Huckabee seeks Catholic support
CONCORD, NH - Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee sees his conservative religious base as reaching beyond evangelical Protestants to Catholics as well.
Huckabee, an ordained Baptist preacher, won the Iowa caucus last week which kicks off the nominating process for the November presidential election, largely because of support from the state’s numerous evengelical community.
“Catholics were a major source of support for me in Arkansas. And they have been nationally. And it’s not only because of the pro-life and pro-family issues,” he said, refering to his opposition to abortion rights and gay marriage.
“I certainly believe that Catholics are right about talking about poverty, disease and hunger. Things I talk about … I think a lot of evangelicals have not talked enough about it quite frankly,” he said.
http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/01/07/huckabee-seeks-catholic-support/

This article points out that Catholics tend to put emphasis on both pro-life and social justice issues. But how can the Federal government be both concerned with welfare and have the fiscal responsibility and limited government that Republican have traditionally supported? That is the question. Those two goals are incompatible.
Nevertheless, the Democrats position on social justice issues are the most attractive part of the party. Stealing their thunder sounds like a good idea. Make the Republican party "the party of the little guy" as Democrats say. But remember that any government that is powerful enough to give you everything you want is powerful enough to take away everything you have.
Since Baptists criticise Catholics of working their way to heaven, it strikes me funny that Huckabee says evangelicals have not talked enough about poverty, disease and hunger. Huckabee sounds Catholic to me.
BTW, there aren't many Catholics in Arkansas, so it must have been Baptists that elected him governor. Since Arkansas is my home state, I have heard feedback that he really does work for social welfare, not just talk about it.