Update on homeschool situation in California

The following is an update on the developing situation in California from Michael Farris, chairman, Home School Legal Defense Association.

State Superintendent Supports Homeschooling

On Tuesday, March 11, Jack O’Connell, California Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced that he believed that homeschooling is still legal in California. O’Connell’s statement is welcome news. Click here to read O’Connell’s statement. Some might conclude that the statement ends the controversy. However, it is not the end of the matter; it is just an important step along the way.

His clarifying statement was probably the result of the massive public outcry against the February 28 decision of the California Court of Appeal which effectively ruled that homeschooling is illegal in California unless conducted by a credentialed teacher and that parents have no constitutional right to homeschool.

O’Connell’s statement is helpful, but the courts will undoubtedly take the position that their determination of the meaning of state law is final even though they should give serious deference to the position of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

It should also be remembered that local school districts make the decision about when to initiate prosecutions for truancy, and they are not officially controlled by the state agency on these matters. However, many local officials may be influenced by O’Connell’s positive statement.

Did the February 28 Ruling Intend to Affect All Homeschooling Families?

Some have contended that the decision of the Court of Appeal in In Re Rachel L. only affects that particular family. While a court order can only direct one family to stop homeschooling, the case clearly sets a legal precedent that will be binding against all other families if this case is not reversed. (Technically, the decision is binding only in the Second District which consists of Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. However, other appellate districts will normally treat it as persuasive precedent. If ratified by the Supreme Court of California, it formally binds all California counties.)

There are two basic issues in the case:

1. Does state law allow parents to homeschool without a state teaching credential?


2. If not, is this law unconstitutional?

Below are three short quotations from the case which give the clear answer:

“It is clear to us that enrollment and attendance in a public full-time day school is required by California law for minor children unless (1) the child is enrolled in a private full-time day school and actually attends that private school, (2) the child is tutored by a person holding a valid state teaching credential for the grade being taught.”

“California courts have held that under provisions in the Education Code, parents do not have a constitutional right to school their children in their own home.”

“We agree with the Shinn court’s statement that ‘the educational program of the State of California was designed to promote the general welfare of all the people and was not designed to accommodate the personal ideas of any individual in the field of education.’ ”

In the first quote the court makes it clear that it believes that parents may not operate their own private schools. In the second they deny that a parent has a constitutional right to homeschool, and in the third they concur that California law does not accommodate parents pursuing their own education program for their children.

As you can see, the decision is categorical and was not written to be limited to just the facts of this case.

Due to the scope of the court decision, HSLDA is pleased to be working with other self-identified pro-homeschooling organizations, including Christian Home Educators Association of California (CHEA), Homeschool Association of California (HSC), California Homeschool Network (CHN), and Family Protection Ministries (FPM) in order to oppose this ruling. We are all in this one together.

What is HSLDA’s Immediate Plan of Action?

We plan to:

1. Support the family’s petition for review to the California Supreme Court.


2. File an amicus brief on behalf of all our members, and others we represent, if the California Supreme Court accepts the case for review.

What Can California Homeschoolers Expect in the Short Run?

We believe that it is highly unlikely that local officials will begin proceedings against homeschool families until this present case is resolved.

This ruling has obviously caused great concern among California homeschoolers. We want to remind all California homeschoolers that you should stay calm in the face of this decision. Please continue to operate your homeschool, because we believe that our interpretation of the law is correct and will ultimately prevail in the court system.

We must remain vigilant, however. If you are a member of HSLDA, and you are contacted by a school district, please contact HSLDA immediately.

Long-Range Solution

On another front, later today I am meeting with a half-dozen congressmen to plan a strategy to push for a constitutional amendment on parental rights. We have been receiving numerous calls from members of Congress wanting to respond to this decision. Visit ParentalRights.org for more information.

Final Thoughts/Conclusion

The way the homeschool law has worked in California for the past two decades has been successful for all homeschoolers. If we can keep what we have today that would be a significant victory for homeschool freedom.

We also understand that the current situation has caused much stress for California homeschool families. We are praying, and we encourage you to pray, that the threat we face will be swiftly removed and that homeschool freedom in California will be preserved.

We have seen God’s hand of protection on the homeschooling movement for the 25 years we have been working together for this cause. There is no reason to begin to doubt God now.

Michael Farris
Chairman, Home School Legal Defense Association

Other Resources

In order to show how many families across America support homeschool freedom in California we are asking you to sign a petition requesting that the California Supreme Court depublish the opinion In re Rachel L. If you have not already done so, please sign the petition today and forward our website, www.hslda.org, to those who support homeschool freedom.

Join the battle to protect parental rights.

Read the Court of Appeal opinion. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Find more information on the legal grounds for homeschooling in California. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Read the Legislative Newsflash from Roy Hanson at Family Protection Ministries.

I Owe You (a message from Mike Huckabee)

Continuing . . .

I have decided to continue my blog even though Governor Huckabee has left the race. I will post activities concerning the electoral college so that homeschoolers can continue learning about the process of electing our president. It is with great sadness that I write these words as I firmly believe that Gov Huckabee was the best man, not only to protect the rights of parents to homeschool but to lift our country up in these times when we have so many new problems facing us. I will add to my blog issues that are of great concern to homeschoolers, such as the situation with the homeschool family in California. As of this writing, the current court order in CA found homeschooling to be banned in the entire state (unless you hold a teaching certificate in the area in which you are teaching your children). This case holds great importance to all other states as well and we will be tracking it closely. None of the presidential candidates left in the race openly support the right to homeschool so I believe the next 4 years will be a difficult time for those who choose to homeschool. We must band together to retain our rights as parents to make decisions for our children without interference so I want to continue to blog to keep up with those issues as well. Thanks for reading . . .

Thank You from Mike Huckabee

Dear Faithful Friends,

Last night was a tough one for all of us. While Janet and I stood on the stage, we felt as if we were surrounded by a much larger family than our immediate family. We have been surrounded throughout the process by a large and growing family of faithful friends whose efforts in the campaign have humbled and amazed us day after day. I regularly wept or choked back tears just reading comments on the blog when I realized the sacrifices that so many have made for the campaign.

We had held out hope that we would win enough delegates to keep the contest going, but had vowed that if Senator McCain actually got the 1191 delegates, we would accept the will of the voters. In the end, the relentless hammering of the media that we "couldn't win" influenced enough voters and while we campaigned long and hard in the final states, it simply wasn't enough. I congratulate Senator McCain and will do what I can to assist him and influence him to take strong stands for issues that we conservatives cherish.

I don't see the long journey having reached its destination, but merely taking a detour. As my Marine friend Clebe McLary says, "I didn't lose--it's just that the game ended before I got finished playing."

In the immediate days ahead, we will be transitioning from campaign mode. For 14 months, there have been a lot of things put on hold in our lives. We have to join the many incredible people on our staff to figure out "what's next?" But this much I can tell you---we want to stay in touch and start now building a platform to continue addressing issues that brought us together in the first place.

Throughout my life, I've found that there are sometimes three possible answers to our prayers--"Yes," "No," or "Not Now." I would like to think our prayers were answered with a "Not Now."

We will keep our website up and as we transition, will want to create a way to keep in touch and continue the battle for our families, our freedom, and our future. We will also focus on assisting conservative Senate and House candidates, in places where we know our investment of time and energy can make a real difference. You can expect us to be active online as we do this and to regularly solicit your opinions and support. Too many big issues are at stake for us to sit on the sidelines.

In the immediate time, we have to make sure that we pay all the bills of the campaign and end in the black, help our staff find ways to earn a living, and make sure that we don't lose the momentum of the past 14 months, but instead follow the plan:

REFLECT, REST, RENEW, and RE-BOOT!

I really welcome your input and thoughts during these coming days. Pray for us as we seek wisdom as to what steps we take now. Despite what some have thought, we really didn't have a "Plan B' in the wings--we always thought we'd be in this until the inauguration in January of 2009!

God has been so good to us! We can never fully express our gratitude for all you have done and how you have touched and blessed our lives. I truly hope I didn't let you down. I promise to you that I gave it all I had to the last minute and left it "all on the field." What is more amazing is how you were willing to be "poured out" to the point of empty in order to be with us all the way. I stand amazed by it all and overwhelmed with gratitude.

We will dust off, pick ourselves up off the canvas, and answer the bell for the next round, whatever that may be. We love you all, and trust that the journey has just begun!

With tired bodies and grateful hearts,

Mike and Janet Huckabee

An Open Letter to Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont homeschoolers

Dear Texas Homeschool Leaders,

As a former state homeschool leader (Treasurer, Home Educators Association of Virginia, 1997-2006), I am writing to encourage your participation, and that of your group, in the upcoming primary on Tuesday, March 4th. I have thoroughly investigated the current presidential candidates, and I am asking you to consider voting for Mike Huckabee, and to consider sending non-partisan voters' guides to your members.

HUCKABEE AND HOMESCHOOLING
Gov. Huckabee's positions on homeschooling and educational choice are well documented in his record. A video detailing Gov. Huckabee's support for homeschooling during his tenure in Arkansas can be viewed here in Quicktime format: http://www.hucksarmy.com/video.php?vide ... eschooling
or here, on YouTube (same video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-q0h1cb6xE

As you can see in the video, Mike Huckabee was the first governor in the nation to appoint a homeschooling parent to his State Board of Education. Prior to his time in office, Arkansans were saddled with some of the most onerous homeschooling laws in the nation. During the 1997 legislative session, Gov. Huckabee lobbied for and signed into law a bill that dramatically reduced homeschooling restrictions.

Here are two other important links detailing Gov. Huckabee's positions on education, homeschooling, and school choice:
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp ... 1228a.html (This one is an interview specifically about school choice.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XamEl9Vj8xQ (This is an interview with David Brody about education.)

As is apparent in these interviews, Gov. Huckabee believes homeschoolers need less regulation, not more. ("They're amazing. Leave them alone," he says to David Brody.) He favors state tax credits for home- and private schools, and although he did not support a state-wide voucher system which was debated in Arkansas, it was because that system was also not supported by the private schools in the state which would have been most impacted by the changes. Private school administrators feared governmental intervention should they accept public funding (a concern we often face as homeschoolers). Full explanations can be found in the above interviews. Governor Huckabee clearly believes that parents, and not any governmental body, have the right and duty to decide the course of their own children's education.

As a governor, he was also responsible for the Arkansas public schools; in fact, he inherited a lawsuit and a state supreme court decision mandating costly improvements to that system. Due to his leadership, those schools, previously ranked 48th in the nation, have most recently received a ranking of 8th.

There has been a great deal of misinformation regarding Gov. Huckabee and his role in promoting homeschooling legislation in Arkansas during his 10+ years as governor. Most of this information has come from competing campaigns. I'd like to try to point you to some truth to help clear up the record.

In 1999, two very restrictive bills began to gain momentum in the Arkansas Legislature. These bills would have done significant damage to homeschooling freedoms, returning homeschoolers to the level of governmental oversight they had under Bill Clinton. In order to counteract the bills, one legislator who was also a homeschooling father promoted an alternate bill that was not as restrictive. It is this bill that has been used as "political ammunition" against Huckabee. HSLDA wrote about that bill, and their endorsement of Gov. Huckabee (quoted in part, link to full text below):


Quote:
January 2008

...As discussed in this article, the Arkansas legislature passed a homeschool law in 1999, which was signed by Governor Huckabee. The law represented a step backward for homeschool freedoms.

Arkansas' homeschool law was enacted in 1985 when Bill Clinton was governor. It was one of the most restrictive laws in the nation...

Prior to the 1997 legislative session, the Arkansas Christian Home Education Association and HSLDA approached Governor Huckabee about supporting changes in the homeschool law. Governor Huckabee actively supported and lobbied legislators to get a bill passed which transformed Arkansas into a much more favorable state for homeschoolers. HSLDA attorney Dewitt Black wrote Governor Huckabee a thank-you letter. He replied, "Dee, it was my pleasure and privilege to get behind this effort on behalf of home school students in Arkansas, and I sincerely appreciated the backing of the Home School Legal Defense Association and the Arkansas Christian Home Education Association."...

Only two years later, however, during the 1999 legislative session, two bad bills were introduced to impose restrictions on the homeschoolers. There was a great deal of momentum to get these bills through.

To avoid a major step backward for homeschool freedom, local homeschool leaders worked with a homeschooling father in the House of Representatives to sponsor a bill which would place some additional regulations on homeschoolers but would avoid the much worse provisions of the other two bills. HSLDA could not support this compromise bill because we always stand on the side of homeschool freedom and against government regulation. We opposed the bill and urged our members to lobby against the bill without success.

The political reality, however, was that the homeschoolers were going to have to give the opposition something or they were going to get something much worse. As far as Governor Huckabee was concerned, it was a bill the homeschoolers wanted. It was sponsored by a homeschooling father in the legislature and had the support of the Arkansas Family Council. The bill was enacted and became Act 1117.

HSLDA-PAC has spoken directly with Governor Huckabee and we believe that by his words and actions he is a firm supporter of homeschooling.

Link: http://www.hsldapac.org/dnn/Home/Govern ... fault.aspx

In Arkansas, a simple 51% majority is all that is needed to overturn the governor's veto, which means if a bill passes, it is veto-proof. When a bad bill threatens, the legislature has to keep it from passing or put another, more palatable, bill in its place. Gov Huckabee couldn't just veto the bill that would restrict homeschooling. He had to work with the legislature to find another solution. As homeschool leaders, many of us have been in similar situations, having to accept compromise bills with the hope of passing better law during the next session.

THE RACE IS NOT OVER, AND TEXAS, OHIO, VERMONT AND RHODE ISLAND MATTERS!
We believe that Governor Huckabee is the best choice for homeschoolers, and Texans can make all the difference in this race.

Gov. Huckabee has stated that he will not leave the race until a candidate receives 1191 PLEDGED delegates, effectively ensuring that voters in states like Texas, Mississippi, Vermont, and Ohio still matter. A win in Texas would boost his momentum going into the many remaining Red states, where John McCain's following is not as strong. (Note that, of the 17 states McCain has won to date, 11 usually vote Democrat, and 10 have not voted for a Republican since 1988 or earlier. Huckabee's wins, however, are 100% in Republican states, which bodes far better for the general election in November.)

It is not necessary for Gov. Huckabee to receive 1191 delegates himself; he only needs to keep John McCain from doing so to take this to a brokered convention. At the convention, all candidates still in the race would have the opportunity to address the delegates before the voting takes place. With his superior communication skills, and his strong moral stance on life, marriage, family, and freedom, we believe Governor Huckabee would be able to sway the votes. (For those who haven't seen him in action, take a look at some of the videos available at http://www.hucksarmy.com/video.php, like the FRC Straw Poll from last September.) If he does not win the nomination there, however, he is committed to supporting the Republican nominee.

Some would say it hurts the party to force a brokered convention. Ronald Reagan did not think so. In 1976, because he felt very strongly that the Republican Party was going against its principles, he bravely challenged the incumbent Republican president, Gerald Ford. He took his race all the way to a brokered convention, where he lost on the first vote. Immediately, for party unity, he proceeded to put all of his support and influence behind Ford, but Jimmy Carter won the general election. After four years of Carter's administration, the country was ready for Reagan's leadership, and he won in 1980 and again in 1984. It is interesting to note that Abraham Lincoln won a brokered convention in 1860 after trailing on the first ballot.

VOTERS' GUIDES
For the benefit of your members, I am attaching links to two voters' guides. These non-partisan guides have been approved by Matt Staver of Liberty Council for distribution by churches and non-profit organizations. If you are a 501(c)(3) organization, your group cannot endorse or lobby for any particular candidate without threatening your non-profit status. You can, however, distribute guides which outline all the candidates' positions on various issues. Some organizations who distribute guides also include links to their state Democratic and Republican party websites. I hope you will consider sending these guides to your members immediately, to help them make informed voting decisions.

Wall Builders' Guide: http://www.wallbuilders.com/downloads/n ... sGuide.pdf
Faith 2 Action Guide: http://www.f2a.org/NewsStory.cfm?Story_ID=2604

Thank you for reading such a long letter. I hope this information clears up some of the confusion that has dominated many of the homeschool discussion boards, and I hope you will vote for Mike Huckabee on March 4th!

Blessings,

A Call to Texans (and a history lesson too about Texas!)

Add winners of Kansas, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC and Louisiana

Add the winners of the following states to your maps:

Kansas - Mike Huckabee
Louisiana - Mike Huckabee
Virginia - John McCain
Maryland - John McCain
Washington DC - John McCain

Up next:

Washington - Feb 19 - 40 delegates
Wisconsin - Feb 19 - 40 delegates

March 4:

Texas- 138 delegates
Ohio - 88
Vermont- 18
Rhode Island - 19

March 11 - Mississippi - 35 delegates

April 22 - Pennsylvania - 74

May 6 - Indiana - 56 delegates
North Carolina - 69

May 13 - Nebraska - 32
West Virginia

May 20 - Kentucky - 45

May 27 - Idaho - 31

June 3 - Montana - 24
New Mexico - 32
South Dakota - 26

Republican National Convention
September 1-4 in Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota

Dr James Dobson endorses Gov Mike Huckabee

Dr. Dobson Endorses Gov. Huckabee

Dr. James Dobson issued the following statement Thursday, speaking as a private citizen.

I am endorsing Gov. Mike Huckabee for President of the United States today. My decision comes in the wake of my statement on Super Tuesday that I could not vote for Sen. John McCain, even if he goes on to win the Republican nomination. His record on the institution of the family and other conservative issues makes his candidacy a matter of conscience and concern for me.

That left two pro-family candidates whom I could support, but I was reluctant to choose between them. However, the decision by Gov. Mitt Romney to put his campaign "on hold" changes the political landscape. The remaining candidate for whom I could vote is Gov. Huckabee. His unwavering positions on the social issues, notably the institution of marriage, the importance of faith and the sanctity of human life, resonate deeply with me and with many others. That is why I will support Gov. Huckabee through the remaining primaries, and will vote for him in the general election if he should get the nomination. Obviously, the governor faces an uphill struggle, given the delegates already committed to Sen. McCain. Nevertheless, I believe he is our best remaining choice for President of the United States.

(NOTE: Dr. Dobson made these statements as a private citizen. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a reflection of the opinions of Focus on the Family or Focus on the Family Action.)

Activity #17 Calculate Your State's Delegates

Look up your state's delegate information here:

Write a summary of how many delegates your state has to the Republican National Convention and how that number is determined. Also determine if your state gives all the delegates to the winner or if they are distributed by congressional district. For example:

3 x # of congressional districts + 10 at large delegates + bonus delegates = grand total

Determine which 3 states have the largest number of delegates.

For younger students, discuss that the states with the most people living in them get the most points (delegates) for the candidate. Explain that winning some states give more points (delegates) than other states.

More Primaries and Caucuses Feb 9 & 12

The next round of caucuses are Saturday Feb 9

Kansas - caucus
Louisiana - primary
Washington - caucus

Then Tuesday Feb 12 :

Virginia - open primary (Independents may vote in Republican primary)
Maryland - primary
Washington DC - primary

Romney Suspends Campaign

Mitt Romney has suspended his campaign and not endorsed another candidate which means that he keeps his delegates until the Republican National Convention. Here's a link to the official Republican National Convention Guidelines for 2008. It's a long document but interesting read.

Here's another interesting article that gives the general overview of how delegates are distributed by state and bound in voting at the convention.

Basically states are awarded delegates based on the number of congressional districts (3 per district) and each state receives 10 at large delegates and then can receive bonus delegates for Republican governors, senators, legislatures, etc. Rules differ by state determining if the delegates are bound to vote for the candidate that won their state's primary or caucus. The only states that are not legally bound to their state's winner (only morally bound) are Ohio, Washington, North Carolina and the Virgin Islands.

Activity #16 - Super Tuesday Results

Massachusetts - Romney
Connecticut - McCain
New Jersey - McCain
Delaware - McCain
West Virginia - Huckabee
Illinois - McCain
Missouri - McCain
Oklahoma - McCain
Georgia - Huckabee
Alabama - Huckabee
Tennessee - Huckabee
Arkansas - Huckabee
Minnesota - Romney
North Dakota - Romney
Montana - Romney
Wyoming - Romney
Utah - Romney
Arizona - McCain
California - McCain

Delegate counts are difficult to calculate as I've seen news sources with different numbers but here's the round numbers:

McCain - 707
Huckabee - 197
Romney - 250

Great Picture from the California debate

Great Remarks by Governor Huckabee

Activity #15 - Florida Over Now for Super Tuesday

The winner of Florida was John McCain so add this to your map. Up next are the Super Tuesday states. About half of these states are not winner take all delegates. The following are winner-take-all delegates:

Arizona - 53
Connecticut - 30
Delaware - 18
Georgia - 72
Minnesota - 41
Missouri - 58
New Jersey - 52
New York - 101
Oklahoma - 41
Utah - 36
West Virginia- 30

A total of 1023 delegates will be selected on Super Tuesday. A total of 1191 is needed to secure the Republican nomination. It will be nearly impossible for any candidate to secure the needed delegates on Feb 5 which means the next few states will play a key role:

Here are the states following Feb 5:

Feb 9:
Kansas caucus- 39
Louisiana primary - 46
Washington caucus - 40

Feb 10 - Maine caucus - 20

Feb 12:
Maryland - 37
Virginia - 63

Feb 19 :
Wisconsin - 40

March 4:
Ohio - 88
Rhode Island - 19
Texas - 138
Vermont - 18

Here's a good site with the breakdown of how delegates are chosen in each state and if they are bound by law to the popular vote:

http://www.republicansource.com/states/vermont.htm

Examining Conservative Record of Mike Huckabee

Here's a great article that I wanted to share from World Net Daily about Mike Huckabee's record:

Click here for link:

Mitt or Huck: Who's more conservative? by Andrew Longman

There is a persistent myth that Mike Huckabee is a liberal and Mitt Romney is a conservative. That, my discerning friends, is a lie of convenience assembled by establishment people who own Romney, don't own Huckabee, and who have a lot of money they fear is at stake. Please keep in mind that Mitt Romney has tens of millions of dollars on hand and outspent Huckabee 15 to 1 in Iowa. Romney is supported by the multi-billion dollar business entity known as the Mormon Church. And pointedly, Huckabee has only his principles and a 10-year history as governor to run on; his professional life was made building only spiritual capital.

But let's reduce the charge to its root. Huckabee typically gets slammed as a liberal on taxes, pardons and illegal immigration. Do any of the charges stand up, or are they just being shouted through multi-million-dollar megaphones? I can only fit one topic per column, so let's hit the pocketbook.

The total tax burden in Arkansas went from 30.3 percent in 1996 when Huckabee took office all the way up to (are you ready?) 30.5 percent in 2006 right before he left. That's right, folks. Under the "big government" guy, the overall tax burden rose by two-tenths of a percent in 10 years. If you meet any Republican politician who can hold a Democratic state legislature to raising the tax burden by only two-tenths in 10 years, make him president, would you?

Has anyone recognized if any Republican is to be president, he'd probably have to restrain a Democratic legislature? And experience doing that is a good thing? Forgive me, but two-tenths in 10 years isn't a point of complaint. The guy should get a medal.

So how did Willard fare in restraining taxes? Romney, who got himself elected running to the left of Ted Kennedy, did what big-government liberals only hope to do. By the same measure of overall tax burden, and from the same source for information, Romney oversaw an increase from 30.4 percent to a whopping 34.4 percent total tax burden on the People's Republic of Massachusetts. He got over that pesky one-third psychological hurdle! Four percent in four years (all while Bush was president), versus two-tenths in 10 years during Clinton and Bush presidencies.

(Column continues below)

Romney dishes tax burden at a rate 50 times Huckabee.

If you've been fed that "Romney is an economic guy" thing by the TV, don't go for it. Somebody is paying the networks good money to say that. You are supposed to believe Mitt is "conservative" and Mike is a "liberal" on taxes. You promise to be obedient, don't you? Please ignore the nice man who wants to eliminate the IRS. He is a hick from the sticks who's really a liberal! Avert your eyes. Nod if you understand. The big "Christians" we purchased signal only establishment candidates: Romney, Giuliani or McCain! Such variety! Don't you know what's good for you?

On abortion, the only candidate in the race to support a human life amendment to the Constitution is Huckabee. The right to life group Massachusetts Citizens for Life said Romney was a pro-abort as of March 2005. Romney decided he was pro-life in July 2005. In December 2006, Romney dumped 25 grand on the Massachusetts Citizens for Life, which then re-evaluated him as pro-life. But Willard is equal opportunity – he handed National Review's non-profit 10 grand; National Review then endorsed him.

Come to think of it, maybe Romney is some sort of "economic guy."

Human Events, in its report on Republicans in Name Only, said of Willard, "Romney was probably the most pro-abortion and pro-gay rights Republican official in the nation for the last decade." Contrast that with "liberal" Huckabee, who is the only candidate in the race to support a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage. In 2004, when Arkansas approved the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage (that Huckabee had pushed for) Huckabee said the amendment was necessary to stop activists looking to rewrite the social code. But the TV media and Rush Limbaugh say Huckabee is a "liberal."

Yeah, right. OK.

Reading my columns, you know what I mean when I say "conservative." But the TV media and Limbaugh are using the words "conservative" and "liberal" in a different way.

Conservative: He who supports the moneyed or adulterous Republican establishment fraternity headed by the Bushes and secular, amoral billionaires. Can also mean someone whom you regard as outstandingly pagan who has nevertheless given you huge sums of money.

Liberal: He who isn't part of the secular, moneyed, amoral billionaires. Also, he who has no money but campaigns on traditional morality. Also, anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable because that person is loyal to his wife and/or who preaches against adultery.

And by the way, you knew that Romney's Bain Capital owns Clear Channel, right? And that Clear Channel broadcasts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity? Any appearance of a conflict of interest in turning a Massachusetts liberal into the Reagan-like robot is purely coincidental; opinions of the talent do not necessarily reflect those of ... the owners.

Want to help in Florida?

• If you live in Florida, click HERE to volunteer with the Huckabee campaign. Florida votes on January 29th, and your help is needed now!
• If you live outside of Florida and would like to help please contact Cherie Short at cheriereopro@hotmail.com.

Activity #14 - Add Super Tuesday Primaries to Your Chart

Primaries held on February 5 (and the delegates awarded to winners):

Alabama - 18
Alaska - 29
Arizona - 53
Arkansas - 34
California - 173
Colorado - 46
Connecticut - 30
Delaware - 18
Georgia - 72
Illinois - 70
Massachusetts - 43
Minnesota - 41
Montana - 25
New Jersey - 52
New York - 101
North Dakota - 26
Oklahoma - 41
Tennessee 55
Utah - 36
West Virginia - 30

Normally delegate counts aren't discussed much during the primaries. However, this year many expect several candidates to win delegates on Super Tuesday with none receiving the majority needed to win the Republican nomination. Click here to read more about how delegates are awarded to each state. Each state determines whether the popular vote winner takes all the delegates or if the delegates are awarded based on who won each congressional district. More coming on that too . . .

Activity #13 - Add winners of Nevada and South Carolina

Add winners:

Nevada - Mitt Romney
South Carolina - John McCain

Next primary:

January 29 - Florida

Calling All Homeschoolers to Participate in Conference Call

All homeschool families are invited to participate in a conference call with JoNell Caldwell, a homeschool Mom who was Governor Huckabee's first appointee to the State Board Of Education in Arkansas. Here's the info to participate:

1-218-936-1600
Access code: 72403
Date: Thursday, Jan 17th
Time: 9:00PM Eastern

Pass this along to fellow home school families!!

Activity #12 - Homeschoolers Vote in a Mock Election Online

Click here to vote online in a Mock Election on Homeschoolstore.com. You must have an account (which is free to set up) in order to vote. Up to 5 members of your household can vote in this mock election. Mike Huckabee is winning so far! Go vote and earn 20 points!!

Activity #11 - Add Winner of the Michigan Primary

Add the winner of the Michigan primary to your map: Mitt Romney

Next Primaries:

Jan 19 South Carolina
Jan 29 Florida

Join Chuck Norris for a BBQ at his Texas Ranch

Join Chuck Norris for a virtual BBQ at his Texas ranch in honor of the People's Future President: Mike Huckabee!!

Click here for more information!

Meet Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris Friday Jan 18

Meet Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris on Friday Jan 18 at Winthrop University in Rock Hill SC. Doors will open at 5:00 and festivities will begin at 6:00 PM in McBryde Hall. Here's the address:

701 Oakland Ave

Rock Hill, SC 29733

Click here to view other events in South Carolina to meet Governor Huckabee!

Meet Mike Huckabee tomorrow in Ft Mill SC

Come meet our next President tomorrow in Ft Mill SC. Governor Huckabee will be at the Laurel Creek Clubhouse Jan 15, 2998 at 2:30 PM. Here's the address if you'd like to attend.

Laurel Creek, Magnolia Room
4017 Laurel Creek Drive
Rock Hill, South Carolina

Please email fortmillgop@hotmail.com if you plan to attend, so they may prepare.

Thanks, and we'll see you there!!

Activity # 10 Add Winners of Wyoming & New Hampshire

Add the following winners to your maps:

Wyoming: Mitt Romney
New Hampshire: John McCain

Next Primary: Michigan on Jan 15
South Carolina Primary & Nevada caucuses: Jan 19

Activity #9 - Add winner of Iowa to US Map

Download a blank map of the USA and print from here.

Make a map key on the map. Use different colors to represent the candidates: Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, John McCain, Ron Paul, Rudy Guiliani and Ron Paul.

Color in the state of Iowa for the winner: Mike Huckabee!!

The next caucus is today in Wyoming. We'll color in the winner for Wyoming after the results are in. January 8th is the primary in New Hampshire.