Earlier this week, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee told an audience that he wants to "amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards."

Of course, Huckabee will surely put himself in charge of determining God's standards.

Never mind the fact that the President of the United States must take an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.

And never mind the fact that the Constitution he must protect includes the First Amendment, which explicitly states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."

You see, Huckabee is an ordained Southern Baptist minister who says on his campaign website, "My faith is my life - it defines me. I don't separate my faith from my personal and professional lives."

How is this not a conflict of interest?

How is Huckabee's religious platform not unconstitutional?

Can Huckabee win the Republican nomination and the presidency? Prior to 2004, I would not have thought so. But then the American people reelected George W. Bush.

And, if Huckabee did win the presidency, would Congress roll over and do his bidding, as they have for Bush, lest they be labeled ungodly?

This would be particularly frightening.

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About author Mary Shaw is a Philadelphia-based writer and activist, with a focus on politics, human rights, and social justice. She is a former Philadelphia Area Coordinator for the Nobel-Prize-winning human rights group Amnesty International, and her views appear regularly in a variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites. Note that the ideas expressed here are the author's own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Amnesty International or any other organization with which she may be associated. E-mail: mary@maryshawonline.com