4.  Please describe your philosophy of what it means to be a conservative President: What is conservative governance in your view and how would your philosophy manifest itself in your principles, policies, plans, and priorities as President?

 

Mike Huckabee:

To me conservative governance means following the “original intent” of the Founding Fathers, it means recognizing that Jefferson won the debate with Hamilton, and that we want very strong, energetic, innovative states, with government both as limited as possible and as close to the people as possible.  The states should not usurp functions that can be handled locally, and the federal government should not usurp functions that can be handled by the states.  An important part of being a conservative President for me would be strengthening federalism.  Conservative governance also means an emphasis on personal responsibility and letting the free market function unencumbered, so that Americans have tremendous opportunity, but not a guaranteed outcome.  It means smaller, more efficient government; lower government spending; lower taxes.  It means keeping the government out of our lives and letting families keep as much of the money they earn and make as many of their own decisions as possible.  It means allowing younger workers to have personal Social Security accounts.  It means getting entitlements under control.

John McCain:

I believe true conservative governance means limiting the reach of government because no government should have a right to impose itself between human beings and their lawful aspirations to make of their lives what they will.  I believe that government that governs least governs best; that government should do only those things individuals cannot do for themselves, and do them efficiently.  Much rides on that principle: the integrity of the government, our prosperity; and every American’s self-respect, which depends, as it always has, on one’s own decisions and actions, and cannot be provided as another government benefit.  I believe in limited government in a federal system, individual and property rights, and finding solutions to public problems closest to the people.  Conservative governance must also be grounded in the principle that the greatness of our country is derived from the free exercise of the rights and responsibilities of liberty.

Consistent with this philosophy, I would pursue a broad agenda that promotes a strong national defense and bigger military to protect our liberty; a culture of life, personal responsibility and the traditional family; increasing wealth and expanding individual opportunity; low taxes, fiscal discipline, free trade and open markets.  Furthermore, limiting the size and reach of government cannot succeed in the face of rampant judicial activism.  As president, I would select judges who interpret the Constitution and don’t usurp, by legislating from the bench, the public’s right to elect representatives to write our laws.  Judicial activism is simply incompatible with conservative principles of limited government.

To reign in government, I believe we must do many other things with controlling spending a top priority.  I believe you cannot achieve limited, smaller government without spending restraint, which is why I voted against the prescription drug benefit that became law a short time ago.  Let’s start with pork barrel spending and corporate welfare, eliminate all earmarks, pass the line item veto, employ honest budget accounting, and end emergency spending bills for non-emergencies as a way around budget limits.  Controlling costs is also at the core of transforming our health care system into one that puts families and individuals first, not government bureaucrats.  As president, I would use the power of markets, not government mandates, to strengthen health care and, thus, weaken the heavy hand of government in our health care.

We also need to shake up failed government-enforced school monopolies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward superior teachers, and have a fair, but sure process to weed out incompetents. Tax reform also goes hand-in-hand with limited government.  Our massive, onerous tax code perpetuates intrusive government and must be made simpler and flatter to bolster our market economy, lessen the burden on taxpayers and help more people climb the next rung on the opportunity ladder. 

Ron Paul:

Conservative governance in my view is allowing people to be as free as possible.  It means abiding by the limits that the federal government has set for itself in the Constitution.  A conservative presidency will abide by the limits of the Constitution and veto any legislation that oversteps the bounds of the federal government.  A conservative president will fight for a balanced budget, sound money, and a foreign policy that protects our borders instead of those of other nations

 

Mitt Romney:

Conservatism in America is alive and well. And it is needed more than ever. America faces a new generation of critical challenges that must be met with strength: a strong military, a strong economy, and strong families.  This is not the time to shrink from conservative principles. As President I will embrace them and work to promote them. 

I saw the liberal future in Massachusetts, and it doesn’t work.  A conservative future is one in which America is strong and prosperous.  Conservative governance is weaving the three strands of conservatism – economic conservatism, social conservatism, national security conservatism – together to lead America to a strong and prosperous future. 

To keep America strong, I would turn to the source of America’s strength – the American people.  To strengthen America, you strengthen the American people.  You let them keep more of their own money. You make sure the voices of the voters trumps the voices of unelected judges.  You secure our borders and insist that the children who come here legally are taught English.  And most importantly, you strengthen the American people when you strengthen the American family. 

This philosophy would manifest as a determination to bring economic conservatism to Washington. Among other policies, I will cap non-defense discretionary spending at inflation minus one percent and veto any budget Congress sends me that exceeds that. I will personally lead a top to bottom review of government programs, agencies, procurement and spending.  I will fight to stop tax hikes.  And I will fight for a new savings plan for middle class Americans – one that will grow the economy and help families at the same time.  We have to take the government apart and put it back together – this time simpler, smarter, and smaller.

I will also fight to strengthen our military and our national security.  We will defeat violent jihad with a two-part strategy. First we must have an unquestionably strong military.  I will add more troops, with better equipment, and care for our veterans.  Second, we must bring together all the civilized nations of the world. Together with them, and with volunteers, businesses, and NGOs, we must support moderate Muslim nations and peoples.  In the end, it is the Muslim people themselves who will eliminate radical jihad. 

In Massachusetts, I stood in the center of the battlefield on every major social issue, fighting to preserve our traditional values and protecting the sanctity of life. As President, I will continue to stand by these principles.  I believe that the most important work in America is done within the four walls of the American family home, and I will work to strengthen the American family.  I want to protect marriage as the union of a man and a woman. I will work to improve our schools. I will help every American obtain health insurance, not through the government, but free-market insurance that is affordable and portable.

It is the time for us to stand together and lead a great coalition of strength and face our challenges with hope and optimism.  

 

Fred Thompson:

My philosophy is based on the U.S. Constitution, which clearly enumerates the limited powers conferred on the national government and spreads them among the three branches of the federal government, with the states retaining all other authorities.   Conservatism began to resonate fully with me after I read The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater.  I recognized the principles that underlie conservatism are based on human nature; they stem from the recognition that our basic rights come from God and not from government, and that these rights have been revealed to us through the course of history and man’s excesses against his fellow man.  These are the basic principles of the Founders of our country, and they remain the best guide to limited government and the preservation of liberty.    I relied heavily on this philosophy while in the U.S. Senate, where all too often Members of Congress would turn to a federal solution to solve State and local issues.  I resisted this temptation and, while I was sometimes on the losing side of votes that expanded the federal government’s role in the daily lives of Americans, I considered it my responsibility to stand firm.   For me, my conservative principles will always come first over political expediency.

I believe it is imperative for any President to weigh the impact of federal actions at the state and local level.  Therefore, in considering any action by government, as President, I will always ask two fundamental questions:   (1) is government better equipped than the private sector to perform a task, and, if so, (2) what level of government (federal or state) should perform the task.   It is my belief that the federal government’s functions should be limited and narrowly focused on providing a common defense and on exercising the enumerated powers conferred on it in the Constitution to promote the general welfare of the people.

 

Rudy Giuliani

As a matter of policy, Rudy Giuliani does not respond to questionnaires, but his campaign provided a letter summarizing his positions. Click the above link to read the letter.

 

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All responses are listed in alphabetical order. The American Conservative Union provides these responses for public information only. ACU neither endorses these candidates nor their responses.