Mark My Words - commentary on news, politics, religion, philosophy, science and social issues

Mike Huckabee has of late tried to sound tough on illegal immigration. This is hardly surprising considering how important the issue is to Iowa voters and the upcoming Iowa caucus. Huckabee has been criticized for his scholarship for illegal aliens and Mexico consular office sweet deal, but he still maintains that he was strong in opposing illegal immigration when he was governor of Arkansas.

Perhaps in word, but not in action that was necessary to produce results.

Mike Huckabee is overselling his record of cracking down on illegal aliens as governor, claiming he ordered his state police to arrest illegal aliens when in fact he never signed the agreement with federal authorities that would have allowed it.
Mr. Huckabee signed a bill that began the process, but he never followed through with signing an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to secure training for state police officers. Without it, they cannot enforce federal immigration law.
[...]
Immigration-control groups say they fear Mr. Huckabee could repeat President Bush's track record on immigration, which they say amounted to tough talk but a failure to follow through. (source)

That story prompted me to look a bit more into what's claimed at Mike Huckabee's campaign site.

Huckabee campaign site:
I oppose and will never allow amnesty. I passionately rejected the amnesty bill that President Bush and Sen. McCain tried to ram through Congress this summer after secret meetings of an under-the-radar cabal of amnesty-loving senators.

However, Huckabee says he won't be placing illegal aliens at the back of the line, it will only take weeks or days, video here. So how is that not just another form of amnesty by way of a "touch back" shell game?

Huckabee campaign site:
I oppose giving driver's licenses to illegals, such as Governor Spitzer tried to do in New York. I support legislation that would prevent the states from granting this privilege to illegals. In 2005, I signed legislation that prevents illegals in Arkansas from getting driver's licenses.

And yet in 2001, while Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee supported giving driver's licenses to illegal aliens. It's also interesting what else Mike Huckabee did in 2005.

"During the legislation session, Huckabee criticized an immigration bill by Republican senators Jim Holt of Springdale and Denny Altes of Fort Smith as un-Christian, un-American, irresponsible and anti-life.
Senate Bill 206, which died in the Senate, would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote and also force state agencies to report suspected cases of people living in the country illegally. Holt, R-Springdale, replied later to Huckabee's comments that Christian charity does not include turning a blind eye to lawbreaking." (source)

So, only two years ago Mike Huckabee was severely bashing proof of citizenship to vote and reporting illegals living in the state.

Huckabee campaign site:
I will not tolerate employers who hire illegals - they must be punished by fines and penalties so large that they will understand it is not worth the risk.

Except that Mike Huckabee criticized ICE raids of Tyson foods chicken plants when he was governor. Of course, per his usual shtick, he claimed his opposition was only about the children. Seems to me I've heard that "it's for the children" justification before and it's always about tugging at the emotions and deflecting for the issues at hand. I usually don't hear such from conservatives either.

It's also rather difficult to have your local law enforcement work with federal agents, when you conveniently don't get around to finalizing the negotiations, as noted previously.

Huckabee campaign site:
I oppose and will never allow amnesty. I passionately rejected the amnesty bill that President Bush and Sen. McCain tried to ram through Congress this summer after secret meetings of an under-the-radar cabal of amnesty-loving senators.

Yet, out of the other side of his mouth.

2006: Supported President Bush's immigration plan and claimed that opposition to Bush's proposal was driven by "racism or nativism" and that it wasn't amnesty. (Ralph Hallow, "Huckabee 'Serious' About Presidency," Washington Times, 5/17/06) (source)

Mitt Romney has declined in the polls lately, in part because he's seen as a person who will say anything to get elected. Whether or not that is true or substantial enough to reject him as a candidate, it's quite obvious that Mike Huckabee is cut from the same cloth, though he's much more adept at wiggling around his past.

Mike Huckabee is a great communicator. It's unfortunate that talent is in service to glossing over his flip flops on important issues or deflecting from the real matter and focusing on something else. Last time we elected someone that slick to the Presidency, we came away with the word clintonesque.

Relates posts:

Huckabee - what kind of preacher is this?
Mike Huckabee - a twofer
Huckabee - Christian leader?
The taming of a shrewd
Evangelicals - short term thinkers?
It's a good thing I'm registered as an independent
Why I don't heart Huckabee

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Filed under: Politics

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