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Oklahoma County Republican Party 2005 Platform
Preamble
The Oklahoma County Republican Party holds the following truths to be self-evident:
¨ All persons are created equal.
¨ All persons are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights which include the Right to life, the Right to liberty, the Right to own property and the Right to the pursuit of happiness.
¨ The purpose for which governments are instituted is to secure these unalienable rights.
¨ Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.
¨ We recognize the heritage of the Republican Party in the Principles of Abraham Lincoln – that no human being should be considered the property of another.
¨ We recognize that political activity alone cannot deliver our beloved land from the crises it faces. We therefore call upon all Americans to look to the Creator for guidance to return America to its founding principals of spiritual and moral character.
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Economic Development
Attracting Businesses and Jobs
1. Oklahoma’s efforts to attract industry should be grounded upon the establishment of a favorable and friendly economic climate rather than upon tax or other governmental subsidies to individual businesses.
2. We support the creation of centers of excellence (cooperative efforts between private industry, educational institutions and/or government entities), educational programs and the provision of infrastructure and resources which will attract businesses and tourism to Oklahoma. Worker’s Compensation System
1. Worker’s Compensation must be reformed to reduce administrative costs and focus benefits on truly injured workers. Worker training and safety education programs should be encouraged. Tort Reform
1. It is imperative to reduce costs to Oklahoma businesses while protecting the legal rights of our citizens through total tort reform. Gambling
1. We do not support increased economic development through various forms of gambling.
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Judiciary and Law Enforcement
1. We believe all judges should be sworn to uphold and actually uphold the U.S. Constitution or be subject to impeachment.
2. We believe the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment is not intended to remove religion from public life.
3. We support capitol punishment.
4. Law enforcement resources should be directed at offenders who are a danger to the public. Alternatives to incarceration should be considered for non-violent offenders.
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Education
1. We support strict accountability of local school boards to parents. We support a parent’s choice of schools, including but not limited to public, private, parochial, charter or home schooling.
2. We believe publicly funded education should reflect the curricula preferences of the parents.
3. We believe that in public schools where evolution is taught, intelligent design should be taught as well.
4. We support the consolidation of public school administrative functions, which would include the efficient consolidation of school districts.
5. We believe that homosexual and other “alternative lifestyles” and their acceptance should not be taught or promoted in public schools.
6. We oppose social promotion in public schools.
7. We support the enhancement of the competitive spirit in public school activities including both athletics and academics.
8. As guaranteed by the First Amendment, the free exercise of religion shall be allowed in schools and include, but not be limited to, voluntary prayer, voluntary posting of the Ten Commandments, teaching of the Founding Fathers and the principles of the founding of our nation.
9. We believe in a strong curriculum based on core subjects: reading (including phonics in reading), writing, math, English, science, Oklahoma history, American history, World history, Geography, Economics, character education, and computer science.
10. We support the elimination of the Federal Government’s efforts to control classroom curricula.
11. We support the mandatory teaching of our representative form of government, a Federal Republic, to encourage understanding and civic participation within the population. This would include, but not be limited to, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and other founding documents - including those pertaining to the establishment of the Electoral College.
12. We believe it is the parent’s responsibility to educate their children regarding sexual conduct. If the public schools teach about sexuality, it must be limited to abstinence-only curriculum.
13. We support starting every school day with the Pledge of Allegiance.
14. We oppose regulation of home schooling.
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Family
Marriage and Family Issues
1. Since marriage between one man and one woman is fundamental to our very existence and survival and is a revered institution, older than the Bill of Rights and political parties, we oppose any and all attempts to redefine the institution of marriage.
2. We support the right of parents to raise, educate, discipline, nurture and spiritually train their children without government interference. We also support those who choose the vocation of Homemaking.
3. We believe that homosexuality is not a genetic trait, but a chosen lifestyle.
4. We support Federal and State legislation that prohibits recognition of same-sex marriages, civil unions or domestic partnerships.
5. Due to the high divorce rate, we support legislation calling for voluntary recognition and corresponding action that marriage is a covenant relationship, instituted by God, not to be entered into casually.
6. We believe that, in order to encourage and protect traditional values, those promoting homosexuality or other aberrant lifestyles should not be allowed to hold responsible positions over children or other vulnerable persons.
7. We support strict adherence to due process of law in child abuse investigations and the protection of the constitutional rights of persons accused of child abuse. We oppose the removal of children from their family for more then a few days unless abuse allegations are confirmed.
8. We support the curtailment of the federal incentives to states for the removal of children from their families.
9. We encourage an adoption process that recognizes the rights of parents while maintaining safeguards for the children. We support adoption by traditional families.
Life and Medical Issues
1. We believe God is the Author and Creator of human life and that each individual should be treated with dignity and compassion.
2. We believe in the sanctity and value of human life from conception through natural death. We oppose euthanasia, infanticide and mercy killings, and the funding of such by the government.
3. We believe that abortion is murder and urge the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and allow each sovereign state to enact the strictest life-preserving legislation possible.
4. We support legislation that prohibits taking the life of the unborn for the purpose of harvesting and/or any service related to the donation or purchase/sale of organs and tissue.
5. As long as abortion continues, we expect abortion clinics to comply with the same medical and safety standards required of hospitals.
6. As long as abortion continues, we support enactment of legislation to guarantee parental notification and authorization, 72 hours prior to a minor receiving an abortion.
7. We support the right of obstetric and gynecology residency programs to refuse to provide abortion training and the individual’s right to refuse to perform abortions. We also support the right of hospitals and doctors to refuse to provide abortions.
8. We support legislation requiring abortion providers inform patients of the developmental status of the unborn child, supply patients with all ultrasounds, inform the patient that medical evidence indicates an unborn child can feel sensations of pain, inform women of all the psychological and medical risks associated with abortion including the link between breast cancer and abortion, and provide information on the services available to mothers who choose to carry their children to birth.
9. We oppose human cloning for any reason.
10. We support adult, but not fetal stem cell research. We do not support unethical scientific experimentation.
Religious Freedoms
1. Our Founding Fathers based our Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and early laws on the Bible and traditional Judeo-Christian ethics and values. We believe these documents are the basis for law, order and behavior, allowing individuals, including government officials, the freedom to involve God in all activities according to their consciences.
2. We support all efforts to preserve our religious heritage, including religious symbols displayed on public property, and we oppose the removal of such by activist judges.
3. We oppose any government oversight, harassment, licensing, or taxation of religious institutions and their ministries.
4. We support retaining the religious significance of national holidays, and the display of religious symbols in public places.
5. We strongly support keeping the phrase "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency.
6. We support keeping the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance.
General
1. We believe in a welfare policy that promotes family unity, hard work and individual responsibility.
2. We support reform of welfare and any other federal/state entitlement program to help those who are truly incapable of self support, and the removal of those who do not qualify.
3. We support limiting welfare benefits to only citizens of the United States and legal residents, including military service members and their dependents.
4. We support vigorous prosecution of those who financially exploit or otherwise abuse the elderly.
5. Because of the documented success of faith-based organizations, we support the Bush Administration’s Faith-Based Initiative.
6. We encourage rigorous enforcement of all anti-pornography laws. Government agencies and tax-supported institutions, especially libraries and public schools, should not provide access to pornography.
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Federal Government
General Government
1. We support periodic review of all government entities and programs to determine their continued necessity and the abolishment of those found not necessary.
2. We support a Constitutional Amendment providing for appropriate line-item veto power for the President.
3. We support international organizations as deliberative bodies, but oppose the surrender of any US sovereignty to those bodies. We support the restructure of the UN, without which we support removing all funding and/or removing membership.
4. We believe in recognizing English as the only official language of Oklahoma and the United States, while recognizing the right of people to speak the language of their choice in private activities.
5. We believe all executive nominations deserve a vote on their merits and the filibuster should not be used to block such a vote. National Defense
1. We believe in peace through strength and that the best deterrent to attacks on the United States is a strong national defense, including military and intelligence components.
2. We believe the War on Terror, both foreign and domestic, and protecting our borders, is a vital part of our national defense.
3. We believe the U.S. Government should increase veterans’ and survivors’ benefits.
4. We believe homosexuality is incompatible with military service. Immigration
1. We support stringently enforcing immigration and border laws and adequately funding the agencies responsible for their enforcement. Other
1. We affirm the right of private associations to admit or deny membership based on what these associations’ conscience dictates.
2. We support a broad interpretation of the Second Amendment, and oppose efforts to register firearms.
3. We support enforcement of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to protect those rights not enumerated and the powers not delegated in the U.S. Constitution.
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Taxes
1. We as Republicans support limited amount or minimal amount of taxes necessary for legitimate government functions and for the benefit of all taxpayers with strict accountability for all tax dollars.
2. We believe any tax earmarked for a specific purpose should be used solely for that purpose.
3. We oppose taxes levied under the guise of “fees”.
4. Governments need to balance their budgets through spending cuts, eliminating fraud, and cutting overstaffing, not through increasing taxes.
5. We support relief of the tax burden on Senior Citizens.
6. We oppose a mandatory annual increase in assessed evaluation of real estate.
7. We support the reduction or elimination of taxes transferred to the federal government to be returned at a lesser amount/rate because of waste, overhead, inefficiency and bureaucracy.
8. We support our tax dollars staying at the local level to provide improved and more efficient accountability of our tax dollars.
9. We support the inclusion of the Legislative, Judicial and Executive Branches as part of the same Social Security program as that of the citizens who elected them and elimination of their current retirement programs.
10. We support the elimination of the Corporate Franchise Tax.
11. We support a tax structure that encourages traditional marriages and families, including the repeal of the marriage penalty tax.
12. We support tax dollars following the child whether that be for public, private or home school.
a. Families or parents should be empowered and have the fundamental right to have as much choice or control of their children’s education by way of choosing where their tax dollars will be spent on their education. We support tax credits/vouchers or reform of the tax codes.
13. We do not support any kind of Internet tax.
14. We support the elimination of the income tax.
15. We believe the recent Federal tax cuts should be made permanent.
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Commendations
1. We commend the men and women of our Armed Forces for their bravery, heroism, and valor as they defend our nation, both at home and abroad. We gratefully extend our heart-felt sympathy to the families of those who have died and given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.
2. We commend President George W. Bush for giving Sen. John Kerry a thorough thrashing in the last election cycle.
3. We commend President George W. Bush, a person a high integrity and wisdom, on the return of dignity and honor to the White House. We commend the President on his prosecution of the “war on terrorism” in an open and aggressive style and we support his actions in defense of our safety and security. We further commend President Bush for his clear message outlining the path for protecting freedom and democracy both at home and abroad.
4. We honor the memory of President Ronald Reagan and his constant efforts toward protecting national security, expanding freedom abroad, and for his courage in the face of communism.
5. We commend the volunteer and elected leaders of our Republican party for their work in promoting Republican principles within the state of Oklahoma.
*********************************** 2005 Platform Committee
Thank you to the following who worked many hours to develop and write this platform. Thank you to the many Republicans who attended their Precinct meetings and submitted Resolutions for the Platform.
Stan Steele
Sharon Sloat
Thad Swonger
Amy Wright
Charles Ketola
Jeffrey Bedford
Mike Christian
Bob Bowna
Carissa Darling, Chairman
Ken Bartlett, Vice Chair |