Utah County Republican Party Platform
(as adopted 28 April 2007)
Preamble
We the members of the Utah County Republican Party do hereby affirm our belief and
trust in God and that it was through His intervention that this nation was established.
The foundation of our platform is the knowledge that all people are created equal
and that the role of government should be limited to protecting and preserving the
God-given rights of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the ownership and
control of property. And in order to identify our Party and our elected officials
with certain shared values and principles, we do hereby present this platform to
convention delegates and the public and invite all who share these values and principles
to vote for Republican candidates.
Proper Role of Citizens
Individual responsibility and accountability are necessary for government to operate
within the limited powers granted by the divinely inspired Constitution of the United
States of America in keeping with the principles established by our Founding Fathers.
We believe a society can only remain free when the majority of its members lead
spiritually grounded and morally upright lives and are willing to become involved
to preserve these values. We support the "Rule of Law" and believe in upholding
the law of the land.
Proper Role of Government
The proper role of government at all levels is to protect each person's unalienable
rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and each individual's right
to own and control property. Any other rights or privileges should not be construed
or applied in any way to infringe on our God-given unalienable rights. Freedom
of Religion. God is our supreme Sovereign, and the sole source of our
rights. We must, therefore, be free to worship Him in public and private. Government
should not restrict public prayer or other forms of public religious expression.
Right to Bear Arms. The right of individuals to keep and bear arms
must not be infringed. Support of Local Government. Local governments
allow for greater community involvement and are most aware of the needs of the people.
Federal regulations of state and local governments should be restricted to powers
specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States. Accountable
Government. All government officials are accountable to the people.
Any government agency or entity that receives public funds must be open to public
audit and review. Elected officials are accountable for all taxpayer money and will
not delegate appropriation authority to non-elected or appointed entities. Voter
Registration. The Party supports needed legislation to ensure the integrity
of the voter registration rolls and to reduce voter fraud. Fiscal Responsibility.
Government at all levels should be required to live within a balanced budget. Increases
in government spending should not exceed inflation and population growth. National
Sovereignty. Ours is a sovereign nation governed solely by the Constitution
of the United States of America. Our government shall not relinquish its authority
to foreign or world powers. National Defense. We affirm the principle
of peace through strength and call for the rebuilding of our armed services to defend
our nation. The United States of America should only be involved in armed conflicts
when there is a clear and present threat to our safety or vital national interest.
It is the right of the United States Congress alone to declare war.
Education
A well-educated and informed citizenry is essential to the long-term well being
of a free society. The primary responsibility for education rests with the student
and the family. Parents have the right to choose whether a child is educated in
private, public or home schools and government should not infringe on that right.
To promote excellence, consumer choice in education should be encouraged. Schools
or other government entities should not invade the privacy of parents or their children.
We favor local accountability and control in all aspects of the education system.
Public schools should abstain from teaching promiscuity in any form. Higher
Education. Funding for Utah's public higher education institutions
should be based on the number of students currently attending that college or university
and the type of degrees offered, and not on past history.
Economy
The proper role of government in economic development is to create an environment
in which free enterprise, innovation, investment and risk-taking can thrive. In
order to create such an environment, we believe the following principles: Economic
Development. Utah's economic growth should be sustained through the
principles of free enterprise. We encourage the privatization of public services
where appropriate. Regulation. We oppose excessive and restrictive
government regulation. Regulation should be minimized, or eliminated, unless a convincing
case can be made that the collective good is clearly improved by such regulation.
Regular review of regulatory goals is necessary to insure their effectiveness.
Taxation. Taxation should be as equitable, simple, and minimal as possible.
Limited government dictates that taxpayers should keep the majority of their money
instead of giving it to government. Utah's system of taxation has improved and government
should continue to refine and improve it. Appropriate tax policy is essential if
Utah is to compete globally. Infrastructure. Funding shall be formula
based to provide an adequate source of funding to develop and maintain Utah County's
infrastructure. Decisions need to be made now on how to build the necessary
infrastructure to handle growth, or future economic development could be lost, and
our quality of life rapidly diminished.
Environment
There must be a balance between the economic benefits of growth and the need for
clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment. We are stewards of the earth,
and we should leave our posterity an earth in better condition than we started with.
Market forces should be considered when managing environmental issues.
Law Enforcement and Justice
Law enforcement agencies and the judiciary should strictly uphold the law in the
exercise of their duties and work with citizens to maintain safe communities.
Crime Prevention. The primary defense against crime is stable and responsible
family life emphasizing personal accountability and respect for the law. Swift and
certain punishments with just and appropriate penalties are essential deterrents
to crime. Victims' Rights. Victims' rights are always superior
to criminals' rights. Victims' right of restitution should be required of criminals.
Judicial System. Each individual is entitled to a trial by jury
in both criminal and civil cases. It is the duty of juries to rule on the law as
well as the facts of a case. We call upon the judiciary to reestablish this process
and to inform juries of this duty. State senators must hold thorough hearings for
all judicial nominees, and members of the Judiciary should undergo regular reviews.
The results of such reviews should be a matter of public record. We support the
appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of
human life. Judges should not make statute but apply it. Juvenile Crime.
Juveniles who are charged with a serious violent crime should be tried as adults,
acknowledging that in some instances the judicial system must use discretion when
dealing with young offenders. We support adult punishment for the conviction of
adult crimes. We call for swift, just, and appropriate punishment for adults who
aid in the commission of crimes by juveniles.
Social Needs
Family. We believe that marriage consists only of the legal union
between a man and a woman and that no other domestic union should be recognized
as a marriage or given the same or substantially equal legal effect. Parents have
the right to bear children and determine what is in their best interest without
interference from government. We encourage all efforts to strengthen the moral character
of our children and oppose policies, practices, and public expressions that degrade
humanity and the sanctity of family relationships. We oppose efforts to include
sexual orientation as a protected minority. Protection of Human Life.
We affirm the fundamental, unalienable right to life for both the born and the unborn.
We oppose using public funds for abortion or to support any organizations that promote
abortion. Abortion should be illegal except where the life of the mother is at serious
risk, or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. All people should be protected
from abuse and exploitation.
Personal Agency and Accountability. Individuals have the primary
responsibility for their own welfare. Family, church, and private organizations
should provide secondary support when needed. The focus of assistance programs should
be the development of self reliance.
Gambling. We oppose all efforts to legalize gambling in any form.
Pornography. Pornography is destructive to the individual, family,
and the community. We support the vigorous prosecution of those who create, distribute,
or promote pornographic materials, especially in connection with children. Local
communities have the right to establish moral and ethical standards.
Immigration
We support reforming the immigration system to ensure that it is legal, safe, orderly
and humane. We also support measures to ensure that the immigration system is structured
to address the needs of national security. We support efforts to enforce the law
while welcoming immigrants who enter America through legal avenues. America is a
stronger and better nation because of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of
immigrants. We support the Constitutional mandate for the federal government to
protect and secure our national borders. Taxpayers should not be covering state
benefits for illegal aliens.
Social Security
Social Security must satisfy its obligations to those who have contributed to it,
and become an optional program for any who wish to participate.
All Republican elected officials, candidates and party officers are expected
to endorse these principles and agree to be held accountable to the people and to
the party.