I believe:
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of every law-abiding American citizen to own firearms. It is our right to protect our lives and our property from those who wish to take either from us, and we cannot be truly safe if we have to rely completely on the authorities. It is likely too late to call the police if the intruder has already made his way into a house. Those that oppose the right to defend one’s life and property often argue that with fewer firearms, the crime rate would inevitably drop. If we look elsewhere in the world, like England, we see that this is most certainly not the case. In England, handguns have been banned for some years now, but crime has in fact risen, notably in crimes involving burglary. English criminals know that law-abiding citizens have neither the means nor the legal right to defend themselves from ruthless monsters looking to pillage and harm them. Criminals in the United States, however, have said that they fear armed homeowners more than they fear the police.
The Federal government’s first priority is to protect its citizens and its interests worldwide. The United States should strive to be the most powerfully advanced military in the world, and as the world’s only superpower, the United States should be proactive in defending and promoting our freedoms throughout the world. The recent war with Iraq fit these purposes. Regardless of whether or not weapons of mass destruction are found in Iraq, the war and subsequent occupation are completely justified. For years, Saddam Hussein has played United Nations like a fiddle without consequence. If Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, why were the inspectors not allowed to verify this? It would have been the logical step to take to show the world that the Western powers were wrong. The burden of proof has always been on Saddam Hussein, and the world had to be shown that the United States and its true allies would not and will not put up with despotic tyrants with ambitions of war and terror. Twenty-two million people are now free from the murderous clutches of Saddam Hussein. This alone justifies the war.
Fiscal responsibility is key, and taxes should be kept as low as possible. Government spending should be watched carefully so that enormous amounts of money are not wasted on entitlement programs and handouts that benefit no one. Welfare, for example, should serve only as a springboard, not a crutch. The government should stay out of economic affairs as much as possible, serving only to ensure the safety of the consumer, and privatization should take precedence over socialization. “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” is a doctrine greatly opposed by conservatives, as we believe in working hard and benefiting from that hard work. Socialist policies are detrimental because, as we all know, the government is very inept at handling enormous institutions such as healthcare. People can spend their own money better than the government can.
As a Christian, I believe abortion is absolutely wrong in any case. Personal responsibility is of the utmost importance, and one should not be having sex if he or she is not prepared to raise a child. Most abortions done today happen because of “inconvenience.” The destruction of a life due to “inconvenience” is not acceptable. Opponents of this view often bring up rape as an excuse for abortion, but studies show that less than one percent of abortions are done because the rapist impregnated the woman. This is not reason enough to allow so many more innocent lives to be slaughtered all due to irresponsibility.
It is also important that we acknowledge Judeo-Christian philosophy as the foundation for this nation’s laws, principles, and values. This is not a call for state-sponsored religion, but historical fact cannot be denied. Secularists would like to destroy religion in this country and any references to God in our history and government. In this country we have freedom of religion, but not freedom from religion. Many people in this country believe that religion is a great thing unless you’re talking about Christianity or Judaism, which are often depicted as the worst groups in the history of the world. The Creator is mentioned in the Constitution, God is mentioned on our currency and in our Pledge of Allegiance. These reflect the philosophy of the Founding Fathers and the basic foundations of this country.
The right to defend one’s self, family, and property, powerful national defense, and morality are just a few of the ideals that I hold in common with my fellow Conservatives. Naturally I will not always agree with all of them and not all of them will agree with me, but most of the time we are on the same page. All of us understand that a Leftist America is not in the best interests of any of us, as liberals wish to destroy our history and force secularism on the entire populace. They wish to paint conservatives as racists and fascists all the while it is they who believe the government knows how to run our lives better than we do. Conservative policies are based on logic, not the theoretical fantasies of an impossible utopia that liberals subscribe to.
And with that, I’ll come off my soapbox and pay the 4% increase in my income taxes, since with my new job, I went up a tax bracket. Thanks a lot, Mr. Clinton. 
