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Why do the leaders of the religious right keep sidling away from a Baptist minister whose greatest political sin seems to have been showing compassion to a prisoner who appeared to deserve it? Why can’t they rally around the candidate who pushed for more government spending to promote poor children’s health and education, and reminded his conservative critics that when they talk about being pro-life, “life doesn’t begin at conception and end at birth?”
I think we have answered the question.
The full quote from RevGov Huckabee can be found on his campaign site:
To me, life doesn't begin at conception and end at birth. Every child deserves a quality education, first-rate health care, decent housing in a safe neighborhood, and clean air and drinking water. Every child deserves the opportunity to discover and use his God-given gifts and talents.
Again, not enough for a Madville Times endorsement... but enough to suggest RevGov Huckabee might understand a little more about life and politics than the grumbling kamikaze schismatics of the right.
Many on the Right do believe Huckabee is the man (most of the people at the Washington Briefing last weekend prefer Huckabee), though I'm not one of them.
ReplyDeleteHe's weak on illegal immigration, despite what he said at the WB (talk is cheap, and his record says something different), and he sounds too much like a big-spender to me. But then, no one that I talked to last weekend knew any of this about him until I said something.
The Wayne DuMond incident further reinforces why I'm disturbed by Huckabee's "I'm a 'grace' Christian, not a 'law' Christian" talk. Folks of this disposition are usually far too willing to go soft on sin and crime, and far too eager to overlook or forget dangerous behavior. Grace and law are equally important; after all, Jesus told us sinners to "Go and sin no more," not "Go and do whatever floats your boat." Grace without law is license.
I don't think Gail Collins has a clue about values voters. No one is sitting around waiting for any of the top-tier Republicans to change, and frankly I don't think any of us--including Tony Perkins--would believe a "change of heart" at this point, anyway.
Collins asks, "Why can't they rally around the candidate who pushed for more government spending to promote poor children's health and education, and reminded his conservative critics that when they talk about being pro-life, 'life doesn't begin at conception and end at birth?'"
Because there is nothing in the Bible or the United States Constitution that calls for government spending on charity. The Constitution prohibits it with it's limited, enumerated powers and the Bible calls for people to help people, not for government to help people.
Besides, neither the Bible nor the Constitution calls for an equality of outcome, only the right to life and a just environment in which to pursue our goals. There are pro-life people lined up and waiting to adopt children so there is no need to abort them, even special-needs children. For Huckabee to imply otherwise is an insult to those couples who have adopted many of these children (I know a couple who has adopted more than a dozen special-needs children) and all those who support crisis pregnancy centers and other agencies that help women and children. Again, people can meet the need, and do a better job of it; we don't need government reaching into one person's pocket and giving it to another person to accomplish this. Neither the Bible nor the Constitution condones this.
If Huckabee led less with his heart (which the Bible says is deceptive) and more by the law (both Biblical and Constitutional law) that he seems to hold in such low regard, he'd almost certainly be my choice for the nominee. Too bad he's already demonstrated a disposition to do the opposite.