Notable Website Links

RealClearPolitics - Articles and a compilation of presidential race polls from around the nation
Politico - Current political news articles, much of it directed at the presidential race
DrudgeReport - Up-to-the-minute news compilation resource from around the web, always containing a section about the latest presidential race news
Article 6 Blog - Dedicated to the study and application in the 2008 Presidential race of Article VI of the Constitution

Official GOP Candidate Campaign Sites
Mitt Romney
John McCain
Rudy Giuliani
Mike Huckabee
Fred Thompson

LDS Faith Resources:
Mormon.org - Introduction to the beliefs of the LDS Church
LDS.org - Official Website of the LDS Church
Jeff Lindsay - Lay member of the church tackles arguments against the LDS church

Southern Baptist Resources:
SBC.net - Official Website of the Southern Baptist Convention

Huckabee on Foreign Policy

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"A senior aide to Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee admitted Friday that the former Arkansas governor had "no foreign policy credentials" after his comments reacting to the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto raised questions."

"Huckabee's foreign policy credentials have been under a microscope since the candidate admitted that he was unaware of an intelligence report that Iran had suspended its nuclear weapons program earlier this month."

"Huckabee's Friday comments on immigration came after he appeared to make another gaffe Thursday, when he seemed to suggest incorrectly that Pakistan was under martial law...Later Thursday, at an event in West Des Moines, Iowa, Huckabee told CNN that 'it was not that I was unaware it was suspended, two weeks ago, lifted.'"

• From CNN, Dec 28, http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/28/huckabee.foreign.policy/index.html

"People who questioned my view of foreign policy probably need go back and read the speech that I delivered back in Washington in September. … What we’ve seen happen is that in the Musharraf government, he has told us that he really does not have enough control of those eastern borders near Afghanistan to be able go after the terrorists. But on the other hand, he doesn’t want us going in because it violates his sovereignty."

• From ThinkProgress, Dec 28, http://thinkprogress.org/2007/12/28/huckabee-pakistan/

"Fred Thompson called on his Republican presidential rival Mike Huckabee on Friday to explain why he said the U.S. should apologize for the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

'That's hard to understand,' Thompson said in one of his few umprompted direct criticisms of another GOP candidate.

He was referring to a comment Huckabee made Thursday in response to Bhutto's slaying. Huckabee offered 'our sincere concern and apologies for what has happened in Pakistan.'"

• From Tennessean, Dec 28, http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071228/NEWS0206/71228013

I'm concerned that Gov. Huckabee cannot get even the high school basics on Foreign Policy down. Clueless about Iran and the NIE, Pakistan's lifting of martial law, apologies for the assassination of Bhutto, to basic geography. This man thinks he can effectively lead the United States in a world of turmoil with the U.S.'s shaky standing on foreign policy issues? I can't clearly vote for a Presidential candidate who knows so little on foreign policy issues.

National Commentaries On Huckabee

Bob Dole's Response to Huckabee's Criticsm of Bush:

"Unexpected late intervention by Bob Dole in the Iowa Republican caucuses confirms that Mike Huckabee may have blundered by assailing President George W. Bush's 'arrogant bunker mentality' in international affairs. 'Why have you joined the 'Bush bashers'?' Dole asked in a letter to Huckabee that he made public....Dole, who won the 1996 Iowa caucuses en route to the presidential nomination, told Huckabee that Iowans would not approve of his attack on Bush (who still gets 80 percent approval from Republicans)."

• Robert Novak, Dec 29, posted on RealClearPolitics http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/12/huckabee_slipping.html

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National Talk Show Host, Glenn Beck, recounted a story of his encounter with Gov. Huckabee recently:

"Well, [Huckabee] tried to explain to me that [his question about Mormons believing Jesus and Satan were brothers] was just eight or ten words in an 8100-word newspaper article. To me it was the question that he asked.

I said, you know, Governor, if you really want to know, you'd ask somebody who knows, and I don't think that's a reporter at the New York Times.

He said, well, he was a very bright man.

I said, I'm sure he is. I'm sure he is, but you would ask somebody who knows. And if you would like to know, I arranged this for Al Sharpton…I said, you know, why don't you go to meet with some of the heads of the church? Why don't you ask them these questions. Why don't you educate yourself on that. He didn't take me up on that. Didn't quite frankly show any interest. I didn't expect him to. I don't really honestly believe that -- I don't believe the man -- here's what I said.

…. I don't think Mike Huckabee had any empathy for me or anybody else that happens to be of Mitt Romney's faith. Because I said to him at the end, I said, you know what, it's not that you offended me. It's not that you hurt me. I said, I know the pain you caused other people. I know I am so sick and tired of people who were chased out of this country with torches and pitchforks and buried their children in the plains because they wanted to worship God of their own understanding."

• Glenn Beck, Dec 14, http://www.glennbeck.com/news/12142007a.shtm

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Ann Coulter made this comment:

"[Huckabee] supports a nationwide smoking ban anyplace where people work, constitutional protection for sodomy, big government, higher taxes and government benefits for illegal aliens. According to my calculations, that puts him about three earmarks away from being Nancy Pelosi. "

• Ann Coulter, Dec 26, http://www.anncoulter.com/

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Rush Limbaugh had this to say about Huckabee's Conservatism:

"Huckabee is using his devout Christianity to mask some other things that are distinctively not conservative. He is against free trade. He's really doesn't believe in free market. Well, let me read what George Will wrote today... 'Huckabee's campaign actually is what Rudy Giuliani's candidacy is misdescribed as being -- a comprehensive apostasy against core Republican beliefs. Giuliani departs from recent Republican stances regarding two issues -- abortion and the recognition by the law of same-sex couples. Huckabee's radical candidacy broadly repudiates core Republican policies such as free trade, low taxes, the essential legitimacy of America's corporate entities and the market system allocating wealth and opportunity."

• Rush Limbaugh, Dec 20, http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_122007/content/01125106.guest.html

Faith in America - Romney & JFK

Romney's Speech: (Video | Text)

JFK's Speech: (Video)

I do admit that there were different flavors of arguments between Romney and JFK, but the overall message was the same: A candidate should not be chosen because of his/her faith.

Some claim that JFK wanted an absolute separation of church and state whereas Romney wanted to mix the two. The claim is made that JFK declared a secular government "…the separation of church and state is absolute," whereas, he defined that statement immediately following. In essence, the church won't tell the president how to act, no church would tell it's parishioners how to vote, or where somebody is denied public office because of his religion. JFK defined what he meant quite clearly as did Romney. The message on this was the same.

Romney said, "No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion." He added, "Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin." Also, "I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty.' ...Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government."

Both explanations coincide. Romney took JFK's speech further when he added that the country was founded on God given principles. That is our heritage, that is our history. Romney calls for the same separation declared by JFK but expands the argument by adding that he will not forget our founding and lasting heritage.

Presidential Manager

The Argument:

I don't know why people think that being a businessman means you can run a country. First of all, running a business is for personal profit. Running a country does nothing to profit you. Maybe if you do a good job, you may see some return, but you are really living on a fixed income. I welcome any facts that can prove this assertion wrong.

Second, a business is about giving a service or business in return for profit. However, much of the stuff that government does is not for profit. The only profit that the government sees from much of this stuff is from taxes, fees, and various other measures such as casinos or lotteries.

Third, business expertise won't help you with foreign policy decisions much. The only aspects of business I can see helping with that is the advertising and image part of business. Again, I welcome those who want to prove me wrong.

I will say that Mitt Romney is an excellent businessman. That doesn't mean he's the most qualified to be president.

The Response:

First off, let's take a stroll through modern presidential history:

FDR: Excellent manager. Though he grew the executive branch enormously, he could manage it well. His control and goals made their way into action.

Truman: Couldn't control General McArthur. Meagerly managed. Pushed through steel mills debacle.

Eisenhower: Military manager. Same thing. Did fairly well dealing with the government left behind by FDR.

Kennedy: Terrible manager (ie Bay of Pigs - no control over CIA/Military). Got better, but not perfect (Cuban Missile Crisis).

Johnson: Overall disaster in management. Couldn't teach the reality of his two socially and fiscally opposing programs: The Great Society and Vietnam.

Nixon: Could not control those under him (Watergate). Paranoid.

Carter: Micromanager. Couldn't see beyond one day's tasks (had to personally approve requests to use the White House tennis courts). Excluded himself from his cabinet and exec branch.

Reagan: Decisive (air traffic controllers, bombing Qaddafi), trusted that people would correctly do their jobs but didn't follow up (Iran-Contra), Determined and dedicated to his cause and made it happen (collapse of USSR, communist Europe).

Clinton: Chose not to lead (Scandal, Sudan, Khobar Towers). Promised much, managed to give little (Health care)

Bush 43: Selling the war through the Exec Branch (did well). Management of post-Iraq war (did poorly).

You see that management, especially of a bloated executive branch, is necessary for government to do something and run smooth. FDR expanded the Executive substantially and it has grown larger since. A President must have the managerial skills necessary to control the bloated bureaucracy.

Romney has cut the fat and was able to lead a multi billion dollar corp (Bain & Co) and has done so as a venture capitalist with other large corporations such as Dominoes, Staples, Toys "R" Us, Broder Bros., and pharmaceutical group Warner Chilcott.

Romney, using his brilliant business skills and knowledge, rescued the Salt Lake Olympics from a $376 million shortfall resulting from the bid scandal. With an attached $300 million security budget due to the then-recent 9-11 terrorist attacks, Romney was able to generate $100 million in profits, while not taking a salary. Romney did all this for no personal profit. That says something about Romney's character.

He went on to govern Massachusetts, inheriting a $3 billion deficit. He worked his Bain & Co. magic and made a $.7 billion surplus in just over two years.

Managerial skills, which Romney has demonstrated time and again, are necessary for the president. Richard Neustadt, Goffman, Heclo, and Edwards, political scientists that focus on the Presidency, all agree that management is ABSOLUTELY necessary for a successful term in office.

Of course, management as necessary as it is, is not whole picture. Vision, drive, intelligence, and policy making are all necessary too. Romney is the best Presidential candidate (Dems included) with the greatest amount of these qualities. He would make an outstanding President.