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Web Exclusive: Q&A with the Gov.

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    Mike Huckabee fields audience questions

  • Duration 8:23
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We're gonna do something that is really dangerous for me.

I'm gonna take some questions from our audience for a few minutes and see what is on their mind and let them put me.

On our hot seat so -- -- is up in the audience and let's see who's got our first question today.

Had given her eyes I have a question for you Mac question is to get tired of saying if you where president.

Would -- you pass the cut cap and ballots.

And if so what cuts would you make.

First of all I would most certainly pass it because I think that for a long time we have near the balanced budget amendment which is a part of cut cap and balance.

Secondly what this bill does and I think the house members -- they have been really.

Admirable and putting -- forth and it's a shame the senate won't even discuss it much less vote on it.

But it it does three things as you know.

It cuts.

Spending so there were not just continually to spend money we don't have.

It puts a cap on how much we can spend and ties it to the amount that were actually receiving.

And then it forces a vote on a balanced budget amendment that would put into law the fact that from this point forward.

We would have to balance our budget by law justice 49 states already do.

I know that in my own state where -- -- governor.

We didn't have the option of spending money we didn't have we were forced to always live within our means which meant we -- Are we had to do something to get revenue but you didn't have the option of just borrowing money and passing on the burden of that to somebody in the future.

As to what I would -- I think first of all we did we put some very serious looks at the fraud waste and abuse that exists in every level of government.

Let me tell what I've found out when we were going through the recession of 20012002.

We had to make some serious cuts and cut 11%.

Out of our State's general revenue budget -- that may not seem like a lot but that's a lot of money and people were out.

Burning me in effigy every day and having rallies on the capitol steps that it was gonna destroy the world and people would die from it.

You know what happens.

When you make cuts across the board.

You'd be amazed at how government agencies are able to find ways to function.

Once the money has been cut so I do and across the board cut I'm not sure what the percentage would be it might be five might be 10%.

But you'd start there.

And you simply tell the agencies we're not gonna tell you what you -- can't do we're gonna tell you you've got 10% less money next year than -- had.

You figure out what's really important to get -- and go do it.

And you know that's what agency directors are supposed to be able to do.

And I promise you that the United States government would not cease to function in people would not die.

If government agencies were forced into doing what many of you in this audience have done over the past year and a half to two years you've cut back on your spending.

Didn't cut back as you wanted to you cut back because you had -- and guess what you're sitting here today is living proof that you survived it.

Cannot have always been comfortable may not have always been pleasant.

But necessity is the mother of invention and that's what we need to be doing so that's what I would cut across the board who's our next question sort of ago.

Seven Governor Huckabee -- com what are your thoughts on current term limits for congress what a great idea.

No and I mean that sincerely I pushed for term limits in my state when it got on the ballot back in 19992.

And it was passed by an overwhelming majority of the people.

And again you should have heard the talk by it will be apocalyptic.

Will lose all this great experience and my feeling was.

That if all this great experience had a lot of us into the type of government we had ended up with we could afford to do without it.

And I am a strong believer in term limits -- probably one of the few people who believed in term limits is much after my tenure of service as I believed in it before.

Because a lot of times politicians believe and it.

Until they get an office in an account all I can say.

I'd love to say -- No I think we need to flush the system regularly.

We have term limits for the executive branch I think we -- -- have term limits for the legislative branch because when you have term limits so tell you what happens.

Legislators know they can't be there forever.

And when they know that they start thinking about.

That they're gonna pass laws that they'll have to go home and live with rather than pass laws that'll just help him get re elected.

I think it would be one of the most dynamic and positive changes.

In American government.

That nobody would have more -- and I say twelve years total in the legislature and some would probably say even tanner a -- For our three months I mean depends on your view.

But this idea that a person goes to congress and they spent forty years and they get this huge pension.

For what should have been a public service job that's absurd and and I love to see a tenth term limits okay who's got another question or two ago.

I don't area high -- my question is how do you feel governor Perry would do as a candidate right now especially considering to guys -- competing against and the way he'd be having to compete against media.

Sure not a governor Perry is going to be very strong candidate.

There's no doubt in my mind it is gonna get and hand.

He's going to be a very formidable candidate he's gonna have a lot of money he'll be well financed.

He's got high profile he'll be very favorable to a lot of the people from the Tea Party.

He's from a very large state -- is one of the largest states in the country both in population and size.

Although don't tell the Texans this from Alaska is actually physically bigger.

They don't believe that yet but.

No I think He would be a very strong candidate now the question is does He did create yet more of a divide within what many would consider the more conservative part of the party.

And give a greater opportunity for a more moderate Republican could be but that's that's what primaries are far I'll tell you this.

I would just be very quick to say.

That don't pay much attention to polls and standing at this point it doesn't mean anything the primaries are a long way away and so is the general election.

And so there's a candidate out -- that you really like get behind him and support and don't let someone say why He hadn't got a chance He does and if you don't help in.

And so if you see someone who believes like you believe in thinks like you think and you say that person would be a great president.

Help well now they may need your help now more than they'll ever need it.

So if there -- one or 2% in the polls.

Don't let that stop you if they're leading don't let that stop you either OK let's take what another question.

Yes -- them.

-- -- What I like to know is that why did the Republican conservatives -- don't.

Going to TV or media whatever and raise the concern of the debt ceiling.

How are concerned do this country could be.

In other words -- -- the American people understand why did it what the danger could be I mean I'm from Italy.

And -- what's happening Greece and now Italy joined -- -- the same problem there we have it you know in Europe so we could be.

Right next -- I think a lot of the problem is that the Republicans don't have the megaphone with the media that the president has.

This is always going to be the problem when the executive and legislative branches are sort of at loggerheads.

The executive -- is one voice.

The legislative branches 535.

Different voice has all elbowing their way.

The other factor in this particular dynamic is that President Obama.

Has the almost unified support.

Of the mainstream media now I'm not being you know sour grapes about it it's just harsh reality.

You can listen to the commentary dislike Cole President Obama the adult in the room.

Well I'm sorry but I think some of the house members were real adults when they did something that the president hasn't done.

They actually put a detailed bill in place not a framework not a concept.

But a bill.

With very specific language.

And yet they're not getting credit for that and the president is being credited as if he's come up with a plan and in fact He hasn't.

So always remember that between that sort of biased toward the executive -- -- biased toward.

President Obama.

The Republicans -- in -- very very tough spot -- great questions all of you thank you very much and.

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