From Hope to Higher Ground is a review of Mike Huckabee’s career as Arkansas Governor and a sort of explanation of his positions on a various issues.  Published in 2007, this book is fairly current on political issues and prepared the way for Huckabee’s eventual presidential candidacy.

To be open and honest I will admit that I like Huckabee and would possibly select him as a potential President. Reading this book didn’t change that position.

I was perhaps a little disappointed with this book.  The subtitle is 12 STOPS to Restoring America’s Greatness, and that really caught my attention, because it isn’t as negative sounding or something like “My 12 Steps to Success.”  But I was disappointed in the content.  Besides the first and last chapters (maybe the last 2) the book really read more like a narrated resume, than a political manifesto.

Drawing on his 10 and a half years as Governor of Arkansas, he details his policy successes at that level.  Although he rarely draws them to experience at the national level.  If you are interested in an autobiographical book about Huckabee, this would be an excellent selection (although I’m doubtful that was his main intent).

Using From Hope to Higher Ground is a little bit of a play on words, since he is from Hope, AK, but he does make it quite clear that his HOPE is more of the religious kind.  This quote clarifies that (pg 34):

Hope motivates differently. More a slow burn than the explosion of fear, hope provides a sustained drive and determination for the long haul. It is the marathon instead of the sprint.  Hope is that deeply rooted conviction that even after a hundred failures at trying to ride a bike, it’s worth it to believe that the 101st attempt will be successful.

Overall Huckabee keeps a positive spin on politics and ends each chapter, and ultimately the book with a challenge to take action, to make a change.  Huckabee’s 12 STOPS are:

1. STOP Being Cynical
2. STOP Thinking Horizontally
3. STOP Cheating our Children
4. STOP the Culture of Chronic Disease
5. STOP Abusing Our Planet
6. STOP the Revenge-Based Criminal Justice System
7. STOP Robbing the Taxpayers
8. STOP the Heat and Turn On the Light for Hot Issues
9. STOP the Loss of America’s Prestige at Home and Abroad
10. STOP Moving the Landmarks of Liberty
11. STOP the Loss of Good Jobs and the Erosion of Agriculture
12. STOP Being a Selfish Citizen

Each chapter ends with a list of 12 actions to take around that topic.  Here is a list of 12 (one from each chapter):

1. Don’t believe bad reports without documentation
2. Tip waiters and waitresses generously
3. Volunteer to help out in at least one school activity a year
4. Eliminate processed sugar from your diet as much as possible, if not totally
5. Walk or bike whenever you can
6. If you know someone whose child has a drug problem, ask them to share their story as parents
7. Volunteer in a campaign
8. Read C. Everett Koop and Francis Schaeffer’s Whatever Happened to the Human Race
9. Eat at International House of Pancakes (just kidding–wanted to make sure you were really reading the list!). [His words not mine]
10. Monitor your children’s Internet activities
11. Contribute to a scholarship for a student to attend college
12. Call an old friend from high school to catch up.

If you are still reading this long book review here is a quote for all the blogosphere to really love!

It will require more than the shouting matches on the cable networks; more than clever monologues on talk radio; more than hours of phoned-in hysteria or blogs of emotional and irrational ravings from people with more time on their hands than information in their heads. (pg 177) (emphasis mine)

What a sick state of affairs. Two stories in today’s national papers strike at stark comparisons in our world today.

The Washington Post headline reads

Clinton Shatters Record for Fundraising

With Hillary raising $26 million and the total estimates for all 2008 canidates is that they have raised well over $100 million dollars in 2007 and plan on continuing to raise more and more money as the election approaches in well over a year.

All of this while the New York Times headlines talk about Darfur refugees restarting in Fort Wayne and another entitled

Wedged Amid African Crises, a Neglected Nation Suffers

But unlike the suffering of its neighbors, the crisis in the Central African Republic has largely escaped the world’s notice. International donors pay about $1 billion to support the effort to feed and shelter two million displaced people in Darfur. Here that figure is about $50 million, United Nations officials say.

That has meant little assistance for people left utterly destitute. Jean-Charles Dei, the top official of the World Food Program in the Central African Republic, said on a visit to Otah on Friday that his organization had no food available to feed the 1,700 people hiding here. Its operations here are chronically short of cash.

In all, 2.5 million people have been forced from their homes in the three countries. In Darfur at least 200,000 people have died, and perhaps the toll is more that twice that number, though it is impossible to be sure without detailed mortality surveys. No one is sure how many have died in Chad, where the violence is linked to Darfur, or in the Central African Republic, which is a close ally of Chad’s embattled government and where diplomats and experts say rebels backed by Sudan have operated.

It is more than a little sad that people are willing to make the maximum allowable contribution to an election campaign $2,300 but aren’t willing to send money to help keep people alive or to stop genocide and needless killing fields. I guess its ok since its “just Africa” and they don’t have a strategic use anymore. Well that’s bularky!

$2,300 is more than many Africans can make in a year and would double the income for 6 people (of the over 1 billion) who are living on a dollar a day!

Did you know?

Did you know that in our world today:

• One third of deaths – some 18 million people a year or 50,000 per day – are due to poverty-related causes. That’s 270 million people since 1990, the majority women and children, roughly equal to the population of the US. (Reality of Aid 2004)
• Every year more than 10 million children die of hunger and preventable diseases – that’s over 30,000 per day and one every 3 seconds.
  (80 Million Lives, 2003 / Bread for the World / UNICEF / World Health Organization)
• Over 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day with nearly half the world’s population (2.8 billion) living on less than $2 a day. (UN HDR, 2003)
• 600 million children live in absolute poverty. (SCF, Beat Poverty 2003).
• The three richest people in the world control more wealth than all 600 million people living in the world’s poorest countries. (Source:ChristianAid)
• Income per person in the poorest countries in Africa has fallen by a quarter in the last 20 years. (Source:ChristianAid)
• 800 million people go to bed hungry every day. (Source:FAO)
• Every year nearly 11million children die before their fifth birthday.
  (Source:UNICEF)

If I was forced to vote today, I would pick one of the following candidates (some of which probably have no chance of even getting their party nomination).

Republican

Sam Brownback

Mike Huckabee

Democrat

Barak Obama

John Edwards

A radical idea! (This is not to be seen as an endorsement of Edwards, but merely a showcase of some ideas that might just work!)

This week John Edwards spoke in New Hampshire about ending poverty, both domestically and world-wide. A pretty radical idea here are some excerpts.

WORLD-WIDE POVERTY

From the Boston Herald

Seeking to link poverty in other countries to the United States’ national security, Edwards argued that militant extremists in nations torn apart by poverty and civil war have replaced government educational systems and are teaching young people to hate the United States.

”If we tackle it, we have the chance to change a generation of potential extremists and enemies into a generation of friends,” Edwards said.

From John Edwards for President website:

Edwards will endorse the goal of universal basic education by 2015 and commit $3 billion a year to this cause—enough to enroll 23 million children—and encourage our allies to provide the remaining $7 billion needed.

Edwards will invest in preventative health care in poor countries, beginning with increased vaccinations and the provision of sterile equipment and basic medications

Edwards will expand support for the National Endowment for Democracy to strengthen political parties, train political candidates, educate voters, and monitor elections. The resources will help countries with a history of political violence or extremist or terrorist activity.

The new Cabinet-level position within the White House will coordinate global development policies across the federal government. The adviser will have the authority to coordinate budgets among the relevant programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. and other relevant agencies. During Cabinet meetings in the Edwards Administration, the official will be a voice for the fight against global poverty. [A truly radical idea, get rid of some beuracracy!]

DOMESTIC POVERTY

From the Boston Herald

Edwards, who established a research center on poverty after his failed 2004 campaign, has set a goal of eliminating poverty in the United States in 30 years. His proposed solutions include creating a million temporary jobs for low-income workers, strengthening labor laws, increasing tax credits for working families and making housing and higher education more affordable.

Edwards, who established a research center on poverty after his failed 2004 campaign, has set a goal of eliminating poverty in the United States in 30 years. His proposed solutions include creating a million temporary jobs for low-income workers, strengthening labor laws, increasing tax credits for working families and making housing and higher education more affordable.

From John Edwards for President website:

Edwards calls for a national effort to:

• Cut poverty by one third within a decade, lifting 12 million Americans out of poverty by 2016.
• End poverty within 30 years, lifting 37 million Americans out of poverty by 2036.

Edwards suggested creating 1 million temporary jobs over five years. The jobs would be reserved for individuals who cannot find other work after six months of looking, pay the minimum wage, and last up to 12 months. In return, workers must show up and work hard, stay off drugs, do not commit any crimes, and pay child support.

Edwards proposed increasing the minimum wage to at least $7.50 an hour. The proposal would increase a full-time minimum-wage worker’s pay by $4,800 and benefit more than 15 million minimum and near-minimum wage workers. A $1 increase in the minimum wage has been estimated to lift nearly 900,000 people out of poverty.

Edwards suggested creating one million new housing vouchers over five years to let low-income families choose to live in better neighborhoods. He believes that we should also expand the supply of affordable housing that is economically integrated with other communities.

Edwards will require more fathers to help support their children and, in return, help them find work. He will reserve budget cuts in child support enforcement to increase collections by more than $8 billion over the next decade and ensure that payments benefit children.

What are your thoughts??

“Ten Reasons Why the Free World with the Leadership of America Must Boycott the 2008 Olympic Games in Communist China” by Demetrius Klitou

One) Human rights are practically non-existent in Communist China. Religious persecution, imprisonment and murder of non-violent political dissidents, torture, organ harvesting and sentences to hard labor are widespread.

Two) The lack of freedom of the press and safety risks for foreign reporters – Many foreign websites are banned from being visited within China, foreign reporters are prohibited from interviewing anyone without previous permission from the government, and the content of all broadcasting is severely restricted. Foreign news media reporters have been arrested and sentenced to prison under vague and wide-reaching security laws.

Three) The 1980 Olympic Games in Communist Russia were boycotted by 64 states, under the leadership of the U.S. Beijing is not any different from Moscow in 1980, which was also the capital of a Communist police state.

Four) Communist China constantly threatens to attack Taiwan. China’s government passed a law that explicitly calls for military intervention in response to any intention by the democratic government of Taiwan to declare independence. Military maneuvers indicate that the Communists’ military is preparing to enforce this law.

Five) Beijing has the most polluted air in the world. Studies and satellite photos have proven that Beijing suffers from extremely high nitrogen dioxide levels, vitally dangerous to the health of the athletes.

Six) China is plagued by widespread social, political, and economic unrest. A surge in huge land grabs and forced evictions by the Chinese government for reasons of economic expansion and Olympic Games preparations have sparked thousands of protests. The government has murdered hundreds of protesters.

Seven) The Chinese have been bribing and threatening large numbers of members of the International Olympic Committee. A number of U.S. Representatives, for example, Congressman Tom Lantos, have stated this on national television.

Eight) A boycott has some potential to serve as a strategy to encourage human rights in China. Only the greedy and foolish global elite think this is true the other way around.

Nine) Holding the Olympic Games in Communist China contradicts the Olympic Charter.
The Olympic Charter defines the philosophy of Olympism as the “respect for universal fundamental ethical principles” and its goal of promoting “a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.”

Ten) Don’t repeat the errors of 1936 when Nazi Germany was allowed to host the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games will give Communist China the same propaganda tool Nazi Germany enjoyed. Not since 1936 have the ideals of Olympics been so trampled upon.

(Demetrius Klitou is the author of the book THE FRIENDS AND FOES OF HUMAN RIGHTS. He holds a BA in International Area Studies and a MA in Diplomatic Studies. This article was originally published 6.28.06 by the China Support Network (CSN). Begun as the American response group in 1989, CSN represents Americans who are “on the side” of the students in Tiananmen Square – standing for democratic reform, human rights, and freedom in China. For dissident news, to support a stronger China policy, or get more information, click here)

I am pro-life (who wants to be pro-death?) but I have mixed feelings about legislating and eliminating the “right” to have an abortion. I personally feel that there are better ways to deal with abortions than eliminating them. Doing so would only send us back to the 60′s where women were having black market abortions and risking their lives to do so. If you say that is a fair punishment for killing their baby, you are a little sick in my humble opinion.

I’ve always felt there has to be better options. I have met and talked with people from Planned Parenthood (they don’t preach 100% abortion), but they do miss the point and abstinence-only education completly missed the point too. A more comprehnsive approach is needed. I like the ABC method (Abstinence, Being Faithful, and Condems) of education, b/c in reality and unfortunately people are going to have sex outside of marriage. But if we look at many of the causes of abortion we’ll see that many are related to economics or lack of support.

I think Congress may finally be on the right track with two pieces of legislation introduced by members of Democrats for Life. One is entitled Pregnant Women Support Act (HR 6145) and Reducing the Need for Abortions and Supporting Parents Act (HR 6067).

I find it interesting that Democrats introduced the bill and are most of the sponsors. Hopefully some pro-life Republicans will get their head out of the mud and see that they can help end abortions without outlawing them.

Has it been good?? TANF = Temporary Aid for Needy Families

“Child poverty began a most welcome decline in 1993, declining from 22.7 percent then to 16.2 percent in 2000. Since 2000, child poverty rose every year through 2004, back up to 17.8 percent. TANF’s proponents point to the overall decline in poverty over the past decade. A more balanced view acknowledges that there are multiple causes of the decline in poverty through 2000. TANF’s policy changes contributed, but no one should underestimate the significance of a very strong economy in the 1990s. As the ten-year retrospective by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities below documents, employment rates of single mothers shot up from just below 62 percent in 1995 to 73 percent in 2000. But by 2005, employment among single mothers had dropped back to 69 percent. TANF changes almost certainly played a role in the increased work – but TANF without the help of an economy strong enough to reach the poor is not enough to sustain employment or to prevent a rise in poverty. Further, a close look at the policies that contributed to improved outcomes must give prominence to increases in the Earned Income Tax Credit, increased income from child support collections and TANF aid to supplement low-paid work, more child care assistance, and more help with job preparation. These work supports, combined with the good economy, are likely to account for much of the progress that did occur.”

5 year lifetime benefits:
“In the early 90s, 80 percent of poor and eligible families received cash assistance; by 2002, the proportion was precipitously down to 48 percent. Instead of helping families to overcome barriers to employment, in 2003 there were one million moms and two million children with neither work nor welfare, prone to more hunger, illness, and other hardships. “

Wow, the Living Wage debate effect TANF:

“Working parents also need good quality and affordable child care and other supports such as transportation help, child support enforcement, and cash supplements to low earnings. Further, parents with disabilities or caring for children with disabilities need accommodations for their special circumstances. When these supports are in place, families can make genuine progress. That should be our goal.”

I think its true that welfare should be a temporary source of income, allowing people to have a safety-net in life. Shoot I’m on welfare. Many of my student loans are subsidized by the Federal government. Thanks Uncle Sam. TANF was designed to encourage individuals to get off welfare and work, thus welfare-to-work. But there needs to be a true transition from welfare to work. Many mothers can’t work b/c when they lose TANF they also lose child care. Try affording child care while earning $6 an hour. Not to be painted as a complete liberal, I will say that many people choose not to work and would rather use the system to meet their needs. It is these people who are ruining it for everyone else. Unfortunately, these are the ones we hear about on the news. When was the last time we heard a positive story about a woman on welfare who was able to get job training and is now self-sufficient. YES it does happen!

Ok so for welfare to actually work two things need to occur:

1) Individuals need to be able to find a job that will actually pay their basic expenses (including child-care)
2) Individuals need real motivation to wake up each morning and punch a time clock.

The first is easy, the second a littler harder. It is not however, neccessarily the government’s role. We as a church need to step up and help our neighbors overcome barriers in their lives.

Passage Malachi 3:5:
⁵At that time I will put you on trial. I will be a ready witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.

Quotes from Coalition on Human Needs