Without drawing obvious parallels between this candidate from Hope, and a candidate who came from Hope 18 years ago, let me please, please please beg you not to vote Huckabee.

First, I lived in AR from 1992 - 1997 and again from 2002-2006. I opened and ran two businesses under the Huck, and during those times, he raised my taxes both personally and professionally. He also increased spending on pet projects, which every politician does, but because I don't like him personally, makes it even worse.

If you want a list of all the things he's done wrong, and then compare them to a list of the wrongs done by the other candidates, go search it out on the web. By now, you know he released a rapist who then became a killer in another state. (Wayne Dummond). What you may not have heard is that he lobbied hard on contributor's behalf to the parole board for several other serious criminals, who were then freed. Some went on to normal productive lives, but there was at least one case where a man he pressured the parole board to release killed someone else. He also commuted several sentences while in office, again for a decent political contribution, and again, someone he let lose went on to commit a larger, more heinous crime.

Like a lot of politicians, Huck can be bought, and I'm afraid with the type of money that lobbyists throw around in DC, he just won't be able to stick to his morals.

Speaking of morals, this is the same preacher that told my mother that she was going to burn in hell for being a single mom raising two sons in the 70's. This was small town AR, but still, you don't talk about a Southern Boy's mama. That's just wrong.

And the man lived in a triple wide trailer while spending millions of tax dollars on redecorating the Governor's mansion. Now sure, Abe Lincoln came from a log cabin, and so did Thomas Jefferson, but that was 150 and 250 years ago. America has enough problems generated by GW with our image; do we really need to add this to mix.

Now I credit the man with dropping a whole other person in weight. That's admirable. He did it to run for the Presidency, which he decided to do 4 years ago, and has been collecting money (campaign contributions) every since. He did this instead of doing his job, which was to govern the state of AR.

Why would we want the man who kept AR as #49 out of 50 in across the board categories running our country, I'll never know. At least under Clinton, he took us from 50 to 48. The Huck dragged us back down, but don't worry, he raised taxes to do it.

He violated the Freedom of Information Act on at least 100 occasions to cover up what could be perceived as wrong doing.

He accepted money for favors; he's no friend of the environment, and after having known him since 1977 (when he told my mom she was a whore and was going to burn in hell) I can tell you that he is a liar. Sure, all politicians are liars. How do you know when they are lying? Their lips are moving.

But the Huck is an especially dangerous breed of liar because he learned a long time ago that wearing the mantle of a minister will give you a pass on the truth. People in general tend to give preachers the benefit of the doubt, which is why he was perfect for politics. He talks (and is trained well to do so) and people believe him, even as he spins a perfect web of lies.

Confront him with the truth, as numerous journalists did in his home state, and he becomes petty and vindictive. When a small free press, THE ARKANSAS TIMES published articles critical of the Huck, he cut off access to interviews, and information, and refused to release public documents to the paper. He did not do this to the DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE which was a pro-Huck publication.

Personally, I hope this rise in the polls in Iowa is a blip in the radar and America will come to its senses. There are better choices for President than this lying manipulator who will do or say anything to gain the highest office. He has done absolutely nothing to prove he's worthy of heading the most powerful country in the world, and at a time when we need good experienced leadership, he is not the man for the job.

I could use a vernacular here and say F the Huck. But I won't. Instead I will urge everyone to research this so called man of God, and check his actions against his words. You will find that the two rarely meet, and that a man who is going to be in the Office of the President should have integrity and character.

And you don't get character by just naming it the title of a book someone else writes for you.