What has Huckabee done for Arkansas?

I have received numerous emails from individuals wanting first hand accounts from the people of Arkansas about what Mike Huckabee did for our state. I have asked members of my Meetup groups to write testimonies about Governor Huckabee. Below are some of the responses I received.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
From Micah McBay

What did Mike Huckabee do as governor of Arkansas?

1. Set the tone of government. Following the Clintons and their hand picked successor Jim Guy Tucker (who served time in prison for his illegal dealings), Arkansas needed someone with moral integrity and honor in the Governor’s Mansion. Mike Huckabee was that man.
2. Improved infrastructure. Specifically, the Governor improved our roads tremendously. Our roads were a laughingstock around the country. Truckers consistently voted I-30 and Arkansas highways as some of the worst in the nation. After Mike got done the roads were voted some of the most improved in the nation. I agree completely. I travel the roads often in my business and to visit family that lives in the state and the difference in the roads is night and day.
3. Improved education. Fixing the education system in this state is no simple task. Arkansas is not a rich state. We do not have the money to throw at the education system that other states have (not that money is the solution to the problem). The court system forced a change by declaring that the Governor and legislature had so long to “fix” the school system before the courts came in a took over. It was a major crisis in the state with many opinions on both sides. Huckabee took charge and implemented changes to positively impact the school system. It worked. There has been a noticeable change in the attitude towards public schools here since Governor Huckabee’s tenure.
4. Engendered hope. For the first time in a long time, there was someone we felt we could trust in the Governor’s Mansion. The Clintons and Jim Guy Tucker certainly did not create a sense of optimism about the state. In fact, when Bill Clinton was running for office in 1992 I spoke with many people in Arkansas who said they were voting for Bill, “to get him out of Arkansas.” Not exactly a vote of confidence is it? Mike won against incredible odds here and then he won again…and again…and if it were not for term limits there is no doubt in my mind that he would still be the Governor of Arkansas.
5. On taxes. Yes, there were some tax increases under Huckabee…as there were under Reagan, and Bush, and Bush, and basically every President in the last 50 years. What Mike did was to limit tax increases and to effectively use the revenue coming into the state. Fiscal conservatism is about more than cutting and/or not raising taxes. It is also about wise and frugal use of tax dollars. This is where Mike shined. Both of my children were kept in good health by his ARKids First health program. Schools and roads were improved with tax dollars. And most of the taxes that went up were voted on by the ENTIRE state. Yes, that’s right, the whole state of Arkansas voted to increase taxes for certain items. I voted to raise taxes myself and I am a die-hard Republican. Sometimes you have to do what is practical and sometimes that means raising taxes. But we should not forget that Huckabee also lowered taxes in Arkansas many times.

There is simply not a better candidate on the Republican side than Mike Huckabee. He is honest. He has integrity. He is conservative. He is the real deal.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When Mike Huckabee was governor of Arkansas my father was the county judge of the largest counties by square miles in Arkansas. One of the many problems my father faced on a consistent basis was having enough money in the county budget to improve roads and bridges through out the county which affected thousands of people in rural areas who had been driving on unsafe roads for years. This was something that every resident concerned who lived in many parts of Arkansas that aren’t close to metropolitan areas. This means school buses carrying kids to school, to farmers and residents in rural areas facing the challenges of long distance driving everyday to and from work or to home. Many people had concerns about how long it could go on with out any improvements being made.



Mike helped get money to improve a badly damaged and worn interstate system through out Arkansas. Some in the national press have said it was something that people didn’t want or that it was a major tax burden for the people in Arkansas. Truth is, many, many people were very glad to support it and the governor had major support for it. We have seen some of the best improvements any state can have in infrastructure due to Governor Huckabee’s hard work. Anyone who now drives though our state from north to south, east and west can witness firsthand the beauty of our state and see the kind of determination Mike has. That’s positive change, and there are miles of proof to see it. Thank you Governor Huckabee, that’s what I call leadership and getting things done!



Kendall Parish


-----------------------------------------------------------

Hi,

Mike Huckabee has done many good things for the state of Arkansas from education to healthcare to taxes. In Arkansas he cut taxes a lot, saving us Arkansans nearly $400 million. I am really focusing on what he will be doing for our country and am very excited about the president hopeful! I support Mike Huckabee for many reasons, but the one that sticks out most to me is what he is going to do for our tax system. Huckabee supports the FairTax. It would completely eliminate ALL taxes including federal income taxes and capital gains taxes. There would be just one consumption tax. We would be taxed on what we purchase rather than how much money we earn. This also means that people below the poverty line would not be taxed at all! This sounds like the best plan out there to me!

-Eric Wilkerson

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike and I go back to about age 5. We were great friends all through school. The best thing I can say about Mike Huckabee is, he lead me to the Lord. When other teens were trying to be "cool" Mike would have bible study at lunch break. That is were I learned it was cool to be a Christian. He didn't "preach" to us, he lived it. He is the same way now, as then, a very good, honest, family friendly, person! It is an honor to know Mike. He was also the best Governor Arkansas ever had. He was for the people. Never playing the "good ole boy politics" like so many before him. He brought dignity back to Arkansas. He was also one of the first to be in New Orleans to help with the disaster from the storm. Didn't have to wait for the Federal Government to cut all the red tape. Mike was there with aid from Arkansas. He's just that kind of guy. We need Mike Huckabee as President now more than ever in the history of this Nation.

--Preston

-------------------------------------------------------------

Our family moved to Arkansas about 10 years ago, when Mike Huckabee was early in his term of office. We have been impressed with his ability to respond positively to all kinds of situations. He had to work with a completely Democrat-run legislature and still managed to get things done. I never heard him denigrate anyone in the legislature while in office, even though there were frustrations to be sure. He maintained a radio show where once a month he took calls from constituents and answered their questions--sometimes the constituents were not very happy either! But he always took their calls and explained his positions. Gov. Huckabee is very personable, likable, down-to-earth, and I feel sure he means what he says. He doesn't waffle. He does seem to care about everyday people, something I'm not so sure about with other politicians. This probably explains why, in a Democrat-controlled state, he managed to be re-elected! His positions on issues, experience with executive office, and character make him an ideal candidate to me.

-Terrie Shires