The Shot!

We tried to make a similar point last week, when we outlined why Huckabee was tearing the Republican Coalition to shreds and that he was “woefully inept” when it came to grasping issues.

With the economy facing the possibility of a recession (remember folks, you needs 6 months of negative growth) facing voters, Huckebee has tried his best to unveil a vision for our economy and silence his critics who claim he is in serious need of a lesson in macro-economics.

Reading his 5 point plan is a lot like drinking a Bahama Mama from Wet Willies. You think it might be good, but you just end up with a brain freeze and a headache. To add insult to his treatise in how not to stimulate the economy, much of his plan is fodder for Democrats. Anyway, Red State has a great opinion piece on it as well which we will post below. However, in the interest of fairness, we will post an article that outlines his “plan” as well.

The HuckaPlan:

Mike Huckabee’s money matters

 

by Jason George

With recession-fearing Michigan voters entering the voting booths today for the Republican primary there, Gov. Mike Huckabee announced a five-point stimulus package that he says “would guide my economic policymaking on behalf of all Americans.”

Much of the package, such as, “I will cut burdensome red tape,” is hardly policy heavy. In fact the “five points” are: Family, Fed, Fight, Fuel, Fair.
However there are some specifics:

* Make all higher-education tuition tax deductible.

* Oversee a Federal Reserve that adopts a “pro-growth, low-inflation policy.”

* Increase defense spending to 6 percent of GDP. [Defense spending is currently about 4 percent of GDP. It has not been at 6 percent since 1972.]

* Recruit and train “thousands” of troops and “bring our National Guard and Reserves back home.”

* Build a fence along the US-Mexico border “with American labor and American materials.”

* End U.S. dependency on Middle Eastern oil by January, 2019.

* Preserve and expand the Bush tax cuts.

The last one about the tax cuts is a short-term solution for Huckabee, who wants the country to do away with the Federal income tax and adopt the FairTax, a national sales tax of 23 percent or 30 percent, depending on how you calculate it.

“However, I recognize that passage of the FairTax will not happen overnight,” Huckabee said in announcing the package. “In the meantime, I will eliminate the Death Tax, and seek to reduce counterproductively high personal and corporate marginal tax rates.”

Here is how Red State sees it:

For A Diet Guru, Huckabee Serves Up Serious Empty Calories to the Public

Is this man retarded?

By Erick

I’ve decided Mike Huckabee is an economic retard.

You can see his total principles here, but if you want the real highlights, look no further than this synopsis of his economic stimulus plan. It’s a keynesian recipe for big government. Liberals will love it — complete with anti-war canards.

Oversee a Work with a Federal Reserve that adopts a “pro-growth, low-inflation policy.”

Shouldn’t a candidate for President of the United States understand that he does not oversee the Federal Reserve? It is an independent body. And saying that he will oversee a Fed that “adopts a ‘pro-growth, low-inflation policy’” is about like saying “I will oversee a flock of seagulls and make sure they fly over beaches pooping on people.” That’s what they do anyway.

Increase defense spending to 6 percent of GDP.

What the hell?! I’m not arguing with the fact that defense spending needs to be increased, but come on Mike! As part of a stimulus plan?! That’s keynesian economics — let the government spend out of the economic downturn.

Recruit and train “thousands” of troops and “bring our National Guard and Reserves back home.”

What the hell does this have to do with stimulating the economy? You’ve just adopted a retarded talking point from the left. That’s idiocy speaking out of your butt to put that in an economic stimulus plan. Why don’t you make Kathleen Sebelius your running mate while you are at it. I mean, she’s the one always out trumpeting the canard about her state not being disaster prepared because all the national guard troops are in Iraq.

Build a fence along the US-Mexico border “with American labor and American materials.”

Hey! Let’s be populist and protectionist at the same time! To hell with getting the best deal — let’s just make sure it’s American made. No doubt you already have a donor in mind to whom you will flow federal dollars to buy the fence posts.

End U.S. dependency on Middle Eastern oil by January, 2019.

How in God’s name will that stimulate the economy? Please explain.

If this is the best you can do, you are economically retarded. And it shows.

Stick to the social issues, Mike, and hire a supply-sider to explain your economic policies. This is just amateur and you can and should do better.

*Note: Krempasky informs me that the reporter used “oversee” and Huck used “work with.” Criticism still stands. Again, the Fed is independent.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 at 9:35 pm and is filed under 2008 | Republicans, Presidential, The Chaser. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.