Everyone tells me I'm a dreadful, heartless conservative. But if I'm a conservative I don't know what the hell Mike Huckabee is, because not only do I not agree with him on almost any issue: his beliefs actually scare the hell out of me.
A lot of this has to do with religion. I think of myself as an open-minded atheist, in that I'm not hostile towards religion and can see the valuable contributions it has made to society. I certainly don't want to impose my beliefs on people of faith, but I expect them to show me the same courtesy in return. I think religion is a private affair between man and God. Huckabee thinks religion should be the basis of national policy.
That's my first major point of departure from Mike Huckabee. He seems to be running not only for President of the United States, but also for Supreme High Priest and Grand Inquisitor all at the same time. Two out of those three roles aren't actually authorized in the Constitution.
When he raised his hand at the debate last year to proudly reject evolution you probably knew where he was coming from. You can get a lot more details of Huckabee's philosophy of life and his view on many issues by reading his book Character Makes a Difference, in which he lays out his basic position on the separation of Church and State:
Those who believe God created humans have a different worldview from those who believe humans created God. Politics are totally directed by worldview. That is why when people say, "We ought to separate politics from religion," I say to separate the two is absolutely impossible.This perspective is in pretty much direct opposition to the Constitution, but that's okay, because earlier this week, in the Michigan debate, Huckabee made it quite clear that he considers the Constitution an impediment to his vision of theocracy, and he'd like to do away with it.
[Some of my opponents] do not want to change the Constitution, but I believe it's a lot easier to change the constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God, and that's what we need to do is to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards.
How he's going to square that viewpoint with swearing an oath to support and defend the Constitution if he gets sworn in as President is hard to fathom. Maybe the Bible he takes the oath on will burst into flame or something equally biblical.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Roger Choate
Right on, Dave. Hucksters like Huckabee scare me, too. A goodly number of voters have no idea what the Constitutional separation of church and state is supposed to mean. Or don't want to know. The line is further muddied by the intrusion of religious mumble-jumble into public life, such as the Pledge of Allegiance: "...one nation, under God..." (For that matter, why do we exact a Pledge of Allegiance from citizens in the first place? Insecure national identity?)
God is not great.
2 - Harald Hardrata
Ok. You're an atheist that's the only problem you have with Huckabee...we get it.
If you think allowing the liberals to drastically alter the nature of marriage to include gays will not completely change the natgure and morality of this country....you have bigger problems than your disbelief in God!
3 - Roger Choate
Some possible intellectual confusion on your part, Harald. Atheists don't believe in a god. But that's not what I said. I said that God is not great.
4 - Leon
The Constitution says this regarding "seperation of church and state"...
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…"
So for all you athiests scared of a man who believes in God and has faith in God this should spare you from any fears that Huckabee as President would force his beliefs on you or me.
The same Constitution doesnt say that a Person of great faith cant be in Government or use the Morality that is derived from the Bible. Try as you might to say otherwise, Morality is all from Biblical teaching...like the 10 Commandments. God has also written these on the hearts of us all as his word says.
Those who dont believe in God in essence make themselves a god....athiests...
5 - Roger Choate
More intellectual confusion, this time from Leon: "all of you atheists"....I didn't say I was an atheist. I said that God is not great, She really isn't. This could well be the position of an agnostic, who is not the same creature as an atheist.
Returning, finally, to Dave's point: God has given the huckster the Word on some specific issues. She's told Huck to expand farm subsidies, tax businesses on the internet and put homosexuals in AIDS quarantine camps.
6 - Leon
Concerning who ever it is that thinks I am intellectually confused, not saying any names. In my first coment on this blog, I was referring to Dave Nalle who wrote the Blog(article) and admitted he is an athiest. And further to any other who happens to read this and is an athiest.
Speaking of confusion, the whole world is confused. Any who deny the Word deceive themselves.
I hope I am not "Personally attacked" for my opinion again. After all anything anyone says is always thier own opinion. And in the end there is only one Truth, because if there are multiple truths then none are true just by the very definition of truth..."Veritas"
7 - Christopher Rose
Well, I certainly think you are intellectually confused, Leon. Firstly, you can't even spell atheist correctly but setting that aside, you appear to have decided what the truth is without any evidence at all to support your conjecture. THAT is intellectual confusion and dishonesty of the lowest calibre.
8 - Roger Choate
Hi Leon - You weren't being "personally attacked." It was suggested that you are contributing to intellectual confusion, which isn't the same thing at all.
I'm sure that Huckabee could put himself on an intellectually moral course by agreeing to take the Oath of Office with his hand on the Bill of Rights, instead of a Bible.
9 - Jet in Columbus
I was under the impression that one of the requirements of being an atheist was that you couldn't speel, uh splel, um spell it??? (sic)
10 - STM
Mike Huckabee just scares me, period. Especially the name, irrational as that may be.
I just don't think I could used to the moniker: "President Huckabee".
I don't know why, but it just sounds like something out of a Huckleberry Hound cartoon.
Any comments??
11 - Lee Richards
Excellent commentary, Dave. Why doesn't the MSM question these positions?
Huckabee would gladly do away with over 200 years of American constitutional law, 300 years of enlightened Biblical scholarship, and 150 years of scientific knowledge, because the "truth" has been revealed to him.
He is either 1. absolutely correct, 2. impossibly ignorant, or 3. dangerously deluded.
I go for some combination of #2 & #3.
Our worst mistake would be to elect someone president who is ideologically incapable of changing his/her mind.
12 - Dave Nalle
Nice to see Roger in the comments section.
As for my objection to the Huckabuckster being mainly on the basis of religion, that's not because I'm atheistical, but because he basis his policies entirely on religion. I didn't take it to that basis, he did.
And as Roger pointed out I did mention various issues where he has distinctly non-conservative positions. So I object to him BOTH on the grounds of religious distortion of national policy and his fascination with big government.
Dave
13 - Arch Conservative
As a very socially and fiscally conservative Republican Huckabee sacres me because the guy would probably pick Jesus as his veep and then spend us all into an oblivion.
I passed on this ignorant gomer pyle looking mofo and I will have to pass on him again if he wins my party's nomination.
14 - Arch Conservative
That should read "I passed on this ignorant gomer pyle looking mofo in the NH primary and I will have to pass on him again if he wins my party's nomination."
15 - Dave Nalle
Thankfully I think he's not going to get the nomination, but I bet he'll be top on everyone's list for VP.
Dave
16 - Conservative Libertarian
He's not going to be on any VP list because no one else in the party likes him. There are a few million people in the U.S. who have no idea that their views (and votes for Huck) advocate an American theocracy. Ask any one of them if Iran's theocracy makes sense and every one would look at you like you had two heads. They don't even understand the connection or the slippery slope Huckabee represents.
17 - Arch Conservative
I don't think Rudy or Mitt are inclined to pick either Mccain or Huckabee as their VP Dave.
18 - metal dad
I am a christian, and Mike Huckabee gives me the willies. Some might characterize me as a fundamentalist because of my theological distinctives, but i purposely distance myself from the cultural baggage that marks much of christian fundamentalism in the U.S.
No, what scares me the most about Gov. Huckabee is that he is a big-government Republican who, like many on the opposite side of the political spectrum, thinks that the federal government knows what is best for me and you and is more than willing to take your dollars to accomplish these wonderful things, in your best interests, of course. I appreciate your point of view, Dave.
Thanks for the article.
19 - Dr Dreadful
@ #1: For that matter, why do we exact a Pledge of Allegiance from citizens in the first place? Insecure national identity?
I think it has something to do with a certain Mr Arnold who caused a bit of trouble a while back...
20 - P.Marlowe
Big Dave I am RIGHT there with ya on being very worried about this guy... Worse, he's the "Barney" of political demagogs. His ability to even disarm the skeptical media is pretty amazing...
America (like most places in the world) is always susceptible to this kind of leader... I am reminded of the one line in CASABLANCA (which I love) that always grates on me... Where Ilsa sighs (in Rick's arms) "I don't know... You must do the thinking for me!" (Not that I'm a PCer on ANY level but I always want to SLAP her right then and yell, "think for yourself ya TWIT!"
I wonder though what you'll do Dave if The Huckster wins the Rep nom?
Marlowe
21 - PMD
I think you're making too much of this. Your idea that religion is a private matter sounds nice in theory, but it doesn't work out well in practice. It's very hard to separate the values that people bring to government from their personal religious views or those that have had a deep influence on our culture. The Abolitionist and Civil Rights movements owed quite a bit to the religious convictions of those who led them. Many people derive their values from religion and they have a perfect right to be motivated by those values while serving in public office. This is NOT they same as believing that religion should be the basis of national policy.
Your 3rd paragraph is alarmist, as is the whole article. What makes anyone think that anyone who is elected President will have the power to become some kind of dictator (theocratic or otherwise)? Do you have that little faith in our form of government and the other elected and appointed officials who make it up?
Since when is being in favor of changing the Constitution the same as wanting to do away with it,as you imply? Were proponents of the Equal Rights Amendment against the Constitution? If you've studied that effort, you're aware that the amendment process is not subject to Presidential fiat.
It's no secret that Huckabee is against abortion and gay marriage. So are a lot of Americans. But even as President, he will have to convince Americans and the legislature to share those values. He won't be able to dictate them.
22 - Lee Richards
#21:
It IS alarming that a presidential candidate openly favors a theocratic(his beliefs, naturally)approach to governing AND advocates altering the Constitution to make it possible.
Why announce it, unless he really means to do it if elected? It's not about his personal faith; it's about his stated intention to make it, constitutionally, the faith of the nation.
No, he can't do it alone, but our recent history clearly shows that Congress can be led into anything if convinced it'll bring in some more votes, and then can justify themselves as being on both sides at once. One or two Supreme Court justices from Pat Robertson's law school could creatively trash the Bill Of Rights without even trying, if encouraged by a Presidential prophet who appointed them.
Maybe you aren't alarmed enough!
23 - Dave Nalle
I wonder though what you'll do Dave if The Huckster wins the Rep nom?
If Obama wins the Democratic nomination then I might vote for him. Otherwise I'll just vote Libertarian as I have in every election but one since I turned 18.
Dave
24 - Darrell W Thomas
IF YOU CANT SAY SOMETHING NICE,DONT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL. PLEASE BE ADULTS. WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE OR QUOTING, TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH,NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP YOU GOD. IS THAT ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON. NOT EVERY ONE IS GOING TO AGREE WITH A CANIDATES POINT OF VIEW,BUT YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH. INTEGRITY,I WISH AMERICANS HAD IT THE WAY OUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS DID. DO YOU KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE COMITMENT IT TAKES TO HAVE INTEGRITY?
25 - PMD
#22
I'm not alarmed because I know the difference between advocating a theocracy and what people like Huckabee are talking about. Huck is only being explicit about the source of his values. Would be nice if more politicians tried to do the same thing. But he's not going to bring about a theocracy in this country any more than Jimmy Carter did. If you've got the impression that Congress is so easily lead along by a President's sheer will and ways you haven't been watching politics much. Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court candidates are no picnic.
But suppose you are right. Suppose the President has as much power as you say. If that's true, then ANY President is dangerous and we've got bigger problems to be alarmed about and we should be complaining about and fixing those. But we're not, are we? We're only complaining about those we are at ideological odds with. The plain truth is that we don't elect dictators in this country and you know it. Implying that a candidate we oppose is going to succeed in being one is a scare tactic, nothing more.