You must, you must, you must or you can't be.

Extremes are bad. Period. Nuff said. End of story. It is the extremist that are slowly strangling the world. It also does not matter what side of the fence you are on. The trouble with extreme views is that you find yourself justifying your choices in an irrational way because you need to be right, or left depending on the extreme you serve. Everybody thinks they have the right idea, and I am going to say no hardline extremist has even a remote conception of what is the right idea.

I will be fair and look at the things that make a republican, since that is the party I believe in. I also want people to understand that I am a Jeffersonian Republican. You see there is a list of things that people have used to define being a Republican, and even Republicans will say you are not a very good republican unless you can comply with everything on the list. First I do not agree with is the Pro Life, Pro Choice debate. I am Pro what ever. First I do not a womb, so I don't think my say is that important. Also I believe in the best government is the less government. That being what is is, why would I, or how could I regulate any decision that does not affect trade, or protection of the nations borders?

So because I can't see eye to eye with the majority of my party, or at least the party is taking now, I can not be a part of that party? How about gay marriage, same argument. I am not gay, so I really do not care or deserve a say in the matter. People who claim that marriage is a religious institution need to shut the hell up and read their history books. Religion has tried to claim marriage for a long time, but the marriage contract has been around a lot longer then religion you practice has been. This also boils down to something our founding fathers thought was important, that I think should define a Republican, but it doesn't anymore. The separation of Church and State.

Yes I said that, as a Republican. The separation of church and state should define the republicans but it doesn't. You see big government is the fear of republicans, but modern republicans are okay with big government as long as it is their big government. Trouble is you don't always have the reigns of that government. I believe in the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. I have sworn to protect those from enemies foreign and domestic. That being said our founding fathers saw wisdom in some of the issues that people conveniently move from. They take the easy stance, and choose to stand with the masses.

SO does this make me more Republican, or less republican? Am I alone in my views? Does not seeing eye to eye on all the issues like a checklist make a person not something? Like if I miss one merit badge I can no longer be a boyscout? If I do not have six number two pencils I can not be a student? Why does it have to be all or nothing on either side of the fence? An apple can be green, red, yellow, or many shades in between, why can't we? Our tolerance for different views is the best weapon the war on Stupid.