The article in question is quoted below:
You think Ron Paul is scary?
By Jonah Goldberg
Tribune Media
Services
As the hopeless but energetic presidential campaign of Texas Rep. Ron Paul builds momentum in name recognition, fundraising and cross-ideology appeal, some conservatives are beginning to attack him in earnest.
A GOP consultant condemns Paul's "increasingly leftish"positions. Syndicated columnist Mona Charen calls Paul "too cozy with kooks and conspiracy theorists." Film critic and talk-radio host Michael Medved finds Paul's supporters to be "an imposing collection of neo-Nazis, white supremacists,Holocaust deniers, 9-11 'truthers' and other paranoid and discredited conspiracists."
For the most part,these allegations strike me as overblown and unfair. But
for argument's sake, let's say they're not. Let's even say that Paul has the
passionate support of the Legion of Doom, that his campaign lunch room looks
like the Star Wars cantina, and that his top advisers have hooves instead of feet.
I would still find him less scary than Mike Huckabee.
What's troubling about The Man From Hope 2.0 is what he represents. Huckabee represents compassionate conservatism on steroids. A devout social conservative on issues such as abortion, school prayer, homosexuality and evolution, Huckabee is a populist on economics, a fad-follower on the environment and an all-around do-gooder who believes that the biblical obligation to do "good works" extends to using government -- and your tax dollars -- to bring us closer to the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
For example, Huckabee would support a nationwide ban
on public smoking. Why? Because he's on a health kick, thinks smoking is bad
and believes the government should do the right thing.
And therein lies the chief difference between Paul and Huckabee. One is a
culturally conservative libertarian. The other is a right-wing progressive.
Whatever shortcomings Paul and his friends might have, Paul's dogma generally renders those shortcomings irrelevant. He is a true ideologue in that his personal preferences are secondary to his philosophical principles. When asked what his position is, he generally responds that his position can be deduced from the text of the Constitution.
As for Huckabee -- as with most politicians, alas --his personal preferences matter enormously because, ultimately, they're the only things thatconstrain him.
In this respect, Huckabee's philosophy is conventionally liberal, or progressive. What he wants government to do certainly differs in important respects from what Hillary Clinton wants, but the limits he would place on governmental do-goodery are primarily tactical or practical, not philosophical or constitutional.
Huckabee represents the latest attempt to make conservatism more popular. Contrary to the conventional belief that Republicans need to drop their opposition to abortion, gay marriage and the like to be popular, Huckabee understands that the unpopular stuff is the economic libertarianism: free trade and smaller government. That's why we're seeing a rise in economic populism on the right married to a culturally conservative populism.
There's something weird going on when Paul, the small-government constitutionalist, is considered the extremist in the Republican Party, while Huckabee, the statist, is the lovable underdog.
It's even weirder because it's probably true: Huckabee is much closer to the mainstream. And that's what scares me about Huckabee and the mainstream alike.
Jonah
Goldberg writes for Tribune Media
Services. JonahsColumn@aol.com
The following is my response. I have sent it in however I do not know if it will be published. I hope we can get this out so that readers will not be turned away from Mike Huckabee due to this article.
In response to Johan Goldberg of Tribune Media Services article “You think Ron Paul is scary?”:
Goldberg uses half truths and wordy misdirection to lead readers to believe Huckabee has strayed from the Christian Conservative Republican party base.
Firstly, Goldberg claims that Huckabee would support a nationwide ban on public smoking. Let me dispel this claim with that pesky thing we call “facts”. After being asked if he supports a federal ban on smoking, Huckabee responded by saying, “No, I don’t. I support workplace clean air. But a federal ban on smoking would mean that you couldn’t smoke in your own home. I don’t care what people do in their home.” Huckabee believes it is not the right of government to tell you whether you can smoke or not but when you subject others to that habit in a work environment, it becomes a public health concern. Health is an important problem we are now facing and ignoring it doesn’t just make it go away.
Secondly, Huckabee is called a “right-wing progressive” by Goldberg. I believe a better description is a “right-wing fundamentalist”. Huckabee wants to get the party back to their origins and fundamental beliefs. Huckabee hold a strong and consistent social conservative record, one that all the “top tier” Republicans lack. Huckabee is Pro-family and believes to strengthen the family we need to define marriage, focus on children’s education and healthcare, and protect families from an overwhelming tax burden. Huckabee also believe in eliminating our dependence on foreign fuels that would result in less money flowing to terrorism sponsoring countries, as well as protection for the environment. If these beliefs are “progressive” than so be it but I see them as core values of the conservative right who believe in family values and making sure our children have a better life than we had.
Huckabee’s positions are not the conservative rights response to an unpopular administration that left a bad taste in the mouth of independents and moderate Republicans, but a shift back to the conservative principles that true conservatives hold dearly. I respect Ron Paul because he stands on his principles; however, those principles are not that of the conservative Republicans. If you want a candidate that is dedicated to his convictions and holds true conservative values Mike Huckabee is the candidate for you.
Thank you for you time in reading my letter please respond or contact
Goldberg.
God Bless America and Pray for Mike Huckabee
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