A true conservative...

"The policies of the new conservative movement are not the policies that formed the bedrock of the Republican Party.

A conservative, by definition, is one who believes in a restricted government; one who believes that when giving power to a government, the people should be cautious and give only that power which is absolutely necessary to ensure the stability of society. One who believes that when government must exist, it should exist only to protect the freedom and power of the people.

A true conservative believes in the total freedom of people to worship in their own fashion, without government interference, as long as it does not infringe on the freedom of any other citizens. Gay marriage, abortion...while a true conservative may have personal opinions, those issues are ones for the states to decide. Empowering local governments and protecting states' rights should be cornerstones of conservative policy.

A true conservative believes in a strong national defense. Defense means just that; our military exists to protect our citizens, not to solve the problems of other cultures. The invasion of another sovereign nation without that nation having attacked or directly threatened the United States should boil the blood of any true conservative.

A true conservative supports civil rights. All men are truly created equal. Racists, homophobes, and other bigots have no place in our ranks and should be cast out to wallow in their own filth.

A true conservative believes in fiscal responsibility. It is a point of shame that a conservative administration allowed our nation to accumulate such a deficit. The nation should NEVER run in the red under conservative leadership.

It is difficult to be a conservative, especially in this time and place. It is difficult to stand in front of people and tell them that government will not solve all of their problems. It is difficult to convince them of the benefits of a truly free economic system. It is difficult because our leaders have not held true to those values. It is time to take the party back, and to convince the American people that conservatives truly have the best interests of our society at heart. That we are not a party of hatred. That we do have a plan and vision for America." (I posted this on craigslist on 11/13/08)