Huckfacts

[WuDrWu]

I am making no statement on who to vote for or not vote for, but this is an absolute classic in my book.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MDUQW8LUMs8

[Hotel Paper]

If Barack had The Rock endorsing him, that would trump all! Barack has that swagger about him.

[SubGod22]

I have to admit, that was good.

[ABC]

Good ad.

Bad candidate.

Huckabee is a big government conservative, whatever that means.

[DUShock]

LOL, that's great. I heard the ad on POTUS 08 and found it as funny as ever. Regarding ABC's statement isn't that in vogue?

[RoyalShock]

Regarding ABC's statement isn't that in vogue?

Unfortunately, since Bush the Younger took office, yes.

[Ixiah]

Good ad.

Bad candidate.

Huckabee is a big government conservative, whatever that means.

Big government liberals give tax $ to fund social programs. Big government conservatives give tax $ to corporations.

Clear?

[ABC]

No, big govt conservatives are doing the same thing as liberals. Bigger govt programs, more spending in lots of areas, not just corporate welfare.

Huckabee liked big budget increases and tax increases.

He is a "conservative" b/c he is socially conservative.

[Ixiah]

Huckabee liked big budget increases and tax increases.

He is a "conservative" b/c he is socially conservative.

I'm not a Huckabee supporter but if you look at his record its not as black and white as you indicate.

For example the biggest tax increase under Huckabee was mandated by the Arkansas Supreme Court, which in 2002 ruled that the state's school financing procedure was unconstitutional and ordered a more equitable plan -- which led to $400 million in new taxes

Also when Huckabee left office he had turned a $200 million budget shortfall into an $844 million surplus.

Sounds like he really didnt have a lot of choice and was just paying for what was being spent rather then slapping it on the government credit card.

[ABC]

Huckabee is not a fiscal conservative. Period.

It was a lot more than the Sup Ct. And besides, he could have stood up to the Sup Ct and/or found the money in other parts of the budget. If that was the only tax increase, it would be a convenient excuse but it isnt.

"Mike Huckabee raised more taxes in 10 years in office than Bill Clinton did in his 12 years." -- writes Ernie Dumas, Arkansas Leader.

Tax Hike Mike

http://www.taxhikemike.org/

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/huckabees_fiscal_record.html

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has been hit with criticism over his record on taxes as governor of Arkansas. The faultfinders have been members of his own party, who take issue with tax increases he enacted. In recent interviews on Fox News, Huckabee responded to some of these questions, but we found him to be misleading and incorrect on several points:

Huckabee claimed that a speech in which he implored the state Legislature to raise taxes was in response to a state Supreme Court order to increase education funding. But he specifically said in that speech that he would address the education matter at a later date.
He said a tax on beds filled in nursing homes was a "fee" not a tax, despite the fact that he himself has called it the "bed tax."
Huckabee claimed a gasoline tax was only passed after 80 percent of voters approved it. Not true. The tax was enacted before a referendum vote on highway repairs.

He frequently says he cut taxes "almost 94 times" but leaves out the 21 taxes raised during his tenure. In the end, he presided over a net tax increase.

"Governor Mike Huckabee addressed the Arkansas General Assembly, pleading with them to pass a tax, any tax. He ticked off a list of various taxes that he would find acceptable, a tax on tobacco, a surcharge on the income tax, a sales tax... "I will very happily sign that," he proclaimed."

[Ixiah]

Huckabee is not a fiscal conservative.

Where do I say that?

It was a lot more than the Sup Ct. And besides, he could have stood up to the Sup Ct

And just how is he to 'stand up' up to them? Court orders are not trivial.

or found the money in other parts of the budget.

If you look at the Arkansas budget they are spending 51% percent of their $ on education. Now if you cant cut what your going to add then where is the money going to come from?

http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa/budget/documents/budget_facts_fy05.doc

If that was the only tax increase, it would be a convenient excuse but it isnt.

"Mike Huckabee raised more taxes in 10 years in office than Bill Clinton did in his 12 years." -- writes Ernie Dumas, Arkansas Leader.

Tax Hike Mike

http://www.taxhikemike.org/

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/huckabees_fiscal_record.html

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has been hit with criticism over his record on taxes as governor of Arkansas. The faultfinders have been members of his own party, who take issue with tax increases he enacted. In recent interviews on Fox News, Huckabee responded to some of these questions, but we found him to be misleading and incorrect on several points:

Huckabee claimed that a speech in which he implored the state Legislature to raise taxes was in response to a state Supreme Court order to increase education funding. But he specifically said in that speech that he would address the education matter at a later date.
He said a tax on beds filled in nursing homes was a "fee" not a tax, despite the fact that he himself has called it the "bed tax."
Huckabee claimed a gasoline tax was only passed after 80 percent of voters approved it. Not true. The tax was enacted before a referendum vote on highway repairs.

He frequently says he cut taxes "almost 94 times" but leaves out the 21 taxes raised during his tenure. In the end, he presided over a net tax increase.

"Governor Mike Huckabee addressed the Arkansas General Assembly, pleading with them to pass a tax, any tax. He ticked off a list of various taxes that he would find acceptable, a tax on tobacco, a surcharge on the income tax, a sales tax... "I will very happily sign that," he proclaimed."

Do you honestly expect an obviously partisan site to give a fair picture? :shock: Here are some things that one can see for them selves. For starters two of the taxes were ballot amendments.

1996, Huckabee campaigned for ballot Amendment 1, a plan to adjust property tax rules to make school funding more equal across the state, and Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment dedicating one eighth of each cent of the state sales tax to improve the state's park system and natural resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Huckabee

http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/elections_results/1996/ballot_results.html

He did campaign for a highway tax "to improve a road system that was considered one of the worst in the country" which seemed a good use of taxes considering the poor shape of the infrasturcture. If I read it correctly the difference between the two highway bills was that the extra $ would allow completion sooner.

Unfunded federal mandates caused another tax increase.

And when the state lacked enough of the necessary matching money for federal Medicaid payments to its nursing homes, Huckabee and the Legislature enacted a $5.25-a-day "bed tax" on nursing homes, which won the grudging approval of the state's nursing home industry

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20071202/NEWS/712020583/1017/NEWS0501

Other notable items:

Also Arkansas is a state that does not allow budget deficits without voter approval. So there is far less flexibility then in other states.

In 2001 he was named “Friend of a Taxpayer” by American for Tax Reform which is essentially a group that champions not increasing taxes.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NmNjMmI1ODhjNGVlZWFmNTlmMGNiZTVjYTg1NTUzMTk=

It’s worth noting, too, that Huckabee, despite facing a $200 million shortfall in 2002, ended his term with a surplus of $844.5 million. A billion dollar turnaround is, we think, a noteworthy accomplishment.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/huckabees_fiscal_record.html

(your source)

Personally it sounds like he did a good job there with the constraints he had.

[ABC]

I am saying is not a fiscal conservative.

www.factcheck.org doesn't have a dog in the fight other than . . . fact checking. And they confirmed that Huckabee supported many tax increases.

Huckabee was a tax raising Governor. It isn't complicated.

Most states can not deficit spend b/c they can't print money or simply issue T-bills like the Fed Govt. Arkansas is hardly alone.

There are three parts of our govt. The Sup Ct is just one. In my legal opinion, and many others, courts can not legislative tax increases or appropriate money. Sounds to me that Huckabee capitulated. Can you imagine the US Sup Ct forcing our Congress to raise taxes?

[shockmonster]

I'm tired of corporate welfare.

[Snapshot9]

Watched the 'New Hampshire Debate' of the Democratic candidates this early morning on CNN?

They are all trying to get their 'hooks' in with the public, saying they will do this and this, when we all know they will be limited by what the US Congress thinks about their plan.

They all overestimate their ability for change, and underestimate the resistance to it.

[RoyalShock]

They all overestimate their ability for change, and underestimate the resistance to it.

Not really. I think they accurately estimate the gullibility of the voting public to believe they can either really do what they say, or that they will "like" them for what they say.

I saw a citizen interviewed yesterday after a Democrat debate. He said something like "Obama talks about being bipartisan and reaching across party lines. I like that kind of thing." I just about threw up in my mouth. Every candidate says that every year. It's a joke, yet the sheep just keep munching, staying fat and happy.