But the problems I have with convervatism is:

1.  Extension of government power into controlling/punitive laws about personal morality

2.  Legislation of religious laws

3.  Missing the difference between smaller/cheaper government and competent government

4.  Lack of support for international institutions

5.  Pandering to peoples' fears rather than their aspirations.  To be fair, both parties do this in different ways.

6.  An absurd inflation of American exceptionalism

On the liberal side, David made a comment a few months ago that stuck with me.  To paraphrase, he was commenting about libertarianism, and he suggested that in large urban areas such as Los Angeles, competent government could become a requirement for keeping the peace/meeting peoples' needs.  I think there's some truth there.  Our needs for government are different in LA, Houston, or New York compared to Maine or North Dakota or Wyoming. 

In the end, I'll probably vote for the candidate that I feel will foster the most competent government rather than looking strictly along ideological lines. 

-------------------------------------------

The isolationist streak of Libertarianism doesn't appeal to me at all.  Hence, I really don't care for Ron Paul (and he's wrong on some of his Constitutional arguements).  I've travelled enough to know that our world will only become more interdependent.  We would be well advised to support and manage this change rather than running from it.  Historically, isolationism doesn't work.

What I want is a business savvy, fiscal conservative who is liberal on social issues and is respectful but not beholden to the religious lobby. 

I'm willing to pay higher taxes if the increases are concentrated on education and debt service.  But I don't want taxes to reach the levels seen in Western Europe. 

I think we need significant immigration to keep the country's engines running so comprehensive immigration reform is a good thing.  Whether we like it or not, we are going to have to legalize many illegal immigrants, and the only way to make that palatable is to simultaneously increase border security.  I don't think any of the three candidates truly "get" that.

I'd like to see increased funding for the arts - a quality of life issue.

The War On Terror is going to have become smarter.  We're going to have to work more on policing and co-opting local attitudes than on military victory. 

I'm for some form of drug legalization, but I don't use drugs or alcohol.  Never have and don't care to.

I've travelled enough to know that there is something to American exceptionalism, but the way some conservatives wear it like a suit of armor is offensive to me.

I know a few people in Texas who refuse to vote for Obama becaue they think he won't wear a flag lapel pin or similar arguements.  I identify with any tendency he might have to go against the grain of the "sheeple."

Government is going to have to get involved in energy use.  Legislating vehicle and home use standards would be a good start.  The Clean Air and Clean Water acts are examples of generally positive uses of government power in the last 30 years.  However, I think it is important for government to be a standard setter and an enforcer.  If government continues to go down the path of becoming a primary employer (as in Venezuela) we are headed down the wrong track.