Originally Posted by sunnyside

I'm a moderate republican. And I'm trying to get a handle on the "real" conservatives we have here.

So lets try a couple questions for you.

Who do you think speaks for you: Rush? Coulter?

Larry Elder..read "The 10 Things You Can't Say in America"..life changing book

Which presidents do you consider "real" conservatives? Just Reagan? Does he even make the cut.

Reagan was great because he had a vision of the United States being a shining example of peace through strength. I would consider Lincoln great as well due to his outspoken views of Union conservation.

Next I'm wondering about what you're ideal position on a number of the issues would be. But more importantly what is the most moderate postion that would make you "happy". I.e. you certainly favor cutting taxes. Maybe you would ideally want the only tax to be a sales tax on condoms, rap music, and newspapers. Ok. But how much of just a "regular" Bush type tax cut would keep you "happy" with a candidate.

Anyway, Issues.

Immigration - Guest worker program for Mexicans who can speak basic english, 3 years of guest work with zero problems get's you in a different (accelerated) line than all the rest, increased taxes for Mexican guest workers to shoulder the burden their illegal cousins are creating

Affiramtive action - Useless and racist, drop it

Welfare etc - Overbloated and failing. Needs massive overhaul, don't ask me how

Social Security - Needs to be privatized ASAP. Having it state-operated not only allows our government to borrow against it, it causes massive losses in compound interest. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has NEVER lossed over a 10 yr average since it's inception. This system needs a lot more money in a short period of time, only privitization will accomplish this

Abortion - It is a civil liberty. Please note that legalization does not condone acceptance however.

Iraq - Good intentions, bad planning, do what needs to be done to secure Iraq and demand Iraq start paying its debts to the US with its massive oil reserves to alleviate the financial burden being put on US citizens by this war.
Foreign policy in general - MUCH more attention to China and Russia, massive amounts of counter-intelligence is necessary to combat these two rising (psuedo-dictorial) powers. Embrace NATO, step away from the UN. On a sidebar, massive spending on the next generation of fuels to reduce foreign dependence on oil. Stiff tariff's on all Chinese imported goods, if you can already afford a flat screen with a blue-ray, you can afford to pay a little more to stop funding the greatest threat to democracy ever.

Gun control - Idiotic, what's next, knife control? Guns are an instrument being used, it is the person aiming it.

The homosexers - Drop the promiscuity, quit the pompous pride routine, and stop spreading STD's at lightning speeds, and live how you want, doesn't bother me.

Just how small a government? If we are talking Fed? Tough question, I personally love the idea of a fed designed simply to protect the people and deal with foreign affairs with states operating independently. That is their job, but in this day and age, who knows. Again, tough call, but smaller is always better (in this case)

Just how few taxes? Depends. We need a multi-entitied, independent audit of all federal spending, including the IRS. I don't care how much it costs and how long it takes, in the end it will save billions. Our government treats us like ATM's, this needs to stop.

And I guess any other issue particularily near to your hearts.