Mike Huckabee once delayed a disaster relief bill as Governor of Arkansas because it made reference to “acts of God”:
(CNSNews.com) - As governor of Arkansas, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee delayed a disaster relief bill for a week because he objected to the legislation’s characterization of tornadoes and floods as “acts of God.”
The bill barred Arkansas insurance companies from denying coverage to victims of “acts of God,” the legal term for natural disasters. It was introduced after a series of tornadoes ravaged the state in early March 1997, killing 25 and injuring more than 400.
Huckabee refused to sign the bill, complaining that referring to catastrophic storms as “acts of God” was incompatible with his personal faith.
“While I realize that to some this is a minor issue, it is a matter of deep conscience with me to attribute in law a destructive and deadly force as being an ‘act of God , ‘” he said at the time.
Rather than exercise his veto, the governor sent the bill back to the state legislature, suggesting that they change “acts of God” to “natural disasters.” The Arkansas House of Representatives disagreed and voted 93-0 to pass the bill again with its original language.
But Huckabee stood firm even when the legislature added the phrase “or natural disasters” after “acts of God.” After a week of political and theological debate, the Arkansas House finally relented and struck the phrase “acts of God” from the bill.
This despite the fact that the phrase “act of God” is a long-standing, accepted legal term for natural disasters.
How this guy can be taken seriously is beyond me.
H/T: Jason Pye
