U.S. Political Parties: Conclusion

Well, thank God that is over. I learned a lot but as you could tell, I got a bit distracted for a little while. I mean, hello, I'm buying a house & moving...geeze. Hehe

For a list of several other political parties in the U.S. check out this Wikipedia page. Some of the are quite interesting like the Marijuana Party, the Christian Socialist Party, the Pirate Party of the United States, etc... LOL

Here is a chart I found that did an overview of the differences in the parties I covered.

From this research, I have decided that I'm somewhere between a Constitutionalist and a Republican. I like the more conservative stance the Constitution Party takes but I disagree with them about pulling out of Iraq & Afghanistan and I also don't really understand their idea on taxation. They don't support a flat tax or sales tax or much of taxation at all. While that would be great, how do you pay for the military? I do support a flat tax but not a sales tax, but then again, I really don't understand much about taxation, I just know that I pay for a lot of crap that our government has no business sticking their noses in not to mention the immoral issues our taxes support.

I do have more ideas for more series I want to do including a series on comparative religions, comparative denominations, basic theology, and a series on heroes in the history of the Church such as John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther, etc. Anyone have any opinion on what you would like me to cover first?

U.S. Political Parties: The Green Party

Ok, this one isn’t as long. Also…I am so not a Green Party person. LOL

The Green Party was officially recognized in 2001.

The Ten Key Values of the Green Party are as follows:

1. Grassroots Democracy
“Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will work to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political organizations which expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making process.”

2. Social Justice and Equal Opportunity
“All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.”

3. Ecological Wisdom
“Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.”

4 Non-Violence
“It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.”

5. Decentralization
“Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we support a restructuring of social, political and economical institutions away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefit’s the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all citizens.”

6. Community-Based Economics and Economic Justice
“We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity, while paying a ‘living wage’ which reflects the real value of a person’s work.” “Local communities must look to economic development that assures protection of the environment and workers’ rights; broad citizen participation in planning; and enhancement of our ‘quality of life.’ We support independently owned and operated companies which are socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises that distribute resources and control to more people through democratic participation.”

7. Feminism and Gender Equity
“We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should remember that the process that determines our decisions and actions is just as important as achieving the outcome we want.”

8. Respect for Diversity
“We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines.” “We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out of our leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.”

9. Personal and Global Responsibility
“We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.”

10. Future Focus and Sustainability
“Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of our ‘unmaking’ all waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.”


In addition to these, the Green Party is for reducing the military budget, are pro-choice, support a single-payer national health insurance (socialized medicine), oppose capital punishment, oppose the war on drugs, against penalties for marijuana, and they are against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA which states that marriage is to be between a man and woman only).


Resources:
The Green Party
Wikipedia: The Green Party

U.S. Political Parties: The Constitution Party

First off, I want to apologize for the length of this post. I didn't think it would be anywhere near this long. Feel free to ignore this post, jump around to the headings of interest, or read it in completion. Really this whole series has been more for me to learn about our political system.

Next, I would like to say that I knew virtually nothing about this political party going in to this but I would have to say that this is probably the party I fall more in line with. I thought I was a Republican but now, I think this party is more how I feel. Granted, both parties share many of the same ideals. I also don't necessarily agree fully on every topic but I do with the vast majority of what they believe.

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The Constitution Party was founded in 1992 under the name of U.S. Taxpayers’ Party. The name was later changed in 1999 however, some state affiliate parties use other names. In Michigan they have kept the name the U.S. Taxpayers’ Party, in Connecticut they call themselves the Concerned Citizens Party, in Nebraska they are now known as The Nebraska Independent Party. Other Parties, such as the Reform Party, Independent American Party, American Independent Party (yes, those are two different parties), & America First Party, have discussed merging with The Constitution Party. They now refer to themselves, “America’s Fastest Growing Political Party.”

According to their website:

“We declare the platform of the Constitution Party to be predicated on the principles of The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights. According to the original intent of the Founding Fathers, these founding documents are the foundation of our Liberty and the Supreme Law of the Land. The sole purpose of government, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, is to secure our unalienable rights given us by our Creator. When Government grows beyond this scope, it is usurpation, an liberty is compromised. We believe the major issues we face today are best solved by a renewed allegiance to the original intent of these founding documents.”

Their Preamble of their platform reads:

“The Constitution Party gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of the United States. We hereby appeal to Him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and the protection of His Providence as we work to restore and preserve these United States.

“This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but Christians; not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been and are afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.

“The goal of the Constitution Party is to restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit federal government to its Constitutional boundaries.

“The Constitution of these United States provides that ‘no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.’ The Constitution Party supports the original intent of this language. Therefore, the Constitution Party calls on all those who love liberty and value their inherent rights to join with us in the pursuit of these goals and in the restoration of these founding principles.

“The U.S. Constitution established a Republic rooted in Biblical law, administered by representatives who are Constitutionally elected by the citizens. In such a Republic all Life, Liberty and Property are protected because law rules.

“We affirm the principles of inherent individual rights upon which these United States of America were founded:

• That each individual is endowed by his Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are the rights to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness;
• That the freedom to own, use, exchange, control, protect, and freely dispose of property is a natural, necessary and inseparable extension of the individual’s unalienable rights;
• That the legitimate function of government is to secure these rights through the preservation of domestic tranquility, the maintenance of a strong national defense, and the promotion of equal justice for all;
• That history makes clear that left unchecked, it is the nature of government to usurp the liberty of its citizens and eventually become a major violator of the people’s rights; and
• That, therefore, it is essential to bind government with chains of the Constitution and carefully divide and jealously limit government powers to those assigned by the consent of the governed.

• 
  

Here are some of the platforms upon which they stand:

Sanctity of Life

• They believe that life begins at fertilization & that abortion should be illegal in all cases including rape & incest. As to matters involving in which the life of the mother is directly compromised, they did not clearly say in what I read.
• They also oppose supporting or funding “any state or local government or any organization or entity, foreign or domestic, which advocates, encourages or participates in the practice of abortion. We also oppose the distribution & use of all abortifacients.”
• They believe the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Roe vs. Wade was a usurpation of their position & should be resisted by all levels of government.
• “Further, we condemn the misuse of federal laws against pro-life demonstrators, and strongly urge the repeal of the FACE Acts as an unconstitutional expansion of federal power into areas reserved to the states or people by the Tenth Amendment.”
• They also “oppose the funding and legalization of bio-research involving human embryonic or pre-embryonic cells.”
• They are “also oppose all government ‘legalization’ of euthanasia, infanticide and suicide.”

Conscription

• They are opposed to the draft & any other form of compulsory government service. (Which if you have been paying attention to what Pres. Obama has said & by the his administration asking Hollywood to include volunteering in their scripts of last weeks sit-coms, one could postulate that our President may have in his mind some idea to make “volunteer” work required by all. I’m not being irrational. He has stated in several of his speeches that he believes all people, from the youngest to the oldest, should volunteer in some way, shape, or form. Also, free tickets were offered for a speech that Pres. Obama was going to give back in August. People who claimed the tickets were later called & told that in order to receive a ticket they would have to volunteer 6 hrs for the campaign in a 3 day time period. Sorry…I digress)

Cost of Big Government

• “A legitimate & primary purpose of civil government is to safeguard the God-given rights of its citizens; namely, life, liberty, and property. Only those duties, functions, and programs specifically assigned to the federal government by the Constitution should be funded. We cal upon Congress and the President to stop all federal expenditures which are not specifically authorized by the U.S. Constitution, and to restore the states those powers, programs, and sources of revenue that the federal government has usurped.”
• “One of the greatest contributors to deficit spending is war. If the country is to get rid of debt, these United States cannot become gratuitously involved in constant wars. Constitutional government, as the founders envisioned it, was not imperial. It was certainly not contemplated that America would police the world at the taxpayers’ expense.”

Crime

• They favor capital punishment & requiring restitution for the victims.
• They are opposed to “hate crime” laws.

Defense

• “It is a primary obligation of the federal government to provide for the common defense, and to be vigilant regarding potential threats, prospective capabilities, and perceived intentions of potential enemies”
• “We oppose unilateral disarmament and dismemberment of America’s defense infrastructure.”
• “We condemn the presidential assumption of authority to deploy American troops into combat without a declaration of war by Congress, pursuant to Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.”
• “We are opposed to any New World Order, and we reject U.S. participation in or a relinquishing of command to any foreign authority.” (Be on alert, because this one is quite possibly about to happen this year…hopefully not, but possible.)
• “We call for the maintenance of a strong, state-of-the-art military on land, sea, in the air, and in space.”
• “We reject the policies and practices that permit women to train for or participate in combat.”
• “We fully support well regulated militias organized at the state level. Further, we fully support and encourage the restoration of unorganized militia at the county and community level in compliance with our patriotic and legal responsibilities as free citizens of these United States.”

Education

• “The law of our Creator assigns the authority and responsibility of educating children to their parents. Education should be free from all federal government subsidies, including vouchers, tax incentives, and loans, except with respect to veterans.”
• “Because the federal government has absolutely no jurisdiction concerning the education of our children, the United States Department of Education should be abolished; all federal legislation related to education should be repealed.”…”Under no circumstances should the federal government be involved in national teacher certification, educational curricula, textbook selection, learning standards, comprehensive sex education, psychological and psychiatric research testing programs, and personnel.”
• “We support the unimpeded right of parents to provide for the education of their children in the manner they deem best, including home, private or religious. We oppose all legislation from any level of government that would interfere with or restrict that liberty. We support equitable tax relief for families whose children do not attend government schools.”

Energy

• “We call attention to the continuing need of the United States for a sufficient supply of energy for national security and for the immediate adoption of a policy of free market solutions to achieve energy independence for these United States. We call for the abolishing the Department of Energy.”

Environment

• They believe that we should be good stewards of the natural resources God has given us. “In that role, we are commanded to be fruitful and multiply, and to replenish the earth and develop it (e.g., to turn deserts into farms and wastelands into groves). This requires a proper and continuing dynamic balance between development and conservation, between use and preservation.”
• “we wholeheartedly support realistic efforts to preserve the environment and reduce pollution - air, water, and land. We reject, however, the argument of the perceived threat of man-made global warming which has been refuted by a large number of scientists.”
• “We also call for the repeal of federal wetlands legislation and the federal Endangered Species Act. Moreover, we oppose any attempt to designate private or public property as United Nations World Heritage sites or Biosphere reserves. We call fro an end to this United States participation in UN programs such as UNESCO, Man and the Biosphere, and the UN Council on Sustainable Development. We oppose environmental treaties and conventions such as the Biodiversity Treaty, the Convention on Climate Control, and Agenda 21, which destroy our sovereignty and right to private property.” (I would also assume they are against the Copenhagen Treaty set to be signed this December.)

Family

• “The law of our Creator defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman.”…”No government may legitimately authorize or define marriage or family relations contrary to what God has instituted. We are opposed to amending the U.S. Constitution for the purpose of defining marriage.”
• “We reject the notion that sexual offenders are deserving of legal favor or special protection, and affirm the rights of the states and localities to proscribe offensive behavior.”
• “We stand against so-called ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘hate crime’ statutes that attempt to legitimize inappropriate sexual behavior and to stifle public resistance to its expression. We oppose government funding of ‘partner’ benefits for unmarried individuals. Finally, we oppose any legal recognitions of homosexual unions.”
• “We recognize that parents have the fundamental right and responsibility to nurture, educate, and discipline their children.”…”We affirm the value of the father and the mother in the home, and we oppose efforts to legalize adoption of children by homosexual singles or couples.”

Foreign Policy

• “We are opposed to the negotiation or ratification of any treaty, agreement, or partnership that would deprive United States citizens of their rights protected by the United States Constitution. We are also opposed to any union whether political or economic, of these United States, Mexico, and Canada (NAU).”
• They believe we should withdraw from NATO.
• They “oppose American participation in any form of world government organization, including any world court under United Nations auspices.” They also call upon the termination of our participation in the UN & any of it’s subsidiary organizations.
• “There is no constitutional basis for foreign aid.” “Therefore, we demand that: no further funds be appropriated for any kind of foreign aid program; United States participation in international lending institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, be ended; the Export-Import Bank be abolished; all government subsidies, tax preferences, and investment guarantees to encourage U.S. businesses to invest in foreign lands be immediately terminated; and all debts owed to the United States by foreign countries, or foreign entities, be collected.”

Gun Control

• “The right to keep & bear arms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution”
• “We oppose any attempts to prohibit ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens, and stand against all laws which would require the registration of guns or ammunition.”
• “We call for the repeal of all federal firearms legislation, beginning with the Federal Firearms Act of 1968.”
• “We call for the rescinding of all executive orders, the prohibition of any future executive orders, and the prohibition of treaty ratification which would in any way limit the right to keep and bear arms.”

Health Care and Government

• “The Constitution Party opposes the governmentalization and bureaucratization of American medicine.”
• “We denounce any civil government entity using age or any other personal characteristic to: preclude people and insurance firms from freely contracting for medical coverage; conscript people into socialized medicine, e.g., Medicare; or prohibit these people from using insurance payments and/or their own money to obtain medical services in addition to, or to augment the quality of, those services prescribed by the program.”
• “The federal government has no Constitutional provision to regulate or restrict the freedom of the people to have access to medical care, supplies or treatments. We advocate, therefore, the elimination of the federal Food and Drug Administration…”
• “We affirm freedom of choice of practitioner and treatment for all citizens for their health care.”

Immigration

• “We oppose the abuse of the H-1B and L-1 visa provisions of the immigration act which are displacing American workers with foreign.”
• “We favor a moratorium on immigration to these United States, except in extreme hardship cases or in other individual special circumstances, until the availability of all federal subsidies and assistance be discontinued, and proper security procedures have been instituted to protect against terrorist infiltration.”
• “We also insist that every individual group and/or private agency which requests the admission of an immigrant to the U.S., on whatever basis, be required to commit legally to provide housing and sustenance for such immigrants, bear full responsibility for the economic independence of the immigrants, and post appropriate bonds to seal such covenants.”
• “The Constitution Party demands that the federal government restore immigration policies based on the practice that potential immigrants will be disqualified from admission to the U.S. if, on the grounds of health, criminality, morals, or financial dependence, they would impose an improper burden on these United States, any state, or any citizen of the United States.”
• “We oppose the provision of welfare subsidies and other taxpayer-supported benefits to illegal aliens, and reject the practice of bestowing U.S. citizenship on children born to illegal alien parents while in their country.”
• “We oppose any extension of amnesty to illegal aliens. We call for the use of the U.S. troops to protect the states against invasion.”
• “We oppose bilingual ballots. We insist that those who wish to take part in the electoral process and governance of this nation be required to read and comprehend basic English as a precondition of citizenship. We support English as the official language for all governmental business by these United States.”

Personal and Private Property Security

• “We affirm the Fourth Amendment right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effect against unreasonable searches and seizures, including arbitrary or de facto registration, general and unwarranted electronic surveillance, national computer databases, and national identification cards.”
• “We deplore and oppose vigorously legislation and executive action that deprived the people of their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights under claims of necessity to ‘combat terrorism’ or to ‘protect national security.’”
• “We oppose the monitoring and controlling of the financial transactions of the people through such proposed laws as ‘Know Your Customer.’”
• “We support privacy legislation that prohibits private parties from discrimination against individuals who refuse to disclose or obtain a Social Security number. We also call for legislation prohibiting all governmental entities from requiring the use of the Social Security number except for Social Security transactions. Additionally, we call for the repeal of all laws, regulations, and statutes that require the use of the Social Security number for any purpose other than Social Security transactions.”

Religious Freedom

• “We call upon all branches of government to cease their attacks on the religious liberties of the people and the states, regardless of the forum in which these liberties are exercised.”
• “We assert that any form of taxation on churches and other religious organizations is a direct and dangerous step toward state control of the church.”
• “We assert that private organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, can determine their own membership, volunteers, and employment based on their oaths and creeds.”

Social Security

• “The Constitution Party advocates phasing out the entire Social Security program, while continuing to meet the obligations already incurred under the system.”

State Sovereignty

• “The federal government has no authority to mandate policies relating to state education, natural resources, transportation, private business, housing, and health care, ad infinitum.”

Taxes

• “We propose legislation to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, and will veto any authorization, appropriation, or continuing resolution which contains any funding whatsoever for the illicit and unconstitutional agency. We are opposed to the flat-rate tax, national sales tax, and the value added tax proposals that are being promoted as an improvement of the current tax system. The Sixteenth Amendment does not provide authority for an un-apportioned direct tax.”
• “When elected, we will act to cease collection of direct Federal personal income taxes. We also support ratification of the Liberty Amendment which would repeal the Sixteenth Amendment, and provide that ‘Congress shall not levy taxes on personal incomes, estates, and/or gifts.’”

Terrorism and Personal Liberty

• They oppose the National Security Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the Domestic Securities Enhancement Act, and the Military Commissions Act.
• “The Constitution Party is unalterably opposed to the criminal acts of terrorist, and their organizations, as well as the governments which condone them. Individuals responsible for acts of terrorism must be punished for their crimes, including the infliction of capital punishment where appropriate. In responding to terrorism, however, these United States must avoid acts of retaliation abroad which destroy innocent human lives, creating enmity toward these United States and its people…”

Wage and Price Control

• “We deny that civil government has the authority to set wages and prices; so doing is inconsistent with principles of individual liberty and the free market.”

Welfare

• “Charity, and provision of welfare to those in need, is not a Constitutional responsibility of the federal government. Under no circumstances should taxpayers of these United States be obligated, under penalty of law through forced taxation, to assume the cost of providing welfare for other citizens. Neither should taxpayers be indentured to subsidize welfare for persons who enter these United States illegally.”
• “The message of Christian charity is fundamentally at odds with the concept of welfare maintenance as a right. In many cases, welfare provisions by the Federal government are not only misdirected, but morally destructive.”
• “It is the intended purpose of civil government to safeguard life, liberty and property - not to redistribute wealth. Such redistribution is contrary to the Biblical command against theft.”
• “We encourage individuals, families, churches, civic groups and other private organizations, to fulfill their personal responsibility to help those in need.”

Resources:
Constitution Party
Wikipedia: Constitution Party

U.S. Political Parties: The Libertarian Party

Founded in 1971, “Libertarians believe the answer to America’s political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy & the abundance & prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties & personal freedom that the makers this country above all others; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, & free trade as prescribed by America’s founders.”

2008 early registration ballots announced 24.82% of the population registered Libertarians making it the third largest political party in the US.

Their Stance on the Issues:

The Economy: "A free and competitive market allocates resources in the most efficient manner. Each person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market. The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society."

Civil Liberties: “ The defense of the country requires that we have adequate intelligence to detect & to counter threats to domestic security. This requirement must not take priority over maintaining the civil liberties of our citizens. The Bill of Rights provides no exceptions for a time of war. Intelligence agencies that legitimately seek to preserve the security of the nation must be subject to oversight & transparency.”

Crime & Violence:

• Step 1. Protect Victim’s Rights: “Libertarians would do more than just punish criminals. We would also make them pay restitution to their victims for the damage they’ve caused, including property loss, medical costs, pain, & suffering.”

• Step 2. End Prohibition: “Drug prohibition does more to make Americans unsafe than any other factor.”

• Step 3. Get Tough on Real Crime: 'The Libertarian Party is the party of personal responsibility. We believe that anyone who harms another person should be held responsible for that action. By contrast, the Democrats & Republicans have created a system where criminals can get away with almost anything." "For instance: sentences seldom mean what they say. Fewer than one out of every four violent felons serves more than four years. Libertarians would dramatically reduce the number of these early releases by elimination their root cause - prison over-crowding."'Since nearly six out of every ten federal prison inmates are there for non-violent drug-related offenses, it’s clear that drug prohibition is the primary source of this over-crowding."
  

• Step 4. Protect the Right to Self-Defense: “We believe that the private ownership of firearms is part of the solution to America’s crime epidemic, not part of the problem.”

• Step 5. Address the Root Causes of Crime: “The Libertarian Party would increase employment opportunities by slashing taxes & government red tape. We would also end the welfare system with its culture of dependence & hopelessness. Most important of all, we would promote low-cost private alternatives to the failed government school system.”

Environment: “Government, both federal & local, is the greatest single polluter in the U.S. This polluter literally gets away with murder because of sovereign immunity. Libertarians would make government as responsible for its actions as everyone else is expected to be. Libertarians would protect the environment by first abolishing sovereign immunity.”

Foreign Policy: “Foreign aid is little more than welfare for nations -- with the same disastrous effects as domestic welfare programs.” “If Americans truly want to help other countries, they can best do so not through failed foreign aid programs, but by improving the U.S. economy, so that U.S. businesses have funds to invest abroad, and pursuing free trade policies.”
Freedom of Speech: “We defend the rights of individuals to unrestricted freedom of speech, freedom of press & the right of individuals to dissent from government itself.”

Gun Laws: “Law-abiding, responsible citizens do not & should not need to ask anyone’s permission or approval to engage in a peaceful activity. Gun ownership, by itself, harms no other person & cannot morally justify criminal penalties.” “Studies show that where gun ownership is illegal, residential burglaries are higher. A man with a gun in his home is no threat to you if you aren’t breaking into it.” “Rather than banning guns, the politicians and the police should encourage gun ownership, as well as education and training programs. A responsible, well-armed and trained citizenry is the best protection against domestic crime and the threat of foreign invasion.”

Healthcare: “The Libertarian Party knows the only healthcare reforms that will make a real difference are those that draw on the strength of the free market. The Libertarian Party will work towards the following: (1) establish medical savings accounts, (2) deregulate the healthcare industry, and (3) remove barriers to safe, affordably medicines.”

Immigration: “For those workers already in the United States illegally, we can avoid ‘amnesty’ and still offer a pathway out of the underground economy. Newly legalized workers can be assessed fines & back taxes & serve probation befitting the misdemeanor they’ve committed. They can be required to take their place at the back of the line should they eventually apply for permanent residency.”

Websites to check out:

Libertarian Party
Wikipedia: Libertarian Party

U.S. Political Parties: The Republican Party

The Republican Party was founded in 1854 in Ripon, WI by anti-slavery activists. It was referred to as the Grand Old Party, hence the “GOP.” Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican President in 1860.

During the Civil War, “Republican of the day worked to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which outlawed slavery, the Fourteenth, which guaranteed equal protection under the laws, and the Fifteenth, which helped secure voting rights for African-Americans.” The Republicans “also played a leading role in securing women the right to vote.” (GOP)

When FDR enacted the “Second New Deal, “it was heavily criticized by the Republicans in Congress, who likened it to class warfare & socialism. The volume of legislation, & the inability of the Republicans to block it, soon made the oppositions to Roosevelt develop into bitterness. Conservative Democrats, mostly from the South, joined with Republicans lead by Senator Robert Taft to create the conservative coalition, which dominated domestic issues in Congress until 1964.” (Wikipedia)

Main Platforms

National Security:

• Homeland Security: “We must continue to remove barriers to cooperation and information sharing. Modernized 9-1-1 services must be made universally available and be adequately funded. We must be able to thwart cyber attacks that could cripple our economy, monitor terrorist activities while respecting Americans’ civil liberties, and protect against military and industrial espionage and sabotage.”
• Terrorism and Nuclear Proliferation: “The U.S. should lead that effort [nuclear arsenal reduction] by reducing the size of our nuclear arsenal to the lowest number consistent with our security requirements and working with other nuclear powers to do the same.” “We must develop and deploy both national and theater missile defenses to protect the American homeland, our people, our Armed Forces abroad, and our allies.”
• Better Intelligence: “We must increase the ranks and resources of our human intelligence capabilities, integrate technical and human sources, and get that information more quickly to the war fighter and the policy maker. The multi-jurisdictional arrangements that now prevail on Capitol Hill should be replaced by a shingle Joint Committee on Intelligence.”
• Immigration, National Security, and the Rule of Law: “Our commitment to the rule of law means smarter enforcement at the workplace, against illegal workers and lawbreaking employers alike, along with those who practice identity theft and traffic in fraudulent documents.” “The rule of law means guaranteeing to law enforcement the tools and coordination to deport criminal aliens without delay -- and correcting court decisions that have made deportation so difficult. It means enforcing the law against those who overstay their visas,” “denial of federal funds for self-described sanctuary cities,” “it does not mean diver’s licenses for illegal aliens, nor does it mean that states should be allowed to flout the federal law barring them from giving in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens, nor does it mean that illegal aliens should receive social security benefits, or other public benefits” “We oppose amnesty.” “We celebrate the industry [legal immigration] & love of liberty of these fellow Americans.” “In our multiethnic nation, everyone -- immigrants and native-born alike -- must embrace our core values of liberty, equality, meritocracy, and respect for human dignity and the rights of women.” “We support English as the official language in our nation”
• Providing for the Armed Forces: “They and their families must have the pay, health care, housing, education, & overall support they need. We must significantly increase the size of our Armed Forces” “Injured military personnel deserve the best medical care our country has to offer.” “We oppose reinstituting the draft, whether directly or through compulsory national service.” “To protect our servicemen & women and ensure that America’s Armed Forces remain the best in the world, we affirm the timelessness of those values, the benefits of traditional military culture, and the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service.”
• Fulfilling our Commitment to our Veterans: “We want to build on the bipartisan expansion of the GI Bill by encouraging private colleges to bridge the gap between GI Bill education benefits and tuition costs.” “The VA’s current disability compensation formulas need to be restructured and modernized.” “There must be adequate counseling when veterans return home”
• Israel: “We reaffirm America’s commitment to Israel’s security and will ensure that Israel maintains a qualitative edge in military technology over any potential adversaries.”

Economy:

• Republican Tax Policy: Protecting Hardworking Americans: “We believe government should tax only to raise money for its essential functions.” “doubling the exemption for dependents,” “permanently ban internet access taxes and stop all new cell phone taxes,” “continue our fight against the federal death tax,” “The Alternative Minimum Tax, a stealth levy on the middle-class that unduly targets large families, must be repealed.” “We support a major reduction on the corporate tax rate” “we support giving all taxpayers the option of filing under the current rules or under a two-rate flat tax with generous deductions for families.”
• Small Business: the Engine of Job Growth: “Republicans will advance a multi pronged plan to support small business & growth of good-paying jobs.”
• Free & Fair Trade: “we need to be at the table when trade rules are written to make sure that free trade is indeed a two-way street.”
• Supporting our Agricultural Communities: “We advocated the creation of Farm Savings Accounts to help growers manage risks brought on by turbulence in global markets & nature itself.” “we affirm our fight against the death tax.” “We reaffirm traditional state supremacy over water allocations and will continue to make available renewable rangeland under sound environmental conditions.” “The U.S. government should end mandates for ethanol and let the free market work.”

Health Care Reform: Putting Patients First: “Republicans believe the key to real reform is to give control of the health care system to patients & their health care providers, not bureaucrats in government or business.”

• “We will protect citizens against any & all risky restructuring efforts that would complicate or ration health care.”
• “We will encourage health promotion & disease prevention.”
• “We will facilitate cooperation, not confrontation, among patients, providers, payers, & all stakeholders in the healthy care system.”
• “We will not put government between patients & their health care providers.”
• “We will not put the system on a path that empowers Washington bureaucrats at the expense of patients.”
• “We will not raise taxes instead of reducing health care costs.”
• “We will not replace the current system with the staggering inefficiency, maddening irrationality, & uncontrollable costs of a government monopoly.”

Education:

• “Education is a parental right, a state & local responsibility, & a national strategic interest.”
  
• “We advocate policies & methods that are proven & effective: building on the basics, especially phonics; ending social promotion; merit pay for good teachers; classroom discipline; parental involvement; & strong leadership by principals. We reject a one-size-fits-all approach & support parental options, including home schooling, & local innovations such as schools or classes for boys only or for girls only & alternative & innovative school schedules.”
  
• “we support the English First approach”

Crime: Protecting Our Families:

• “Republicans remain the party of vigorous action against crime & the party that empowers the law-abiding by protecting their right to keep & bear arms for self-protection.”
  
• “We support the law prohibiting gambling over the Internet.”
  
• “Illegal alien gang members must be removed from the United States immediately upon arrest or after the completion of any sentence imposed.”
  
• “Courts must have the option of imposing the death penalty in capital murder cases & other instances of heinous crime”
  
• “We support the right of off-duty & retired officers to carry firearms. Criminals should be barred from seeking monetary damages for injuries they incur while committing a crime.”

Preserving Our Values:

• “We uphold the right of individual Americans to own firearms”
  
• “We condemn decisions by activists judges to deny children the opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance in public school.”
  
• “We support freedom of speech & freedom of the press & oppose attempts to violate or weaken those rights, such as reinstatement of the so-called Fairness Doctrine.”
  
• “we assert the inherent dignity & sanctity of all human life & affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.”
  
• “We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion & will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values & the sanctity of dignity of innocent human life.”
  
• “we oppose the non-consensual withholding of care or treatment from people with disabilities, was well as the elderly & infirm, just as we oppose euthanasia & assisted suicide”
  
• “we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man & a woman”
  
• “The public display of the Ten Commandments does not violate the U.S. Constitution & accurately reflects the Judeo-Christian heritage of our country. We support the right of students to engage in student-initiated, student-led prayer in public schools, athletic events, & graduation ceremonies, when done in conformity with constitutional standards.”
  
• “We affirm every citizen’s right to apply religious values to public policy & the right of faith-based organizations to participate fully in public programs without renouncing their beliefs, removing religious objects or symbols, or becoming subject to government-imposing hiring practices.”

For the full most recent platform, click here.

Websites to check out:

• Wikipedia: The Republican Party
• GOP
• Republican National Convention

U.S. Political Parties: The Democratic Party

The Democratic Party is the oldest continuously operated party in the US. It was founded in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson & James Madison due to differences in opinion with the Federalists. “In 1798, ‘party of the common man’ was officially named the Democratic-Republican Party and in 1800 elected Jefferson as the first Democratic President of the United States.”(Democrats.org) “The party favored states’ rights & strict adherence to the Constitution; it opposed a national bank & wealthy, moneyed interests.”(Wikipedia)

The party split when trying to decided who would take James Monroe’s place. Andrew Jackson & Martin Van Buren let the new Democratic Party.

“In the 1850’s, under the stress of the Fugitive Slave Law & the Kansas-Nebraska Act, anti-slavery Democrats left the party. Joining with former members of existing or dwindling parties, the Republican Party emerged.”(Wikipedia) But, more on that topic, next time. :)

With the decision on who would replace James Buchanan, the Democrats split once again predominately along Northern & Southern lines. “As the American Civil War broke out, Northern Democrats were divided into War Democrats & Peace Democrats & Southern Democrats formed their own party. Most War Democrats rallied to Republican President Abraham Lincoln & the Republicans’ National Union Party. The Democrats benefited from the white Southerners’ resentment of Reconstruction after the war & consequent hostility to the Republican Party.” (Wikipedia)

“The party was dominated by pro-business Bourbon Democrats led by Samuel J. Tilden & Grover Cleveland, who represented mercantile, baking, & railroad interests; opposed imperialism & overseas expansion; fought for the gold standard; opposed bimetallism; & crusaded against corruption, high taxes, & tariffs.”(Wikipedia)

Franklin D. Roosevelt replaced Herbert Hoover as President in 1932 & put into action his “New Deal.” “New Deal liberalism meant the promotion of social welfare, labor unions, civil rights, & regulation of business. The opponents, who stressed long-term growth, support for business, & low taxes, started calling themselves ‘conservatives.’”(Wikipedia)

As quoted from the Democratic Party website, what they stand for is: “The Democratic Party is committed to keeping our nation safe and expanding opportunity for every American. That commitment is reflected in an agenda that emphasizes the strong economic growth, affordable health care for all Americans, retirement security, open, honest and accountable government, and securing our nation while protecting our civil rights and liberties.”

Under their “Agenda,” they claim “that every American, whatever their background or station in life, should have the chance to get a good education, to work at a good job with good wages, to raise and provide for a family, to live in safe surroundings, and to retire with dignity and security. We believe that quality and affordable health care is a basic right. We believe that each succeeding generation should have the opportunity, through hard work, service and sacrifice, to enjoy a brighter future than the last.”

Their main platforms are:

• Healthcare For All: “We believe that covering all is not just a moral imperative, but is necessary to making our health system workable & affordable.” “Research should be based on science, not ideology."
• Environment & Climate Change: “We must end the tyranny of oil in our time.” “We understand that climate change is not just an economic issue or an environmental concern--this is a national security crisis.”
• Energy Independence: “For the sake of our security -- and for every American family that is paying the price at the pump -- we will break our addiction to foreign oil. We Democrats commit to fast-track investment of billions of dollars over the next ten years to establish a green energy sector that will create up to five million jobs.” “And we will help those who are hit hardest by high energy prices by increasing funding for low-income heating assistance and weatherization programs, and by providing energy assistance to help middle-class families make ends meet in this time of inflated energy prices.”
• Comprehensive Immigration Reform: “We also need to do more to promote economic development in migrant-sending nations, to reduce incentives to come to the United States illegally. And we need to crack down on employers who hire undocumented workers. It’s a problem when we only enforce our laws against the immigrants themselves, with raids that are ineffective, tear apart families, and leave people detained without adequate access to counsel.” “For the millions living here illegally but otherwise playing by the rules, we must require them to come out of the shadows and get right with the law. We support a system that requires undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, pay taxes, learn English, & go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.”
• National Security: Some of “this century‘s threats“ they list include: “weapons that can kill on a mass scale;” “violent extremists who exploit alienation & perceived injustice to spread terror;” “rogue states allied to terrorist;” “rising powers that could challenge both America & the international foundation of liberal democracy;” addiction to oil that helps fund the extremism we must fight & empowers repressive regimes;” and “a warming planet that will spur new diseases, spawn more devastation natural disasters, & catalyze deadly conflicts.” “It is a strategy that will end the war in Iraq responsibly & focus our efforts on the terrorists who did strike us.”
• Reclaiming Our Civil Rights & Liberties: “We believe in the essential American ideal that we are not constrained by the circumstances of birth but can make of our lives what we will. Unfortunately, for too many, that ideal is not a reality. We have more work to do. Democrats will fight to end discrimination based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and disability in every corner of our country, because that's the America we believe in. We all have to do our part to lift up this country, and that means changing hearts and changing minds, and making sure that every American is treated equally under the law.”
• Economic Stewardship: “In this time of economic transformation and crisis, we must be stewards of this economy more than ever before. We will maintain fiscal responsibility, so that we do not mortgage our children's future on a mountain of debt. We can do this at the same time that we invest in our future.”
• Open, Honest & Accountable Government: “The Democratic Party is committed to real ethics reform and meaningful campaign finance reform that protects our rights and ensures that elected officials act ethically -- not just within the law, but within the spirit of the law. Democrats offer an aggressive reform package to reverse Republican excesses and restore the public trust.”
• Invest in Science and Technology: “We will lift the current Administration's ban on using federal funding for embryonic stem cells” “We will end the Bush Administration's war on science, restore scientific integrity, and return to evidence-based decision-making.”
• Secure Retirement: “We will automatically enroll every worker in a workplace pension plan that can be carried from job to job and we will match savings for working families who need the help.” “We will ensure all employees who have company pensions receive annual disclosures about their pension fund’s investments” “we will eliminate all federal income taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 per year.”

For the full Democratic Party platform click here.


















(Liberal Opinions by CoolKid1993)