As this election year political cycle reaches a feverish pitch, I am disappointed with the ferocity of hatred I see leveled at those of us with differing ideologies. I am disappointed at the fear tactics, the character assassination and the outright deceit and violence that is being deployed in battleground states across the nation.

For example, while many liberal leaders are screaming of voter suppression tactics, their own followers are looting, robbing and vandalizing Bush-Cheney headquarters across the nation. While leaving Dick Cheney’s rally a few weeks ago, my pregnant wife and I were greeted with protests bordering on the maniacal, insults regarding our intelligence, verbal obscenities, about 30 middle fingers and degrading comments about my military service in Iraq. We had to pay this price just to see the vice president of the United States.

Further evidence of such smear tactics was quite evident in a recently published Spectator editorial in which unsubstantiated lies were hurled at the president.

In my opinion, this departure from honest debate to hateful rhetoric threatens the very existence of our democratic republic, and it needs to stop.

With that said, I hope you will recognize that what follows is a sincere, intellectually honest, issue-oriented and fact-based opinion of why I believe George W. Bush deserves another term as president of the United States of America.

First, according to the Constitution, the primary role of the federal government is to provide the national defense of the country, and as the vast majority of service members will tell you, Commander-in-Chief President Bush has inspired us with his leadership, motivated us with the courage of his convictions and shown appreciation for our sacrifices by his actions in Washington.

Furthermore, some of his opponent’s supporters assert that he is going to implement a draft, which is not only outlandish, it is a boldfaced lie.

The president and the military know the value of an all-volunteer military. In fact, a recent piece of legislation that called for the reinstatement of a draft was authored by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.!

As a military volunteer, believe me, we don’t want draftees getting in our way.

The president’s actions also reveal that he believes America is great because of its people and the tremendous things we can accomplish, not because of government and the few things it can accomplish.

While this may seem obvious in print, I encourage you to think about your own positions on issues such as health care and Social Security. To what extent does the federal government, rather than private industry, play a role in your ideal solution to the problems surrounding these issues? The president understands the fundamental truth that we are a nation founded on capitalism – not socialism – and that when fully unleashed it has the ability to transform and improve all aspects of American life.

The president also understands that once upon a time our nation fought a revolution over taxation. I believe that one of the greatest injustices in our society is the taxation of our income and our property. How many of you know that until the ratification of the 16th Amendment, income taxation was unconstitutional? Our income is a direct representation of how we choose to spend our precious time on this Earth, and personal property ownership rights are one of the founding principles of this country. To tax either is an egregious infringement upon our very existence.

I understand that taxes are essential in some form, but what we really need is a fair, efficient and simple tax structure. Check out www.fairtax.org for an example of what I am referring to.

If true reform is going to take place within the next four years, it will be on President Bush’s watch, not his opponent’s.

Furthermore, the president’s plan to rein in America’s health care costs is creative, insightful and entrusts the future of the inflationary industry to the powerful and efficient forces of capitalism. Right now the industry is in limbo, partially privatized and partially subjected to the whims of governmental interference. In the long term, a fully privatized health care industry subject only to minimal, patient-protecting regulations will soar and become the gleaming envy of the rest of the world. Socialized medicine has never worked, and, to be certain, that is exactly what is being proposed by the president’s opponent.

If you require proof of the ineptitude of socialism, let’s look at the biggest social program in America today – Social Security. While it was created with good intentions, it has become a disaster and the president recognizes this.

Consider this: If my brother, who is a financial planner, were to force his clients into enrolling in a retirement program that would give them a 1 percent non-guaranteed rate of return over the course of their lives, the Security Exchange Commission, Department of Justice and Commissioner of Insurance would arrest him, revoke his licenses and throw him in jail.

So, why is the federal government allowed to do just that and call it Social Security?

The president’s plan will allow those of us who understand the illegality of what I just described to take responsibility for our own future. It also will allow those who are not comfortable assuming responsibility the option of continuing with the current system.

I could go on and on about how Bush inherited a declining economy and suffered the loss of 1 million jobs due to a catastrophic terrorist attack, yet created economic policies and tax cuts that have helped create 11 consecutive quarters of economic growth. About how he has become the man that America’s enemies fear. About how he refuses to turn America’s sovereignty over to the United Nations. And about how he promised to take steps to improve America’s education system and did just that.

Instead, I will leave you with this final reason. Despite what the hate-crowd that adores Michael Moore claims, it is clear to me and most other Americans think that George W. Bush is a good, honest, decent man who loves his family, loves his country and cares deeply for the safety of the American people.

It is because of this final truth – that character is king, not superfluous rhetoric – that I will be casting my vote Nov. 2 for President George W. Bush. I sincerely hope you will consider doing the same.