CR Nation

Lace provides us with the list of potential vice-presidential candidates. Upcoming posts will deal with why Senator McCain should pick Governor Crist(my choice of the three), Governor Romney, or Governor Jindal. But I want to look at the other candidates that may be under consideration. There are some stipulations. First, the candidate cannot be a current Bush Administration official(due to the Democrats’ howls if someone resigned from their job or tried to stay on and campaign). The candidate must be born after 1943. The candidate must be a Republican(sorry, I love Joe Lieberman too, but then you’d have to consider Michael Bloomberg and that is something I want to avoid). The candidate must be either a current or former governor, U.S. Senator, Member of Congress, or Cabinet-rank official(sorry Michael Steele fans). I didn’t mention any senators, but Sen. Coburn, Sen.DeMint, Sen. Burr, and Sen. Thune would be good.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Huck brings advantages to the ticket-he’s affable, likable, and charming. His support for the FairTax is spot-on and admirable. He did a great job improving Arkansas roads(what’s Senator Obama done for transportation?) and is a strong pro-life and traditional marriage supporter who could turn out weary social conservatives to the polls. But there are downsides. Huckabee has a troublesome record on tax and spending issues that would burden Senator McCain’s efforts to reach out to fiscal conservatives like the Club for Growth, who tried to stop Governor Huckabee’s candidacy with all its might.  He has a penchant for gaffes, especially with foriegn policy issues. His connections to pastors under congressional investigation would surely bring headaches the McCain campaign wouldn’t need, as would the old charges of gifts recieved and not reported when he was governor. So there’s a lot to consider if he’s the guy.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. T-Paw  has some downsides, such as his views on climate change, controversies over transportation, and the cigarette tax hike. But overall, he’s done a good job of growing jobs in Minnesota, holding the line on spending, passed tort reform, lowered the tax burden on Minnesotans, pushed for strong trade relations with other countries(which helps with reaching out to farmers), and passed tough crime legislation cracking down on meth and putting more State Troopers on the road and forensic scientists in the labs. Would help McCain on domestic issues and could swing Minnesota and other Upper Midwest states.

Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. .  His strong record on spending restraint, economic growth, market-friendly health care reform, and good steward of the environment put him on the list. His business background would be a plus, as would his experience in the Reagan and both Bush White Houses. He doesn’t have the political or foriegn policy problems Romney presents. However, he comes from a deep-red state and is running for re-election. That should keep him off the ticket in 2008.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels-See above and add controversies over daylight savings time and lease of the Indiana Toll Road. He will face a tough re-election fight unlike Huntsman and is also from a deep-red state. His budget expertise is bar none as the former OMB director, but Senator McCain should not put Governor Daniels on the ticket.

Former OMB Director and Ohio Congressman Rob Portman-Portman has a strong expertise on economic and fiscal matters going back to his days in the Bush 41 White House. He has a strong conservative record on virtually every issue and his time as White House trade representative gives him gravitas on international issues. Some conservatives might be concerned for his support of the Bush 41 tax hike, but he supported the Bush 43 tax cuts. He is popular in Ohio, which is essential to winning the White House. McCain would have to fight the Democrats’ efforts to demagogue his service under President Bush, but he would be a great pick.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour-His record as White House Political Director, RNC Chair, and Governor are storied. He is a great budget-cutter,pro-lifer, tort-reformer, and his response to Hurricane Katrina showed his excellent leadership skills. But the pundits would make hay out of his lobbying career, painting him as cozy with Big Tobacco and Big Pharma, undercutting Senator McCain’s reformer image. That’s too bad, because he would be a great veep.

Former Congressman John Kasich-A good conservative who’s been out of politics awhile. Look for a statewide run instead.

Former Congressman J.C. Watts-See above.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin-She’s accomplished ethics reform,fought for more energy exploration, and held the line on spending. But she is needed in Alaska. She will be a national figure, but not yet.

Congressman Eric Cantor-The chief deputy whip in the House is a strong conservative across the board and would help in Virginia. He would also bolster efforts to reach Jewish voters as the only Jewish House Republican. Cantor would probably turn down the job because of aspirations to lead the House one day.

Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn-She’s a strong conservative woman from the South and one of our favorites down here in Tennessee. Blackburn worked against Governor Sundquist’s state income tax and has fought for lower taxes, less spending, and strong families in the House.

Congressman Paul Ryan-The only other contender born in the 1970’s, Congressman Ryan is a lion at the tender age of 38. In Congress he’s sounded the alarm for entitlement and budget reform as the top Republican on the Budget Committee. A pro-lifer,he’s a strong supporter of market solutions in health-care and education as well. Ryan would put Wisconsin in play and energize conservatives.

There’s the rundown. Thoughts and comments?

See for yourself.

In light of Huckabee’s comments on taxation, its depressing to think that a person can be considered “conservative” while only fulfilling half the definition – the social half.

I thought conservativism meant more than being pro-marriage and pro-life. I thought it also meant advocating and implementing small government priorities, manifested by free trade, lower taxes, reduced government spending, and less government regulation.

Its interesting to note that Romney is “not conservative” because of his perceived failure to live up to the social half of the “conservative” definition, while Mike Huckabee (indicated by some readers of this blog) is a “true conservative” despite failing to be an “economic conservative.”

Is being an “economic conservative” only optional these days?

Is being a “social conservative” that much more important?

Are economic issues the United states faces, such as deficient spending, increased global competition, free trade, foreign energy supply, and many others only of secondary importance to banning homosexual marriage?

I hope not. I hope both are equally important because it takes both to be a conservative.

When it comes to limited government, there are few champions as steadfast and principled as Representative Ron Paul. In the House of Representatives, he plays a very useful role constantly challenging the status quo and reminding his colleagues, despite their frequent indifference, that our Constitution was meant to limit the power of government. On taxes, regulation, and political free speech his record is outstanding. While his recent pork votes are troubling, the vast majority of his anti-spending votes reflect a longstanding desire to cut government down to size.

But Ron Paul is a purist, too often at the cost of real accomplishments on free trade, school choice, entitlement reform, and tort reform. It is perfectly legitimate, and in fact vital, that think tanks, free-market groups, and individual members of congress develop and propose idealized solutions. But presidents have the responsibility of making progress, and often, Ron Paul opposes progress because, in his mind, the progress is not perfect. In these cases, although for very different reasons, Ron Paul is practically often aligned with the most left-wing Democrats, voting against important, albeit imperfect, pro-growth legislation.

Ron Paul is, undoubtedly, ideologically committed to pro-growth limited government policies. But his insistence on opposing all but the perfect means that under a Ron Paul presidency we might never get a chance to pursue the good too.

Read the entire report here.

The Club for Growth praised Senator Fred Thompson for the release of his pro-growth tax reform plan this morning on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. The plan will:

Permanently extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts

Permanently repeal the Death Tax

Repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax

Reduce the corporate tax rate to no more than 27%

Permanently extend small business expensing

Update and simplify depreciation schedules

Expand taxpayer choice

Most commendable is Thompson’s plan to expand taxpayer choice by adopting the Republican Study Committee’s recent plan, called the Taxpayer Choice Act. This plan will give American taxpayers the choice of opting into a simplified tax code that contains only two rates rather than deal with the current monstrosity known as the U.S. tax code.

The Club For Growth’s White Paper on Sam Brownback summarizes his voting record while in the U.S. Senate as follows:

Senator Brownback’s record on pro-growth, free-market policies is generally quite good with a few minor exceptions. His record on taxes, tort reform, and school choice has been outstanding in its support of prosperity and opportunity. On trade, government regulation of business, and political speech, his record has been very positive. His simultaneous support for Social Security reform with personal accounts and for the huge expansion of Medicare to cover prescription drugs constitutes an incongruous approach to entitlement reform. On controlling government spending, he has, at times, been disappointing.

If elected president, we believe Senator Brownback would continue to pursue a solidly pro-growth agenda, and we hope that he would take a stronger stand for limiting federal spending.