Former Arkansas Governor Delivers a Strong Performance at the GOP Debate at the Ronald Reagan Library
Little Rock, AR - Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee spoke to the American people about the vital issue of the economy at the GOP Presidential Debate at the Reagan Library. Huckabee reiterated a common theme of his campaign, that average Americans are struggling in the current economy.
"If you talk to people driving trucks, they'll tell you fuel prices are higher. They are not making more money to haul items, but they are spending more to do it," Huckabee said. "I think what Americans are looking for is someone who will talk straight with them. We need to have someone who will address policies, not just for the people at the top, but for the average American."
Huckabee said a new infrastructure package would help stimulate the U.S. economy. "For every dollar we spend, it would create jobs. Let's create more jobs with American workers, American concrete and American steel," he said.
Huckabee has the most executive leadership of any Republican candidate, having served as governor of Arkansas for more than ten years. He believes that experience makes him the best qualified person to lead this country.
"When you're a governor, you manage a microcosm of the federal government," Huckabee said. "Washington doesn't understand how states operate, but states understand how Washington operates because we had to deal with unfunded mandates."
Huckabee touted his conservative credentials, earned while serving as governor of Arkansas.
"I created the first broad-based tax cut with a 90 percent Democratic legislature. I balanced a budget every year, I consistently supported the human life amendment, I also supported the marriage amendment - two conservative hallmarks," he said. "I believe in less government and lower taxes."
On the issue of illegal immigration, Huckabee spoke of his plan to build a border fence.
"What we have to do is have a secure border fence and I propose to do that within 18 months of office," Huckabee said. "We have to have a process where the people who are here have to go to the back of the line and start over, that way we create a system that's legal and protects the dignity of all Americans."
Huckabee said he supports the "Reagan doctrine" on peace through strength. "We must have enough troop strength of the regular Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine, so that we don't have extended deployments out of the National Guard."
On the issue of Iraq, Huckabee said the U.S. needs to do what it takes to "get out of there with victory and honor. We owe it to those who have gone before - so that they have not gone in vain, and for our future sons and daughters, so that they don't have to go there again soon."
Huckabee said he has a consistent record of being pro-life.
"I value every human life, I would make every decision on the side of life." It goes to the heart of who we are as a country," Huckabee said. "I'm pro-life."
Noting that the last four of out of five presidents were governors, Huckabee said that "governors understand leadership. There is no such thing as an isolated issue - education, health care, economic development, they are all related.
"Governors don't get to specialize - we don't have that luxury. We need to be able to handle on any given day, a variety of issues, and understand how they are woven together. "Real leadership recognizes what your decisions do to people at the bottom - it's seeing the whole field," he said.
When asked if President Reagan would endorse his candidacy, Huckabee said "I endorse President Reagan and let me tell you why: Ronald Reagan was more than a policy wonk - he loved this country and he inspired us to believe in ourselves again. He loved America and he knew it is a good nation.
"We need to recapture that American can-do spirit. He brought that to our country and made us believe in ourselves. I hope we continue to believe in ourselves again, and what made him a great American."
