Trying to Understand Mike Huckabee's Vertical Politics

Try as I might, I can't help but notice the continuing flow of odd ideas generated by Mike Huckabee as he attempts to carve out a niche as the Republican candidate for "change."

The latest oddness comes in the form of his concept of abandonning what he calls "horizontal politics", in favor of "vertical politics."


The image above tries to unravel Huckabee's own definition of "vertical politics," which I take directly from his website:


Ultimately, people don't care about whether an issue comes from the left or the right, . . .

what they want to hear about is an idea that lifts America up and makes us better.

It's what I call Vertical Politics.

Let me attempt to translate what Huckabee is saying here:

Vote for me, because I won't fight with Democrats over fundamental issues about the proper role of government. I'll join hands with them, and together we'll discover that idea that "lifts America and makes us better."

Sounds like Huckabee is signalling Democrats that he will cave on everything they ask for in a Huckabee Administration.