As a very political year approaches an end, and a new presidential election cycle looms, it's a good time for conservatives to step back from partisan politics and reflect on their cause.

What do conservatives believe? Here are 10 principles worth pondering.

God's Law Governs Nations as Well as Men.

The Ten Commandments should not only be enshrined in our courthouses, they should be engraved in our hearts and minds as guides to all behavior, public and private. As the Founders acknowledged in the Declaration of Independence, laws and policies that violate the natural law are abuses of government power that must be resisted and reversed.

Life Is the First God-Given Right.

It's always wrong to deliberately take an innocent human life. When this principle is abridged, violence escalates. Thus we have aborted 47 million unborn babies in the past three decades, begun to accept euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide, and stand at the threshold of cloning human beings for the specific purpose of killing them.

Marriage and Family Come Before the State and Deserve Its Protection.

The marriage of one man and one woman is the natural foundation of all human society, and the means by which children ought to be brought into the world and taught the basic values of our civilization. Government has a duty to recognize and protect the family, and must not grant alternative relationships the same status and privileges.

Freedom of Conscience Is the Soul of Liberty.

Understanding that freedom of conscience is at the heart of liberty, the Framers protected freedom of religion and assembly in the First Amendment. Movements to force the Boy Scouts to accept homosexual scoutmasters, or to compel religious individuals or organizations to distribute birth control or abortion drugs against their beliefs, directly attack these freedoms.

Private Property Is the Servant of Freedom.

The more that individuals, families and businesses can acquire and control the goods necessary to sustain and advance themselves, the more autonomy they will have from the state and others who may wish to unjustly restrict their freedom. The free and responsible use of private property tends to create greater wealth and greater freedom for greater numbers of people.

Government Dependency Is the Seed of Tyranny. Continued...