Just close your eyes and repeat: "All that matters is the War on Terror. All that matters is the War on Terror. All that matters is the War on Terror."
Then you should have no problem voting for a socialist. ;-)
While I know you were being sarcastic, unfortunately, this seems to be the spin. Absolutely, the war is important. Winning it is important. But if we discard the fundamental principles of our Constitutional Republic in doing so, we only exchange the cloak of secular totalitarianism for the chador of Sharia.
Either way, we lose the war.
Ultimately, it is not just the fate of countries half way around the globe, but the preservation of the American way of life which is at stake.
We have already sacrificed essential liberties on the altar of security, and the trend is not abating, but intensifying.
That intensity, though, is somehow not directed at those who cross our borders unhindered by so much as a decent fence, but those of us who are citizens of this country, who have its interests at heart because all we have is here.
Posturing politicians of every stripe have made a great show of being 'strong on security' by insulting our trade partners in the global forum, but will not speak up about the daily influx of thousands across a border that it is their sworn duty to defend.
No candidate worth electing will allow our borders to remain so permeable. Any candidate worth electing will prosecute the war to its successful conclusion. They will do so without shredding the Bill of Rights.
Underneath it all, the Democratic MSM is chortling with glee as Republicans "are split". Why are Republicans split? Because they have been following the Democrats' lead for so long, they automatically knee-jerked on the DPW/P&O deal.
Stop the music. Clear the dance floor. Time to think this out.
First, we do not need the MSM to tell us who best embodies the principles that Conservatives hold dear. We do not need the (Democrat) MSM to tell us who is a "Conservative", a group they have broken into 'neo-', 'paleo'- and other subunits for the purpose of promoting divisiveness. Remember the adage "Divide and Conquer?" Well, they are doing their damndest.
For those city folk who think their Mayor might make the coolest POTUS, sit down and stfu. Sorry to be so blunt, but this ain't a pep rally. If the mayor of a big city was going to sell in flyover red America, we'd all be there, living in that city with you.
If you can't understand what this flap is about NAIS (see links along the posts), why this is a really bad idea, then you may be from a big city.
This could make people feel more secure, but all it will do is make life hell for any small producer of slaughter animals, as far as food goes. But wait, there is more! It also tracks dogs! It gives you 24 hours to report the movement of your animals, complete with location codes and the numbers of other animals your animal came into contact with, by phone or internet. Sound Nifty? You have never been in a three day blizzard, then. I won't even go into grazing catle on open range, just imagine your dog dashing through neighbor's yards after slipping her chain, and the paperwork you would have to do just to get all the location codes and numbers for the neighbor's pets yours had contact with.
That could go on, but you get the point.
We need someone who will get back to the fundamentals of:
a right to life
a right to keep and bear arms
secure the border, not lock down those of us who are citizens
not desecrate the sacrament of marriage with something which that same Almighty God considers an abombination (color that any way you want, that is the basic issue)
a smaller, Constitutionally mandated Government, obtained by the dissolution of Departments which have no place in the Federal Government under the Constitution.
A fiscally responsible government.
Lower taxes as a result.
A strong military used to defend our nation, which is not incompatible with lower taxes if the FedGov gets out of the areas it has no business in.
Energy self-reliance (not independance, necessarily, but steps in that direction including producing and refining of a greater amount of our own petroleum, nuclear, and other energy resource development.)
This is just a warmup, but you see where I am heading. Let's make a list before we go shopping for the candidate.
Thanks for letting me rant..