Rather than an outright litmus test, the list is an affirmation of the general Republican vision, offering voters a real alternative to Democrats. I’ve gone through it point by point and can’t imagine that even squishy Republicans would have much difficulty in scoring at least a seven. The list includes support for smaller government, lower deficits and lower taxes; market-based health care reforms instead of Obamacare; market-based energy policies instead of cap and tax; secret-ballot union elections for workers; legal immigration and assimilation; victory in Iraq and Afghanistan; nuclear-weapons containment of Iran and North Korea; self-determination of individual states on marriage laws; denial of taxpayer funding for abortions; and protection of individual rights on gun ownership.

I fully understand there are congressional districts where no Republican, much less a rock-ribbed conservative, can hope to win (like Denver in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District). But even in moderate-to-liberal congressional swing districts, where a moderate Republican has a shot, a Republican who scores six or lower is probably in the wrong party. While I recognize that in order to achieve a legislative majority, the GOP must necessarily be hospitable to liberalish types like Maine senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins (what can you do — it’s the Northeast), the line has to be drawn somewhere (e.g., Lowell Weicker in Connecticut).

I applaud the GOP for clearly telling voters where the party and its candidates sit on fundamental beliefs so that voters can better understand where the candidates stand on issues. Let me help Democrats do the same, with my checklist of Democratic principles:

• The U.S. Constitution is too restrictive and amending it is too much trouble. We support judges who will re-interpret it according to their ideology and political preferences and legislate from the bench.

• Individual liberty and property rights must be subordinated to the collective welfare. Those who have “too much” must be leveled through high taxes; those who have less are “entitled” to their fair share of the income and wealth of others. From each according to his ability, to each according to her need.

• Private enterprise is obsessed with profits. Capitalism is synonymous with greed. Without labor unions, workers will be exploited, unjustly paid and unfairly treated. Only government bureaucrats can be trusted to regulate commerce, determine what will be produced, how it will be produced, at what price it will be sold and how heavily it will be taxed.

• Americans are too materialistic and wasteful of natural resources. Our lifestyle must be scaled back and our wealth more justly distributed to underprivileged nations.

• Life is fraught with risk. Americans must be protected from their own bad choices through regulations and from depredation with cradle-to- grave social programs.

• Guns are too dangerous and can be used to commit crimes. Americans cannot be trusted to own them.

• Patriotism is selfish and destructive. Nationalism is evil and leads to war. U.S. military spending must be cut and American sovereignty sacrificed to the greater good of the world community, as determined by a majority vote in the United Nations.

Most Democrats should have no trouble scoring a perfect 10.

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