“I know most of the candidates running for president but I’ve known Mike Huckabee the longest, since we did our graduate degrees together in the late 70s. Mike’s a man of vision, compassion, and integrity. I’ve watched his uncanny ability to identify with normal people in ways that many leaders don’t. That’s probably why TIME named him one of the five best governors in America. He’s definitely presidential material. But honestly, what I find most appealing is his self-deprecating humor. That’s a key sign of a spiritually and emotionally healthy leader - someone who is comfortable with himself, is authentic, doesn’t wear a mask, and is secure enough to be humble. People love that.”"
Btw, I like Warren and I know this side comment might take some of the sheen off of Warren's glowing comments about Huckabee, but I can't resist commenting on this (grandiose) subtitle on Warren's site: "Want to learn more about Rick Warren's historic plan to tackle the global giants of spiritual lostness, egocentric leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy?" Reminded me of this Onion article about John Edwards.
2 comments:
Huchabee said: “I cut taxes ninety-four times. I was the first governor in the hundred and sixty year state that ever did that.”
Unfortunately, this line is terribly misleading as Huckabee intends it to be. Governor Huckabee did indeed cut taxes, but the “94 tax cuts” line is an exaggeration on par with Al Gore’s “I invented the Internet.”
His tax increases far outpaced his tax cuts, with the average tax burden increasing 47% over his tenure, as documented by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette http://www.nwanews.com/adg/national/203850/
Some of these tax increases include (please see attached chart for detailed documentation):
* Sales Tax, 1996: Huckabee campaigned vigorously for a constitutional amendment to raise the sales tax, which passed by 8,562 votes (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/07/96)
* Gas and Diesel Fuel Taxes, 1999: Huckabee signed these tax hikes into law, contrary to his claim that they were passed by 80% of Arkansas voters (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 04/02/99, 04/25/99)
* Sales Tax, 2000 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 09/25/02)
* Cigarette Tax, 2001 (Associated Press, 04/02/01)
* Nursing Home Bed Tax, 2001 (Associated Press, 06/25/01)
* Sales Tax, 2002: Huckabee proposed a sales tax increase nine days after being reelected, though he made no mention of his intentions when he was campaigning against a ballot measure to repeal the state sales tax on groceries (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/15/02); his Legislature rejected his proposal.
* Income Surcharge Tax, 2003 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/09/07)
* Tobacco Tax, 2003 (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/09/07)
* Sales Tax, 2003-2004: Huckabee sat on the sidelines while his Legislature pushed through the largest tax increase in Arkansas history, refusing to veto the measure because he didn’t “want to obstruct the wishes of the Legislature” (Associated Press, 02/06/04)
* Internet Taxes, 2004: Huckabee opposed a congressional moratorium on state taxation of Internet access (Bond Buyer, 02/24/04)
Huckabee’s “94 tax cuts” is, at best, well-crafted political spin, and we urge all members of the media to cross-examine Mike Huckabee when he resorts to his favorite line.
Hey "anonymous" thanks for cutting and pasting from a Thompson campaign email, but I don't like anonymous commenters.
And you misspelled Huckabee.
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