First Revision Of A Proposed Model For A Shorter Platform For the Republican Party Of Texas

Based upon the suggestions from a number of Republican activists and my own further reflections on the proposal I set fort a month ago, I have made some changes here.  The major one is the creation of the section entitled "Reaffirmation of the Principle of Federalism", which combines the previous two sections entitled "Reaffirmation of States' Rights" and "Texas State Sovereignty" due to each dealing with issues of state powers and federal limits under the Tenth Amendment.  It also removes the term "States' Rights", which for better or for worse has historical connotations not intended by the plank where it was used.In light of the Hobby Lobby decision and Democrat efforts to undercut statutory protections of religious liberty, I added language supporting the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  There are also a few stylistic changes as well.


REVISION 1

PREAMBLE
We, the Republican Party of Texas, affirm our belief in nature's God and declare our support for government based upon a moral and spiritual foundation. We affirm freedom for every individual as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the Constitution. We believe that citizens' needs are best met through free enterprise, private initiative, and volunteerism. We support the “Rule of Law” and believe in upholding the law of the land.

THE PROPER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
We believe government exists by the consent of the governed and that it must be restrained from intruding into the freedoms of its citizens. The function of government is not to grant rights, but to protect the unalienable, God-given rights of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.

REAFFIRMATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF FEDERALISM
The 13 original Sovereign States in Constitutional Convention created the Constitution of the United States of America and subsequently ratified that document creating a Federal Government and granting to that Government limited and enumerated powers.  The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States defines Federal powers as those enumerated in the Constitution and reserves all other powers to the States and to the People.  We oppose congressional, judicial, and executive abrogation of the principle that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. We oppose unreasonable and intrusive federal mandates.

PRIVATE PROPERTY
We recognize the rights of the individual to own property. We resist any effort by government to take private property without an overwhelming need for public use. We strongly oppose civil forfeiture of private property absent the conviction of its owners for a crime involving its acquisition or use.

ETHICS AND STANDARDS
We demand honesty, integrity, morality, and accountability of our public officials. We will work to expose and stop corruption. We reject the buying and selling of endorsements in all elections.

NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
We support a military force of sufficient strength and readiness to deter any threat to our national sovereignty or to the safety and freedom of our citizens. We support the Constitutional mandate to protect and secure our national borders. We oppose placement of United States troops under any foreign command, including the United Nations. We support lawful efforts of local law enforcement agencies to protect citizens in their homes and in their communities. We urge reform of the legal system to accomplish a swift and balanced administration of justice, including consideration of rights of the victim. We support capital punishment when appropriate.

SELF DEFENSE
We support the individual constitutionally protected natural right of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense of self, family, others, property, or the state, as well as for other lawful purposes. We encourage personal responsibility for the care and use of these firearms. We support the Castle Doctrine and the right of individuals to stand their ground when confronted with criminal violence, and reject the notion that law-abiding citizens have a duty to retreat rather than defend themselves from criminals.

FREEDOM OF RELIGION
We claim freedom of religion for every citizen and expect the protection of government in securing to us this unalienable right. We affirm the right to religious expression, including prayer, in both private and public.  We support the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

FAMILY VALUES
We recognize the traditional family as the fundamental unit of society. We affirm that parents have the fundamental right and primary responsibility to direct the upbringing of their children and to provide nurturing care, discipline and training in moral values.

RIGHT TO LIFE
We believe all human life is sacred regardless of age or infirmity, and therefore we oppose abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, and the public funding of any of these abhorrent practices.  We reject government efforts to force employers to pay for these practices directly or indirectly under the guise of "health care benefits".

HUMAN SERVICES
We believe that the primary responsibility for meeting basic human needs rests with the individual, the family, and the voluntary charitable organizations. We recognize, however, that there are special social needs that must be addressed through state human service programs. We support requiring welfare recipients to work towards self-sufficiency. We reject the notion that the federal government may mandate the purchase of any insurance product or penalize the failure to do so, as well as federal regulation of insurance products offered for sale.

HERITAGE
We recognize the contributions made to our quality of life through ethnic diversity. We reject efforts to sanitize history because it offends some based upon race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

EQUAL RIGHTS
We believe that no individual is entitled to rights that exceed or supersede the natural rights of others guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Texas. There shall be no discrimination by government in favor of or against any individual due to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

EDUCATION
We believe that all children should have access to quality education. Parents have the primary right and responsibility to educate their children, and we support their right to choose public, private, or home education. We support incentives to promote competitive excellence. We encourage cooperative initiatives to help all Texans become literate in English. We support the distribution of educational funds in a manner that they follow the student to any school, whether public private, or home school. We reject federal imposition of educational standards and the tying of federal education funding to adopting federally mandated standards.  We reject zero tolerance policies that mindlessly impose punishments that lack a rational relationship to the supposed offense.

TAXATION
We accept the necessity for limited taxation in order for government to perform and administer those services that meet essential public needs. However, we recognize that the power to tax is also the power to control, and believe that the best way to control government is to strictly control the amount of taxes imposed on the people. We encourage further simplification of tax systems, the elimination of the estate tax, and broad-based rate reduction where possible. We reject the imposition of a state income tax and support a meaningful cap on increasing property taxes so that homeowners need not fear being taxed out of their homes.

REGULATION
We recognize that government regulation can be a major impediment to productivity and to competition. We must rely more on market forces and less on government. Regulatory power now exercised by the federal government must be eliminated or returned to state and local governments to the degree that it is practical to do so.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
We believe that a strong, diversified economy based on a positive work ethic, a well-trained and well-educated work force, a business-friendly environment, and safe work place will help Texas compete in a world market place. We believe that developing our human resources is essential to the future of Texas. We support the Texas Right to Work Law.

THE ENVIRONMENT
We appreciate the quality of our environment. Our air, water, and land are at the heart of our existence and must be protected through balanced management. We support reasonable laws and volunteer efforts to improve air and water quality. We continue to seek responsible solutions to controversies surrounding uses of our wilderness. We seek to preserve the environment while serving the best interests of our Texas citizens.  We oppose as unconstitutional the declaration by any President without approval from Congress of any large tract of land as a national monument. We call on the State of Texas to use the resources at its disposal to challenge any such declaration in the courts of the United States.

JURY
The jury is a fundamental institution of liberty, because it is the only anchor yet imagined by man by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution. The jury has the right and the authority to acquit if jurors feel justice will be served.

IMMIGRATION
America is a stronger and better nation because of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of legal immigrants, and the Republican Party honors them. We believe that control of our borders is critical to both national security and national sovereignty.

We oppose illegal immigration and all forms of amnesty for illegal immigrants. We oppose granting government benefits to those illegally present in the US. We believe that current laws against employing illegal immigrants should be vigorously enforced, particularly to stem the now too common crime of identity theft in obtaining employment. We support the imposition of civil and criminal penalties for employers that knowingly employ illegal aliens.  We support the mandatory use of E-Verify so that employers can determine whether job applicants are legally entitled to employment in the United States.

OUR MISSION
The Republican Party is a party by the people and for the people. We appreciate the productivity of our citizens, affirm the infinite worth of all individuals, and seek the best possible quality of life for all. We invite all citizens to join us in working together for a better Texas.

CROSSPOSTED AT RHYMES WITH RIGHT.

A Proposed Model For A Shorter Platform For The Republican Party Of Texas

(Based upon the 2009 platform of the Republican Party of Utah)

VERSION 1

PREAMBLE

We, the Republican Party of the Great State of Texas, affirm our belief in nature's God and declare our support for government based upon a moral and spiritual foundation. We affirm freedom for every individual as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the Constitution. We believe that citizens' needs are best met through free enterprise, private initiative, and volunteerism. We support the “Rule of Law” and believe in upholding the law of the land.

THE PROPER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

We believe government properly exists by the consent of the governed and must be restrained from intruding into the freedoms of its citizens. The function of government is not to grant rights, but to protect the unalienable, God-given rights of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.

PRIVATE PROPERTY

We recognize the rights of the individual to own property. We resist any effort by government to take private property without an overwhelming need for public use. We strongly oppose civil forfeiture of private property absent the conviction of its owners for a crime involving its use.

REAFFIRMATION OF STATES' RIGHTS

We oppose congressional, judicial, and executive abrogation of the principle that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. We oppose unreasonable and intrusive federal mandates.

ETHICS AND STANDARDS

We demand honesty, integrity, morality, and accountability of our public officials. We will work to expose and stop corruption. We reject the buying and selling of endorsements in all elections.

NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC PROTECTION

We support a military force of sufficient strength and readiness to deter any threat to our national sovereignty or to the safety and freedom of our citizens. We support the Constitutional mandate to protect and secure our national borders. We oppose placement of United States troops under any foreign command, including the United Nations. We support lawful efforts of local law enforcement agencies to protect citizens in their homes and in their communities. We urge reform of the legal system to accomplish a swift and balanced administration of justice, including consideration of rights of the victim. We support capital punishment when appropriate.

SELF DEFENSE

We support the individual constitutionally protected natural right of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense of self, family, others, property, or the state, as well as for other lawful purposes. We encourage personal responsibility for the care and use of these firearms. We support the Castle Doctrine and the right of individuals to stand their ground when confronted with criminal violence, and reject the notion that law abiding citizens have a duty to retreat rather than defend themselves from criminals.

FREEDOM OF RELIGION

We claim freedom of religion for every citizen and expect the protection of government in securing to us this unalienable right. We affirm the right to religious expression, including prayer, in both private and public.

 FAMILY VALUES

We recognize the traditional family as the fundamental unit of society. We affirm that parents have the fundamental right and primary responsibility to direct the upbringing of their children and to provide nurturing care, discipline and training in moral values.

RIGHT TO LIFE

We believe all human life is sacred regardless of age or infirmity, and therefore we oppose abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, and the public funding of any of these abhorrent practices.

HUMAN SERVICES

We believe that the primary responsibility for meeting basic human needs rests with the individual, the family, and the voluntary charitable organizations. We recognize, however, that there are special social needs that must be addressed through state human service programs. We support requiring welfare recipients to work towards self-sufficiency. We reject the notion that the federal government may mandate the purchase of any insurance product or penalize the failure to do so, as well as federal regulation of insurance products offered for sale.

HERITAGE

We recognize the contributions made to our quality of life through ethnic diversity. We reject efforts to sanitize history because it offends some based upon race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

EQUAL RIGHTS

We believe that no individual is entitled to rights that exceed or supersede the natural rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Texas. There shall be no discrimination in favor of or against any individual due to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

EDUCATION

We believe that all children should have access to quality education. Parents have the primary right and responsibility to educate their children, and we support their right to choose public, private, or home education. We support incentives to promote competitive excellence. We encourage cooperative initiatives to help all Texans become literate in English. We support the distribution of educational funds in a manner that they follow the student to any school, whether public private, or home school. We reject federal imposition of educational standards and the tying of federal education funding to adopting federally mandated standards.  We reject zero tolerance policies that mindlessly impose punishments that lack a rational relationship to the supposed offense.

TAXATION

We accept the necessity for limited taxation in order for government to perform and administer those services that meet essential public needs. However, we recognize that the power to tax is also the power to control, and believe that the best way to control government is to strictly control the amount of taxes imposed on the people. We encourage further simplification of tax systems, the elimination of the estate tax, and broad-based rate reduction where possible. We reject the imposition of a state income tax and support a meaningful cap on increasing property taxes so that home owners need not fear being taxed out of their homes.

REGULATION

We recognize that government regulation can be a major impediment to productivity and to competition. We must rely more on market forces and less on government. Regulatory power now exercised by the federal government must be eliminated or returned to state and local governments to the degree that it is practical to do so.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

We believe that a strong, diversified economy based on a positive work ethic, a well-trained and well-educated work force, a business-friendly environment, and safe work place will help Texas compete in a world market place. We believe that developing our human resources is essential to the future of Texas. We support the Texas Right to Work Law.

 THE ENVIRONMENT

We appreciate the quality of our environment. Our air, water, and land are at the heart of our existence and must be protected through balanced management. We support reasonable laws and volunteer efforts to improve air and water quality. We continue to seek responsible solutions to controversies surrounding uses of our wilderness. We seek to preserve the environment while serving the best interests of our Texas citizens.

We oppose as unconstitutional the declaration by any President without approval from Congress of any large tract of land as a national monument. We call on the Governor of the State of Texas to use the resources at his disposal to bring any such declaration affecting Texas before the United States Supreme Court for reversal.

JURY

The jury is a fundamental institution of liberty, because it is the only anchor yet imagined by man by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution. The jury has the right and the authority to acquit if jurors feel justice will be served.

IMMIGRATION

America is a stronger and better nation because of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of legal immigrants, and the Republican Party honors them. We believe that control of our borders is an urgent national security interest and our national sovereignty depends on those secure borders.

We oppose illegal immigration and all forms of amnesty, or legal status, for illegal immigrants. We oppose granting government benefits to those illegally present in the US. We believe that current laws against employing illegal immigrants should be vigorously enforced, particularly to stem the now too common crime of identity theft in obtaining employment. We support the imposition of civil and criminal penalties for employers that knowingly employ illegal aliens.

TEXAS STATE SOVEREIGNTY

The 13 original Sovereign States in Constitutional Convention created the Constitution of the United States of America and subsequently ratified that document creating a Federal Government and granting to that Government limited and enumerated powers.

The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States defines Federal powers as those enumerated in the Constitution and reserves all other powers to the States and to the People.

It remains the sacred responsibility of the States as creators of the Federal Government to keep the federal powers within the limits set by the Constitution.

We resolve that the Republican Party of the Great State of Texas and elected party members take any and all steps necessary to ensure that Federal powers exercised within the Great State of Texas not exceed those granted by the Constitution of the United States. We further resolve that those usurpations of State Sovereign Powers by the Federal Government be corrected by the State Legislature and enforced by the Governor’s office thus protecting Texas State Sovereignty

 

OUR MISSION

The Republican Party is a party by the people and for the people. We appreciate the productivity of our citizens, affirm the infinite worth of all individuals, and seek the best possible quality of life for all. We invite all citizens to join us in working together for a better Texas.

Crossposted at Rhymes With Right

Hey, Texas Republicans -- We Need A Change

Let's face it -- our state  party platform is just too long.  Good grief -- it runs 40 pages!  Some planks are wonderfully thought out, others are hastily cobbled together, and some even contradict each other -- right next to each other in the platform in one case.

Constitutional Convention - We strongly oppose any constitutional convention to rewrite the United States Constitution. We encourage the Texas Legislature to rescind its 1977 call for such a convention. We call upon other states to rescind their votes for such a convention.

Article V Convention - Under no circumstances shall the Bill of Rights, the first 10 constitutional amendments, be changed in any manner. We urge the Texas State Legislators to take the lead in calling for an Article V Amending Convention of States, for the specific purpose of reigning in the power of the federal government. Any proposed amendments must be ratified by ¾ of the states to take effect.

Uh, guys -- an Article V convention is a Constitutional Convention with the power to rewrite the entire Constitution through the amendment process. The scope of its amendments likely cannot be limited (see the original Constitutional Convention for an example of how effective limits would be), and the requirement for ratification of amendments by ¾ of the states is already in the text of the Constitution itself -- for the purpose of making sure that any amendment has broad support nationally. So which is it -- is the Texas GOP for or against a Constitutional Convention called according to the terms of Article V of the Constitution? With only a Master's degree in Political Science and 15 years of college-level experience teaching American government, I'm not able to discern where we as a party stand.

Other planks are quite obscure.  Take this one.

Selection of Primary Candidates - The SREC should study the Utah model for selecting primary candidates.

Of course, there is an obvious problem with this platform plank -- it does not explain what the Utah model for selecting primary candidates actually is. If you want an explanation of how they do things in Utah, click this link.  My initial take on it is that it would require moving the state party convention, the primary, or both -- and that it would have the potential to take the voters out of the equation when it comes to selecting many candidates for state or federal office, leaving the process open to the criticism that the system allows an insular minority to control the process.  I'm certainly willing to debate the matter on its merits -- but have we as a party (not a handful of folks on the platform committee) really examined this matter in a way that justifies adopting this plank?

And by the way, the plank discussed above shows another problem with the platform as it currently exists.  A platform, properly understood, is a plan of action  -- it should put forth the party's position on public policy and what we intend to do if we are given control of the reins of government over the next two to four years.  It is not the place to set party rules or deal with internal matters of party discipline or structure, nor is it the place to give instructions to internal party bodies or deal with internal party discipline.  Those internal matters should be passed as separate resolutions or added to the party rules if appropriate.

So, my friends, what do you think?  Can we fix the series of flawed platforms and the broken process by which they are adopted, creating a platform for the Republican Party of Texas that all of us can be proud of and which does not put us on the defensive before the ink is dry on its final draft?

Crossposted at Rhymes With Right