What Do Conservatives Want For 2016? We Asked

Josh DiNatale (left) and Zachary Burns, St. Joseph's University students and members of their College Republicans chapter, get ready to pose for a photo with a cutout of Sen. Rand Paul at CPAC 2015.

The Conservative Political Action Conference, held this week in Washington D.C., is prime time for 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls trying — yes, already — to win over a key part of their base. Former Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Gov. Scott Walker and others paraded on and off the main stage, trying to fire up the crowd with their ideas for America's next, post-Obama chapter.

But, as many CPAC attendees told us, it'll take more than a rousing (and certainly more than a humdrum) speech on the main stage to win them over. They want a candidate not just committed to their issues and values but someone who also brings, dare we say it, change from the Washington leaders who can't seem to agree on anything lately.

So what do conservatives really want in 2016? To find out, we asked CPAC attendees this: If you found yourself in an elevator with a future presidential nominee, what would you say?

Attendees talked about wanting power handed back to the people, a more secure border, a stronger focus on faith and lower taxes. Here are some of the responses:

"I want him or her to keep an open mind. I think that a lot of times we focus a lot on the principles, and that's what we are here to do. But a lot of times it becomes caught up in the rhetoric, it gets caught up in the heated polarized debate that Washington now is not doing anything right now. Look at the Senate, look at the House. DHS is going to be unfunded, congratulations. I mean, I don't think that's how governments should be working, so I do think that any presidential nominee, whichever party, and presidential elect, they should just keep an open mind about the solutions that could possibly come to fix our nation's problems."

"I have five children, and they're all college graduates, and they all have very hefty college loans. There's nothing there to really support them as far as getting out there, after school, getting that job. I'd like to see some kind of program started that will help students who are graduating to really be able to get into the work force and not have a lot of pressure over them. ... Focus on the young adults because they are the future, and it's our legacy that we're giving to them. And it's our forefathers that fought for us and it's our responsibility to fight for our children the way they did for us, and for this beautiful country."

"The one thing that kind of sticks in my craw, since I'm from Texas, is the situation on the southern border. They keep talking about building a fence and putting censors and drones and such, which is all asinine and silly as far as I'm concerned. What they do need to do is to lean on Mexico and tell them to stop allowing these people to cross their territory into our country. They have a responsibility to help us."

"Spend less, tax less. I don't think it's a huge problem with the Republican Party but I know it's something that, especially under President Obama and various other Democrats, I mean spending, we're spending a lot, and just on stuff where I personally believe we don't need it, so definitely spend less, tax less. Stimulate the economy by taxing less so there's more money out in the actual market."

"That faith is important. That they actually have some interest in faith and maintaining the tradition of our country and the traditions of our founding fathers, and having some interest in things of faith. ... The current administration seems to be really interested in denigrating God and as a cleric, I take issue with that."

"This is the greatest country in the world, and we all have to work together whether we are Republican or Democrat. We need to come together, and we need to fight together ... Let's go back to the core values of what this country was founded on, and God bless America."

Pardon me for noticing, but does anyone at NPR know how to proofread? In part of the statement by the man from Wichita Falls, Tx on immigration-”building a fence and putting censors”-I believe it should read “sensors”, since I seriously doubt that putting censors at the border would do anything but hinder free speech...

It also appears that the people NPR talked to were chosen using the same standard that Jesse Waters does for his segments on Fox...

1)Get the UN out of America, and America out of the UN.
2) Disband NATO, bring our forces home from everywhere we do not claim as American territory
3) Build and maintain Naval and Air power to a level that no country can ever aspire too.
4) Build a fence between America, Canada and Mexico. Defend it with the ability to kill if crossed.
5) Deport all people not here legally, all who profess themselves as Muslim who are not citizens, and those who overstayed their visas.
6) No health care beyond emergency for anyone not a citizen, no food stamps, no welfare, no SS, no driving license except for the duration of a visa or visit in the case of tourists.
7) The US govt will supply all drivers for visiting dignitaries and ambassadors.
8) Abolish the State Department, the DEA, the FDA, the CIA, the FBI, Education, HHS, Agriculture, BATFE, fill in any and all not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.
9) Take over the Federal Reserve, take all of their IOU’s, gold and any other collateral and give it to the Treasury which will then coin money and set standards.
10) Abolish all taxes but on imports. Place a .010 tax on all financial transactions. Stocks, bonds etc will be taxed on every trade.
11) Give equal access to anyone that can get a certain minimum of signatures and make them on the US Presidential ballot in every State without designation of party affiliation of course.
12) Repeal the 19th amendment.
13) The wage average of Americans will be paid to Congressmen and Senators, plus of course housing in dormitories.
13) All elected officials subject to the same laws that govern the common citizen.
14) No political donations for candidates from non-voters, including corporations and trusts.
15) Unlimited donations for candidates from voters with full disclosure within 24 hours.
16 All intelligence operations will be undertaken by a new agency to be formed without any candidates from current government employment.
17)Any elected or appointed official shall be banned from being paid for lobbying for life.
18) Any bank regulator shall not have worked for a bank or investment firm for his life.
19) No foreign aid except it be authorized for 1 year by both Houses of Congress by majority vote and signed by the President.
20)Nepotism is illegal within the government except in the case where ones relatives can be elected to office, but not appointed or hired.
I can go on and on, I can dream can’t I?

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