Why you should vote for him:
Mike Huckabee is not like other conservative Republicans in the current presidential race.
He admits to the necessity of organized labor in the United States. During a GOP debate in October of 2007, Huckabee admitted that organized labor will be something the average U.S. worker strives for while CEOs and other high-ranking corporate officials make exponentially more money than the average worker, causing huge socio-economic divides.
Huckabee’s acknowledgment of the importance of unions made him the lone Republican to be endorsed by the International Association of Machinists among Democrats John Edwards and Sen. Hillary Clinton. His support shows that he’s a Republican candidate for the common worker, not just the corporations for which they often work.
This former Arkansas governor is a true social conservative, supporting common flashpoint issues of evangelical voters that became the deciding factors in President George W. Bush’s re-election in 2004. He opposes any gun control whatsoever, favors enforcement of the death penalty and approves of teacher-led prayer in schools. If these moral issues are of the utmost important to a voter, then Huckabee is the ideal candidate, as he stands firmly planted on these beliefs.
Why you shouldn’t vote for him:
Looking at what Huckabee stands for, he’s on track to becoming the next Bush – and that’s not a good thing.
Republicans often pride themselves in their push for states’ rights. Nevertheless, Huckabee believes that on issues of abortion, no state should have the right to decide who can choose, as he has decided it’s morally repugnant.
He has also said the Constitution would be better if it were changed to meet God’s standards, instead of the standards of man.
Huckabee has made statements in the past that can be misconstrued as homophobic. He said in June of 2007 that tolerance of homosexuality was a result of changing societal standards. In the early 1990s, he said people with AIDS should be quarantined. He believes the moral fiber of the nation would best be served with fixed morals. He is not about changing things in this country, and a president’s willingness to prevent change in society can be very dangerous.
Fixed social adherences and practices are no different from cultures that went into obscurity because of their unwillingness to adapt to the changes in society and civilization. Huckabee appears to be one of those people who want to subscribe to those kinds of beliefs.
-John P. Gamboa is a journalism junior.
-This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, major and year in school.
