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Is Young's support worth it? Wednesday, Feb 28, 2007 By David Sanders If you are second-tier Republican presidential candidate with a tax-and-spend record conservatives find offensive, picking "? one of the most notorious pork-barrel spenders in Congress" to head congressional efforts might not be the best idea. But that is what former Gov. Mike Huckabee did on Friday when his exploratory committee announced that Alaska's Rep. Don Young, who was characterized as such by the National Review, would lead Huckabee's effort to recruit and rally members of Congress to his campaign. At a time when congressional support is hard to come by, including support for candidates like John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, Huckabee is surely eager to count on any support he can get within the halls of Congress. Is Young's support worth it? While Young praised Huckabee as a "hell of a speaker" and one who could lead a "reawakening of the conservative values that make our country a land of opportunity," the House's resident Alaskan has had trouble keeping his own conservative credentials intact. Young, known for his handiwork as the former House Transportation Committee chairman, tried to stick U.S. taxpayers with a bill of almost $500 million back in 2005 to fund bridge projects in Alaska. The project, known as the "bridge to nowhere," would have connected Ketchikan, a town of 8,000, to the airport at Gravina Island, which had a population of 50. The other project was to link Point MacKenzie, which at the time had a population just over 100, with Anchorage. (The Ketchikan/Gravina Island route has ferry service and Alaskan officials announced two weeks ago that within two years ferry service between Point MacKenzie and Anchorage will begin.) Conservatives in Congress removed the earmarks for these tax-wasting projects, but they weren't the only pork projects Young tried to steer to his state. Stephen Spruiell, writing for the National Review, pointed out that Young, with help from other Alaskans in Congress, has "steered" numerous special projects to the northernmost state, which include: "$1.8 million for berry research; $1.8 million for sea-otter recovery; $10 million for a psychiatric-treatment facility; $48 million in subsidies for the timber industry; and $500,000 to paint a giant salmon on an Alaska Airlines jetliner." Young does not try to hide his love for pork; in fact, he openly brags about directing millions of taxpayers' dollars to his state. He is neither the poster boy for fiscal restraint nor conservatism, yet Huckabee doesn't appear to be worried about his newly established link to one of Congress' big spenders. In a statement released by his campaign, Huckabee said during his time as governor that he'd "worked closely" with Young on transportation issues which were "a passion (they) both share." He said of Young: "I have seen him in action and respect his commitment - not only to the people of Alaska, but to our country. I have deep respect for the job he has done in Congress, and I know he'll do a great job as chairman of my congressional team." The former governor is correct in one sense. If Young can steer money to his presidential effort the same way he secured funds for Alaska, Huckabee's second-tier status might be shortlived. I fear that linking himself to one of Congress' biggest pork-barrel spenders will exacerbate Huckabee's perceived appetite for higher taxes and bloated budgets. That may work to to undercut his candidacy with economic conservatives. Time will tell if Huckabee will pay a price for Young's support. ------- David Sanders writes twice weekly for the Arkansas News Bureau in Little Rock and is a host of the Arkansas Education Television Network's "Unconventional Wisdom." His e-mail address is DavidJSanders@aol.com. |
