Written by Bobby Eberle: (In part

On the other hand, Huckabee has ridden a wave of momentum all the way to the top, and conservatives should look carefully at his record. As noted in an op-ed by the Cato Institute's Michael Tanner, during Huckabee's two terms as Arkansas governor, "spending increased by more than 65 percent -- at three times the rate of inflation." Tanner goes on to note:

The number of government workers increased by 20 percent, and the state’s debt services increased by nearly $1 billion. Huckabee financed his spending binge with higher taxes. Under his leadership, the average Arkansan’s tax burden increased 47 percent, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, including increases in the state’s gas, sales, income, and cigarette taxes. He raised taxes on everything from groceries to nursing home beds.

Huckabee answers these complaints by pointing out that he "cut taxes 94 times" while governor. True. But most of those tax cuts were tiny, like exempting residential lawn care from the sales tax. Some cuts reduced overall state revenues by as little as $15,000. On net, Huckabee increased state taxes by more than $500 million. In fact, Huckabee increased taxes in the state by more than Bill Clinton did.

In one of Tanner's most telling comments, he says, "Most of the leading Republicans running for president show some support for Bush’s ideology, but no other candidate so completely embodies it." In other words, he believes Huckabee is a "big government Republican."

The last thing I want is another presidential term (or two) with a big government "conservative." The Republican Party cannot take it again, and neither can I. We need someone who is no nonsense. Someone who will cut taxes and work to shrink government, not just try to keep it from growing too fast.

In addition, Huckabee has also come under fire for his stance on illegal immigration. It's mind-blowing to fathom that Jim Gilchrist, the founder of the Minuteman Project, has just come out in support of Huckabee, because Huckabee ranks at the bottom in his efforts to combat illegal immigration. As Michelle Malkin points out in her latest column, "Despite a long gubernatorial record opposing employer sanctions and pushing tax-subsidized illegal alien education benefits, Huckabee won Gilchrist's support by unveiling a last-minute, tough-sounding homeland security plan. Trouble is, Huckabee has downright and longstanding contempt for his new bedfellows of convenience."

Matt Drudge reported yesterday on how little the Dems have been attacking Huckabee. In analyzing the attack press releases by the DNC, Drudge noted the following:

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