GOP Debate: MSM Disregards Huck's Radical Egalitarianism

December 12th, 2007 9:41 PM

Yeah, it was a yawner. Even so, in its coverage of today's GOP debate the MSM has overlooked one notable nugget: Mike Huckabee's fervent espousal of a radical egalitarianism that, at least in this NewsBuster's view, reflects a fundamental misreading of the Declaration of Independence and a departure from conservative principles.

View video here.

MODERATOR CAROLYN WASHBURN: Governor Huckabee, you are distinguishing yourself from other candidates by focusing on faith. You say your faith doesn't just influence you, that it defines you. A person who chooses you for president then would expect that to translate to public policy. So give me two examples you've not previously given, one in health care and one in education, where your faith would define change you want to see in policy.

MIKE HUCKABEE: The two overriding principles are you treat others as you wish to be treated. As it relates in health care that means that we recognize that a person who is sick shouldn't be treated differently because they're in poverty than a person who has extraordinary wealth. That we have some sense of balance in how we approach that. That's the essence of what America is about.
The second basic principle is that in as much as you've done it to the least of these my brethren you've done it onto me. As it relates to both health, education or any policy, What it really means is you go back to what the Founding Fathers said: all of us are created equal, endowed by our creator with those rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

WASHBURN: But two specific changes in policy.

HUCKABEE: Well I think I just tried to give them to you. Both in education, that everyone has an opportunity. You give education and health care that you don't have some that are more equal than others.

With great respect to the governor, he seems to be confusing equality of opportunity with equality of result. As a matter of government policy you "give" education and health care so that some are not more equal than others? No matter how hard people work they are not entitled to obtain health care or education better than anyone else?

That is not my understanding of the principles upon which this country was founded. It's unsurprising that the MSM wouldn't focus on Huckabee's statement, since it fundamentally reflects their own redistributionist impulse. But will Republican primary voters take notice?