Two reasons I hope that Huckabee wins the GOP nomination

#1 - it would be a landslide win for the Democrats. Once we start tearing into his many ethical lapses as governor, nobody but the extreme right would want to vote for this guy.

#2 - and most importantly - he's a big supporter of the FAIR TAX. Bring it on, buddy. Let's get this debate out in the open. You know it's a sham when its biggest proponent is a loud-mouth racist blowhard on Reich-wing talk radio. I would love nothing more than to drag the Fair Tax out of the supporters, where it's enjoying a nice little underground movement, and expose it to the light of day. Once everyone gets to see what a SHAM the "Fair" Tax is - how it would completely demolish the economy - we won't have to deal with its annoying supporters anymore. The only thing more annoying than seeing all these "Bush/Cheney '04" are these insipid "Fair Tax" stickers. It would be so much fun watching Huckabee wither on stage during a debate as the Democratic nominee tears his precious Fair Tax into shreds.

I'd like to see batshit crazy Huckabee get the nom, too.

Which they always do. If we're going to do battle on the "Fair Tax" we need to get to work right away re-naming it the "Poor Tax". Otherwise we will lose that battle.

Would you care to elaborate? Thanks!

Basically, the Fair Tax seeks to eliminate all income taxes (even for corporations), and replace it with a national sales tax. This sales tax is levied on everything - goods, food, medicine, services, etc. Their proponents claim that the tax would be around 23%. They also claim that since companies will no longer be paying income taxes, that their prices will drop to reflect that. Coincidentally, they claim that about 23% of all retail costs are "embedded taxes", which would disappear. That's an awful lot of assumptions to make, and assumes that businesses are going to want to part with that extra money they would be collecting.

They claim that everyone would get a "prebate" check every month for the amount that they would spend on sales tax up to the poverty limit. How they're intending to accomplish this, I have no idea. Sounds like a logistical nightmare that might make the current IRS pale in comparison.

In addition, many non-biased experts have said that the sales tax would need to be much higher - at least 30%, it not more - to adequately fund the government.

It's a regressive tax, that places a heavier tax burden on the poor. There are plenty of other holes in the Fair Tax, if you want to do a Google search.

The poorest wouldn't end up paying taxes at all-- up to the "poverty limit" which I heard was around $30,000. A consumption tax sounded good to me because the rich have no way to avoid it through tax shelters, etc, and would end up paying A LOT more in taxes overall because they spend a lot.

But I will go do some further reading. Thanks!

Don't go by just these links, feel free to do your own research also.

http://www.factcheck.org/taxes/unspinning_the_fairtax.html

http://www.mises.org/story/1814

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118800635034508655.html (requires subscription to Wall Street Journal)

http://fairtaxfraud.com/

If you type in "Fair Tax scam" or "Fair Tax fraud" into Google or any other search engine, you'll turn up plenty of hits.

he's a NICE guy....who cares if he thinks that Fred Flintstone cartoons are a fairly accurate representation of life six thousand years ago???

Don't overestimate the American intellect. Last time we did, we ended up with Bush--that shit shouldn't even have been close.

Methinks this is the only way that a goofball like Huckabee stands a chance in the '08 election. You're right though - Bush did "win" two terms, even if it required voter intimidation on a scale not seen since the Jim Crow days.

Someone who will whip up "concern" amongst the electorate so that they don't vote for that woman/black guy/lawyer/credit card state chitchatter and cadger of others' speeches/Mexican...what have you, depending on who gets the D nod. No caging needed--just a whispering campaign, a voter supression effort that pokes holes in our candidate with reasons that come, often as not, from bitter and ugly prejudice.

It's a sad thing to say, but it really is astounding how fucking STOOOOOPID and inattentive people are. I have discussed the charming Mister Huckabee with a number of likely voters, all of whom find him "palatable" simply because of his demeanor. When I explain to them that yes, he really, truly IS a 'Flintstones Kid' they at first do not believe me...and when I wander along later with hard evidence, they're shocked, I tell you...shocked!

"But...but...but...he's just...so...PERSONABLE!!! Such a nice fellah!! Someone you'd want to live next door to!!! He can't REALLY believe that....can he?"

I actually think he would be the biggest threat. But he won't get the nomination because I know Republicans, and if Huckabee ever comes near clinching it, his Republican rivals will trot out his Arkansas record -- which isn't nearly conservative enough, and contains the Kryptonite that will kill him: Wayne Dumond.

ArKIDS was a program he established to help support middle class kids in need of free health care. He even protected children of a group of illegal immigrants during a situation in the state and THAT didn't sit well with the normal suspects. Dangle a presidential carrot in front of these folks and the somewhat moderate get downright looney.

Yeah, he's a real liberal alright

Just that certain other things he did for the state, he wouldn't be caught dead admitting to now that he's in the national spotlight.

He's about the only one in the field with the ability to beat a Dem(Well, maybe McCain, depending on the day). Some think his name is a problem, but I'm of an opposite opinion. And most people won't get caught up in tax plan details. They just want a change, the bigger the better.

He raised only $1 million so far this quarter.

See his website: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/

$1 million bucks buys 5 TV ads.

He is the most personable of the Repub candidates, and he matches up well against some Democrats, notably, Hillary. Sure he is a lunatic, but that seems not to be a disqualifier for POTUS. He can claim a moderate record. And he has no record on the war, so he can waffle.

As an ordained minister, he can also claim some moral high ground. His wacko, new earth, anti-evolution views won't be a problem with a mostly un-intellectual electorate. I rate him as very dangerous.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/IMModerate

--IMM

NoFederales