Here are my political beliefs

So with the debate last night and all the commentary this morning, I find myself truly wondering who I will vote for. I will start by saying I am actually registered as an independent, though I have more Republican leanings than Democratic. So here we go.

I believe in Freedom. Yes, that sounds very broad, I know, but I believe each of us should have as much freedom to pursue our lives and happiness as possible. There should be as little government interference in that as possible. Government should be there to help the people and keep them safe, regulate those industries that could cause us harm and, most importantly, help every citizen prosper.

I believe in Capitalism. This country was founded on the ideals of working hard in order to prosper. Building yourself up and working towards success. The Constitution grants us the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Nowhere is happiness guaranteed, only the pursuit. There are people out there who think that the wealthy of this nation should be taxed more than the poor. I believe this to be contrary to the American spirit. Success should not be punished. I understand that many people in this country inherited their wealth, but there are also those who worked hard and built themselves up from nothing. Why should they be punished by paying more? To me, this hinders the American Dream. What is the incentive to succeed? By the same token, I don't think the wealthy should be given tax breaks either. They should certainly pay their fair share. To me, the simple solution is to have every taxpayer, regardless of income, pay the same percentage. This seems to me to be the only fair way of doing things.

I believe in helping the less fortunate. Programs like Welfare, unemployment, food stamps, social security, disability, etc. are good things. They are necessary things. But they should be reserved for those who truly need them. These programs are designed to help people get back on their feet, and sustain those who can no longer support themselves. Also, to help mothers in bad situations care for themselves and their children. They were not intended as a permanent source of income for people who are too lazy to work or make an effort to be a contributing member of society. Let me restate this. I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THESE PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WHO LEGITIMATELY NEED THEM. But those who take advantage of them and "work the system" should be cut off. I work 50-70 hours a week to support myself and I have had plenty of crappy jobs along the way. Any able bodied person should be making a legitimate effort to find a job and support themselves and their families. Period.

I believe in LEGAL immigration. This country was built by those who came from somewhere else. To say we should close the borders is stupid and anti-American. I believe those who go through the proper channels should be allowed to come here. It is a long and difficult process, but anything worth having is! People who come here illegally have no rights. They are not citizens or legal residents of this country, and therefore should have no rights under its laws. Granting them any type of benefits is an insult to those who went through the legal process of moving here. Send illegal immigrants back home, regardless of whether they had children here. Stop letting people exploit our country without becoming a part of it.

I believe your religion has no place in my government. Religion is fine. I was raised Catholic. I understand the comfort and strength through adversity that religion brings people. That being said, believe it or not, we live in a diverse nation where people have differing religious beliefs, including none at all. No government policy can possibly fall in line with every religion simultaneously while excluding or offending no one. Therefore, as the framers of the Bill of Rights intended, church and state should be separate entities. I understand that your religion may prohibit abortion, birth control, same sex marriage and many other things, but what if mine doesn't? Or if I have no religious faith, why should my rights be decided by yours. This is a sticky subject, true, because separating morality from religious beliefs is a very tricky thing to do. But once you remove the religious opposition to the above stated issues, what is left? If you can give me a legal argument as to why two people who love each other, regardless of sex, can't get married like everyone else, I will listen to it. If you give me a ridiculous example like "Next people will want to marry their dog!!" I will simply laugh at you. If someone believes that the best choice for them is to terminate a pregnancy, who are you to force her to carry that child, go through all the difficulties of being pregnant and the pain of childbirth for a child she doesn't want or can't care for? Don't tell me she could always put the child up for adoption, because there are many children who are wards of the state, waiting to be adopted. KEEP YOUR RELIGION OUT OF MY GOVERNMENT!

I believe in responsible government spending. STOP SPENDING MONEY THAT WE DON'T HAVE!! This country should be run like a mother runs a household, on a budget. Figure out how much you have to spend, and then prioritize needs. Spend money on those priorities first and then spend any leftover funds on things that are less necessary. Stop borrowing money to spend foolishly.

Find me a candidate who believes the same things and I will support him or her. See my problem?