Mike Huckabee is the best candidate for the Republicans

I disagree that we need someone who appeals to moderate liberals and that is because for a candidate to appeal to moderate liberals, that candidate himself would have to be a moderate. No, this country needs a strong conservative that the entire Republican party can get excited about. I can understand where you're coming from - you want one of our guys to win so you're willing to sacrifice a few conservative principles. While I can appreciate that, I disagree. One more compassionate, big-government Republican in office (especially after the Bush terms) will be the end of the party as we know it. Eight years of another Bush-like president in office will take away the Republican party's reputation as the party of less government and more nanny state, the party will be the new Big-Government party. I do understand the parameters of his illegal alien scholarship, but my question is this: why not give the scholarship money to an American citizen who meets all of these parameters? All that scholarship does is inspire the illegal immigrants to flock to Arkansas and get their children into the school system with the hopes that they'll get such a scholarship and go to college, all while never being documented or paying a cent in taxes. I understand that Mike supports the FairTax and that is great as I am a huge advocate of the program. However, I was not talking about federal income tax earlier, I was talking about his history with state sales tax as governor. My fear is that he will start out great, trying to get the FairTax initiated, then once it's in place will give a hike to what was a 15% tax just like he did with taxes in Arkansas. I never said that his decision-making involving pardons was rash or not thoughout, rather, he makes these decisions with his heart(back to the compassionate conservative thing) rather than with his brain. If people are guilty of a crime, they do the time, it's as simple as that - no exceptions regardless of what religious experience or personal turnaround they may or may not have had. Mike was also the only Republican candidate who did not raise his hand when asked who supports the president's veto of the SCHIP bill. In case you forgot, this is the bill that would've given HUGE increases on tobacco products to fund a children's health care program. I'm in favor of helping poor children, but this bill didn't target the right people and was a total piece of garbage. On top of that, it would've taxed a group of consumers who have been taxed up to their eyeballs already. Taxing a specific group of consumers is discrimination and infringes on their right to use tobacco products as they choose. Mike was in favor of this bill because he is staunchly anti-tobacco (which does not go along with the conservative stance of less government regulation and personal freedom) and because his compassion makes him feel compelled to give children healthcare without recognizing the consequences of giving free healthcare to kids up to age 25 with household incomes of up to $70,000. With those parameters there could literally be a family of four(a 24-year old mother and father, a 4-year old child and a 2-year old child) who make $65,000 a year and get completely free healthcare for every member of the family, all on the your bill. How could a conservative be in favor a plan like this? I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Republicans do not need a wishy-washy, compassionate, moderate, try to please everyone Republican. They need a man who takes traditional conservative stances and turns the Republican party back into the party of self-reliance, strong values, less government, personal freedom, liberty, and personal responsibility.