Mike Huckabee’s Long Battle Against Libertarianism

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Mike Huckabee’s Long Battle Against Libertarianism

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee announced this weekend that he's quitting his Fox News show while he thinks about whether to run for president again. If recent history is any guide, there will be space in the GOP primaries for a Huck-style populist social conservative; Rick Santorum filled it in 2012, Huckabee himself in 2008, Alan Keyes in 2000. Another throughline knits together these disparate pols: hostility to libertarians.

Here's Huckabee in May 2008:



The greatest threat to classic Republicanism is not liberalism; it's this new brand of libertarianism, which is social liberalism and economic conservatism, but it's a heartless, callous, soulless type of economic conservatism because it says "look, we want to cut taxes and eliminate government. If it means that elderly people don't get their Medicare drugs, so be it. If it means little kids go without education and healthcare, so be it." Well, that might be a quote pure economic conservative message, but it's not an American message. It doesn't fly. People aren't going to buy that, because that's not the way we are as a people. That's not historic Republicanism. Historic Republicanism does not hate government; it's just there to be as little of it as there can be.

And in November 2008:

http://reason.com/blog/2015/01/05/mike-huckabees-long-battle-against-liber

 

[Christian Liberty]

I'm so tired of these self-righteous types that think they are doing good by robbing people at gunpoint "for the greater good."

If I wasn't so hard on the NAP I'd advocate punching them all in the face.

 

[amy31416]

God forbid that people should have free will.........

.......

...

 

[Christian Liberty]

God forbid that people should have free will.........

.......

...

Actually, for those of us who are Calvinists, he sort of does

Sorry... couldn't pass that one up.

 

[acptulsa]

The greatest threat to classic Republicanism is not liberalism; it's this new brand of libertarianism, which is social liberalism and economic conservatism, but it's a heartless, callous, soulless type of economic conservatism because it says "look, we want to cut taxes and eliminate government. If it means that elderly people don't get their Medicare drugs, so be it. If it means little kids go without education and healthcare, so be it."

Is there anyone here--anyone at all--who believes seniors won't get the medicines they need or that children won't get better educations with the fruitcakes of Washington, D.C. out of the picture and not taking their cut for awarding contracts to the most corrupt provider?

I bet if we worded it right, we could get eighty percent of the populace to agree in a poll that cutting the federal government out of the loop is the most humane thing we can do.

 

[amy31416]

Actually, for those of us who are Calvinists, he sort of does

Sorry... couldn't pass that one up.

Not familiar with it, but more power to them?

 

[Christian Liberty]

Is there anyone here--anyone at all--who believes seniors won't get the medicines they need or that children won't get better educations with the fruitcakes of Washington, D.C. out of the picture and not taking their cut for awarding contracts to the most corrupt provider?

I bet if we worded it right, we could get eighty percent of the populace to agree in a poll that cutting the federal government out of the loop is the most humane thing we can do.

Yes, of course they wouldn't, though that's not really the point. EVEN IF Huckabee's insane premise was true, his conclusion would still be wrong, because stealing is always wrong.

Not familiar with it, but more power to them?

it was mostly a joke for those who post in the religion subforum. But, Calvinism is the Christian doctrine (though not all Christians agree with it, many don't) that God chooses who will be saved and who will not.

 

[acptulsa]

Yes, of course they wouldn't, though that's not really the point.

Sure it is.

Principles, at least for most people, aren't the end, they're the means. You don't stick to your principles for the sake of the principles themselves. You stick to principles because doing so foils evil and leaves everyone you touch better off. Or, at least, most people do, if they're smart enough and not sociopathic.

It's like the Golden Rule. Jesus didn't teach us that to enslave us to it for its own sake. If only we could figure out how to really make it work, we'd all be immeasurably better off. Jesus knew this, and taught it to us because He loves us.

 

[BuddyRey]

The irony of it all is that Huckabee's view of libertarianism as some new phenomenon upsetting the applecart of "classical Republicanism" couldn't be more wrong. If he honestly believes it (which I doubt), then he must think conservatism as a movement didn't even exist before it sprang fully-formed from the brow of Reagan 35 years ago.

 

[RonPaulIsGreat]

Personally I don't really care about old people, they had 70 years to prepare for old age and decided, naw, screw that, I'll just steal from my grandkids.

The Education thing, ummmmm, I thought property taxes paid for most of that, at least most of my property taxes go to it. So, that's not a federal issue.

 

[JK/SEA]

Personally I don't really care about old people, they had 70 years to prepare for old age and decided, naw, screw that, I'll just steal from my grandkids.

The Education thing, ummmmm, I thought property taxes paid for most of that, at least most of my property taxes go to it. So, that's not a federal issue.

i agree. We should round them all up and put them away somewhere....or just dig a hole and bury them right?

 

[Christian Liberty]

Personally I don't really care about old people, they had 70 years to prepare for old age and decided, naw, screw that, I'll just steal from my grandkids.

The Education thing, ummmmm, I thought property taxes paid for most of that, at least most of my property taxes go to it. So, that's not a federal issue.

i agree. We should round them all up and put them away somewhere....or just dig a hole and bury them right?

There's a fine line between saying "you know what? Yes, those people decided not to prepare for their retirement because they could rob their grandkids instead, but we are not going to let them keep doing that. Too bad." And saying "we're just going to round them up and put them away" or whatever.

 

[libertarianMoney]

It makes me so gitty to see Republicans distance themselves from Libertarians.

Please... I am so sick of Libertarians having to distance themselves from Republicans.

I have to tell them, "no, cutting taxes doesn't mean I like Bush. No... I'm not a member of the Tea Party..."

 

[Acala]

Is there anyone here--anyone at all--who believes seniors won't get the medicines they need or that children won't get better educations with the fruitcakes of Washington, D.C. out of the picture and not taking their cut for awarding contracts to the most corrupt provider?

I bet if we worded it right, we could get eighty percent of the populace to agree in a poll that cutting the federal government out of the loop is the most humane thing we can do.

Life was not possible before government.

 

[RonPaulIsGreat]

i agree. We should round them all up and put them away somewhere....or just dig a hole and bury them right?

You don't agree with me, you proposed a holocaust based on age. I proposed a system by which an old person could live in comfort to whatever age, if they pay for it.

I don't care about old people though, any more than I care about some 30 year old that won't go to work or that does then goes and spends it at bar, until they are broke again.

Consequences aren't just for children.

 

[jbauer]

I'm so tired of these self-righteous types that think they are doing good by robbing people at gunpoint "for the greater good."

If I wasn't so hard on the NAP I'd advocate punching them all in the face.

Amen!! Who's to say the Huck's "idea" of whats good for the public is any better than some generic communist?

 

[jbauer]

Personally I don't really care about old people, they had 70 years to prepare for old age and decided, naw, screw that, I'll just steal from my grandkids.

The Education thing, ummmmm, I thought property taxes paid for most of that, at least most of my property taxes go to it. So, that's not a federal issue.

Why should my horse pasture or corn field pay for your kid to go to school?

 

[BuddyRey]

It makes me so gitty to see Republicans distance themselves from Libertarians.

Please... I am so sick of Libertarians having to distance themselves from Republicans.

I have to tell them, "no, cutting taxes doesn't mean I like Bush. No... I'm not a member of the Tea Party..."

Wow...that's actually a great way to look at it. You're right, the more ideological distance between libertarianism and people like Huckabee, the better.

 

[Athan]

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee announced this weekend that he's quitting his Fox News show while he thinks about whether to run for president again. If recent history is any guide, there will be space in the GOP primaries for a Huck-style populist social conservative; Rick Santorum filled it in 2012, Huckabee himself in 2008, Alan Keyes in 2000. Another throughline knits together these disparate pols: hostility to libertarians.

Here's Huckabee in May 2008:



The greatest threat to classic Republicanism is not liberalism; it's this new brand of libertarianism, which is social liberalism and economic conservatism, but it's a heartless, callous, soulless type of economic conservatism because it says "look, we want to cut taxes and eliminate government. If it means that elderly people don't get their Medicare drugs, so be it. If it means little kids go without education and healthcare, so be it." Well, that might be a quote pure economic conservative message, but it's not an American message. It doesn't fly. People aren't going to buy that, because that's not the way we are as a people. That's not historic Republicanism. Historic Republicanism does not hate government; it's just there to be as little of it as there can be.

And in November 2008:

http://reason.com/blog/2015/01/05/mike-huckabees-long-battle-against-liber

He is scared and he is losing. He is trying to make up a boogy man that doesn't exist because Libertarianism is already winning.

 

[Suzanimal]

He is scared and he is losing. He is trying to make up a boogy man that doesn't exist because Libertarianism is already winning.

Libertarian Boogy Man?
The kind that wants to leave you alone and let you keep your money? Bring him on!