Have you ever given any thought to whether or not you are actually classified as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent or Whocares? And why is this important in the first place?
The Republican Party Platform
The most comprehensive information I could find comes from the 2008 platform. I’ll try to shorten the 67 pages of the PDF file for you.
- All Americans should affirm that our first obligation is the security of our country. To all those who defend it, we owe our full support and gratitude.
- The security of our country is now everyone’s responsibility, from the Department of Homeland Security to state and local first responders, private businesses, and individual families.
- Nuclear terrorism demands a comprehensive strategy for reducing the world’s nuclear stockpiles and preventing proliferation.
- Intelligence is America’s first line of defense.
- America can have a strong immigration system without sacrificing the rule of law.
- Our Armed Forces today are modern, agile, and adaptable to the unpredictable range of challenges in the years ahead. We pledge to keep them that way.
- The Republican vision of peace through strength requires a sustained international effort, which complements our military activities, to develop and maintain alliances and relationships that will lead to greater peace and stability.
- Republicans will uphold and defend our party’s core principles: Constrain the federal government to its legitimate constitutional functions. Unleash the power of enterprise, innovation, civic energy, and the American spirit — and never pretend that government is a substitute for family or community.
- Empowering the States, Improving Public Services.
I think you get the general idea. National security, nuclear weapons restrictions, enforcement of immigration laws, international alliances, adherence to the Constitution, and States’ Rights through the power of the Tenth Amendment seem to provide the basis for what Republicans are supposed to believe and promote. Naturally, the document mentioned above goes into much more detail than I provided here. If you have about an hour to kill, you might want to read the entire 67-page document.
The Democratic Platform
Since I used the 2008 Republican Platform, I sought the 2008 Democratic Platform for comparison.
I found this one more easily read and the actual policies seem to be more visually appealing.
- Jumpstart the Economy and Provide Middle Class Americans Immediate Relief
- Empowering Families for a New Era
- Affordable, Quality Health Care Coverage for All Americans
- Retirement and Social Security
- Good Jobs with Good Pay
- Opportunity for Women
- Investing in American Competitiveness
- New American Energy
- A World Class Education for Every Child
I have listed only the first nine “principles” as I did from the Republican platform. I am trying to be fair, but I have to admit, it isn’t easy. I read more than just the headlines in this 59-page PDF file, and it smacks of pure Socialism with a Communistic threat to the non-Democrats in America.
My next computer search was for information regarding the Independent Party Platform. The search provided more detail than I was expecting. Which Independent Party Platform shall I choose? There is the Independent American Party and the American Independent Party.
Next was the Libertarian Party then the Green Party.
I have decided that I prefer a “none-of-the-above” approach. I want something plain and simple that spells out what the party believes in, what they stand for, and what is important to the majority of the American people. It would be totally impossible, in my opinion, to provide one single set of “platform statements” that would fit every American perfectly, but I think the one that comes closest to the ideals of the Constitution and the founders of our nation is one that I have written about on at least one other occasion.
In the center section of the national site for the Conservative Party-USA is a comprehensive writing of what the Conservative Party believes. Continued on a separate page is a complete listing of 14 items that form the base of the Conservative Party. Now we have come to the place where I seem to fit personally better than any of the others.
Believing so strongly in the Tenth Amendment, there are individual State Sites as well. When I first began writing for the Conservative Party-USA in addition to my own blog there were four sites: National, California, Louisiana, and Florida. My first post was on August 3, 2009 on the California State Site. As I write today (December 12, 2009) there are 14 State Sites in addition to the National Site; joining California, Louisiana, and Florida are Arizona, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Ohio and Alaska.
Okay, you’ve been patient with me by reading this, so let me give you the opportunity to have a little input. Which of the political parties I mentioned has grown more in the entirety of 2009? What is the conviction of the largest number of people in the United States? Which party comes closest to fitting with your own personal political beliefs?
If you answer those questions the same way I have, you will probably come to the same conclusion I did. Do yourself a favor: check out the National Site as well as your own individual State Site. If you have thought about becoming politically active yourself but don’t want to run for a political office in your area, I am certain you will be able to find a need in your State Conservative Party that only you can fill.
Now is the only time we have to speak up for our conservative principles. If we do not do it now, we may not have another opportunity.
Marie A Cole
