As the Republican candidates for President prepare for tonight’s debate (at 8pm ET), CNN gives religious fanatic Tony Perkins a column to explain: Who social conservatives want for 2012.

There’s plenty of spinning, but Perkins eventually gets down to his real agenda; the ludicrous claim that “big government” can only be “fixed” by instituting repressive laws, and rolling back the social progress of the last 50 years. According to Perkins, all of America’s problems will magically vanish if the country simply embraces his brand of luddite fundamentalism.

White flags and “round toits” are unacceptable on the fundamental social issues of life — marriage, family and religious liberty. There is no room in the political parlor for those courting values voters if they are ambivalent about the sanctity of human life, and the bedrock institution of the natural family, an institution that is grounded in marriage between one man and one woman, and their capacity to transmit life to the next generation.

The right candidate will understand that big government doesn’t just happen. Big government and budget deficits are in part the natural outcome of government policies that foster a deficit of character.

Big government is what happens when family life fractures, when mothers avoid marriage, and fathers flee responsibility. The right candidate will understand that when the family decreases, government increases. Simply put, this candidate will recognize the fact that when the natural family is looked down upon — we will be forced to look up to big government.

The compatible candidate will not be distracted from the flirtations of political correctness that threaten to wreck our first freedoms. Anything short of an absolute commitment to defending the freedom of religion and speech will make the political match a non-starter.

Perkins’ definition of “religious freedom” is the exact opposite of what most people mean by the term. To Tony Perkins, “freedom of religion” means his freedom to oppress women and gays, and “freedom of speech” means his freedom to spew anti-gay hate speech. This is how the religious right has learned to disguise their bigotry; by reversing the terms in pure Orwellian fashion.

In 2001, by the way, Family Research Council leader Tony Perkins gave a speech to the openly white supremacist Council of Conservative Citizens. And when Perkins worked for Senator Woody Jenkins, he purchased a phone-bank list from former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke.

But the Republican Party continues to genuflect in front of this “family values” hypocrite.