Conservatives are "severe"?

Do you remember in the debates last year when Romney said something to the effect that he was a "severe" conservative?

I thought about this yesterday and I thought, no way conservatives are severe.  The severity comes from the left, not the right.  Just look at the response from this bombing or any other event that occurs in this nature.  The left can't wait and find out what happen before they start accusing the right of being guilty.

No, the right can't do anything.  Can't say anything.  Can't even think anything.  Even if the right doesn't do anything, they get blamed anyway.  They are so beat down and intimidated that there's no way they can be "severe".  If anything, they are severely intimidated by the left.

Actually, a little severity from the right could be a good thing.  If for no other reason, to balance off the left.