President Barack Obama is not just an average statist progressive liberal Democrat. He is by far the worst president in my lifetime. We can't have him making the Supreme Court nominations through January 2017. We can't have him holding a veto pen when Congress repeals Obamacare on January 21, 2013.

THE "LESSER EVIL" STRAWMAN ARGUMENT

Talk of the "lesser of two evils" misses the point. None of the GOP candidates for president are "evil" - and all are far superior to President Barack Obama. Each GOP and conservative activist should support their favored candidate in the primary/caucus process, but once a GOP candidate wins the nomination, we should unite to support that candidate as far superior to Obama, even if the nomine is not our first choice, and even if we disagree with the nominee on some important issues. Nothing "evil" in that.

CONSERVATISM

The Republican Party is strongest when we stick to conservative policies, principles, and traditions.  In order to have the best chance to reverse the policies of the Obama administration, the Republican Party needs a conservative presidential candidate (not a moderate like Jon Huntsman, and not an antiwar isolationist libertarian like Gary Johnson or Ron Paul).  Ideally, the GOP needs a candidate who: (1) achieves passage of a balanced budget amendment, and a federal budget that leads to prosperity, economic growth, private sector job creation, and reduced cost of government, (2) promotes repeal of Obamacare, and opposes all federal and state mandates that force individuals to buy insurance, (3) ends all benefits to illegals, (4) pursues a victory strategy against Islamic fascism, and stops Iran's nuclear program, and (5) advocates for a Human Life Amendment.  But let me emphasize three preferred requirements for the 2012 GOP presidential nominee:

REPEAL OBAMACARE

There ought to be no federal or state mandates forcing people to buy insurance, and it would be best if the GOP presidential candidate had a governmental philosophy that opposed such unconstitutional mandates.  The effort to repeal and defund Obamacare will be a central 2012 campaign issue. The GOP needs a presidential candidate in 2012 who can persuasively, articulately, and effectively lead the effort to repeal Obamacare. We need a candidate whose candidacy would convincingly embody the citizens' opposition to government-run healthcare. 

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND BORDER SECURITY

The GOP needs a candidate who'll strengthen border security, end benefits to illegals, and oppose amnesty. Stop providing free healthcare, driver's licenses, free education, free social services, food stamps, welfare, and other benefits to illegals. Build the security fence along the border. Stop providing jobs for illegals - eliminate incentives that encourage illegal immigration. No benefits or jobs for illegals, especially in a time of high unemployment and wasteful spending.

REVERSE THE OBAMA FOREIGN POLICY

The GOP needs a candidate who supports the traditional pro-liberty, morality-based conservative foreign policy of Reagan to reverse the Barack Obama foreign policy of apology, weakness, retreat, appeasement, decline, and defeat. President Barack Obama lacks a victory strategy in the war imposed upon us by the pro-terrorist, anti-liberty, caliphate-seeking Islamic fascist political movement.