If you believe that government should be accountable to the people, not the people to the government …then you are a Republican! If you believe a person should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an interest group …then you are a Republican! If you believe your family knows how to spend your money better than the government does …then you are a Republican! If you believe our educational system should be held accountable for the progress of our children …then you are a Republican. If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope of democracy in the world …then you are a Republican! And, ladies and gentlemen if you believe we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism …then you are a Republican!”

— California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When watching the Republican National Convention this week, I noticed one thing that all the pundits were trying to do, and that was to drive a wedge between the moderate and conservative factions of the Republican Party.

After watching Schwarzenegger’s speech, I had to laugh because — no offense to the news media — they just don’t get Republicans (perhaps because 87 percent of people in the news media consider themselves “liberal”).

What Arnold did with that quote was list a set of principles, of guidelines that Republicans believe in and what brings us all together — moderate or conservative. They include a strong national defense (not a “sensitive” war on terror).

They include tax cuts that have resulted in the biggest economic growth in the last 20 years, job creation that has erased much of the job loss suffered by a recession President Bush inherited and was made worse by terrorist attacks.

These are the same tax cuts that have kept the unemployment rate at 5.6 percent — the same rate it was in 1996 when President Clinton used the economy as a centerpiece of his campaign.

Another guideline is a belief in freedom and establishing democracy to combat terrorism because it was the same need and want for personal freedom that largely destroyed communism ; it was not the United Nations.

Most of these (and other principles not mentioned) are overarching and provide a good place to start for a good debate on the issues within our own party and with the Democrats. To put it simply, the Republicans are united, strong and have the principles that will get America through one of the toughest times in our history — and it was an Austrian immigrant that made it big and experienced the American dream that helped to demonstrate that.

Another thing I found interesting in my observation of the Republican National Convention was simply the attitude of Republicans toward the country in general. Republicans are an optimistic bunch, and with good reason. The economy is healthy (yes — for all you “girlie men” out there), Iraq is tough, but Republicans look at the progress made: local governments forming in the north, clerics like Al-Sistani policing themselves (i.e. getting al-Sadr to back down), Iraqis taking more control of their own security, a popular prime minister, sovereignty being transferred, girls going to school, job creation, the global effect of not using the Neville Chamberlain school of international relations and plenty of other good effects our actions in Iraq have had.

Yes, Republicans are a happy bunch, as it has been Republicans making progress over the roadblocks of Democrats.

Republicans understand that we still have many problems left to solve, but we would like a crack at repeating our successes. The Republican National Convention has been demonstrating that to the people of this great land.

I continue to look forward to the future of this country; I continue to look forward to solving the problems we have today, not simply pointing them out with no alternative solutions.

That is what this election is about. The choice is clear — choosing Kerry and his continued pessimisms with no solutions or an optimistic and energetic leader that literally faced a trial by fire and came out with flying colors

Consider that while watching this convention and voting on Nov. 2.

Louis Kishkunas is a junior in political science from Glenwood. He is the president of the ISU College Republicans.