Maybe Sarah Palin is the Nanny and Mike Huckabee the Professor
Michelle Malkin named Mike Huckabee one of her 10 biggest nanny-staters. Here is part of what she said about Huckabee (emphasis mine):
Nanny State Republican Mike Huckabee, who used his bully pulpit position as Arkansas governor to campaign for Big Government-endorsed “healthier living” in public schools and private life, naturally sided with Mrs. Obama — and took a swipe at Sarah Palin last week for criticizing the White House usurpation of parental responsibility and rights. Huckabee scoffed at the idea that the feds are “trying to force the government’s desires on people.” But school bake sales are already under siege, and Mrs. Obama’s childhood obesity task force has already called for new and dramatic controls on the marketing of unhealthy foods. Did Huckabee miss (or does he agree with) Mrs. Obama’s officious rallying cry on child nutrition: “We can’t just leave it up to parents”?
If Malkin wants governors to mind their own business when it comes to school lunches, she needs to add former Governor Sarah Palin, and Texas Governor Rick Perry to her list of nannies.
After the 2008 election, but before she resigned in 2009 and Michelle Obama’s intitiatives had begun, Palin implemented and promoted “healthier living” programs in her state.
Below is an excerpt of those (all italics below are mine):
No. 08-194
Governor Palin Announces Health Priorities
December 4, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today announced her goals to improve Alaska’s health and education through fiscal year 2010 budget requests, the formation of a health care commission, support for legislation and an informational campaign to help Alaskans take better care of their own health.
She also increased funding for Denali KidCare (Alaska version of SChip) and raised the eligibility threshold to 200% of the federal poverty level (the federal government only required funding for up to 150%, Palin had earlier raised it to 175%). She did this to maintain federal funding and “said that the state could have lost $3 million in federal funding if its income threshold fell below 150% of the current poverty level (Kizzia, Anchorage Daily News, 5/16).
Governor Huckabee on the other hand, resisted federal mandates(!) with his ARKids First alternate plan called “Arkid B”. Surely how politicians actually governed is more important than statements about President Obama’s wife, Michelle. Here is one example of Huckabee’s stand for state rights:
The B waiver program requires a “small” copayment and offers fewer services than the traditional Medicaid program. Proponents of the B plan say free coverage under the traditional A program carries a “stigma” that not all families want to subject themselves to.
According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Huckabee has wanted to allow parents of Medicaid-eligible children to choose between the two programs. Huckabee added that some “prideful” parents would prefer to enroll their children in ARKids B because they “want to contribute to their children’s health coverage” through the copayments.
A Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report noted, “Despite the Clinton administration’s order to place all Medicaid-eligible children into ARKids A, Huckabee resisted ‘in the hopes that Bush would be elected.’” After daring the Clinton administration to pull his state’s federal funding for not following the order, Huckabee said he thought the Bush administration, with Tommy Thompson as HHS secretary, would allow Arkansas to manage the programs as it saw fit.
At the same time Governor Palin was promoting her increases in funding, she also created a new health care commission, increased “state funding to reverse childhood obesity and improve diagnosis of autism, and increased funding for Alaska’s Head Start preschool programs”.[1]
And she did this “for the children” (which we conservatives are all want to mock when it comes from the left): Palin said “Children are the most valuable resource in Alaska…We have to do more to support health coverage and health care, because it plays such a big role in a child’s success in school, and in life. Our state agencies are partnering to better equip Alaskans to lead healthier lives and to meet health care needs across the state.” Notice that Palin’s reasons are the same ones Malkin criticized in Huckabee: Poor health’s impact on School and Life.
She also decided to “develop a statewide initiative called Live Well Alaska. The interactive web-based campaign will provide the best recommendations for eating healthier, being more physically active and quitting tobacco use.” Perhaps she was copying Mike Huckabee’s program called Healthy Arkansas.
Palin also spent “$2 million for the Department of Education to implement a pilot preschool program. School districts would receive the funding through grants. The half-day preschools would serve up to 500 children statewide.”
I don’t want to be misunderstood. I think that, generally speaking, both the Federal Government and state governments should stay out of the health care business. But this is yet another example of hypocritical anger by Malkin who nitpicks Huckabee on things her own pet candidates have supported.
Cross posted at Caffeinated Thoughts
January 4th, 2011 at 7:41 am
This is a better post David.
Palin flip flops with the best of them.
Watch her do the same with TARP if she runs.
January 4th, 2011 at 9:01 am
If we are already feeding the children, were is the loss of liberties? If this was a huge issue than I guess we would see an increases in home schoolers and private school enrollments.
January 4th, 2011 at 9:03 am
The travesty of healthier eating children!
January 4th, 2011 at 9:14 am
The problem with Malkin is that she created the monster called HotAir which needs to be fed. In order to profit off advertising, she needs a good controversy to keep the minions stirred up. Truth will adventually catch up to her. Nice catch David.
January 4th, 2011 at 9:28 am
Palin has definitely morphed since she decided she wanted to be the face of the tea party movement. These sorts of….. transitions…… from her prior life as a half term governor will definitely catch up with her in a campaign.
January 4th, 2011 at 9:49 am
Thanks, Heath, FCS, and Matt.
January 4th, 2011 at 10:36 am
Huck deserves to be nitpicked since he is a pro-life Democrat and a religious extremist
January 4th, 2011 at 10:41 am
I have to ask the question as well, if we are already feeding the kids in school with federal money, then I am not sure where the outrage comes from when they choose to feed kids healthier foods rather than junk. Also, I am not sure where the right to have a soda machine or candy machine in a school is located, could some one please point to that? Malkin is misguided and biased and frankly she hasn’t been a major player in some time.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:16 am
Gotta love the Palin vs Huck attacks. Let them and their zealots do their best Dean vs. Gephardt impression while a real contender like Romney, Daniels, or Thune go on to the nomination.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:26 am
I honestly just don’t understand this hatred of anti-obesity campaigns, even by the government. As long as they don’t actually start banning foods, like Michael Bloomburg or San Fransisco, then what’s the big deal? It’s better for our overall national health if people eat better. Huckabee is right in that preventing obesity will help lower health-care costs.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:34 am
I actually side with Huck on this one, as well. If we’re already feeding the kids, why not feed them healthy food and like Jonathan, as long as no one is trying to ban food sales then I don’t see any issue with the First Lady’s plan.
I also like Max’s take. Let Palin and Huck and all their zealots start attacking each other. Us grown ups will just sit over here and watch.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:40 am
It’s an issue that gets support across party lines and to oppose it is to place yourself in the minority. People can eat whatever they want in their own homes and since the education is free there really shouldn’t be much debate on this.
Some, Malkin included, are trying to use this to proove some false charge the Huckabee is some big government guy. Palin, being the political neophyte, pounced on this without thinking. Have you noticed that there hasn’t been a word about this from any other candidate.
January 4th, 2011 at 11:44 am
I have to wonder if Palin and Malkin consider Laura Bush’s literacy campaign to be Nanny State interference with the sanctity of the home?
January 4th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Why did rightosphere.com die? I thought we said weren’t going to pursue the race4XXXX series?
January 4th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
7. Jack, Do you really believe that or are you just a hyperbolist?
January 4th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
1.Heath Says:
January 4th, 2011 at 7:41 am
“Palin flip flops with the best of them.
Watch her do the same with TARP if she runs.”
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Bingo, Heath!
January 4th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
13.Matt “MWS” Says:
January 4th, 2011 at 11:44 am
“I have to wonder if Palin and Malkin consider Laura Bush’s literacy campaign to be Nanny State interference with the sanctity of the home?”
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Matt,
Of course thay do. More so Malkin than Palin though. Btw, Malkin couldn’t get elected dogcatcher in Wasilla or anywhere else. Palin needs to drop her off at the nearest park before she damages her campaign any further. (If that’s even possible.)
January 4th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
12.FiscalConservative Says:
January 4th, 2011 at 11:40 am
“Have you noticed that there hasn’t been a word about this from any other candidate.”
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Sarah frightens them.
January 4th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
I wrote a piece detailing Huckabee’s history of governing success on the issue of childhood obesity. If you are interested, please check it out:
http://ilikemikehuckabee2012.blogspot.com/2010/12/childhood-obesity-political-leadership.html
January 4th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Great piece David. It is ironic that Malkin attacks Huckabee over his sincere defense of Michelle Obama. And yet, Palin addressed the issue in her last state address in Alaska. Palin did not stick around to actually implement action on childhood obesity. Hopefully Malkin reads your piece and gets educated on Palin.
January 4th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Excellent work on this issue by Texas Conservative along with David Shedlock.
January 4th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
I think many powerful Republicans, “establishment” and otherwise, are taking notice that only Huck stands up to Palin’s continuous nonsense.
That, and the fact that she is totally unelectable OVERALL and completely unappealing to Independents, Reagan Democrats, and Clinton Moderates.
She’s not even a favorite of Republicans, Conservatives, or Tea Partiers any longer.
I see the Party getting behind whoever they feel will defeat her soundly in first Iowa and then South Carolina.
January 4th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
12.FiscalConservative Says:
January 4th, 2011 at 11:40 am
“Have you noticed that there hasn’t been a word about this from any other candidate.”
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Sarah frightens them.
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Its because they see the futility of getting in a debate on the opposing side of healtier children.
January 4th, 2011 at 2:09 pm
That, too.
January 4th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
It does worry me that Mitt doesn’t have the balls to take on Palin. Perhaps he’s waiting to see if she runs – but I prefer Huck’s honesty in this regard.
January 5th, 2011 at 4:23 am
It seems to me that the basic point of this post is that we shouldn’t criticize Huckabee for criticizing Palin, because they both agree on some points.