Opinion Election: It's the War on Terror, Stupid!

In the 1992 election, James Carville gave Bill Clinton the battle cry for his campaign: "It's the economy, stupid!" President Bush had won the Gulf war and thought that would carry him through to re-election. And even though the economy had turned around by the time of the election, Bill Clinton succeeded in pounding home the most important issue to Americans at that time: the economy.

Twelve years and numerous terrorist attacks later, the most important issue to Americans is the war on terror. Let's face it, the terrorists declared war on us in 1993 with the bombing of the World Trade Center, followed up by attacks on our embassies, the USS Cole, and 9-11. And those are just the ones that they succeeded with. They have stated that they want us dead ­ us being you, me and anyone that gets in the way regardless of their religious beliefs. Sure, we're the focal point, but countries around the globe are in this with us. Even Saudi Arabia is figuring out that years of appeasement of radical Islam has turned to bite them.

There are other important issues facing us today, but if we lose the war on terror, we won't have to worry about Social Security, health insurance, taxes, or forest logging policies. We have to get this one right for the other issues to matter ­ remember the terrorists want the end of western civilization and are willing to die for their cause. So how do we decide which candidate will better lead us to win the war on terror?

I believe that we need a President with the steadfastness of Ronald Reagan or FDR.

Remember how Europe told Reagan he had to negotiate with the Soviet Union, and that a military buildup would not contain the Soviets?

Reagan was right, that a corrupt government cannot hold its people prisoner forever, and that you don't negotiate with an "evil empire" if your cause is just and right.

So let's look at the two presidential candidates' records on staying the course on issues of importance to them. After all, if they don't have strongly held core beliefs, they may waver in this war like the French and Spaniards have.

John Kerry believes life begins at conception, yet he voted in favor of partial birth abortions several times from 1997 to 2003. George Bush also believes life begins at conception and signed into law a ban on partial birth abortions.

John Kerry is on record as against gay marriage, but refuses to support any law preventing it. George Bush also opposes gay marriage, and has proposed a constitutional amendment against it.

John Kerry believes we should only go to war with U.N. support, yet he voted against the 1991 Gulf War that was supported by the U.N. George Bush supported the rescue of millions of innocent Kuwaitis from Saddam Hussein in the Gulf war.

John Kerry is on record as saying he would fight a more "sensitive" war on terror and that he would "respond to any attack against the United States."

George Bush has said that you are "either with us or against us" and that those who harbor terrorists are considered terrorists. Less than 30 days after 9-11 he was chasing down the terrorists in Afghanistan.

On November 2, we have the opportunity to choose the man who will lead the world-wide fight against terrorism. George Bush has a record of taking the war to the terrorists over there, so we don't have to fight them in the streets of America.

John Kerry has a record of not acting on his beliefs. Which man do you believe has the moral fortitude to stand up for America when the going gets tough?