It honestly amazes me as to how our viewpoint changes as we immerse ourselves in different sub-cultures. From as far back as I can remember I have been an ultra right wing conservative. I have always believed in fiscal conservatism (even if the Republican Party does not), I am also a social conservative with a strong Christian worldview. About three years ago I took over a management position where 95% of my employees are African-American, and as I have worked there my eyes have been opened to a whole different viewpoint in regards to politics and life. Don’t get me wrong I am still a conservative, but I no longer drink the kool-aid. In fact if anything I have fallen more toward libertarianism more than anything else. I believe in smaller government, less taxes and less invasion into the private lives of citizens. 
As a Christian I have a different moral viewpoint than most, but I do not believe it is the government’s job to legislate my brand of morality. I say all of this so that as you read my columns in the upcoming weeks you have some sense of where I come from. I am not here to win friends or influence people, but instead give you a fresh perspective. The perspective of someone who thinks our government is broken and no presidential candidate is going to make the “change”, we as Americans need.
Throughout the years I have heard of voters being disenfranchised. It has been a mantra among many different communities, primarily the African-American community. This election cycle, it is my turn to shout from the rooftops. I and others who think like me are disenfranchised and have no where to turn. Obviously Obama is not someone I can vote for, it would defy every conservative principle for which I stand. On the other hand I can choose the Geritol taking, oatmeal eating, milk toast McCain. Who is just as bad if not worse than the new messiah’ Obama.
Every conservative across America was mortified at the thought that the “maverick” would represent the Republican Party. So to pacify the masses, they trot out Bush-lite in a skirt. What they fail to realize is that most of us believe Bush is a moderate and are not happy with him. Yes there are those that are too stupid to stand up and say “Go to Hell, I will no longer play party politics.” Instead they will follow blindly down the yellow brick road, never bothering to look behind the curtain. I say it’s time to stop, to shout the conservative mantra from the rooftops. No longer can we follow a party that has walked away from the principles it espouses.
For those of you that are confused let me define true conservatism, and not this putrid mush that the Republican Party throws at us. If you were to look up the 
definition of conservatism, especially in a political textbook, you would read about the adherence to tradition. This is what liberalism would have us believe, again another off base definition that belittles everything for which I stand. Instead it is my belief that conservatism is defined by some very basic tenets. I have searched wide and far and the website Conservative-Resource.com put it in the plainest terms possible, but to be sure that everyone is able to understand, I painfully paraphrased five basic tenets.
First, that there is a natural law, good and evil, right and wrong. Don’t worry I am not trying to shove God down your throat I am just saying that there are natural laws that apply, and that our government and law should follow this basic tenet.
Second, our country is based on the constitution and bill of rights, and the government’s job is not to rewrite it, but to apply it to the era in which we live.
Third, that liberty must come before equality. No matter what your political party of preference espouses, it is impossible to be equal and free. If you redistribute my wealth to help others, while you may have done a good deed, you have submitted me to financial slavery. We are a country founded on liberty, and to enslave another to help someone else defies the very logic we were founded upon.
Fourth is the suspicion of power, more commonly defined as the mistrust in government. Government is a necessary evil, or anarchists would have the answer. However the larger our government gets the more our freedom is taken away.
Lastly is the belief in individualism. A true conservative believes in the individual, the power of a single person to define his own path, to make his own way. Barry 
Goldwater said it best when he stated, ” Every man, for his individual good and for the good of his society, is responsible for his own development. The choices that govern his life are choices he must make: they cannot be made by any other human being, or by a collectivity of human beings.”
I am by no means trying to indoctrinate anyone into my line of beliefs, but instead erase the myths that have been painted of conservatism. At least when a liberal speaks on his beliefs he or she is willing to stand against his party if he or she must. But conservatives fall into a weird category, they are willing to throw away everything they believe in to be able to walk into the voting booth and punch the straight ticket.
I say it is time to stop the nonsense and tell Washington to stick it. It is time we take a stand and embrace the principles on which we were founded. No matter whom you choose to vote for this election cycle, if you are a conservative you have already lost. But just because the battle is lost does not mean we have lost the war. I urge you to sound the battle cry.