So here we are, election season has arrived. The ridiculously expensive conventions are behind us and America can now make the choice between the two best possible candidates for president; hardly! Before diving into my defense of the Republican ticket, allow me to say that if it were up to me, I would not have chosen John McCain. While I certainly agree with most the man stands for, there are several issues that are too large to look beyond, one of which is his terribly mistaken view on the illegal immigrants flooding our country. Anyone failing to recognize this issue as an imminently dangerous national security threat is questionably qualified to be our Commander in Chief.  Having been around politics a few years now, I will admit, however, that I will not find the perfect candidate and must choose the closest resemblance to a true conservative I can.

Why McCain then? Does being a POW and military man make one qualified for President? Certainly not and John McCain has worked his way from the prison to where he is now. Since Vietnam, McCain has served his country in Congress for 25 years. This is more than previous Presidents had for experience and certainly more than his opponent.

Leadership is more than giving a good speech and causing a stir in someone’s stomach. Leaders stand for something and make that something known. Having a leader is not just an inspiring person; one might say the Pied Piper was inspiring to the rats. 

“Drill baby drill” was heard on several occasions from the convention and quite frankly, it bothered me. But honestly, I think that was the point. “Liberals” don’t realize how easy they are to entice and “Conservatives” seem to enjoy enticing too much. Regarding fuel though, our current situation is the product of our own choices. For years Americans have wanted things bigger, faster, and stronger; we have created this fuel problem because of our demand. And in a free country, we are allowed to do this. But suddenly we are told ice is melting and polar bears are dying and we denounce the government for their failure to act on this issue. The government did not invent the car nor did they make us drive them everywhere. We created the problem and until we are willing to alter our lifestyle, we will continue to be faced with our fuel problem. We must remember, as hard as it is to accept, we are a capitalistic society and those oil companies do have the right to make as much money as they see fit.

So do we drill? Yes. We must take any action that will get us away from our dependence on foreign oil. If the estimates are true, it will take 10 years to get any oil from places like ANWAR and this should leave us adequate time to develop energy alternatives, making that oil we process stretch much further. Simply relying on oil itself is ignorant and leaves a mess for our children to deal with. Drilling, alongside investment in the many wonderful alternatives is wise and strategic planning that will set America up for success. Oil is needed until we get our “green act” together and that oil should be American.

Regarding the size of government and Republicans accusation that democrats stand for “big” government, that is a fact that cannot be ignored. Simply look at the federal programs democrats traditionally vote in favor of. The problem with the statement is that Republicans have become no better than Democrats. America was never intended to have the monstrosity of a federal government we currently succumb to. Wanting a small federal government is not utopian or failing to recognize changing times. It is attempting to keep America functioning the way it was intended to run. Whether you are in support of a big government and the programs they run, that is your decision, but you cannot say that is what the founders of this country created. That is simply not the America they intended. States run the states and if you don’t like a state, move to another one.

“Bigger Government” can be defined as government taking the place of the American citizen in taking care of America. Regarding health care, my goodness; this is certainly not something I want the federal government having anything to do with. Ask a veteran how well the VA hospitals run. In all actuality, what does the federal government do well? I can only come up with two things and even those are a stretch; fighting a war and delivering my mail. Pretty much every other thing the feds do fails. Please do not control my healthcare.

Redefining and twisting the words does not diminish what abortion is; murder. “What’s right for me might not be for you” doesn’t work. When two people have opposing views on a situation they cannot both be correct in their view. They are either both wrong or one of them is right. And no, our attention should not be turned towards the young girl faced with the decision of having an abortion; it should be towards the disgustingly racist organizations like Planned Parenthood that are systematically murdering millions of people while misleading our young girls to believe abortion is their only choice. A choice can be made when multiple options are presented and one makes an informed decision. Presenting one side and intentionally hiding the truth of the other side is not offering a choice, but misleading someone. Yes, STDs should be presented alongside abstinence education, but kids should be told that there is only one way to ensure you will not get pregnant or catch an STD; DO NOT HAVE SEX!

Insinuating that red states are uneducated is unnecessary and elitist. A farmer in Oklahoma that may not go to college is a vital part of this country and no less of an American because they are not formally educated to the standards of our East and West Coast University folk. 

Robin Hood, as good as he may have looked in green tights, is not a fair comparison to our current tax situation. Taking from the rich to give to the poor is not an honorable idea. In Robin Hood the rich were crooks who stole and beat their way to the top. Do not assume that the rich in America have done that. Allow the rich to have what they worked for and do not give it to those who do not work. Remember that the rich have that little box on their tax form too asking if they want to give more money. I don’t see a lot of the bleeding hearts “donating” a lot of their money. It is a biblical principle to help the poor but I will challenge that the poor are those who cannot help themselves. Many of those living off the government could make a living for themselves and choose not to. We all know someone “disabled” that could be working.

Guns are a fundamental right in this country. Again going back to those guys that started the country and decided how things were going to be run, they thought we should have guns and thought it was so important, it was the second item amended to the US Constitution. Sure, that was a couple hundred years ago, but tell me this; if all the law abiding citizens turn in their guns, do you think the criminals will follow? Where will that leave us?

I welcome an open dialogue over the next 60 days regarding the issues and the candidates.