Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling job creation?
Total: 38% approve/ 47% disapprove
Unemployed: 47% approve / 44% disapprove

Source: http://pollster.com/blogs/us_unemployment_cbstimes_12410.php

The following are the details connecting Clemmons and Huckabee:

• Maurice Clemmons is wanted for questioning by police in connection to the killing of four officers in Lakeland, Washington
• Maurice Clemmons was sentences to a 108 year prison term for his actions as a 16 year old youth. These actions appear to be the:

1. 8/89 – Robbery
2. 9/89 – Burglary, Theft of Property
3. 11/89 – Aggravated Robbery, Theft of Property
4. 2/90 – Burglary, Theft of Property
5. 11/90 – Possession of Firearm – School

• Huckabee On May 3, 2000, Gov. Mike Huckabee commuted (lessened) Clemmons’ 108 year sentence to 47 years, 5 months and 19 days, which made him eligible for parole that day. Huckabee lessened 4 of the 8 convictions listed above.
• The Parole Board granted his parole July 13, 2000.
• He was released Aug. 1, 2000.

In light of what appears to be Clemmons killing of 4 officers, would anybody want this guy to ever be free to do that? No.

Is it excessive to sentence a person to a 108 year sentence for a series of robberies committed as a 16-year -old youth? I think so. You may disagree.

Did Huckabee know that Clemmons was going to apparently kill four police officers 9 years after his parole from prison? No.

The question in regards to Huckabee is whether he showed negligent judgment in commuting the sentence of Clemmons.

It is my opinion that Huckabee did not show a serious lack of judgment for allowing Clemmons sentence to be reduced to 47.5 years when considering that these were his first series of robberies and were committed at the age of 16.

We can’t blame Huckabee for a decision that he made without knowledge of future crimes although we can blame him for poor judgment based on what he already knew. Based on that, I think his judgment was within the bounds of reason. You may differ in your opinion and you are welcome to do that.

Download official Arkansas court and clemency documents behind this post at:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2009/11/30/2010388798.pdf

DISCLOSURE: I like Huckabee. I have met him a few times and have found him warm and consistent. I also am a leader of a grassroots group called HucksArmy that supported Huckabee in 2008 and helps advocate for conservatives and common-sense government. While this association may make you think that I only want to defend Huckabee because I like him, I encourage you to make your judgement based on the soundness of this post and not who I am.

UPDATE:

While this does not diminish Huckabee’s role, his actions were following the recommendation of a county circut judge.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee commuted the sentence of a man suspected in the slayings of four police officers in Washington state after a Pulaski County circuit judge recommended leniency, according to documents released today.

Circuit Judge Marion Humphrey in 1999 urged the Arkansas Parole Board to reduce the 108-year sentence given to Maurice Clemmons, who had been convicted of multiple felonies, including armed robbery.

“I favor a time cut for Maurice Clemmons,” Humphrey wrote to the parole board on July 9, 1999. “Mr. Clemmons was 16 years of age when his cases began in this court. I do not know why the previous judge ran his sentences consecutively, but concurrent sentences would have been sufficient.”

Source: http://arkansasnews.com/2009/11/30/huckabee-releases-statement-on-shooting-suspect/

UPDATE II: Huckabee addresses this personally:

QUESTION: Do you approve or disapprove of this health care reform plan?

Favor: 35%
Oppose: 51%

From November 9 – 16, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,518 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points.

Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, 11/19/2009

1. 1.2 trillion dollar price tag
2. Creation of government insurance company (what is next…government burrito stand? food is just as important as health care)
3. Unconstitutional (in my opinion) mandates
4. Government board that will determine which private health care plans are up to government standards
5. Requirement that every American file proof of health insurance to the IRS with their tax return
6. $100 million dollar a year teen pregnancy provision that I predict will be used to fund the expansion of #1 abortion mill Planned Parenthood. States handle this stuff better anyways instead of a top-down approach.
7. Jail time punishments
8. Centralized federal government control
9. Cuts to Medicaid
10. Politicization of health care. From now on, health care standards and insurance company coverage standards are going to be subject t the dictates of politicians instead of the need of the people and  market.
11. Many grants under federal guidance that reach past state and local governments

So why can’t we just start all over and address access issues related to pre-existing conditions, lawsuit reform, and providing basic care for those too poor to pay for anything without destroying the whole system as know it?

Source: Pew Research Center, Released 11/11/2009

Because I want the media to stop covering Mr. Terry’s antics and instead pay more attention to the good work of other pro-life advocates.

That said, the media loves to paint life rights supporters as a but crazy when in reality they are some of the most down to hear and good people I know…in fact they account for half of America. Randall Terry plays into the “crazy” storyline that the abortion supporting media likes to go with and so we continue to get a steady stream of ridiculous Randall Terry stories like this:

CBS News: Anti-Abortion Activist Calls for Burning Effigies of Pelosi, Reid

And videos from Randall Terry like:

While I can understand the point behind these videos, the expression is all wrong.

Yes, Pelosi and Reid have been big opponents of the right to life of children before they are born and they should be denounced for that but in our hypersensitive culture, it just isn’t a wise PR move. In the second video I understand the point that ObamaCare uses taxpayer funds to pay for abortions but the video is childish and a mockery of the real horror of abortion.

I agree with Terry when he says that that pro-lifers need to be bold and use vivid images as other historic social movements have done (examples include the movements to end the slavery, child labor, and racial inequality) but what that means is very different for me.

The bold images that we should be using are images of what an actual abortion looks like.

I am in full support of accurate websites like http://herestheblood.com and http://abortionno.org because they honestly show the horror of abortion. I also appreciate that the vast majority of their imagery is of 1st trimester abortions which account for just under 90% of the abortions in the United States.

The problem with Randall Terry isn’t that he is bold, it is that he foolishly seeks media attention with the wrong message. Instead of showing the real victim of abortion, he shows images that confuse the public and uses statements that are over-the-top and contain distracting religious language.

In closing…

Media: Please cover the top respected pro-life groups like AUL, NRTL, CBR, Live Action, SFLA among many others.

Randall Terry: Please stop doing outrageous stunts. Lean from past social movements and use the actual and most accurate images of the most common abortions in America and use science to educate why preborn humans are human, living, and worthy of protection by a just society.

Life Rights Advocates: Until Randall Terry changes, don’t support his work and instead connect with other life rights groups that are actually educating (particular young people who are at risk of having abortions) and winning public opinion.

Note: There is lots of pro-life activity that I believe is ineffective but I would never publicly criticize it because it is at least somewhat helpful and isn’t damaging. I speak out about Randall Terry because I do believe his actions are hurting the life rights cause.

“harassment, intimidation, vandalism, racial scapegoating, blacklisting, loss of employment, economic hardships, angry protests, violence, at least one death threat, and gross expressions of anti-religious bigotry.”

You can download the full report here.

I can tell you personally as a Californian that I experiences and heard many first-hand stories of harassment, threats, anti-bigotry, and thefts. This report lines up with many of the event that I witnessed and heard about it is an important report about the widespread tactics of those opposed to the man/woman marriage definition.

Video of Jennings partner talking about Jennings being involved in ACT UP:

What ACT UP did:

1. GAVE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL TO UNDERAGE SEATTLE CHILDREN In December 1991, ACT UP’s Seattle chapter distributed over 500 safer-sex packets outside Seattle high schools. The packets contained a pamphlet titled “How to Fuck Safely”, which was photographically illustrated and included two men performing fellatio. The Washington state legislature subsequently passed a “Harmful to Minors” law making it illegal to distribute sexually explicit material to underage persons.
2. ACT-UP ACTIVISTS ARRESTED FOR CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, STALKING, HARASSMENT, & MAKING CRIMINAL THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL AND JOURNALISTSTwo homosexual activist ended up pleading guilty to lesser misdemeanor charges. Source
   
3. PHYSICALLY ATTACKED AIDS CHARITIES THAT HELP HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTSSF Chronicle: According to people who witnessed the incident, ACT UP members pushed their way past security, and pelted Project Inform’s founding director, Martin Delaney, and others with hard, pelletlike pills, while yelling epithets.
4. TV STUDIO TAKEOVEROn January 22, 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, ACT UP activist John Weir and two other activists entered the studio of the CBS Evening News at the beginning of the broadcast. They shouted “Fight AIDS, not Arabs!” and Weir upstaged anchorman Dan Rather before the control room cut to a commercial break.
5. ATTACKS CATHOLIC CHURCH, 111 ARRESTEDThe organization, or offshoots of it, have at times faced criticism for being too militant. Their disagreements with Cardinal John O’Connor on issues related to sex education in New York City Public Schools, as well as the Cardinal’s public views on homosexuality, led to the first Stop the Church protest on December 10, 1989 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York, in which it’s estimated 4500 ACT-UP and WHAM! members gathered outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral to protest the Church’s perceived homophobia, and their opposition to safe sex education and abortion. 111 activists were arrested. Some activists entered the Cathedral, interrupted Mass, chanted slogans, or lay down in the aisles. One protestor broke a communion wafer and threw it to the floor.[24] As a result of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral action, ACT-UP was publicly condemned by Mayor Edward Koch and some media for what they viewed as militancy and disrespect.

What a great group for our nation’s “Safe Schools Czar” to be an active member of. I wonder what sort of vetting the Obama administration did on Kevin Jennings. With Jennings other outrageous past actions like giving positive counsel to a 15-year-old boy to engage in a homosexual relationship with an older man that was illegal at the time it is time for Obama to send Jennings packing.

The White House takes comments at: 202-456-1111

Oh and Jennings also has been critical of the effect of books like “Romeo and Juliet” because they teach a heterosexual norm in schools.