Brown County, TX
Republican Party

2006 STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM

• Limited Federal Powers – We support state sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment, which reserves to the states or the people all powers not specifically delegated in the Constitution to the federal government, and oppose the institution of mandates that are beyond the scope of federal authority. We further support the abolition of federal agencies involved in activities not originally intended to be delegated to the federal government under a strict interpretation of the Constitution.
• Constitutional Citations on Legislation – We urge that all bills presented in Congress include citations to the constitutional provision that authorizes Congress to act on the matter under consideration, the cost to implement, and the impact on the family.

Law Enforcement – We:
1. Support the limitation of the criminal jurisdiction of federal law-enforcement agencies in accordance with Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution.
2. Understand most crime is local and the states, according to the Tenth Amendment, reserve law enforcement authority.
3. Oppose the expansion of federal law-enforcement authority and the use of military personnel and equipment against American citizens.

• Preserving National Security – We believe terrorism is the greatest threat to international peace and to the safety of our own citizens.

We therefore urge:
1. our national leadership, within the limits of protecting the Constitutional rights of American citizens, to wage war on terrorists who threaten the United States and its citizens swiftly, deliberately, and decisively wherever such terrorists are found.
2. Congress to immediately cut all foreign aid to any nation threatening our citizens and providing aid or comfort to terrorist organizations or providing arms to other nations hostile to the United States.
3. the Administration to set known standards of consequences and reprisals for terrorist activities and to publicly support other nations in their efforts to fight terrorists.
4. reasonable use of profiling as permitted by the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution to protect American lives and property.
5. full investigation and prosecution of any material breaches in national security.
6. review and revision of those portions of the USA Patriot Act, and related executive and military orders and directives that erode constitutional rights and essential liberties of citizens.

• Continuity of Government – We oppose any mechanism to appoint members of the Congress if large numbers of vacancies in Congress occur and oppose any attempt to deprive the American people of their Constitutionally protected right to elect their own Representatives.

• Emergency War Powers – A perpetual state of national emergency allows unrestricted growth of government. We charge the President to cancel the state of national emergency and charge Congress to repeal the War Powers Act and declare an end to the previously declared states of emergency.

• Elimination of Executive Orders – We demand the elimination of presidential authority to issue executive orders, presidential decision directives, and other administrative mandates that do not have congressional approval. Further, we demand a repeal of all previous executive orders and administrative mandates.

• Inter-jurisdictional Agreements – We oppose inter-jurisdictional agreements with any state that usurp or dilute the authority of the Governor to command and control the military, police, and emergency management personnel and resources of the State of Texas. We call for the repeal of all such measures that have already been enacted.

• Puerto Rico – We urge the U.S. Congress to call for a clear vote of the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico to decide between statehood and independence, for the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

• Washington D.C. - We strongly oppose all efforts to make the District of Columbia a state in the United States of America.

• Census – We oppose any attempt by the United States Census Bureau to obtain any statistical data beyond the number of citizens residing in the dwelling in the required decennial census, and we oppose statistical sampling adjustments. The Republican Party of Texas calls upon its Federal legislators to repeal from Section 141 of Title 13 provisions authorizing the “mid-decade” census, of which the American Community Survey is an example. The Republican Party of Texas also calls upon its Federal legislators to amend the penalty provisions of Titles 13 and 18 so as to grant relief to U.S. citizens who, for reasons of religion or conscience, are compelled to withhold their full response to any census question.

• Preservation of Republican Form of Government – We reaffirm our support for the provisions for a republican (representative) form of government, as set forth in the Texas Constitution and Texas Bill of Rights [Art. I, Sec. 2; Art. I, Sec 29; Art II, Sec. 1; and Art. XVII, Sec. 2(g)], and we oppose any attempt to introduce direct democracy (Initiative & Referendum) into our state constitution, thereby bypassing the legislative process and the checks and balances between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.

• Germane Contents Requirement – We support a law that would require all sentences, paragraphs, sections, and any inclusion to legislation, continuing resolution, law or bill be germane to the title of the act.

• Constitutional Convention – We oppose a Constitutional Convention or “Conference of the States” to rewrite the United States Constitution. Furthermore, we demand the Texas Legislature immediately rescind the State’s 1977 vote sent to the United States Congress calling for a Constitutional Convention. We also call upon other states to rescind their votes for a Constitutional Convention. The Republican Party of Texas calls upon its Federal legislators to repeal from Section 141 of Title 13 provisions authorizing the “mid-decade” census, of which the American Community Survey is an example. The Republican Party of Texas also calls upon its Federal legislators to amend the penalty provisions of Titles 13 and 18 so as to grant relief to U.S. citizens who, for reasons of religion or conscience, are compelled to withhold their full response to any census question.

• Affirmative Action – We believe every form of government discrimination based on race, color, creed, or national origin should be eliminated. We oppose affirmative action because it demotes merit to a position of bigotry by portraying those who believe in the principle of merit as being against minority advancement.

• Reparations - We oppose any form of blanket or general reparation based upon discriminatory criteria.

• Annexation – We support legislation protecting the interests of all parties in annexation proceedings by guaranteeing two binding referenda:

1. The residents of the area to be annexed must vote in the affirmative to accept annexation, and
2. The residents of the jurisdiction proposing annexation must vote in the affirmative for the annexation.

• Property Forfeiture – We support legislation that strengthens the present restrictions on the use of civil forfeiture laws and assesses penalties and fines to reimburse injured parties for attorney fees and costs accrued if the property is returned to its original owner.

• Eminent Domain – We support limiting the definition of eminent domain to exclude seizing private property for public or private economic development or for increased tax revenues. We urge the Legislature to amend the Texas Property Code to protect the rights of private property owners by notification of their rights under law with regard to condemnation and to require the condemner to show the just need for the action by petitioning a court of jurisdiction with significant due process safeguards for the land owner. We believe that the taking of property should follow with immediate compensation to the property owner.

• Homestead Protection - We support the continuance of Texas’ constitutional homestead protection.

• Environment, Property Ownership, and Natural Resources – We affirm ownership of property is the cornerstone of individual freedom. We reaffirm the belief in the fundamental constitutional concept of an individual’s right to own and use property without governmental interference.

Further:
1. We believe that the right to own and use property is the source of the nation’s wealth, jobs, and individual economic security. We affirm that property rights and the free enterprise system form the foundation of our nation’s collective wealth. In turn, it is our collective wealth that supports a strong environmental ethic. Economic security is the foundation for secure, healthy families and the future of our children.
2. We believe in maintaining American sovereignty over our natural resources.
3. We believe in building our tax base through local conservation of our natural resources.
4. We believe in local stewardship of our natural resources for our children’s future freedom and use.
5. We believe that the taking of property includes the loss of proportionate value of property, loss of use, loss of access, and loss of marketability. We believe in sound science and not politically correct science.
6. We believe that groundwater is an absolute, vested ownership right of the landowner. As the capture of and the competition for groundwater increases, we support voter-approved county ground water districts to address inequitable issues.
7. We believe that the state should neither make nor enforce any law that abridges or denies the inalienable constitutional rights of the citizens of Texas with respect to minerals, water, or property rights.
8. We support state control of state resources and oppose nationalization and control of lands and watersheds of the United States.
9. We oppose conservation easements on our natural resources administered by organizations unaccountable to taxpayers and voters. For example, the efforts of the Caddo Lake Institute to act as a surrogate for the UN in gaining control of water rights of Caddo Lake.
10. We support repealing regulation and laws that prevent people from repairing and restoring their property, including riverfront, creek bank, and beachfront property, at their own expense.
11. We support regulations based on proven science and support congressional oversight over administrative edicts.
12. We oppose passage of any international treaty that overrides United States sovereignty, including the Kyoto Agreement and the Biodiversity Treaty.
13. We oppose the vast acquisition of Texas land by government agencies solely for the purpose of protecting endangered species.
14. We urge Congress to modify any environmental acts to allow the EPA to permit states to consider costs when comparing various emission control techniques.
15. We urge legislation providing for election of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) chairman.
16. We reaffirm belief in the fundamental constitutional right of a person to own property without undue governmental interference.
17. We oppose the Endangered Species Act.
18. We demand that government adhere to the Constitutions of the United States and Texas by immediately halting the seizure of private property without due process and just compensation.
19. We urge government management of public lands and resources be conducted based upon policies that prioritize human need over other considerations.

• Livestock and Pet Locations - We oppose a mandatory national animal identification system which requires the registration of all animals, the registration of animal owners, their properties, including GPS coordinates. We oppose the use of RFID technology in personal and animal identification systems. We call for the repeal of HB 1361.

• Trans-Texas Corridor – Because there are issues of confiscation of private land, State and National sovereignty and other similar concerns, we urge the repeal of the Trans-Texas Corridor legislation.

• Free Speech for the Clergy – We call for the Internal Revenue Code to be changed to allow a religious organization to address the vital issues of the day without fear of the organization losing its tax-exempt status. Further, we call for repeal of all provisions requiring religious organizations to send government any personal identification information about their contributors.

• Government Regulation of Religious Institutions – The state should have no power over the licensing of clergy or religious institutions for training clergy. The curriculum, faculty, and boards of religious institutions should be determined only by the institution. We call on the State to withdraw all imposed regulations.

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