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May 25, 2012

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Thinking About Faith
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
David G. Savage: Supreme Court limits protection against double jeopardy
Ashley Powers: A nightmare, then conviction is tossed
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
Deroy Murdock: WWII hero Karski to receive U.S. Medal of Freedom
Kimberly Lankford: Health Coverage for College Grads
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Clifford D. May: What Iran's Rulers Want
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
Kimberly Lankford: Switching Medicare Advantage Plans Mid-Year
Bryan McIver, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Understanding hyperthyroidism and its variety of treatment options
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: Baghdad talks highlight Western naivete
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Lisa Gerstner: 4 Money-Etiquette Questions Answered
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Art Markman, Ph.D.: Get smart: How to bulk up your creativity muscles
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
David S. Cloud and Kathleen Hennessey: Obama changes mind on Pakistan invite to NATO summit --- and then gets dissed by country's president
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
Environmental Nutrition editors: The lowdown on a low-acid diet
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
James K. Glassman: 5 Stock Picks Among Online Retailers
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Caroline B. Glick: Embracing dangerous delusions and not our friends
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Janet Bodnar: How to Teach Kids to Handle Credit Cards
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Mary Beth Franklin: Retirement Savings Tips for New Grads
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
Chelsea Sheasley: Social media: Is it too feminine?
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Jackson Holahan: The Aleppo Codex
Jonathan Tobin : Iran Declares Victory in Nuclear Talks
Anne Kates Smith: 7 Stocks That Let You Sleep Tight
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Dennis Prager: God and Man at (and for) Liberty
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
Environmental Nutrition Editors: Get the facts on palm sugar sweetening
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Richard Simon: Purple Hearts for domestic terror victims?
Nando Pelusi, Ph.D.: The privacy paradox: Surrounded by strangers, we risk isolation, anxiety
Chris Farrell: Investing Lessons from the Great Recession
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
Tiffany O'Callaghan: New hormone mimics effects of exercise without the sweat
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Rabbi B. Shafier: Why happiness will always be elusive
Charles Krauthammer: Echoes of '67: Israel unites
Howard LaFranchi: With G8 snub, US-Putin 'reset' off to stumbling start
Jeremy J. Siegel: Investors, Relax About Rising Interest Rates
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Clifford D. May: The Real Palestinian Refugee Problem
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Harvard Health Letters: Palliative care: Underused therapy yields surprising benefits
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
Rachel L. Sheedy and Susan B. Garland : Make the Right Moves to Boost Benefits
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
John Rosemond: Parents, stop destroying the American male
Valerie J. Nelson: Maurice Sendak, author of 'Where the Wild Things Are,' dies at 83
Bob Frick: Angst Over Annuities
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Why did my blood pressure suddenly shoot up?
Lisa Gerstner: Lower the Rate on All Your Loans
The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : Springtime soba with miso sauce offers a coloful mix of fresh textures and flavors
May 8, 2012
Edmund Sanders: Netanyahu suddenly cancels new elections, forms unity government
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: Farewell to European superstate
Anne Kates Smith: 4 Stocks That Mimic Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway
Gaia Vince and Clare Wilson The Rise of Miniature Medical Robots: Fantasy Fast Becoming Reality
Paul Takahashi, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Never suffer night leg cramps
Jessica L. Anderson: Extended-Warranty Warning
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day with the Best Cookie Ever (Includes techniques)
May 7, 2012
Mark Clayton: Homeland Security warns major cyber attack aimed at gas pipeline industry underway
Angus Roxburgh: Putin Decoded: World view of a Russian feeling dissed
Kimberly Lankford: Navigate a Course for Long-Term Care
Kevin McCormally How to Adjust Your Tax Withholding
Celeste Robb-Nicholson, M.D.: Harvard Health Letters: How do you treat a Baker's cyst?
Joanne Capano: Healthy Snacks for Children: The Choices May Surprise You
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: Classic Creamy Spinach Dip with a Fraction of the Calories and Fat
May 4, 2012
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Holy 'trivialities'
Jonathan Tobin: Bibi v. Barak will be no contest this time around
Steven Goldberg: Blue Chip Stocks On Sale Worldwide
Art Pine Slow Productivity Growth a Blessing --- For Now
Sue Hubbard, M.D. : The Kid's Doctor: Are Kids Too Wired?
Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D: Foods that are good for your smile
Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H.: Eating Well: Foods that are good for your smile
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Strawberry rhubarb parfaits are elegant yet simple to assemble
May 3, 2012
Michael Freund: Who's Afraid of the Messiah?
Clifford D. May: The Foggiest War
Susan B. Garland: Insurance to Cover Old Old Age
Steven Goldberg 6 Reasons to Bet on a Big Bull Market
Harvard Health Letters: Treating prostate cancer --- no rush to judgment
Larry Gordon: Harvard, MIT partner to offer free online courses
Naomi Nix : Man gets free trip to Chicago after postcard sent by mother in 1957 finally reaches him
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Intensely Italian vegetable frittata is a seriously simple standby


Jewish World Review Dec. 12, 2007 / 3 Teves, 5768

Who is Huckabee? Preacher, populist, problem-solver and . . . president?.

By Paul Greenberg


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | It's happening again. They're back, the out-of-state reporters, the magazine writers, the blow-dried television types who want to know who this guy is, this presidential candidate out of Hope, Ark., of all places.


This year the subject of all this intense interest is one Michael Dale Huckabee, who must be tearing 'em up because he's started to catch it from all those frontrunners in the Republican primaries who aren't frontrunners any more, largely thanks to him. Which means he's going to be questioned and investigated, poked and prodded, exposed and provoked by a very free press. Which is how the system is supposed to work, however irritating the Frontrunner of the Moment may find it.


By now the Huck's dramatic rise in the polls has attracted the interest of the kind of always with-it, thoroughly cosmopolitan TV news producer who wouldn't know an evangelical from a fundamentalist. (An evangelical Christian basically believes the same things as a fundamentalist one, only he ain't mad about it.) Brother Huckabee is of the evangelical persuasion unless you happen to catch him on a bad day, but he hasn't had many of those lately on the campaign trail.


The Huck is not just a highly effective preacher but populist; he has a knack for reducing complex issues to simple terms, which has made him a fast-rising presidential candidate. How that talent would serve him as president is something else. To mention a couple of his not-so-small problems: His experience in foreign policy is a vacuum, his single speech about it vacuous. And his recent drift toward protectionism is more a tribute to his populist and political instincts than to his knowledge of economics. He has a feel for where the crowd is heading this election year, and seems all too eager to get ahead of it. That may be how to win elections, but is it a good way to govern?


This year's Man from Hope retains the wide streak of vulgarity that makes him and Don Imus such good buddies — and which seems to appeal to a lot of voters. Call it the common touch. What ever happened to the Mike Huckabee who used to have such a thin-skinned, petty streak when criticized? It's remarkable, the way the touchy old Mike Huckabee we knew here in Arkansas has managed to rise above the slings and arrows he used to over-react to. His self-discipline on the presidential campaign trail has been impressive. So far. I figure it'll break only if he starts slipping in the polls.


There's a species of Republican true believers right here in Arkansas who've always suspected his bonafides as an honest-to-goodness fiscal conservative and social reactionary. They're largely to be found up in the hills, which tend to be Republican territory in any Southern state because of complicated historical, ethnic, economic and geological reasons having to do with soil, slavery and the plantation system. Back when he was a feisty, hefty pol instead of a walking — no, running — advertisement for weight loss, Brother Huckabee used to fondly refer to such critics as Shi'ite Republicans.


Much the same anti-Huckabee line is now being repeated and amplified by the high-powered Club for Growth, which has launched an all-out effort to dub the Huck just another tax-and-spender. To hear the bean-counters in The Club tell it in their videos, television commercials, YouTube potshots and general frontal assault, Mike Huckabee "spends money like a drunken sailor." (The Club's turns of phrase aren't very original. Its specialty is numbers, not metaphors.)


This kind of criticism can be as powerful as any set of statistics wrenched from the context that produced them. The Club has a point — but only on paper. When you compare the dramatic tax cuts enacted early in the Huckabee administration here in Arkansas with the later tax increases, you come up with some $500 million in additional taxes. An impressive amount.


But on closer examination, it turns out that some $400 million, or four-fifths of the total, went to carry out the state Supreme Court's order in the Lake View case and keep Arkansas' schools constitutional. Mike Huckabee had little choice in the matter if he was going to obey the law. Some did urge him to defy the state's highest court, but this isn't Orval Faubus' Arkansas any more.


If you're looking for Mike Huckabee at his best, there are times when he's been magnificent, as when he steered Arkansas through his first strange day as governor when his disgraced — and convicted — predecessor refused to leave office as he'd promised. The impasse went on for most of a long, harrowing, painful and embarrassing afternoon. Throughout, the rightful governor stayed calm and determined, and, once the crisis had passed, even showed charity toward the confused, recalcitrant man who'd blocked his way. Talk about a bridge over troubled waters.


But his best moment came when Gov. Huckabee personally welcomed the Little Rock Nine to Central High School 40 years after they'd been denied entrance by Orval Faubus, noting that throughout the years of debate and division and historical revision since, "we in Arkansas have wandered around in ambiguity, all kinds of explanations and justifications. And I think today we come to say once and for all what happened here 40 years ago was simply wrong. It was simply evil, and we renounce it."


The air in this state suddenly shone clearer after that. Clear as atonement and redemption. Others spoke on that occasion. Mike Huckabee transformed it into a kind of covenant with a better future.


We've learned a thing or two since 1957, thank goodness. And as governor, Mike Huckabee did more to improve education than pour money into it; he's been interested in improving outcomes, not just raising inputs.


There were other tax increases during Mike Huckabee's more than a decade as governor. But should he have left the state's highways in the miserable condition in which he found them, rather than press for a long overdue bond issue? Should he have left the state's poorest children without health insurance, ignoring the needs of the least of these? Should he have frittered away the state's tobacco settlement instead of reserving it for an ambitious public health program? Most of those higher fees and taxes were justified by either pressing necessity or a prudent investment in the state's future. He left Arkansas a healthier, wealthier state — economically, educationally, physically.


To some of us, what the Club for Growth considers Mike Huckabee's great failures sound more like a list of his great successes. When it came to economic policy, he was less interested in griping about problems than solving them.


The Huck doubtless has his failings as a policymaker. For example, he's got a weakness for zany, untested schemes like the national sales tax he's now supporting as a substitute for the income tax. Then there's the draconian approach he's started to flirt with when it comes to illegal immigration. He must know that, however popular such an approach may be among Republican voters in the presidential primaries, it isn't just unenforceable but belies every humane, realistic, Christian thing he's long said about this vexing problem. Presidential politics can be bad for the character.


As for his sad part in the parole of Wayne DuMond, a murderer and rapist who was freed to kill and terrorize again, Mike Huckabee should have donned sackcloth and ashes and had done with it — instead of talking about the role others played in that awful train of events. He should have accepted responsibility for it, as he did, and just stopped there.


But his usual, practical approach to pressing problems isn't anything Mike Huckabee need be ashamed of. Quite the contrary. If he's failed the Club for Growth's litmus test, he didn't fail his state.

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