I want to thank The Daily Star, especially Sam Pollak and Cary Brunswick, for the opportunity to be the paper’s local conservative columnist.

I was very apprehensive when I was offered this opportunity because of deadlines and frequency of columns, among other concerns. This was a very serious commitment to be undertaken, along with a high level of responsibility.

In discussing this with my brother, he thought I would be crazy to pass up this opportunity, and I received the same opinion from several of my friends. After giving the matter much thought, I decided to jump in and give an honest effort.

The Daily Star has told you about my background, but I want to use this first column to tell you about my opinions on a variety of subjects.

I am an unabashed conservative on social and fiscal matters. Sam Pollak said the first few columns would flow quite easily, but it would become more and more difficult to come up with topics on a timely basis. I, instead, have a problem with what topic to choose first.

Here are some of the topics I feel strongly about and will be discussing. I am against abortion. I am in favor of lowering tax rates (yes, the rich are paying far more than their fair share). I will certainly have an article on torture versus humiliation and degradation. People shouldn’t have a problem distinguishing between the terms but many seem to.

I am a common-sense environmentalist. I think the choice between a spotted owl and jobs for 1,000 people in the lumber industry who are providing for their families is pretty simple.

We have to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources. Yes, nuclear energy must be promoted. Hybrid cars, solar, geothermal, wind energy and alternative fuel sources must be advanced immediately. Drilling in Alaska is fine with me. It is time to act on a strategy rather than just talk about one.

If I am to be called a member of the Christian right, then I take that as an extreme compliment, even though the person using the term uses it in a derogatory way.

Yes, I am offended when people feel they have to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." People feel Christian symbols, such as the cross, have to be removed from public view because they offend some people. I don’t understand this at all.

To a nonbeliever, the cross is simply two pieces of wood attached to each other, whereas, to me it is a very important symbol of my faith. Guess who I think should take sensitivity classes? I don’t know where liberals draw the line on morality and other issues. I don’t think they have any standards at all. "In God We Trust" stays on our money, "Under God" stays in my Pledge of Allegiance.

I can’t wait to take on the topic of extreme left-leaning liberals who have taken over the Democratic Party: Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Pat Leahy, John Kerry and on and on. Give me a break. This won’t even be a challenge.

I read The American Spectator, the Heritage Foundation website and the Cato Institute website and listen to talk-show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh (gasp) and Sean Hannity. I wonder why programs such as these are growing by leaps and bounds. I tried to find some liberal talk-show hosts, but I wasn’t successful.

I know Bill Clinton had a show, as well as Mario Cuomo, but I guess their programs weren’t financially viable. I wonder why. Then I heard about Al Franken, but I couldn’t find him on the radio either. Maybe it was because he has an audience of 70 listeners.

I can’t wait to talk about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the hypocrisy of the Democrats trying to back away from their original statements. Thank heavens President Bush is finally on the offensive and calling a person who lies a liar. I have very strong opinions on border security and enforcing the strong LEGAL immigration laws already in place.

I have many more issues to touch upon: Supreme Court justice selections, strict interpretation of our Constitution and its original intent, declining educational standards and our increasing inability to compete on a global basis and our higher educational institutions and their bias towards liberalism.

One thing I don’t want to do is get Mr. Pollak mad at me for going over length limits on my first column. Like I said originally, I truly appreciate this opportunity.

So, there are some of my opinions in a nutshell. People are going to love me or hate me or disagree or agree with me some of the time. I look forward to the coming weeks to creating discussion and controversy. I have a very thick skin, so don’t worry about hurting my feelings.