Republicans must take America not left or right, but rather, up

Sept. 1 through Sept. 4, Republicans from across this country will gather in Minnesota to officially nominate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) as the Republican candidate for president.

During the convention we will show our commitment to helping Republicans regain control of the House and Senate, regain a majority of governorships and elect Sen. McCain as the 44th president of the United States.

In the coming months we will continue to hear about hope and change. We need to do more than hope for change; we need to take action and we need to remember that not all change is good. The wrong kind of change would, in fact, be detrimental to our country.

The Republican convention is a chance for positive change. We need to focus on the type of change we want. We need to be resolute in our positions, and we need to do the right thing.

Hard work wins elections, and the principles we are fighting for are far too important not to give our all.

There is a vast community of conservatives in this nation who want common-sense solutions and honest discussion of the real issues that touch the lives of Americans every day.

We must concentrate on taking America not left or right, but up! We need to remember what made this country great and continue working toward these principles. When government becomes so polarized and paralyzed that it’s dysfunctional, the people no longer vote for the leadership that best embodies their values, but instead feel forced to pick between the lesser of two evils.

We want — we need — our leaders to be efficient and effective. Ronald Reagan once said, “No crisis is beyond the capacity of our people to solve; no challenge too great.” He was right. We are a nation with a “can-do” attitude and we need to re-capture that spirit, constructively discuss ideas and then fight for the issues that matter most. We must remember that message matters and no amount of money can substitute for true convictions.

Three simple principles make America great: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. There is a reason life is mentioned first: without it, there is no need for liberty. Without life, there is no pursuit of happiness. The Republican Party best embodies these simple principles, and the leadership we will nominate is best suited to lead America forward, to take America up.

I want lower taxes and accountability for my tax dollars; less government regulation and less government spending; more local control; and a strong national defense. But above all, I want a government that respects life.

We need a president with the right character, convictions and wisdom to see the problems we face and the right experience to lead in solving them. We deserve a president who truly loves this country and who without a doubt respects life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This Republican convention will be a defining moment in our history. If we want to see this country rise up, we must do the right thing: We must elect John McCain.

Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, ran for the Republican presidential nomination this year.