There is always one thing I can be sure of when Mike Huckabee addresses an audience: That the listeners will get an extensive lesson on what it means to be “moral” and “righteous.” Sparingly will I hear Huckabee articulate an in-depth economic position or how he believes we can get out of the current recession.
It may have something to do with the fact that he was a pastor for a great deal of his adult-life and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Religion before going to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for a year. He’s simply not too well versed in economics or economic theory.
Speaking at the Southern Baptist Convention, however, Huckabee has come up with his explanation for the turmoil on Wall Street. De-regulation? No. Sub-Prime Lending? No. It’s a lack of morality and righteousness. Apparenty, there’s still enough money to go around; there’s just not enough morality.
“Wall Street did not melt down because it was a money problem,” Huckabee said. “It melted down because there was a moral problem, and it’s high time we address that what really is breaking this country is not a lack of money. It’s a lack of morality, and without righteousness and character our nation will perish.”
While I’m not sure how this could be molded into an economic agenda, there’s no doubt in my mind that Huckabee will figure it out before the 2012 presidential race.
Thankfully, he had some positive thoughts at the end of the speech. Huckabee assured the audience that even if the far-right doesn’t achieve their goals legislatively, they will win in the end:
“The Bible makes it very clear that the outcome is a good one — maybe not as we see it here, but in the end, Jesus wins,” Huckabee said. “And I’m willing to say that for those of us who will, standing with Him is never a mistake. Standing for what He stands for will never lead us wrong. . .”
