucuses. The poll has Huckabee with 37%, Romney at 23%, and Fred Thompson/John McCain both at 11%. Here is the report:

Among Republicans in Iowa, where evangelical conservatives are particularly influential in the GOP, Huckabee has jumped from the back of the pack despite Romney's heavy spending and campaign time in the state. Huckabee, who is stumping with an openly religious message, is appealing to conservatives who are not enamored of candidates such as McCain, who has diverged from the GOP party line on tax cuts, campaign finance reform and other issues.

"I am a religious man myself, so that is something that appeals to me," said Chuck Taylor, a retired truck driver in New Sharon, Iowa. "Some of the other candidates don't coincide with my values."

The poll found Huckabee dominates Romney and the rest of the field not only among born-again Christians and regular churchgoers in Iowa, but also among women and disaffected voters.

He was supported by 46% of the women surveyed, and 44% of the people who believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Huckabee has argued with other Republican candidates, saying the party needs to acknowledge the pocketbook anxieties of middle-class voters.

The Iowa race is essentially a two-man race between Huckabee (37%) and Romney (23%); the other candidates are far behind. McCain and former Sen. Fred Thompson drew 11%, and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Reps. Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter were in the single digits.

The poll, under the supervision of Times Poll Director Susan Pinkus, was conducted Dec. 20 to 23 and Dec. 26 in telephone interviews with 2,145 registered voters in Iowa and 1,279 in New Hampshire. The margin of sampling error among Democratic primary and caucus voters in both states was plus or minus 4 percentage points; for Republican caucus voters in Iowa it was 6 points; for Republican voters in New Hampshire it was 5 points.

Huckabee Maintains Lead in Iowa - 12/27/07

With just one week to go to the Iowa Caucuses, a new Strategic Vision Poll shows Mike Huckabee maintaining his lead there over Mitt Romney by two percentage points. Fred Thompson is a distant third with John McCain surging and about to overtake Thompson for third place. Here are the numbers:

On the Republican side, the race is also extremely tight, with Huckabee appearing to tick down over the last ten days while Romney appears to have ticked up, and McCain looking to be making up late ground.

Republicans
Huckabee 29 (-2 vs. last poll Dec 16-18)
Romney 27 (+2)
Thompson 15 (-1)
McCain 14 (+6)
Giuliani 4 (-2)
Paul 4 (-1)
Undecided 6 (nc)

Overall, Huckabee still leads by 3.0% in the latest RCP Average for Iowa.

Huckabee Ad to Air Across Iowa Ahead of Caucuses - Video 12/27/07

Here is the ad that Mike Huckabee will be airing this week in Iowa ahead of the Iowa Caucuses. It's not a new ad. It's the ad "Believe" which really got Huckabee off and going strong:

President Bush on Benazir Bhutto Assassination - Video 12/27/07

Here is President Bush's reaction earlier today to news of the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto:

Mike Huckabee Gets It

I want to highlight the latter portion of Mike Huckabee's statement today on the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. His words make it clear that he "gets it" when it comes to the War on Terror:

Benazir Bhutto's assasination should also stand as a stark reminder for those who doubt the nature of our enemy.

I believe that we are currently engaged in a world war. Radical Islamic fascists have declared war on our country and our way of life. They have sworn to annihilate each of us who believe in a free society, all in the name of a perversion of religion and an impersonal god. We go to great extremes to save lives, they go to great extremes to take them. This war is not a conventional war, and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy. We must fight the war on terror with the intensity and single-mindedness that it deserves.

Could anyone make a stronger statement than that? He understands the nature of the enemy, and he has the ability to communicate that understanding in a way that will galvanize the American people for the long struggle ahead. We need someone like Mike to lead us in the days to come.

Mike Huckabee Statement on Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Here is Mike Huckabee's statement on the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto:

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.

Benazir Bhutto's assasination should also stand as a stark reminder for those who doubt the nature of our enemy.

I believe that we are currently engaged in a world war. Radical Islamic fascists have declared war on our country and our way of life. They have sworn to annihilate each of us who believe in a free society, all in the name of a perversion of religion and an impersonal god. We go to great extremes to save lives, they go to great extremes to take them. This war is not a conventional war, and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy. We must fight the war on terror with the intensity and single-mindedness that it deserves.

Huckabee Endorsed by Former Wyoming Governor

Mike Huckabee has received the endorsement of a former Governor of Wyoming, this coming just 10 days before Wyoming holds a nominating convention:

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Former Gov. Jim Geringer said Wednesday that he supports Mike Huckabee for president.

"He's the genuine article," said Geringer, a Republican governor from 1995-2003.

Geringer's endorsement of the former Republican governor of Arkansas came 10 days before Wyoming's GOP county conventions, where the first national delegates of primary season will be chosen.

Geringer lives in Wheatland and has been a technology consultant since leaving office. He told The Associated Press that he likes Huckabee because Huckabee doesn't try to fabricate an image of himself.

"It's that genuineness that's most attractive, plus his principles and his approach to governing and his willingness to work with quite a wide range of people," Geringer said.

Huckabee said in a release that he respected Geringer's "intelligence and leadership."

Wyoming's Republicans moved up their conventions to Jan. 5 in a bid for national attention. Huckabee hasn't campaigned in the state but Geringer said that didn't much matter to him.

"I'm content with knowing who he and what he's all about, that he doesn't have to come out to make a big splash," Geringer said. "He'll come out when the timing is right."

Huckabee did visit Wyoming for the 2006 Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt.

Also last year, Huckabee accompanied Geringer's successor, Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal, on a trip to Iraq.

Mike Huckabee Goes Hunting in Iowa - Video 12/26/07

Here is video from this morning where Mike Huckabee went hunting in Iowa:

Mike Huckabee on Face the Nation - Video 12/23/07

Here is video of Mike Huckabee appearing this past weekend on CBS News' Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer:

Mike Huckabee on CNBC with Larry Kudlow - Video 12/24/07

Here is Mike Huckabee appearing on CNBC's Larry Kudlow program on December 24, 2007:

PART I



PART II