JEFFERSON COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY
PLATFORM 2010
As Americans, we the Jefferson County Republicans, affirm our belief in the principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag, the Constitution of the United States of America, including the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of Washington State.
Our representative republic was founded as one nation under God on principles that are clearly established in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Republicans are dedicated to promoting these principles and to preserving their integrity and their importance on the national level, in our daily lives, and at the grassroots level.
As Republicans, we firmly believe the proper role of government is to be the servant of the people, not their master. We believe in limiting the power of central government and relying on individual initiative and responsibility while leaving to state and local governments, which are closest to the people, the powers not expressly granted to the federal government. To that end, we support a strict interpretation of the federal Constitution.
We believe the words ÓOne Nation Under GodÓ should be retained in the Pledge of Allegiance.
We believe the traditional family unit, ideally father, mother, and children, to be the strength and future of our nation.
We believe peace and prosperity come from freedom. The source of AmericaÕs strength is the right and freedom of individuals to achieve the highest goal that their creative abilities can reach, so long as responsibility and respect for the rights of others are strictly observed.
We further believe the United States of America is uniquely blessed to engage in a leadership role in the world. We strongly support our militaryÕs role in working to eliminate terrorist activities in the world to insure prosperity, freedom, and security for future generations.
Good fiscal policy is good economic policy.
We believe a constitutionally limited government, designed to protect the blessings of liberty, must be fiscally responsible. Otherwise, it (will) subject its citizenry to high levels of taxation. The increasing national debt is a grave threat to our national sovereignty and the personal and economic liberty of future generations.
We believe the deceptively named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) must be rejected.
Jefferson County Republicans revere the founding fathers and agree with Thomas JeffersonÕs idea of simplicity in government. ÒI am for a government rigorously frugal and simple. The multiplication of public offices, increase of expenses beyond income, and growth and entailment of a public debt are indications soliciting the employment of the pruning knife. I think myself, that we have more machinery of government than is necessary; too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. I believe it might be much simplified to the relief of those who maintain it.Ó
We support a return to the free market principles on which this nation was founded and oppose governmental intervention into the operations of private business.
We support a review of all local, state, and federal government departments and agencies to determine those that can be cut or eliminated and regulations that are out of date and no longer reasonable.
We support statesÕ rights for those powers not expressly stated in the Constitution.
We believe in strict term limits and no lifetime appointments for federal judges below the Supreme Court. At the state level, we support election of judges and public disclosure of their courtroom case records to enable a reasoned choice by the electorate.
We support increased privatization of local and state government activities, such as liquor stores, state ferry systems, functions performed by public works, transportation department, etc.
We support a line item veto.
We support enforcement of the statesÕ unfunded mandate law, passed as Initiative 62 in 1979 that states: ÒThe legislature shall not impose responsibility for new programs or increased levels of service under existing programs, on any taxing districts unless the districts are fully reimbursed by the state for all costs imposed.
We demand enforcement of the Supreme CourtÕs Beck Decision requiring the disclosure of the amount of compulsory union dues donated to political campaigns and which would require an individual workerÕs authorization before contributing his dues to a political campaign.
We support an audit of the Federal Reserve System.
We believe that English should be the official language of government. All government documents, including election ballots and tax information should be written in English only.
A free market is the economic consequence of personal liberty. Our current governmentÕs interference with businesses distorts the free market and inhibits the pursuit of individual and economic liberty. Therefore, we support a return to the free market principles on which this nation was founded and oppose government intervention into the operations of markets and private businesses.
A free market has been proven to enhance personal liberty and economic well being for all members of society even the most poor.
We support efforts to encourage the growth and development of small business, because these are the largest generators of new jobs in Jefferson County.
We endorse tax relief for businesses in Washington State, in particular, by elimination of the Business and Occupation (B & O) tax. We must restructure the current L & I tax for the benefit of all business.
We support changes in the county zoning and regulatory processes, which would provide the opportunity to build affordable housing and encourage economic development in Jefferson County. We specifically oppose the taking of private property through regulatory processes without just compensation.
We support the right of all citizens to have access to water for family, domestic animals, and farming. We support an affordable sewer system in the Tri-Area Urban Growth Area (UGA) to provide affordable housing and clean drinking water. This would allow local businesses to grow and serve the community and to enhance public health.
We oppose the imposition of activities that constrain or adversely impact the economic viability of local communities without due process.
We support a Right to Work law within Washington State.
Republicans believe private property rights are fundamental to our personal freedom.
We consider the Critical Area Ordinance (CAO), Shoreline Master Plan and restrictions of water rights a taking of oneÕs rights given no proof of harm and request that there be a showing of empirical evidence.
We believe government must equitably compensate property owners whenever their property is taken or devalued to accomplish a government action. We support repeal of the Growth Management Act, which has nullified local control of growth issues in the stateÕs rural counties. We further believe agricultural land should be taxed according to its actual use and not its potentially Òhighest and bestÓ use.
We strongly oppose any efforts to enact a state income tax. We expect all agencies of state government to exercise prudent use of our tax dollars. We support funding of performance audits for all levels of government. We support the principles of Initiative 960.
We strongly support reforming the current IRS tax system.
We support the tax cuts implemented by the previous administration and urge that they should be made permanent.
Tax burdens on future generations must be considered in debate on all budget bills. All levels of government must calculate and report the generational impact of each budget bill before bringing it to a vote.
We support the requirement of submission of all proposed federal, state, and local tax increases to a vote of the people, which requires a super-majority to pass.
We support a predictable property tax. Rapidly escalating property taxes are detrimental to working families, senior citizens, and others on fixed incomes.
We demand the monies collected for specific purposes such as gas taxes, school, and fire district levies be used for the purpose for which they were intended and not be put into the General Fund.
SUPPORTING STRONG FAMILIES
We believe a moral nation supports the sanctity of life. The Republican Party does not support taxpayer-funded abortion. We support the ban on partial birth abortions. We support easier adoption procedures and the encouragement of adoption to enable women not to choose an abortion. We also encourage assistance to mothers both before and after birth that choose to bear their children.
We encourage two parent families. We support defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman only.
We support comprehensive reform of the Social Security system. Reform must ensure current and future benefits. Workers must be given a choice to have a portion of their payroll deductions made to their own private retirement accounts, as does Congress. Such private investments will ensure adequate retirement as well as provide capital to stimulate the private economy rather than subsidizing government debt.
We believe that illegal immigrants should not be allowed Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income.
Education is a high priority in our state budget; we believe education is a local and state function.
We mandate English as the official language of the United States. It must be taught as the primary language in all schools.
Despite the continued investment in our schools, we are concerned about the quality of education received by our children. We support a ÒBack to BasicsÓ approach to education so that graduates are prepared to enter the job market successfully. We oppose political indoctrination and revision of history. We believe that parents have the ultimate responsibility for teaching their children American values and for seeing that they are educated to the best of their abilities.
Political correctness is a communal tyranny and with those who were publicly declared as being not politically correct becoming the object of persecution within our educational system. To the detriment of American education political correctness has inundated our nations.
Republicans in Jefferson County support alternatives and competition in education such as the use of charter schools and vouchers for home schooling for all accredited schools. We do not support vouchers for any educational institutions to use taxpayer money for proselytizing youth and alienating them from the rest of American Society. We also support vocational and technical training programs.
We support paying teachers based on merit. We support early retirement options for teachers and support teachers pension to follow the teacher in order to bring new energy into the classroom. We strongly support the establishment of high academic standards, which must be met before students are advanced in grade or granted a high school diploma. We believe teachers should be certified as ÒproficientÓ and be able to pass a test in the subjects they teach.
We support recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in all schools. Republicans support a textbook review to eliminate political correctness and also support a state requirement mandating that all students in grades K to 12 study the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and Federalist Papers. We support the right of students to engage in voluntary prayer in schools.
We support reorganization and reduction in size of the State Department of Education to eliminate excessive administrative costs.
We support the establishment of a two tracked education system that students would have choices of programs such as academic and vocational.
Republicans believe in free market solutions to health care problems. We support medical savings accounts and oppose government placing arbitrary or financial limits on available procedures.
We support medical tort reform and health insurance portability.
We support Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare health care coverage believing these programs can remain solvent by running these programs more efficiently and by vigorously investigating and punishing fraud and abuse of these programs.
Republicans believe that public welfare should not become a permanent lifestyle. We support ÒWork FirstÓ training and, if appropriate, re-training to enable welfare recipients to become self-sufficient and not be dependent on government subsidies.
Welfare should not be given to illegal immigrants.
Jefferson County Republicans believe that a clean and healthy environment is important to our families and future generations. We believe in peer-reviewed science at all levels of government. It must not exaggerate or falsify problems and must be directly applicable to our county.
We demand development of United States domestic natural resources including drilling and mining. We support development of alternative power sources.
We respect the environment and believe that, as local conditions vary greatly, local administration and development of environmental safeguards as well as private owner stewardship should be emphasized. If governments under the guise of environmentalism take a citizens land we affirm the right of citizens to be justly compensated
We oppose implementation of the Global Climate Treaty (The Kyoto Protocol) and ÒCap and TradeÓ which threaten our economy, infringes upon the sovereignty of our country, and is based upon unproven science. Furthermore, it does not evaluate its economic impact..
We favor the establishment of law that presumes that a person who forcibly enters your home is a criminal who is there to do great bodily harm or cause death.
You have the right to protect yourself and/or family by any means, including deadly force without fear of criminal prosecution. Neither the criminal nor their families have rights to sue the self-defender and or victims for injury or wrongful death
Protecting citizens is a primary function of government. Jefferson County Republicans support swift appropriate sentences for those found guilty of a crime. We support sentencing guideline reform to reflect punishment commensurate with the crime.
We support the ÒThree Strikes YouÕre OutÓ law, and the death penalty for murder and heinous crime, and appeal limits for those on death row.
We support required registration of release sex offendersÕ address, phone numbers and e-mail sites. We support MeganÕs Law and JessicaÕs Law.
We believe that any illegal immigrant be immediately and permanently deported. If this crime causes death, we have the right to prosecute and request the death penalty.
We strongly support the right of the individual to keep and bear arms as guaranteed in both the state and federal constitutions.
We oppose any attempt by government to diminish the rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, including attempts by government at any level to circumvent the Second Amendment by excessive taxation of firearms and ammunition.
We oppose the passage of new Ògun controlÓ legislation. We support the vigorous prosecution of gun law violators. We support stiff mandatory penalties for both juveniles and adults who use a gun or other lethal weapon in the commission of a crime.
We commend our military for their proven excellence and dedication to this Country.
Jefferson County Republicans support a strong national defense with funding levels that maintain our defense capability. We demand effective and efficient use of our tax dollars on defense.
We oppose placing our military under the command of the United Nations or any foreign nation.
We support the existence and mission of Naval Magazine Indian Island as necessary to our liberty and security of our nation. It is not appropriate for local government to waste time and resources toward an examination of operations there.
We support our governmentÕs efforts to eliminate all forms of terrorism. It is the duty of this government to protect our borders from all who mean us harm. We support the Border Patrol. We support the ongoing construction of a fence along our Southern border.
We support military tribunals to prosecute terrorists. We recommend that Congress make it a crime to advocate any acts of terrorism and/or massive violent acts against the American people.
The lack of protection of our Nations borders has become a national scandal and should be immediately addressed by measures that increase our border protection. We support ongoing construction of a fence along our Southern border.
Immigration is an American Value. We welcome all legal and documented persons and support a guest worker program.
We believe there should be sanctions against employers who hire illegal immigrants.
Illegal immigrants must be deported. Children born here of illegal immigrants shall not automatically be given United States citizenship.
Current immigration policy is detrimental to the environmental and economic health of our state and country.
Highway 20 goes from Port Townsend to Whidbey (Keystone) and the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds is 104, both a re part of the state highway system. Therefore, they should be treated with the same importance as any other highway system in the state. These ferries are and must be recognized as critical to the economic lifeblood of the Olympic Peninsula and must be supported accordingly.
PROPOSED 28TH AMMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and Representatives. Congress shall make no law that applies to Senators and Representatives that does not apply equally to the other citizens of the United States.
ELECTORAL COLLEGE
We strongly support the Electoral College as it now stands.