Compassionate Conservatism: Brownback and Huckabee?

I continue to be frustrated by the lack of specific proposed actions from Presidential Candidates Brownback and Huckabee. Senator Sam Brownback (R - Kansas) and Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R - Arkansas) are both "religious" conservatives with questionable positions on economics. (Note: in an earlier post I noted that both candidates supported a flat tax; it appears the Governor Huckabee is now a proponent of the Fair Tax). I have read articles in the press where both candidates are referred to as compassionate conservatives.

On their websites, the evidence of exactly what they are is slim. Governor Huckabee talks about supporting No Child Left Behind, and sounds like he wants to augment that albatross with his so-called "Weapons of Mass Instruction" - to wit: art and music. Now I value art and music instruction... but do we need federal intervention in this area. We certainly didn't need NCLB! It also seems as if the kindly governor would outlaw divorce.

Senator Brownback is equally nebulous. He seems to be for privatization of social security. He favors a flat-tax and wants to reduce the UN in size. Very little substantive material on any of the issues.

So the question is unresolved. We do not need to follow the current compassionate conservative with a clone. Big government is not the answer. If you believe it is the answer, then vote for an authentic big government candidate-- Hilary Clinton for example.