1/15/08

Did Huckabee Just Jump The Constitutional Shark?

Think Progress reports:

At a campaign stop yesterday, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee recommended — to a cheering audience — that the Constitution be “changed” to fit “God’s standards”:

I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And that’s what we need to do is amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than trying to change God’s standards so it lines up with some contemporary view of how we treat each other and how we treat the family.

Rawstory notes that in response, MSNBC’s “Mika Brzezinski was almost speechless, and even Joe Scarborough couldn’t immediately find much to say beyond calling it ‘interesting.’”

Think Progress has some video up on this.

I can't help but think this is a message that will resonate with such a tiny slice of the population. There may be a lot of people in the US that believe in god, but they do not all share Huckabee's Christianist beliefs of tearing down The Wall of Separation, and I am pretty sure that the majority understand how the separation of church and state is what has protected religious freedom in this country. Huckabee does not share my views as a values voter...

Even the establishment Republican power brokers, as powerless as they are becoming in this GOP death spiral, will be alarmed to hear this sort of statement. Mind you, they were already alarmed about his winning in Iowa with a populist message. Populism and hyper-Christianism combined together must be their worst nightmare in a GOP presidential candidate. Traditionally, Republican powers only pander to these types. They aren't supposed to actually want to have any power beyond voting for the GOP like sheep.

Somehow, I am pretty sure that Republican power brokers won't be the only one's alarmed with this message. And I am pretty certain that this will alarm some moderate conservatives even more when they think about the fact that this guy actually won in Iowa. They really have to be left wondering about BOTH the voters and the candidates in the republican party.

2 comments:

A Red Mind in a Blue State said...

True Republicans Barry Goldwater and Teddy Roosevelt warned us about injecting religion into American politics. After the decimation of our party by W and Lott and Delay and the rest of the Southern Republicans, if Huckabee is the nominee I fear they'll be no more GOP north of the Mason-Dixon. The last Republican in NY, please shut out the lights.

Connecticut Man1 said...

I will say this about Huckabee: His populism message is an obvious winner with all voters, given a look at what bush has done to the average American's wallet. The economic tsunami will happen now, regardless of policies to prop it up. A populist message is the only reason Edwards has no campaign money, but plenty of grassroots support. But this Christianist ideal of some mythical "religious foundation of the USA" will be as disastrous to the GOP as you state.

It would be even more disastrous to the country if Huckabee were actually elected and acted on his religious beliefs.

And thanks for the input!