The Maine Republican party has adopted a new platform, largely drawn by Tea Party activists. It’s bizarre, even by the standards of American political platforms. But consistent with what we’ve seen so far from the Tea Party movement. As the Maine Politics website describes it:
The official platform for the Republican Party of Maine is now a mix of right-wing fringe policies, libertarian buzzwords and outright conspiracy theories.
Most of this is hot air, rah-rah for motherhood and good government. Most importantly, there is nothing even remotely plausible in here about the difficult choices necessary to balance the budget. Saying “cut spending and balance the budget” without any details is a low, moronic form of cheap political rhetoric.
As usual with the FM website, here is the text in full. Comments in red added. Read and decide for yourself.
The new platform, in full
I. To Form a More perfect Union
1. All legislation must adhere to the restrictions outlined in the Constitution to protect the individual from intrusive government.
2. Direct the State of Maine to join with other states in asserting our 10th amendment sovereignty rights which protect us from unconstitutional federal government intrusions.
3. Insist on strict adherence to our 2nd amendment right to keep and bear arms.
4. Pass a “Read the Bill” act, to insure clarity, and eliminate the corruption associated with side issues, earmarks, pork or riders.
5. Oppose “Localism and Diversity”, the Fairness Doctrine or whatever else such attempted restrictions are labeled. Any restriction on speech is by definition NOT free speech. {What about yelling “fire”…}
6. Reject the Employee free -choice Elimination- act, as an unconscionable affront to the right to a secret vote.
7. Restore integrity to the electoral process:
i. Prohibit any public funding of advocacy groups such as ACORN, no matter what it or its affiliate organizations rename themselves; New York Communities for Change, New England United for Justice etc.; Conduct thorough investigation of their activities and voter fraud and prosecute violations.
ii. Eliminate motor voter and other voter fraud mechanisms; institute secure voter registration and identification systems.
iii. Reject any effort to give foreign citizens the right to vote in the US in any situation or capacity.
8. Oppose any and all treaties with the UN or any other organization or country which surrenders US sovereignty. Specifically:
i. Reject the UN Treaty on Rights of the Child.
ii. Reject “LOST” – the Law Of The Sea Treaty.
iii. Reject any agreement which seeks to confiscate our firearms.
9. Restore the process of assimilation of immigrants to preserve the benefits of an advanced educated and prosperous society. Rescind Maine’s sanctuary State status. No amnesty, no benefits, no citizenship -ever- for anyone in the country illegally. Arrest and detain, for a specified period of time, anyone here illegally, and then deport, period.
10. Pass a Congressional reform act which includes the following provisions:
i. Term Limits: 12 years only, in any capacity. Two Six year Senate terms; Six 2 year House terms; One 6 year Senate term and three 2 Year House terms {unlike other jobs, experience os not useful}
ii. No Pension
iii. Congress participates in Social Security under the same rules as the general public. {Already so since 1984; source}
iv. Congress can no longer vote themselves a pay raise. {No pay raises? So their real pay shrinks every year?}
v. Congress participates in the same health care plan as the general public. No preferential plans or treatment. {This is part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed on March 2010 — passed with every Republican voting “no”.}
vi. Congress is subject to and must abide by all the laws they impose on the general public. {This is almost always true today}
II. To Establish Justice:
- Restore “Constitutional law” as the basis for the Judiciary. {What does this mean? Probably something like “judges should rule like I want them to.”}
- Reassert the principle that “Freedom of Religion” does not mean “freedom from religion”.
- To Insure Domestic tranquility:
- Promote family values.
i. Marriage is an institution between a man and a woman.
ii. Parents, not government, are responsible for making decisions in the best interest of their children, whether disciplinary, educational, or medical.
iii. We recognize the sanctity of life, which includes the unborn.
- Promote family values.
III. To Provide for the Common Defense:
- Discard political correctness, make public the declaration of war (Jihad), made against the US on 23 Feb 1998, and fight the war against the United States by radical Islam to win {Wage the first religous wars since 1648}.
- Seal the border and protect US citizens along the border and everywhere, as is the prime directive of the Federal Government.
- To Promote the General Welfare:
- Return to the principles of Austrian Economics, and redirect the economy back to one of incentives to save and invest. {I doubt if 1% of the delegates have any real knowledge of Austrian economics, or what this means}
- Cut spending, balance the budget, and institute a plan for paying down debt. Proclaim that generational debt shifting is immoral and unconscionable and will not be tolerated! {This in effects declares Social Security and Medicaid immoral; certain doom for the GOP if they were serious}
- Pass and implement Fed bill #1207 (Introduced by Ron Paul), to Audit the Federal Reserve, as the first step in Ending the Fed.
- Return to transparent and honest reporting of economic statistics free of gimmicks and distortions. {I doubt 1% have any idea understanding of this, other than nonsensical conspiracy theories. In fact these agencies are grossly underfunded; we get the statistics we pay for}
- Require the government and all its agencies adhere to the same GAAP accounting rules that businesses must follow.
- Restore the provisions of welfare reform removed with the stimulus bill.
- Defeat Cap and Trade, investigate collusion between government and industry in the global warming myth, and prosecute any illegal collusion.
- Freeze current stimulus funds, prohibit any further stimulus bills, and apply all unspent funds towards the debt they created. {Easy to say, now that the stimulus has mitigated the recession. Either they’ll change their tune for the next recession, or quite reasonably suffer electoral extermination}
- Promote energy independence aggressively by removing the obstacles created by government to allow private development of our resources; natural gas, oil, coal, and nuclear power. {Ignorance on horseback; it’s not possible with current technology at a reasonable cost}
- Institute Zero based budgeting on all programs.
- Espouse and follow the principle: It is immoral to steal the property rightfully earned by one person, and give it to another who has no claim or right to its benefits.
- Clarify that healthcare is not a right. It is a service. As a compassionate society we will aid those in need. However, the government takeover of healthcare is not only unconstitutional, but detrimental to the entire healthcare system. Only market based solutions will solve the problems.
i. In the state of Maine: Remove the restrictions on health providers, (as was done in New Hampshire), to increase competition, drive down the costs, and increase the options available.
(1) Bring Maine standards in line with national average.
(2) Allow purchase of insurance across state lines. LD 290
(3) Enact tort reform as exemplified by Texas.
(4) Eliminate Dirigo
To Secure the Blessings of Liberty:
1. Restore a vigorous grounding in the history and precepts of liberty, freedom, and the constitution to the educational process. As Thomas Jefferson said, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”
i. Eliminate the Department of Education and restore schools to local control as specified in the constitution.
2. Repeal and prohibit any participation in efforts to create a one world government.
Posts on the FM website about the Tea Party Movement
- Are the new “tea party” protests a grass roots rebellion or agitprop?, 1 March 2009
- Our ruling elites scamper and play while our world burns, 11 March 2009
- The weak link in America’s political regime, 16 September 2009
- More examples of Americans waking up – should we rejoice?, 10 October 2009
- Does the Tea Party movement remind you of the movie “Meet John Doe”?, 27 January 2010
- Listen to the crowds cheering Sarah Palin, hear the hammerblows of another nail in the Constitution’s coffin, 8 February 2010
- The Tea Party movement develops a platform. It’s the Underpants Gnomes Business Plan!, 8 March 2010
- About the Tea Party Movement: who they are and what they believe, 19 March 2010
- The Tea Party Movement disproves my recommendation for the path to reforming America, 20 April 2010
Afterword
- For more about this topic see America – how can we reform it?
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