You have values listed. That's good. I guess it implies some principles. But the rest of your checklist sounds like liberal feel good gobbledygook. I don't rely on government or the president for my wishes, hopes, desires, and expectations.
What about the honesty and integrity of the man? What about adherence to the Constitution? Are those things important to you at all?
Yes, those things are critically important, not just to me, but to all of us.
Understand my message here. Voters need to evaluate the ENTIRE candidate, not just his or her stand on one issue.
Next November, we will elect the next President. Decide, for yourself, which of the two electable candidates approaches the closest to your ideal. Do not expect perfection. Get as close as you can, after evaluating his or her ENTIRE set of beliefs.
It's like marriage. Is your spouse or current main squeeze perfect? Does she or he meet your expectations in EVERYTHING they do? Is the cooking, cleaning, sex, conversation, driving etc. PERFECT every time? More importantrly, Did you not in fact know, going into the relationship that parts of the relationship would not be perfect? Married her anyway, didn't you.
Sit home on election day because you may not like one of a candidates position is to help elect the guy who's positions on a whole range of issues are repugnant.
Think about it this way. By most counts, Mr. Bush won Florida by about 517 votes. If 518 Floridians had followed the foolis "sit-home" theory, Gore would be President, and Osama would probably be getting US Foreign Aid to help him buy airplanes to knock down more buildings.
Granted, and I do do that. But that doesn't mean that someone gets a pass from me just because the opponent is far less perfect.
Look, what politicians want most is to be elected and reelected, right? If we continue to reelect them without holding them to account for what they have done, they will continue to ignore us and our issues. When they get fired, or see another politician fired for what they did wrong, they pay attention.
It's sad that it has got to this point, but if the pubbies want to continue to hold power, they better pay attention to the segment of the party that holds gun rights sacred. We may not be the majority of the party, but a significant minority that can influence elections. It wasn't us that asked for the "Big Tent" party, but since we're here, we will voice our concerns and we will be ignored at the peril of the party.
What you must understand is that we aren't asking for anyone to give us anything. We don't want something that doesn't belong to us. We aren't seeking special programs that someone else must pay for. We are not the typical 'special interest' or 'single issue' group.
Our issue is THE single issue. It's FREEDOM. If the pols don't trust us (the American people) with guns, why should we trust them? Free men own guns, slaves do not. When we lose our single issue, America is no longer the grand experiment that started so long ago.
That's why we are so adamant. And if both major parties are intent on disarming us, then so be it. Let's find out now while we are still all as well armed as we are. We can't wait until the only legal firearm is a single shot .22 that is registered with the government and stored in their storage facilities until we check it out to shoot on government approved ranges.
Does that help you to understand us 'single issue' voters a little bit better?
If not, may your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity not know that you are our brethren.