Will the real conservative please stand up?

If you have followed this blog, you have seen a metamorphosis from a man who struggled which of two candidates to support to a man who only believes in one. Those two candidates were Governor Mike Huckabee and Senator Fred Thompson. The later of the two has my utmost support to this day. The former has lost my support and is beginning to lose my respect.

I said that something about Governor Huckabee just didn't feel right... and the more I listened and learned about him the more uneasy I felt. That uneasiness has been gaining intensity as of late to the point that it has officially boiled over today. Instead of being the slightly lessor of two candidates, Governor Huckabee is now officially someone I could not and will not support. In a general election between him and one of the two democratic challengers I honestly don't know if I would hold my nose and vote for Mike or write in someone else. Governor Huckabee is not the conservative he claims he is... the more he talks the more he sounds like another former Arkansas Governor who changed his message based on his audience and polling data. I have no respect for someone who is running for office and has no consistency in their principles. As a Baptist minister I never thought that could be applied to Mike Huckabee... but today he proved there is no doubt... consistency is not in his vocabulary.

Today on CNN, Governor Huckabee said that the Constitution was a "living, breathing document" (about 3:55 into the video).



While on his campaign website, Governor Huckabee completely disagrees.

I firmly believe that the Constitution must be interpreted according to its original meaning, and flatly reject the notion of a “living Constitution.”

Calling the Constitution a "living" document is liberal-speak for saying that it can be changed, modified or adopted to reflect polls or public opinion. Calling it a "living" document makes way for activist judges to interpret the Constitution as they see fit instead of being "faithful adherents of originalism and textualism." (also a quote from Mike Huckabee's website that contradicts his CNN interview today).

Make no mistake, the "living" document argument is what liberals use to justify abandoning the second amendment... certainly the framers didn't anticipate semi-automatic weapons. The "living" document argument is what liberals use to justify abortion... certainly the framers weren't thinking about abortion when the guaranteed the protection of "life" and "liberty".

Thankfully there is a true conservative in the race today who believes in conservative principles and desires to uphold the original context of the Constitution. Thankfully, real conservatives have a choice. Fred Thompson is the only man in the race who believes in the strength of the Constitution and the guarantees within it. Fred Thompson will protect the Constitution and its ideals of limited government and appoint judges who will do the same. Fred wrote today:

I do not believe the Constitution is a living, breathing document. I am committed to appointing strict constructionist judges to the bench if I am elected President, strict constructionists who believe the Constitution has a fixed meaning that can be applied to cases that come before the courts today. They do NOT believe the Constitution is a “living, breathing document,” whose meaning, constantly changing with the sifting sands of our culture, can be determined and applied by unelected judges.

I fear that this loose language about our Constitution calls into question Governor Huckabee’s appreciation and understanding of the issue of judicial activism and raises questions as to what kind of judges he would appoint were he to become President.

We can not afford to have another Arkansas Governor in the White House who has no core principles and neither can our Constitution. Baptist Minister or not, Governor Huckabee is continuing to prove my uneasiness was right and that he is not the right man to become our President.

Conservatives have a choice. Someone who will fight to stop abortion and protect the Constitution from liberal activist re-writes. Support Fred Thompson, thankfully there is one consistent conservative to stand with us.