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Of importance to me are winning the war on terror ...reforming the judiciary ...enhancing prosperity by strengthening the economy ...bringing faith back into the mainstream of American society ...renewing the American spirit through ...the founding principles and values

No disagreement but all politics are local. Locally, the consequences of illegal immigration are at the heart of all of California's fiscal problems.

I am not a single issue voter but I find it really difficult to support a candidate, even a conservative with a decent record, if I perceive him to be contributing to the largest single problem facing my state, my county, my city and my neighborhood.

That does not mean I won't cast a pragmatic vote for him if the election were today but to actively support him today in my own state would be embarrasing.

Hopefully, with time, Bush will publically outline his policies with regard to immigaration regulation and once better defined, I may be able to publically support his candidacy.

That does not mean I won't cast a pragmatic vote for him if the election were today but to actively support him today in my own state would be embarrasing

Which candidate will you be actively supporting?

My perspective on the fiscal problems of the state are different. Most of them are tied to the national economic situation, compounded by an over-estimation on revenues from taxes on stock earning (which went belly-up about 2000), and an inability of the governor and legislature to say "no" to any new spending program. The drain of illegal immigrant tapping into services is undeniable, but I question how significant it is.

All politics is local, true, but the top issues I mentioned in my earlier post are all national in scope. I'm not trying to diminish the importance of illegal immigration. It needs to be addressed. I wish Bush would address it in a realistic way. But faced with the other issues we're facing, I can't say it's a make-or-break issue for me.