Cross-posted at UnifiedPatriots.com

There are currently five major candidates running for President:  Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.  Who is in the lead or mostly likely to win has changed from time to time, and it may or may not change again.  However, of those five –

Only one candidate voluntarily joined the military and proudly wore the uniform.

Rick Perry flew C130’s around the world.  Ron Paul was drafted.  The other three never served at all, they were neither drafted for Vietnam nor volunteered to serve.  Newt was ineligible for draft.  Mitt Romney was busy as a missionary in Paris when he could otherwise have been drafted.  Rick Santorum is too young to have been drafted.

Service in uniform is essential in a Commander in Chief.  Only someone who has served can truly understand the mind of the Soldier.  Although being a pilot, a grunt, or a deckhand doesn’t give one meaningful strategic vision, it does give one a unique appreciation for what it means to be at the bottom of the military food chain, where the action happens.

 Only one candidate has experience as commander of a large number of troops. 

While it is possible Ron Paul had subordinates while a Captain in the Air Force and ARNG, as a medical officer, it is unlikely, albeit possible, that he was in “command”.  Rick Perry has been the Commander in Chief of the Texas National Guard, an experience invaluable for someone aspiring to be Commander in Chief of the nation’s armed forces.  This gives Governor Perry an organizational understanding of the military to complement his service perspective.

Only one candidate has a real plan to overhaul Washington – to tear down the status quo rather than tease around the edges.

Governor Perry intends to completely overhaul Washington D.C.  He has well defined plans to simplify the tax code, rein in Congress, reduce spending, fix entitlements, eliminate departments, and reduce the national debt.  Other candidates have plans to do some of these things, but only Governor Perry’s plan paints with bold colors.  The others want to “fix” Washington, improve it.  Rick Perry wants to fundamentally change the way business is done there.  I say it’s about time.

Only one candidate has over a decade of executive governing experience.

The only other Governor in the race is Mitt Romney, who served one term and did not seek reelection in the face of certain defeat.  We have seen what executive inexperience at the POTUS level means. It is time for a Governor who has successfully governed a state has proven that they can handle the executive requirements of the office.

Only one candidate repeatedly and sincerely declaring intent to fully secure border with Mexico.

Governor Perry has been labeled as soft on immigration, and the evidence shows that this is an unfair perception.  As Governor of Texas, he has made great strides in securing Texas’ border with Mexico and has fought against sanctuary cities within his state.  He is the only candidate continuously stating his intention to secure the border, promising that “the border will be secure within 1 year of his hand leaving that Bible.”  In a field generally weak on illegal immigration, Rick Perry will seal the border, the others will likely continue to talk about the “illegal immigration” problem.

 Only one candidate is strong on all three legs of Reagan’s conservative stool, with the governing record to back the rhetoric.

Governor Perry is pro-life, pro-family, pro-2^nd Amendment rights, pro-right to work, anti-tax, anti-spending, pro-military.  He will nominate only conservative judges to the courts.  He has signed 6 balanced budgets in his state without raising taxes. He signed tort reform in his state.

 Only one candidate has a record of presiding over a government that created jobs, and continues to do so at a rate far outstripping the national average.

Texas created over 1 million jobs during Governor Perry’s time in office.  The rest of the country has a net loss of jobs over the same period.

Only one choice for me.

Many will tell you for one reason or another that you should not support Governor Perry.  I’ll lay it out simply.  If those that say Mitt Romney is inevitable are right, then you MUST vote for Rick Perry, because it will be a message to Romney and others what conservatives want.  If they are wrong, if Romney will eventually fall as the GOP electorate pays more attention( I believe this is possible if not likely, as long as there is an alternative in the race), then voting for Rick Perry keeps Governor Perry in long enough to get his message out.  Do not listen to those saying a vote for Rick Perry is a vote for Romney[or whoever], because this early in the game, strategic voting only makes sense if you want the talking heads to determine the outcome.  A vote for Rick Perry is a vote for Rick Perry, and all the things he stands for.  In the general, we vote for someone we may not like to beat the one we must.  In the primaries, we must vote for the one we most would like to see holding the office, otherwise, we abdicate our right to participate.

Governor Perry is the closest thing we may ever come to a conservative wish list candidate.  Although not perfect, he embodies the full spectrum of conservative ideals more than any of the others this cycle, and more than most in the past.