You never know who’s going to be on the other end of a toll-free robo call with an outrageous political message. Tonight, it was former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Well, a robo version of him, anyway. He’s calling me to join him and Citizens United [remember them?] in–“once and for all–getting the United Nations out of our country.” According to Huckabee and his Citizens United friends, “defunding of the United Nations is long overdue. We should take a jackhammer to U.N. Headquarters, kick the UN out of the US and save American taxpayers $3 billion annually.” Huckabee says that the UN is “an absolute disgrace, and it’s time to cut them off.” Also, if I stay on the line and sign the petition, “along with thousands of other patriotic Americans,” I’ll receive a complementary copy of–surprise!–Huckabee’s book, ironically titled “Do the Right Thing.”<\/p>\n

I did stay on the line, and Huckabee’s live “assistant” had a question for me: “Do you agree that the United Nations is a useless organization?”<\/p>\n

Well, I don’t agree. The United Nations has some serious bureaucratic and funding problems, and I don’t always agree with its resolutions. But “useless?” Let me count a few of the ways that the UN is NOT useless: Let’s see…UNICEF, the World Health Organization, UNESCO, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Atomic Energy Agency. \u00a0And let’s not forget that the United Nations–which is NOT a world government–at the very least offers a place where countries in conflict can talk to one another. Sure, the General Assembly seems powerless, dysfunctional and chaotic at times, but should we really try to imagine a world without the UN– no place for discussion when a country would prefer to solve its conflicts without weapons, no place to at least give peace a chance?<\/p>\n

It has been pointed out to me that, on the grounds of U.N. Headquarters in New York, there’s a statue that represents a bibical quotation that former Governer [and ordained Christian minister] Huckabee has undoubtedly referred to on many occasions: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their shields into pruning hooks.” How does Mr. Huckabee’s violent jackhammer image jibe with that biblical exhortation?<\/p>\n

Also, does Huckabee realize that what he’s calling for is the destruction of a tall building in New York City? Not a great image, as we approach the anniversary of 9-11, Mr. Huckabee.<\/p>\n

Anyone who knows why Citizens United is behind this effort, and how much Huckabee is earning as their shill–please chime in.<\/p>\n

[Crossposted from Forward STL<\/a>]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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