True North

True North seeks to focus, not on political parties or candidates or even issues, but rather first principles. These are the principles by which we as people set the standards that we, in our ideals, use to guide ourselves, and hope to guide our state and nation. They are the standards by which people of principle respond to issues. They are the standards by which we want candidates and parties to act.

• Liberty: lower taxes, less (and more sensible) regulation, and a focus on freedom, whether economic, intellectual or political.

• Prosperity: the promotion of the freedom of the market to bring the most opportunity to the most people, and the promotion of merit that drives this prosperity.

• Security: the defense of this nation from enemies abroad, the protection of its citizens from crime and criminals at home, and the security of our borders.

• Culture: The recognition that America is a melting pot that welcomes newcomers who come with a desire to join in our novel experiment, enjoy freedom, wealth and a brotherhood of common principle, rather than view it as a candy store to be plundered.

• Limited Government: A government that is focusing on whether you're smoking or eating Big Macs is a government that has too much time, money and power on its hands.

• Family: the belief that government needs to uphold, rather than undercut, the basic building block of all healthy societies, the family.

We are, we hasten to add, not a "Republican Party" blog; indeed, we've mixed it up with the state GOP establishment not a few times. We do not carry anyone's party line without question. Our only goal? Push conservatism. Most (but not all) of us are Republicans, since that's the only party that comes close to embracing what we believe - but many of us disagree strenuously with the state party on many issues. We're not a party blog. We have party dissidents and party leadership who deeply dislike us, so we must be doing something right.

Everyone benefits.

As such, we will feel free to cross, ignore or satirically mock party lines (and their orthodoxies and bureaucracies) to further our goal of a nation that believes in - indeed, fights for - these principles.