2012 SelectSmart.com Presidential Candidate Selector Positions Mike Huckabee (Born August 24, 1955) Former Arkansas Governor. Executive, pastor. 2008 Republican candidate for president who lost to McCain in the primaries.

Foreign policy and war issues: "Rather than wait for the next strike, I prefer to cut to the chase by going after al Qaeda's safe havens in Pakistan. As commander in chief, the U.S. president must balance threats and risks in calculating how best to protect the American people. We are living on borrowed time. The threat of an attack on us is far graver than the risk that a quick and limited strike against al Qaeda would bring extremists to power in Pakistan." Source

Opposes a two-state solution to Israeli/Palestinian conflict. "'To say that Jews can't live in Jerusalem is the equivalent of telling the Boston Red Sox they can't play in Fenway Park . Obviously, that would never go over very well on Beacon Hill. It is a historic reality that Jerusalem , and the entire land, was originally intended to be a homeland for the Jewish people. The Palestinians should in fact have a place and opportunity to settle, but it doesn't have to be in Jerusalem . US support of Israeli territorial compromise was misguided.'" Source
Supports Bush's Iraq War troop surge. Source

Security/liberties: "I think it is important to have very thorough surveillance capabilities, but they also need to be monitored by Congress. With technology being what it is today, we have new tools that have never been available before, things that our founding fathers never envisioned when the Bill of Rights was crafted. And so it is uncharted territory. Two things we need to remember--one, the first job of the president is to keep this country safe. He should use everything at his disposal to do so. But it is also the job of Congress to make sure that the executive branch does not overstep its boundaries in terms of power. That is why we have the balance of power. And I think there is a healthy tension that was designed into our system." Source

Social Security: Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare. (Aug 2001) Maintain federal funding of Social Services Block Grants. (Sep 1999) Source

Stem cell research: Opposes federally funded stem cell research. Source

Same sex issues: Respect gay couples but don't change institution of marriage. (Jan 2007) Signed legislation outlawing same-sex marriage in Arkansas. (Dec 2006) No civil unions; only one-man-one-woman marriage. (Nov 2002) Source

Trade issues: Governor Huckabee's record on trade is limited, but positive. In 2003, he pushed for free trade with Mexico, calling for a "strong market of the Americas" and supporting NAFTA (AP 10/03/03). In 2006, he signed an agreement between Arkansas and a South Korea trade group, calling for increased commerce between the southern state and South Korea (AP 06/23/06). Source

Budget issues: He is a self-described fiscal conservative who favors a flat tax. However the CATO Institute in their Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2006 gave Huckabee an "F". Source. Opposes the Obama initiated Stimulus Package Source.

Business & labor issues: Views not known at this time.

Abortion issues: Abortion should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered. Eliminate public funding for abortions and public funding of organizations that advocate or perform abortions Source

Capital punishment: Supports the death penalty. Source

Marijuana: Would not decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Source

Gun control: Supports the positions of the NRA. Source

Minimum wage: As governor, he supported the $1.10-per-hour minimum wage increase as a safeguard against a proposed constitutional amendment that would have increased the minimum wage yearly for inflation. Source

Health care: Supports the concept that the goverment should ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary. Source

Prescription drugs: Views not known at this time.

Environmental issues: Views not known at this time.

Immigration issues: We shouldn't have amnesty where we just say, "Fine, everybody's good, we're going to let it go." We should have a process where people can pay the penalties, step up and accept responsibility for not being here legally. But here's the point. The objective is not to be punitive. The objective is to make things right. Right for us. Right for them. And what I have objected to in the past is when we are punishing the children for the laws that maybe their parents have broken. I do have a problem with that. Source
Mostly supports amnesty/permanent legalization for illegal aliens. No know opinion on temporary legalization for illegal aiens as guestworkers Source Huckabee opposes Arizona’s immigration law. Huckabee said that “Hispanic Americans have the right to be unhappy about the fact that they might be pulled over.” “If I were being pulled over because I looked a certain way, I would be highly offended,” stated Huckabee. He also remarked that the “federal government has to do something to stop the hemorrhaging of illegal immigration over the border.” Source

Education issues: Does not support government-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious). Source

Net Neutrality: Maybe. Source

Link to voting records and special interest group ratings. (If available).

Campaign website