Huckabee on the Economy

(CBS)

From CBS News' Joy Lin:

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts, Mike Huckabee went on a morning jog along the beach along a trail of reporters with one major issue on their minds: the economy.

On the congressional economic stimulus deal, Huckabee said it was "positive" to see Congress "get something done." While the package attempts to create "at least some short-term confidence in the economy, some short-term capacity for consumers," Huckabee argued that a "long-term solution" is needed.

Huckabee said implementing the "fair tax" - replacing income tax with a flat national sales tax - and abolishing the IRS would bring about long term economic recovery.

He added that just because Mitt Romney had years of experience in the business world, including running an investment firm that turned around troubled companies, Huckabee said he ran a state longer than anybody else running for president.

"I understand what it is to run a state during economic hard times as well as economic good times. I think that's more important to be president."

He also suggested it's more important to figure out how to fix unemployment than it is to fix failing companies.

"There are a lot of people who are losing their jobs," Huckabee continued. "They want to know, what are we going to do to bring jobs to America, not what are we going to do to bring huge amounts of capital to a few, and a huge job loss to a whole of Americans."

Asked whether he thought the Iraq War would be sustainable in the current economic climate, Huckabee said engaging in Iraq is "expensive" but "freedom is expensive." He said the possibility of unfettered terrorist activity that would be able to "train at will, destroy Iraq internally, and create a complete upheaval in the Middle East is not a good option for us."

Huckabee said "letting the Middle East go up in flames" would furthermore would push up the price of oil." He extended his answer to the subject of making the U.S. energy independent within ten years.

"If we really want to see the Middle East changed, take away their capacity to fund terrorism. Take away the oil dollar. There's not enough money selling rugs and bagging sand for them to operate the terrorist cells that have come against us."

[kristind6]

A consumption tax could garner more support if services/labor were taxed at a lower rate than new products. More US dollars would remain in domestic circulation putting Americans to work in service and repair, and less would be sent overseas to purchase cheap consumer goods. Such a plan would appeal to the labor unions, the environmentalists and the economists.

[marinepatriot]

Refreshing: Catholics are uniting behind Governor Huckabee as well as the Evangelical Protestants. Now we are uniting together. I am a Catholic that has been ready to join a Baptist church thanks to Mike. But now, Catholics are standing behind Mike as a whole:

Look what CATHOLIC ONLINE says about Governor Huckabee.

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=26591&page=2

(copy the link in 2 parts by each line or type it into your browser)

[marinepatriot]

Governor Huckabee is threatening to take the lead in Alabama! Huckabee/Mccain at 27% and Romney dropping to 15%. Romney will be gone soon!

Governor Huckabee just might threaten to take the lead in Florida too after lasts night win in the GOP debate!

Go Governor Huckabee go!

We are with you!

[ih2005]

One hopes that, absent a Huckabee campaign effort to defend itself, the media will counter Romney attacks by pointing out how, at Bain Capital, Mr. Romney used offshore corporations to avoid U.S. taxation, and he fee-milked acquired businesses before firing workers and taking them into bankruptcy ( http://*****.com/romneyoffshore ), to amass his great $250,000,000 wealth.

So, when you compare how Mr. Huckabee''s visionary FairTax advocacy ( http://*****.com/nextrung ) compares to Romney''s interest in the current tax system, it''s pretty easy to see who will lead us out of tax slavery ( http://*****.com/taxburden ) - $265 billion annual tax code compliance costs representing 5 billion wasted hours, annually.

Don''''t blame the companies that remain competitive by working in a flawed system, blame the system!

That''s exactly Huckabee''s point. If we unshackle business from the crushing weight of regulation and "hidden" taxes, they can operate more efficiently and bring their operations back to this country.... More Americans would be employed and businesses would get the breaks they need to be competitive without laying off American workers.

Romney is favored by those who appreciate his skill at taking over companies, dumping their employees and then taking the operations offshore to become profitable. That''s a good strategy under the current system -- nobody disputes that he did the best thing for those companies under the current system.

As the poster said -- and Huckabee along with his supporters agree -- "Don''''t blame the companies that remain competitive by working in a flawed system, blame the system!"

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*** The Oval Office is not an asset to be acquired in a leveraged buyout. ***

[ivote-2009]

Mike Huckabee has the most executive experience of any candidate running. He was re-elected Governor of Arkansas until his term limits expired. He was their Lt. Governor prior to that. He was voted one of the Best Five Governors in America by Time Magazine. He is the best communicator since Ronald Reagan. Mike Huckabee is for real and he is authentic!

Congressman Duncan Hunter has now endorsed Mike Huckabee!
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/01/23/politics/horserace/entry3745619.shtml

US Rep John Linder who worked on the Ronald Reagan campaign gives a great comparison between the Ronald Reagan and Mike Huckabee campaign trails.
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=10019&SectionID=17&SubSectionID=116&S=1

[ivote-2009]

Mike Huckabee has the most executive experience of any candidate running. He was re-elected Governor of Arkansas until his term limits expired. He was their Lt. Governor prior to that. He was voted one of the Best Five Governors in America by Time Magazine. He is the best communicator since Ronald Reagan. Mike Huckabee is for real and he is authentic!

Congressman Duncan Hunter has now endorsed Mike Huckabee!
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/01/23/politics/horserace/entry3745619.shtml

US Rep John Linder who worked on the Ronald Reagan campaign gives a great comparison between the Ronald Reagan and Mike Huckabee campaign trails.
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=10019&SectionID=17&SubSectionID=116&S=1

[ih2005]

Compare Mr. HUCKABEE, who has GOVERNED with common-sense ideas ( http://*******.com/govhealthfairtax ) to Mr. MCCAIN ( http://*****.com/straighttalk ) and it''s clear that McCain is an "old boy" member of THE SENATE CLUB who has essentially done little preserve the voice of the working American.

Compare Huckabee''s visionary FAIRTAX ( http://*****.com/nextrung ) to McCain''s interest in the current tax system - IRS-oppressive to wage-earning families ( http://*******.com/irsmisconduct ) - it''s pretty easy to see who will lead us OUT of TAX SLAVERY ( http://*****.com/taxburden ) - $265 billion annual tax code compliance costs representing 5 billion wasted hours, annually.

[allenfuller-2009]

Now, fairmark, don''t oversell. Huckabee can''t do those things on his own. And "voluntary" taxation is voluntary only to the degree to which you choose when to spend your money.

He''s got some great bold ideas but let''s not come off as promising the moon... because that''s not what Mike is promising.

[fairmark]

Voluntary taxation? Oil independence? A chance to retire before 60 (from a non-gov''t job)? Who would want these things? Crazy, I know. But Huck can make these things happen.