Today I had an opportunity to meet and listen to Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas and now Republican candidate for President of the United States (leading in polls as of 14 December 2007). Huckabee was in North Liberty, Iowa at a luncheon that drew supporters from North Liberty, Iowa City, Coralville, Kalona, and elsewhere in Eastern Iowa. Click here for photos from the event. The experience changed my entire view of the political process (more about this below).

Democrat James Carville, who is respected among liberals, had this to say about Huckabee, “He likes people, he knows how to relate to people. ... He can talk the talk. I'm impressed with this guy's political skills.” [ Source: The First Post ] This seems like unexpected praise coming from someone such as James Carville -- considering that Huckabee is a Republican.

Huckabee is not a moderate, and he doesn’t gain the respect of liberals by telling them what they want to hear. He gains their respect by having a likable personality, good sense of humor, and a competent track record as Governor in achieving economic renewal and effectively responding to social needs like health care and education (what Huckabee calls National Security issues). For example, Huckabee left Arkansas with a 1 billion dollar budget surplus. [ Source: Arkansas News Bureau ]

One of the first opportunities I had to hear Mike Huckabee speak was on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. [ Video ] I was really impressed with the way Huckabee presented himself and his views. He had a lively exchange with Jon Stewart and the crowd seemed genuinely responsive to what he had to say. Huckabee discussed the most recent book he has written, From Hope to Higher Ground: 12 Stops to Restoring America’s Greatness. [ View all books by Huckabee ] In response to the book, Jon Stewart said, “What I find fascinating [is that] you are a self described conservative evangelical Republican, which strikes fear into the heart of the blue state foundation. Yet, I read this book... It could be written by, not necessarily a Socialist, but it’s pretty liberal. It speaks of healthy lifestyle, and government’s responsibility in clean air and water and environment.” To this Huckabee responded, “I’m a conservative, but I’m not mad at everybody over it. ... I’m pro-life. I think that life begins at conception, but I don’t think it ends at birth. We have to be concerned about a child’s education, healthcare, safe neighborhoods, clean water, the access to a college education. That is pro-life. To care about a child’s entire life.”

In a more recent broadcast of the Daily Show (August 22), Jon Stewart asked Barack Obama, “Is there a Republican in the field [of presidential candidates] who you admire that you think would do a good job?” Obama responded, “I think there are guys like Huckabee who are sincere and decent.”

This past January, Mike Huckabee was interviewed by Ben Kieffer of WSUI public radio here in Iowa City. [ Right click here to download the 50 minute 46.1 MB audio. ] That more lengthy interview allowed me to hear Huckabee expand upon the shorter sound bites that we normally get from the news media.

On many issues, Huckabee raises the bar -- even for Democrats. That is to say that a Democrat would need to at least match, if not exceed, Huckabee’s commitment to the environment, education, healthcare, energy independence, and other issues previously reserved for liberals to be concerned about. So, now, a Democrat who doesn’t affirm that these issues are a matter of national security will be perceived as falling short of a conservative like Huckabee.

Having a chance to meet Huckabee today has helped me get a better sense of who he is as a person. Here are a few interesting points I picked up from today’s meeting:

1. •Personal Health. In an effort to improve his health, and be an example to others, Huckabee lost 100 pounds over the past 5 years through a disciplined exercise and diet program. I also lost about 100 pounds in recent years and know how much of a challenge it can be to succeed with weight loss.
   

2. •Personal Fitness. Huckabee has run 4 marathons and is now training for a 5th. I place a high priority on fitness in my own life and know that the discipline and dedication required for physical training has benefits in other areas of life as well.
   

3. •Personal Values. Huckabee grew up in the small town of Hope, Arkansas and is concerned that television programs mostly show us a world that is a 50 mile radius of Los Angeles or New York City. He believes that television doesn’t express or reflect the real lives and values of most Americans. In his campaign, and in his political career, he tries to focus on the values and concerns of mainstream Americans.
   

4. •Education. Huckabee believes that having access to a college education has allowed him to live a better life. So, he feels that giving people access to a college education is essential. Huckabee stated that education is a national security issue. [ More about education at Mike Huckabee.com ]
   

5. •Energy Independence. Huckabee advocates that we adopt a 10-year plan for energy independence. Huckabee stated that energy independence is a national security issue. [ More about Energy Independence at Mike Huckabee.com ]
   

6. •Health Care. Believing that children deserve access to health care, Huckabee made health care available to over 200,000 kids that might not otherwise have had it. Huckabee stated that health care is a national security issue. [ More about Health Care at Mike Huckabee.com ]
   

7. •Food Independence. Huckabee stated that a nation must have a strong education, healthy people, abundant food, and domestically manufactured defense supplies for it to be truly secure.
   

8. •Social Programs. Through a welfare to work program, Huckabee was able to cut the welfare rolls by 50% in Arkansas allowing many people to get work, gain self esteem, and find economic independence. Huckabee advocates social programs that offer a hand up rather than a handout.
   

9. •Electability. Although 86% of elected officials in Arkansas are Democrat, Huckabee was repeatedly elected by the people over a ten year period. Regarding his electability, Huckabee reminded the audience that four out of five of the last presidents have been a former governor.
   

10. •Taxes. Concerned about easing the tax burden, Huckabee enacted the first tax breaks that Arkansas had in 160 years. With a concern about the complexity of existing tax codes, Huckabee supports the Fair Tax proposal -- a consumption tax. Huckabee states that such a sales tax would end the underground economy from drug traffic and other illicit activities. Huckabee stated that there are 10 trillion dollars that corporations have parked off-shore in an effort to evade taxes.
    

11. •Justice. Because of a concern about due process and our legal system, Huckabee stated that our current tax code is contrary to our sense of justice. In America a person should be innocent until proven guilty. With our current tax system, a person can be accused of tax fraud and they will be guilty until they can prove their innocence. Presumably Huckabee would be opposed to arresting and detaining people who have not had a trial or been proven guilty.
    

12. •War on Terror. Regarding the war on terror, Huckabee stated that the war is essentially a theological war rather than a geopolitical war. Huckabee explained, “Our enemies don't have a country, or a flag, or generals.” Violent religious fanaticism is a threat to Christians, Jews, and moderate Muslims. It is a threat to everyone.
    

13. •Balancing Domestic Needs and Foreign Relations. Regarding the question of how Huckabee would spend his time, whether on domestic needs or foreign relations. Huckabee stated that just as both wings of an airplane are equally important, domestic and world issues are equally important to a nation. He emphasized the need to invest in our national infrastructure.
    

14. •Faith and Politics. Having been a Pastor before, Huckabee was asked on one occasion, “Are you one of those narrow minded people who think only Baptists go to heaven?” Huckabee answered jokingly, “No, I'm more narrow minded than that. I don't think all Baptists are going to heaven.” Huckabee’s religious views include a respect for more than just those among his own denominational affiliation. Huckabee referred to religious extremism as a threat to Christians, Jews, and moderate Muslims. Although Huckabee doesn’t profusely quote from the Bible like other politicians, one should remember that the book of Esther doesn’t refer to the name of God once, yet the presence of God fills the book. Perhaps you’ll also recall the significant historic role that Esther played. [ More about Faith and Politics at Mike Huckabee.com ]
    

15. •About Republicans. Regarding the losses of elected positions held by Republicans recently, Huckabee stated that “Republicans got fired for not doing a good job.” In his only reference to the Bible, Huckabee referred to the “Parable of the Talents” that states one who is faithful in little will be given more, but one who is not faithful in little, that will be taken from them. (Matthew 25:14-28) He stated that the Republicans lost their positions because they were not being faithful to serve the public interest.
    

16. •Conservative Stuff. I’m told that Huckabee is a conservative. I know that evangelicals and conservatives support him. Yet at the same time, he is admired and respected by people like Jon Stewart and James Carville. So what makes Huckabee a conservative? At today’s meeting he made passing mention of the fact that he is pro-life. When interviewed on the Jon Stewart show, Huckabee stated about his pro-life stance that he believe pro-life should include supporting children after they are born with health care and education and not just concerning oneself with children before they are born. I don’t remember what else there is about Huckabee that makes him a conservative other than the fact that he is a religious person with faith in God, which these days is viewed as an ultra-right wing conservative thing.
    

THE URGENCY OF RESTORING THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN AMERICA

Many people in the U.S. are disillusioned by the political process today. Unfortunately, the same negative forces control both parties. [ Source: NPR | Wikipedia ] This is why the need for campaign finance reform is a topic raised by members of both parties. Organizations such as OpenSecrets.org have pointed out that large corporate donors who control both parties are not always interested in what’s in the public’s interest but instead they are interested in what will produce the greatest profits. As a result of these concerns, initiatives such as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 have been advanced by both parties.

Ultimately, massive grass-roots citizen involvement is necessary to move politics to higher ground and take the political process back. It’s not that “the Democrats” are bad, or that “the Republicans” are bad, the problem is that a small number of individuals and corporate interests are influencing the political process for their personal gain and interest. If regular citizens would get involved, both parties could be reformed for the better.

For the benefit of my conservative Republican friends who may be reading this journal entry, I should explain that my interest and involvement in the Democratic party is largely because of how outspoken the party is about worker’s rights, healthcare reform, corporate ethics, preventing war, funding education, stopping torture, embracing diplomacy, global cooperation, balancing the budget (creating a surplus rather than a deficit), observing international treaties, preserving due process, and protecting the environment. I generally don’t hear Republicans talking about these issues that are important to me. Also, having been raised a Democrat, I’ve felt I should try to do my part to make the party the best it can be.

In recent years, through the Political Resource Group, I’ve advocated that people should develop a political portfolio. This means that we should consider our political “representatives” to be more than just the elected officials who are from our district or state. We should support any politician, anywhere in the nation, who is speaking up for the issues and causes we believe in. Since I’m a Democrat and generally left leaning on many social and global issues, I put together a portfolio of candidates on the Act Blue website. Since candidates are more likely to listen to someone who is a member of their party and a supporter of their campaign, having a portfolio of candidates has given me greater access and influence.

In addition to the portfolio principle, I decided that I would stay involved and engaged in politics -- in and out of election cycles. I also decided that I would support candidates before they even declared they were running for any office, and continue supporting them in their career of public service even if they lost a particular election. For example, I started supporting Barack Obama years before he declared that he was running for president. Similarly, after I saw Huckabee on Jon Stewart, I sent him a donation.

At today’s event, Mike Huckabee was introduced by Pastor Brad Sherman of Solid Rock Church and Get Purpose Ministries. A very important point that Brad made, which is true for liberals and conservatives, is that people often feel that election day is about making a choice between the lesser of two evils. So people just, “hold their nose and vote.” Brad urged those attending the event to get involved and stay involved in the political process. If not, we might not like the choices we are given every two to four years. Knowing Brad in his role as a pastor, I can see that this reflects his view that religion isn’t about just going to church once a year (for Easter) or even every Sunday, but instead we benefit from activities  we are regularly engaged in and mindful of.

I have a question for my “Liberal Democrat” friends and “Conservative Republican” friends reading this journal entry. How certain are you that someone from your party will be our next president? If you’re honest, you’ll accept the fact that the odds are about as good as with a coin toss who will become president, since many elections have been split 50-50, or 51-49. Nobody knows for sure who will become our next president.

With a 50% chance that our next president will be a member of the “other” party, wouldn’t it make sense to be involved in both Republican and Democratic party politics? Why just have influence in one party? If you don’t become involved in both parties, then you are only experiencing 50% of the aspect of our citizenship that involves the political process. Don’t like what the “other” party stands for? Then change it! Influence it! What if you knew that whatever the results were, heads or tails, you would win every election? By influencing both parties you can. This is what the large corporations do. I’m not advocating that you become the next Jack Abramoff. What I am saying is that both parties need regular folks to get involved and take the political process back from the minority controlling it now.

After listening to Mike Huckabee today, and finding strong agreement with much of what he said, and with what he has done in his public service career, I realized that “liberals” and “conservatives” actually share many of the same concerns. I want to make sure that Democrats and Republicans make a priority of issues like education, health care, and energy independence. The only way I can do that, is to get engaged in politics, stay engaged in politics, and find candidates in both parties who will address and respond to these concerns.

The political process is like a stereo system with two speakers. There’s a volume knob, balance control, and equalizer. By supporting candidates from both parties, one turns up the volume in the left and right speakers. Then, almost like an equalizer adjusts specific frequencies, by selecting issues you care about, such as promoting physical fitness, one can encourage candidates on the left and right to address these issues, while turning the volume down on other issues.

So, I’m advocating that every Democrat and Republican choose candidates from the other party that they will support in addition to those from their own party. These won’t necessarily be people who you agree with politically on every issue. However they should be people you feel are competent, trustworthy, and likable. Republicans might choose someone like Bill Richardson, or Barack Obama (who President George W. Bush referred to respectively as being someone like the Pope). Democrats might choose someone like Huckabee. Richardson, Obama, and Huckabee are public servants who have bipartisan respect and have accomplished bipartisan goals. This makes them more viable as winning candidates. It also makes them non-polarizing leaders who can help unite the country rather than create more division.

Why should you broaden your political involvement to include supporting candidates from another party? Because at least if your first choice from your own party doesn’t win in an election, you’ll hopefully like the person we end up with from the other party.

How can you support Mike Huckabee? Simply go to the MikeHuckabee.com website and follow the three simple steps presented there.

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For more reading, Nicholas Johnson has an excellent article and photos from this event.