June 14, 2010 - 02:26 PM

Morality Affects Our Economy

by Mike Huckabee

Many of you saw the comments made by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels last week when he said the next president “would have to call a truce on the so-called social issues” so he or she could focus on the fiscal problems facing the country.

As I’ve made clear, I really like Governor Daniels, and I consider him a friend and colleague, but his comments mirror those of the GOP establishment who view values voters dismissively as “single-minded.” The fact is that every value voter I know is truly committed to fiscal conservatism, but many fiscal conservatives and libertarians range from disinterest to contempt for social issues.

I learned a lot during 13 1/2 years as a Governor and Lieutenant Governor about why government gets big and taxes get higher and what causes and solves the issues of poverty and crime. I detailed a lot of that in my book “Do the Right Thing,” but here’s the simple truth: Poverty and crime are the direct results of broken families and broken values of responsibility, work, marriage, and respect of others. Prisons are overflowing and government “relief” programs get traction often because of the breakdown of our social structure. If we don’t respect the value of each individual life whether in the womb or the classroom or the living room, we devalue property and intangible qualities of life. It gets expensive.

I responded to Gov. Daniel’s comments with the following blog post on HuckPAC.com: “ . . . the issue of life and traditional marriage are not bargaining chips nor or they political issues. They are moral issues. I didn’t get involved in politics just to lower taxes and deficit spending though I believe in both and have done it as a Governor. But I want to stay true to the basic premises of our civilization.” To see the entire post, click here.

Sadly, Gov. Daniels is not alone in his way of thinking and it’s not a new concept. During the last presidential election – many reporters, Republicans and Democrats suggested the same moratorium on morality. The political winds began to whisper of stopping the discussion on morality and starting the discussion on the “important issues.”

Let me be clear – MORALITY AND THE ECONOMY are inextricably linked.

• The collapse of morality and ethical business practices preceded the collapse of Wall Street – unchecked greed caused the downfall;

• A decrease in morality preceded an increase in the prison population – state budgets via taxes, increase every year to pay for prisons; and,

• We don’t emphasize character in our public schools, and ignorance is expensive-- a national high school drop out rate of 1 in 3 students produces poverty – crippling our economy in countless ways.

I’m not saying Wall Street, prisons and poverty are not the only influences on our economy – there are countless others – nor am I saying morality solves every economic crisis we face. But I am saying strong moral fiber would prevent many of our nation’s economic disasters.

Should we focus on the economy and the staggering and crippling debt? Absolutely! But I fear that talk of a “truce” means that we are making excuses for compromise on moral issues, and there is no need to separate economic issues from the social issues. We can and must focus on both.

Now is not the time to shift focus from moral issues we need to shift focus toward moral issues.

Make a donation towards our goal of 2012 donations by Thursday at midnight.  Make a donation of $5 or more to help me make certain our Party doesn't take us for granted anymore!  Over 700 donors have made a donation since Friday have you?



Comment (18 Comments)
Share on Facebook
Send to a friend
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Comments 1-18 of 18

  • « First
  • Last »

  • Bouchard, Ann

    06/23/2010 11:16 AM

    Fiscal problems are social problems. Any area that you would want to discuss is social in politics so I really do not understand where this man Governor Mitch Daniels thought process is coming from. Society is intrinsically connected with fiscal problems and cannot be separated. The governement exists for the benefit of society not the other way around, although it is sort of a partnership in a sense. Sorry for taking awhile to respond. And you are absoloutely right about poverty, crime, morality, family breakdown as being connectedin the social fabric.

  • 2Kings22-23

    06/22/2010 12:18 PM

    Sorry, don't meen to be a consecutive poster but this is new and relevent.

    I was listening to Niel Boortz the other day (hoping it would still be Herman Cain with Neil on vacation)and even that hard core libertarian was going on a diatribe about the value of fathers and stable families. If it weren't a pre-prepared monologue I would have called in and said, "so you agree with Huckabee that social conservatism relevent to a stable economy and secure country?" There's hope for the libertarians yet!

  • 2Kings22-23

    06/16/2010 12:18 PM

    And to think I had hoped you and Daniels might get together for 2012. Oh well, I hear General Petraeus is a runner...

    You could run as a "cleanup" candidate. You cleaned up after Clinton in Little Rock and got Arkansas back on her feet, you can clean up after Obama in DC and get America back on stable footing.

  • RGeorge

    06/15/2010 02:04 PM

    Michigan, in the year 1963 when the New York Times headline read, "God is Dead", had 3 Prisons. In the year 2000, less then thirty years later, Michigan had 33 prisons.

    In an exchange on twitter, the reply to putting fiscal issues ahead of moral issues produced this:

    God gives over those who aren't of moral character to reprobate mind. Gov Daniels is failing, not @GovMikeHuckabee

    With the blood of all the unborm in this Nation, should we expect a fiscal Blessing or the reprobate mind of sheeple?

  • Rohland, Brian

    06/15/2010 10:33 AM

    Governor,

    A good leader needs to be able to multitask,as you are well aware and have demonstrated admirably in the past. Keep speaking the truth. That's "the right thing", regardless of political correctness. The "peace in our time" approach of Chamberlain certainly bore horrific fruit, didn't it? Yes, we should be respectful and articulate, but also steadfast in our convictions. Most people have little use for a flip-flopper. To those who suggest, "you can't legislate morality", I would say that laws regarding murder, theft, perjury, bribery, underage drinking,...are primarily dealing with moral issues. Brian Rohland - Wisconsin

  • Tami Miller

    06/14/2010 10:56 PM

    Oh, and by the way, Governor Huckabee...I might add as did another blogger, your words of truth are another reason I have as a bumper sticker: Huckabee 2012!

  • Tami Miller

    06/14/2010 10:54 PM

    Right on, Governor Huckabee! I called our local county jail last week and asked how much is spent on the jail, etc in a year. He could only tell me about the jail's budget, which did not include probation, work release, courts, etc, etc, etc. The jail's budget alone is $230,000 and I know for a fact that the jail is over crowded and it was just expanded in the last 15-20 years. I remember former Indiana Governor, Frank O'Bannon, boasting in the 2000 election how Indiana had built a new prison under his former term and how this was a good thing. Right then and there I said to myself what about boasting about tearing down a prison or having to close one due to our prison population decreasing?

    In this regard, NO, there can be no truce on social issues! We must address them at the same time as we are addressing the needs of our economy. These issues go hand in hand.

  • Fortney, William

    06/14/2010 09:42 PM

    As an Indiana resident, an employee of the State of Indiana, AND a conservative Republican, I just want to say that Gov. Daniels has performed admirably when it comes to the state's fiscal matters. However, I couldn't disagree with him more on the notion of calling a "truce" on the social issues. Gov. Huckabee, you are, as the English say, "Spot On!" I read your book, "Do The Right Thing," and you are 110% correct: America would not be in the shape she is in if her people would seek to do that which is right and honest. Gov. Daniels is a keen businessman and a wizard with money, but there is so much more to our society than a balanced budget. We must protect the lives of unborn children; we must protect the sanctity of marriage; we must protect our borders; we must protect those principles on which this country was founded; and, yes, we must protect the value of our currency! Gov. Huckabee, I have admired your work for a long time, and, as a fellow Christian and Southern Baptist, I know your heart is genuine and truthful. I support you and your efforts, and I congratulate you for taking a stand. God bless you, Gov. Huckabee!

    --Bill

  • Captain Obvious

    06/14/2010 08:21 PM

    Hard to fathom why EVERYONE cannot see the connection. Governor Huckabee, we NEED you in the White House. I just made a token donation in response to this post--the goal of 2012 donors is intriguing and hope-inspiring!

  • Walter, Gary

    06/14/2010 07:49 PM

    My sentiments exactly. Another reason my bumper sticker says "Huckabee 2012"

  • Gooderham, Pam

    06/14/2010 07:16 PM

    Convergence
    A Call to Republicans

    There needs to be a momentous convergence of two opposing schools of thought that are currently defining the Republican Party.

    If we recognize and cause these ideologies to merge, it will save the country from the brink of destruction.

    The first ideal:

    You live your life according to a set of morals and principles.

    When an election is held, you should review the candidates and select the person that most reflects your moral code.

    Today, most within our party reason that although Candidate ‘A’ most closely mirrors their principles, they will instead vote for Candidate ‘B’, because they think she or he has a better chance of winning over the democrat in the general election.

    Every time we do this, we put into office people that dilute our standards and way of life.

    Next time there is an election, not only do true conservatives think twice about running because they don’t think the majority will vote for them, but the next set of candidates have even slightly less standards than the last, and then we pick the lesser of those options. So our morals and principles gently decline over the years.

    And so it goes on, until we have what we have now, where it’s really difficult to tell Republicans from democrats.

    Let me give you some examples:

    Arnold Schwarzenegger; Arlen Specter; Olympia Snowe; Chuck Hagel… the list goes on…

    In this last election, just here in California, the majority picked an unknown Fiorina over proven conservative, Chuck DeVore.

    Said, Dick Morris, “I love DeVore, but he can’t win. That’s why I endorse Fiorina.”

    Measure the above, with this second ideal also currently occurring:

    The argument against choosing the best conservative in favor of someone deemed easier to elect, is that Republicans will never win an election.

    In many cases, this is a reality. Example – Barbara Boxer has been in office over twenty years. Feinstein eighteen years; Harry Reid over twenty years.

    So what happens when Republicans don’t win elections? Eventually the country goes into financial and moral decline, as it clearly is, until citizens say – ENOUGH - which is what we have now in the Tea Party movement.

    The Convergence:

    This country needs for these two ideals to merge, and for all true Republicans to put aside the faulty logic of voting for someone deemed easier to win, and instead to vote for genuine, country-first, proven family-values candidates.

    If we do this we will negate the second reason the right candidates are never elected, and again, California is a perfect example, and that is, currently, only people with large personal fortunes can win.

    True conservatives have to know they at least stand a chance of us voting for them, or we will no longer have any true conservative candidates that will run for office.

    Standards will only continue to decline unless we vote with one common denominator - our principles.

  • McRoberts, Jody

    06/14/2010 07:08 PM

    Amen and AMEN!! You cannot divide morality and economics. I've often said the the number one problem in America is GREED, followed closely in second by SELFISHNESS. From these stem a whole host of problems!! Thank you, Mr. Huckabee, for continuing to be so forthright about the important issues facing our nation. May we ALL be honest and truthful, even when it means we won't be popular, even when it means we will be maligned or misunderstood. I pray that the Lord blesses the Huckabees, the work of Huck PAC, and all of the people of the U.S.A. May we fix our eyes on Him and be people of truthfulness and integrity.

  • M, Dave

    06/14/2010 06:22 PM

    In other countries, I would say that deforestation is also a leading cause of poverty and suffering.

    Plant with Purpose is one organization that came to this realization many years ago, and is doing some great things to combat poverty among the rural poor in many countries. Their executive director recently published a great book called "Tending to Eden" which describes their work.

    Here in the U.S., most of us are not directly dependent on our local environment for survival, as in many other countries. However sooner or later our unsustainable behavior (agriculturally, environmentally, economically) is going to catch up to us, resulting in a great deal of misery.

    I would say that morality, the economy, and the sustainability of our lifestyle are all inextricably linked.

    I agree with your statement "unchecked greed caused the downfall". Indeed, unchecked greed has caused the downfall of many things - even Obama will agree with that. I think he believes it is his role to rein in greed in many things, especially among fat cat republicans, who are the champions of unchecked greed. But nearly all of us are guilty of succumbing to our greedy nature.

  • Deener, Michael & Lisa

    06/14/2010 04:34 PM

    So true, Governor Huckabee! I have been a fan of yours since you hit the national stage, and this is just one more example of why. Tell it like it is. Our morality (or lack thereof) and our economy are inextricably linked, regardless of what the secularists would like the gullible to believe.

  • Harris, Bill

    06/14/2010 04:14 PM

    We're not sounding good when we only rant about money, money, money. It's true that the swing voter bloc is largely guided by their pocketbooks, and that's a shame. But, we must not present ourselves as a "money-grubbing" party. We are the "Party of Principle," and we have become the new "Party of the People."

  • Flanders, Dennis

    06/14/2010 03:09 PM

    I agree. A quick review of the sad statistics since prayer and bible reading wee banned from our schools attest to this. Since 1963 Morality has taken a nose dive because moral foundations were greatly weakened.

  • Abrams, Valeria

    06/14/2010 03:03 PM

    I agree!!!!! The problems today are because there is no morality and no respect. I just resigned from a job I worked at for almost 20 years because of health issues I had restrictions so my employer kept putting me on short term disability, it was running out and I knew my job was running out too, so I resigned, not one person cared, no morals, no respect!!!!! I'm with ya Huck, we need morals back!!!!!

  • Bertram, Jeffery

    06/14/2010 02:42 PM

    My son is getting married in a few weeks, and I plan on quoting some of this when I make my toast to the bride and groom ~ it's great food for thought! Thanks Mike.