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    Who are the NERD fund donors Mr Snyder?

    Raise the curtain.

    NOW is the Time for MI's Pro-Life Community to Rally Around Mike Huckabee for President!


    By Andrew Shirvell, Section News
    Posted on Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 12:54:06 AM EST
    Tags: (all tags)

    (Editor's note: Remember boys and girls, the opinions expressed in folks' personal blogs on Right Michigan are their own and not necessarily those of... well... me.)

    Ok.  I'll admit it.  Up until a little while ago, I remained uninspired by any of the GOP hopefuls running to be the country's next chief executive and I frankly was not convinced that the former Arkansas governor, and pro-life stalwart, Mike Huckabee, had any sort of realistic chance of actually winning the GOP nomination.

    Of course, now that he's caught fire in Iowa, New Hampshire, and here in Michigan, I'm officially joining the Huckabee bandwagon.  After months of searching for a viable, hard-core pro-life candidate there is no doubt in my mind that pro-lifers and other social conservatives must rally around Huckabee if we want a true believer in the White House come January 2009.

    But before we get to January '09, we must get through January '08, and, more specifically, Michigan's rapidly approaching presidential primary - now cemented on January 15, 2008.  Hence, time is very short and it's do or die for those of us in the Michigan pro-life community who want to see the next president finally dismantle Roe v Wade via a Supreme Court appointment in the mold of a John Roberts or Samuel Alito. REPEAT: We are most likely just ONE Supreme Court appointment away from DISMANTLING Roe!

    Grassroots leaders in the Michigan pro-life community - start your engines for the presidential primary race culminating here on January 15th.

    In fact, some leaders are already hard at work.

    A recent MIRS article relates that pro-life/pro-family champions Gary Glenn, the president of the American Family Association of Michigan, and long-time grassroots activist Tom McMillin are busy mobilizing Michigan's evangelical Christian community for Huckabee.  Huckabee has a natural appeal to the evangelical community given his credentials as an ordained, and well-experienced, Baptist preacher.

    Glenn's support of Huckabee is especially weighty.  MIRS also reports that former U.S. Senate candidate, and Michigan GOP grassroots leader, Rev. Keith Butler is also now on board with Huckabee.

    While Michigan's pro-life evangelical leadership is solidifying around Huckabee, conservative Catholics - the other half of the pro-life base here in Michigan - appear to be moving towards Huckabee as well.  However, the pro-life conservative Catholic community, in general, is much more fractured.  

    When Kansas Senator Sam Brownback entered the race, he seemed like a natural fit for conservative Catholics as he is a strong pro-life champion.  However, a largely unspoken problem with Brownback's appeal to the larger conservative Christian community was that Brownback had actually converted from Methodism to Roman Catholicism, i.e. from being a baptized Protestant to a church-going Catholic, which really did not sit well with a large segment of the evangelical Christian community.  Hence, despite throwing gobs of what little money he could raise into Iowa, Brownback just could not build the slow, but steady, support and trust of church-going evangelical Christians (and their leadership), and had to bow out of the presidential race very early.  Thus, with Brownback gone, conservative, pro-life Catholics have been splitting their support among other presidential candidates, including former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson.

    Unlike the issue of Brownback's religious conversion within the evangelical Christian community, I do not believe that Huckabee's status as a Baptist preacher can really hurt him within the conservative Catholic community here in Michigan (and elsewhere).  It's really a matter of whether Huckabee can inspire this crucial portion of the Michigan GOP's pro-life base by the time January 15th rolls around.

    How much support Huckabee may receive from conservative, pro-life Michigan Catholics may well depend on if Right to Life of Michigan (RTL of MI), the state's largest and most influential pro-life organization, decides to endorse a candidate prior to January 15th.  So far, RTL of MI's PAC has not made any endorsement in the GOP presidential primary and it might just possibly sit this one out.  

    The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) has placed its bet on Fred Thompson, and several state affiliates have followed suit, such as Wisconsin Right to Life and South Carolina Citizens for Life.  But not all affiliates have marched in lock step with the NRLC.  Last week, Georgia Right to Life broke with its mother organization and endorsed Mike Huckabee.  See: http://www.lifenews.com/state2650.html  

    I truly hope that RTL of MI follows the lead of Georgia Right to Life and makes a bold move in favor of Huckabee.  Time is running short!

    The fate of countless, precious unborn lives depends upon a TRUE BELIEVER in the pro-life movement's goals occupying the White House come January 2009.

    If we really want to eradicate Roe v Wade and return the abortion debate to the individual State level in anticipation of an eventual national Human Life Amendment to the Constitution that will unequivocally enshrine the right to life for all, then the entire Michigan pro-life community must rally around a true believing presidential candidate.

    That candidate is Mike Huckabee.

    "Now is the Kingdom.  Now is the day."

    About the author: Andrew Shirvell, Esq., is a pro-life citizen activist who writes a weekly column that is published every Thursday for RightMichigan.com in which he focuses upon Michigan pro-life issues. Shirvell attended Ave Maria School of Law - Ann Arbor, where he served as president of the school's Bioethics Society, from 2004-2005.  He also served as president of Students for Life at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, from 2000-2002.

    < Portrait of a Tax Hiker: Gino Polidori (D-Dearborn) | Michigan becomes the center of attention! (I just wish Congress would stop picking on us...) >


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    Display: Sort:
    The Huckabee Hoax (none / 0) (#1)
    by DMOnline on Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 03:04:57 PM EST
    Ah yes...another social conservative who's fallen under the spell of the spellbinding Mike Huckabee.  Snap out of it!

    Were you aware Mike Huckabee does not support school choice?  Home schooling either?  Nope, Mike believes government holds all the answers to all our problems and it needs to play a greater role in your life.

    Don't fall for his folksy witticisms that contain zero substance.  ("And the ultimate thing is, I may not be the expert that some people are on foreign policy, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night," Huckabee told Don Imus the other morning.  Ha!  Very funny!  Maybe that charm will disarm those who'd like to blow America off the map!)  

    Huckabee is also the only candidate in the top tear who has ZERO chance of beating Hillary or Obama in November.  

    Meanwhile, for those of you single-issue voters, you have several other candidates who have proven pro-life records (McCain comes to mind) and those who would gladly see Roe V Wade overturned (Guiliani, Romney, Thompson) by appointing strict constructionists to the court.

    Huckabee is just the flavor of the month but he's most certainly NOT ready for primetime.

    DMOnline

    strange (none / 0) (#4)
    by prattleon on Fri Dec 14, 2007 at 08:02:50 AM EST
    I find it very odd that mike huckabee is being praised on a blog that rails against tax hikes and wasteful government programs:

    http://www.taxhikemike.org/

    I at least had respect for him as a person until he started lying about his pardoning of a rapist.  I knew he was always just spouting out rhetoric without any real substance, but blatant lies about despicable actions are another thing.    

    • Just remember, Prat by Nick, 12/14/2007 08:37:05 AM EST (none / 0)
      • I know by prattleon, 12/14/2007 08:52:10 AM EST (none / 0)
    Of course prattleon disagrees... (none / 0) (#7)
    by John Galt on Fri Dec 14, 2007 at 09:26:22 AM EST
    I'm sure he would tell you we should go with someone with less than 6% support, whom he "knows" could go against a Clinton machine...

    The same 6% that would draw Democrats to the Republican party and create unity never before seen in Presidential politics.  

    But of course, the polls are wrong (unless they show Giuliani declining - then they're right, except for the part of the same poll that shows Ron Paul stagnating).

    Mike Huckabee is amazing to me.  When you look at poll numbers, he came from behind Ron Paul, and is now center stage/top tier.  For all of the bluster about how "Ron Paul has a message a majority of people agree with" - It doesn't seem to be true.  (Pollster.com)

    This isn't to say Mike Huckabee would be the best candidate against a Clinton or Obama - but an effort to deflate the backrow heckling of Ron Paul supporters.  

    • I do disagree by prattleon, 12/14/2007 10:00:42 AM EST (none / 0)
    Ron Paul Supporters and Huck-a-fantics (none / 0) (#9)
    by DMOnline on Fri Dec 14, 2007 at 01:35:00 PM EST
    This is really quite sad but illustrative of the desire for The Perfect Candidate to run against the Libs next year.

    Unfortunately, each one of the Republicans running (with the possible exception of the irrepressible Alan Keyes - who knew he was running???) has major flaws.  None are perfect - far from it.

    Heck, Ronald Reagan passed one of the most liberal pro-abortion laws in the state of California before becoming conservatives' gold standard.  With his previous record as governor, it's doubtful today's Republican party would let Reagan get past the South Carolina primary.

    And when someone says that choosing a candidate that's "elect-able" should NOT be a priority, then why should the Republicans even nominate a candidate?  Duncan Hunter and I agree on almost everything yet I know he's not elect-able and I won't be wasting my primary vote on the man.

    If keeping the Clintons or Obama or Edwards out of the Oval Office is at all important to you, then sober up and choose the candidate who agrees with you on most issues but can also win in November.

    Wasting your vote on Huckabee because he's the kind of preacher you'd like to listen to at church on Sundays will assure loss of the White House to The Dark Side next year.

    DMOnline

    Luce, I'm glad you asked. (none / 0) (#11)
    by John Galt on Sat Dec 15, 2007 at 12:12:21 PM EST
    All Ru Paul supporters believe that anyone who doesn't support THEIR candidate is for big government.  It's part of the lime-flavored kool-aid indoctrination.

    From the literature I've read, I think it has something to do with Ru Paul meeting Ronald Reagan on a plane once, in 1987... and getting his picture taken with Ronaldus Magnus.

    See, Ron Paul claims he's the only candidate who believes in strict constitutional authority... (and we know politicians don't lie).  And despite his utter lack of success in fixing the problem as a 10-term Congress-critter, he believes his voting record is something of an accomplishment.  

    He may have voted "properly", but achieved nothing.  But he claims he's the right man for the job; that he will get the job done as President.  His supporters claim he has the beliefs of a majority of Americans, but only hits 6%-tops in the polls (www.pollster.com), while most polls he doesn't even register in the margin of error.

    Despite the conspiracy that's working hard to keep him from getting elected, he believes his true beliefs will succeed when he's elected (because, somehow, the conspiracy won't still be there if he's elected)...  But when it comes down to it, comments like "I might go run in a third party" and "A stronger 2nd Amendment would have prevented 9/11" just make him look like your crazy old uncle you wish would just stay away.

    In your heart you know he's right - in your gut, you know he's still nuts.

    DMOnline hit the nail on the head. (none / 0) (#12)
    by John Galt on Sat Dec 15, 2007 at 12:16:33 PM EST
    The Primary is exactly about picking our nominee to win the white house.

    Despite all the fluffy-bunny feel-good antics of individual candidates (vote for me, vote your conscience)... the purpose of the primary is to get OUR nominee to the white house.

    It's NOT to vote for the person we like the best, and then vote Republican in November anyways.

    Very good point DM!

    A Clarification and some other points (none / 0) (#13)
    by Andrew Shirvell on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 11:55:51 PM EST
    Usually, I do not comment on my own columns, as once they are written and submitted I prefer to let the readers engage in the debate over the subject matter that I have presented.  

    However, I would like to comment here for a couple of reasons.

    First, I made a mistake in the column by confusing Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, with Glenn Clarke, the GOP Chair of the 9th Congressional District. Although Gary Glenn is indeed a supporter of Mike Huckabee, he was never a supporter of Arizona Senator John McCain.  It is Glenn Clarke who is a member of McCain's Michigan campaign team.  I apologize for any confusion that I may have caused, and I have asked Nick De Leeuw to kindly delete the reference in my column to Gary Glenn's affiliation with the McCain campaign.

    Second, Mike Farris of the Home School Legal Defense Association has endorsed Mike Huckabee, and I'm sure that Huckabee would not have received such an endorsement if he were not a strong ally of the homeschooling movement.

    Additionally, in a November 26th Zogby Poll, Huckabee holds a five point lead over Hilary Clinton in a potential 2008 general election matchup - the largest lead of any potential Republican candidate.

    Please see: http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1393

    Mike Huckabee is definitely a first-tier candidate!  I support him, and I hope that you all eventually will do so too.  


    Fred Thompson deserves Michigan's endorsement (none / 0) (#14)
    by xhoosier on Thu Dec 20, 2007 at 08:32:33 PM EST
    The Michgigan pro-life community should support Fred thompson for President.
    the National Right to Life has endorsed him as well as 7 state organizations so far.
    They are CA,WI,SC,NC,VT,MN and VA.
    He will fight to overturn Roe and supports a constitutional amendment to ban Fed judges from legislating from the bench.  His Federalist stance
    would give power back to the states to ban abortions that they do not have now.
     He is the adult in the race. He has written plans
    to save Social Security, improve the Tax code and
    strengthen our borders and end illegal immigration.
    Others are squabbling like school kids or denying their past.  Fred's pro-life record is impeccable
    as is his character. Check his positions on all the issues at www.fred08.com  
     He is the clear choice.
     Thompson has not pandered to any group for their vote unlike Huckabee using Jesus and
    the cross to impress evangelicals.  By the way ,
    I am one, and deeply resent a candidate using the Bible or my Savior for political gain.
     

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