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Platform We declare the platform of the Constitution Party to be predicated on the principles of The Declaration of Independence, 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, and 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.
The Constitution Party
gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of these
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 by 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 the 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 the chains of the Constitution and
carefully divide and jealously limit government powers to those
assigned by the consent of the governed.
The
Declaration of Independence states: “We
hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness”. The
Preamble of the Constitution states a purpose of the Constitution to
be to: “secure
the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”. We declare the unalienable right of
Life to be secured by our Constitution “to ourselves and our
Posterity”. Our posterity includes children born and future
generations yet unborn. Any legalization of the termination of
innocent life of the born or unborn is a direct violation of our
unalienable right to life. The pre-born child, whose life
begins at fertilization, is a human being created in God's image.
The first duty of the law is to prevent the shedding of innocent
blood. It is, therefore, the duty of all civil governments to secure
and to safeguard the lives of the pre-born. To that end, the Constitution of
these United States was ordained and established for "ourselves and
our posterity." Under no circumstances may the federal government
fund or otherwise support 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 and use of all abortifacients. We affirm the God-given legal
personhood of all unborn human beings, without exception. As to
matters of rape and incest, it is unconscionable to take the life of
an innocent child for the crimes of his father. No government may legalize the
taking of the unalienable right to life without justification,
including the life of the pre-born; abortion may not be declared
lawful by any institution of state or local government -
legislative, judicial, or executive. The right to life should not be
made dependent upon a vote of a majority of any legislative
body. In addition, Article IV of the
Constitution guarantees to each state a republican form of
government. Therefore, although a Supreme Court opinion is binding
on the parties to the controversy as to the particulars of the case,
it is not a political rule for the nation. Roe v. Wade is an
illegitimate usurpation of authority, contrary to the law of the
nation's Charter and Constitution. It must be resisted by all civil
government officials, federal, state, and local, and by all branches
of the government - legislative, executive, and judicial.
We affirm both the authority and
duty of Congress to limit the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court in all cases of abortion in accordance with the U.S.
Constitution, Article III, Section 2. In office, we shall only appoint
to the federal judiciary, and to other positions of federal
authority, qualified individuals who publicly acknowledge and commit
themselves to the legal personhood of the pre-born child. In
addition, we will do all that is within our power to encourage
federal, state, and local government officials to protect the
sanctity of the life of the pre-born through legislation, executive
action, and judicial enforcement of the law of the land. 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. In addition, we oppose the
funding and legalization of bio-research involving human embryonic
or pre-embryonic cells. Finally, we also oppose all
government "legalization" of euthanasia, infanticide and
suicide. The closer civil government is to the
people, the more responsible, responsive, and accountable it is
likely to be. The Constitution, itself, in Articles I through VI,
enumerates the powers which may be exercised by the federal
government. Of particular importance is Article I, Section 8 which
delineates the authority of the Congress. The federal government was clearly
established as a government of limited authority. The Tenth
Amendment to the Constitution specifically provides that: "The
powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the people." Over time, the limitations of
federal government power imposed by the Constitution have been
substantially eroded. Preservation of constitutional government
requires a restoration of the balance of authority between the
federal government and the States as provided in the Constitution,
itself, and as intended and construed by those who framed and
ratified that document. We pledge to be faithful to this
constitutional requirement and to work methodically to restore to
the States and to the people their rightful control over
legislative, judicial, executive, and regulatory functions which are
not Constitutionally delegated to the federal government. We stand opposed to any
regionalization of governments, at any level, which results in
removal of decision-making powers from the people or those directly
elected by the people. John Adams, 2nd President and signer
of the Declaration of Independence warned: Public respect and esteem toward
public officials has fallen to a shameful level. The Constitution
Party finds that a cause of this national state of disgrace is the
deterioration of personal character among government leaders,
exacerbated by the lack of public outcry against immoral conduct by
public office holders. Our party leaders and public officials must
display exemplary qualities of honesty, integrity, reliability,
moral uprightness, fidelity, prudence, temperance, justice,
fortitude, self-restraint, courage, kindness, and compassion. If
they cannot be trusted in private life, neither can they be trusted
in public life. It is imperative the members and
nominated candidates representing the Constitution Party and its
state affiliates recognize the importance of demonstrating good
character in their own lives. "The Senators and Representatives
... shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this
Constitution". – US Constitution, Article 6, Clause
3 The Congress of these United
States has become an overpaid, overstaffed, self-serving
institution. It confiscates taxpayer funds to finance exorbitant and
unconstitutionally determined salaries, pensions, and perks. Most
members of Congress have become more accountable to the Washington
establishment than to the people in their home districts. Both
houses of Congress are all too often unresponsive and irresponsible,
arrogantly placing themselves above the very laws they enact, and
beyond the control of the citizens they have sworn to represent and
serve. We seek to abolish Congressional
pensions. It is time for the American
people to renew effective supervision of their public servants, to
restore right standards and to take back the government. Congress
must once again be accountable to the people and obedient to the
Constitution, repealing all laws that delegate legislative powers to
regulatory agencies, bureaucracies, private organizations, the
Federal Reserve Board, international agencies, the President, and
the judiciary. The U.S. Constitution, as
originally framed in Article I, Section 3, provided for U.S.
Senators to be elected by state legislators. This provided the
states direct representation in the legislative branch so as to
deter the usurpation of powers that are Constitutionally reserved to
the states or to the people. The Seventeenth Amendment
(providing for direct, popular election of U.S. Senators) took away
from state governments their Constitutional role of indirect
participation in the federal legislative process. If we are to see a return to the
states those powers, programs, and sources of revenue that the
federal government has unconstitutionally taken away, then it is
also vital that we repeal the Seventeenth Amendment and return to
state legislatures the function of electing the U.S. Senate. In so
doing, this would return the U.S. Senate to being a body that
represents the legislatures of the several states on the federal
level and, thus, a tremendously vital part of the designed checks
and balances of power that our Constitution originally
provided. We support legislation to
prohibit the attachment of unrelated riders to bills. Any amendments
must fit within the scope and object of the original
bill. We support legislation to
require that the Congressional Record contain an accurate record of
proceedings. Members of Congress are not to be permitted to rewrite
the speeches delivered during the course of debates, or other
remarks offered from the floors of their respective houses; nor may
any additional materials be inserted in the Record, except those
referred to in the speaker's presentation and for which space is
reserved. US Constitution,
5th Amendment: “No person
shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due
process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use,
without just compensation.” Conscription
deprives a person of liberty without due process of law. This is
clearly prohibited by the 5th amendment. Conscription is
an involuntary taking of a person’s labor—which is a form of
property—without just compensation as provided by the eminent domain
provisions of the 5th amendment. Compulsory government service is
incompatible with individual liberty. We oppose imposition of the
draft, the registration law, compulsory military training or any
other form of compulsory government service. We support a well-trained and
highly organized volunteer state home militia, and voluntary Reserve
Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) military training in our schools,
colleges, and universities. . We affirm the original text of the
United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We affirm that
the nation's Charter, the Declaration of Independence, and the
Constitution contain the foundational law of the federal union. We
condemn, therefore, all legislative, executive, and judicial action
that departs from the texts and intent of the Charter and the
Constitution and their original meaning. We oppose any attempt to call
for a Constitutional convention, for any purpose whatsoever, because
it cannot be limited to any single issue, and such convention could
seriously erode our Constitutionally protected unalienable
rights. Article I, Section 8 of the
Constitution states that Congress shall have the power "to promote
the progress of science and useful arts, by securing" copyright and
patent protection for authors and inventors. We oppose the unconstitutional
transfer of authority over copyright and patent policy from Congress
to other agencies, domestic or foreign. We favor more vigorous efforts
in both domestic and foreign markets to protect the interests of
owners in their copyrights and patents. James Madison said: “The powers
delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are
few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) The powers not
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people (Amendment X). A legitimate and 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 call upon
Congress and the President to stop all federal expenditures which
are not specifically authorized by the U. S. Constitution, and to
restore to the states those powers, programs, and sources of revenue
that the federal government has usurped. Budget considerations are
greatly impacted by the ever rising national debt. Interest on the
debt is one of the largest expenses of government, and unless the
interest is paid, the debt will continue to grow as interest is
added to interest. If we are to get rid of the debt, a time needs to
be set within which the debt will be funded, and then pay it off
within that period. Whatever the payoff period may be, three things
must happen within that time. The annual
reductions have to be made without fail. All interest must be paid as it
accrues; and The government must not spend
more than it takes in during the payoff period. 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. We call for the systematic
reduction of the federal debt through, but not limited to, the
elimination of further borrowing and the elimination of
unconstitutional programs and agencies. We call upon the President to
use his Constitutional veto power to stop irresponsible and
unconstitutional appropriations, and use his Constitutional
authority to refuse to spend any money appropriated by Congress for
unconstitutional programs or in excess of Constitutionally imposed
tax revenue. The debt could be more rapidly
eliminated if certain lands and other assets currently held by the
federal government were sold, and the proceeds applied to the debt.
This policy should be employed, and funds from the sale of all such
assets should be specifically applied to debt reduction. We reject the misleading use of
the terms "surplus" and "balanced budget" as long as we have public
debt. We oppose dishonest accounting practices such as "off-budget
items" used to hide unconstitutional spending practices. We call for an end to the
raiding by the federal government of the Social Security, Railroad
Retirement and Medicare funds. We believe that over a protracted
period the Social Security system may be privatized without
disadvantage to the beneficiaries of the system. However, the
program has been in place since the 1930s, and workers and their
employers were taxed for the program and paid in good faith. The
government promised to deliver the benefits, and must meet this
commitment. We call for the abolition of the
Civil Service system, which is perceived to confer on government
employees a "property right" regarding their jobs. St
George Tucker was the pre-eminent constitutional scholar of the
American founding era. He published View of the Constitution of the
United States in 1803 as a comprehensive review of the Constitution
of 1787 and the Bill of Rights. 1Felonies not
enumerated within the United States Constitution are, in Tucker’s
view, left within the jurisdiction of the state. . . . the very
guarded manner in which congress are vested with authority to
legislate upon the subject of crimes, and misdemeanors. They are not
entrusted with a general power over these subjects, but a few
offenses are selected from the great mass of crimes with which
society may be infested, upon which, only, congress are authorized
to prescribe the punishment, or define the offense. All felonies and
offenses committed upon land, in all cases not expressly enumerated,
being reserved to the states respectively. (View of the
Constitution of the United States, p. 210-211) US Constitution,
Article I, Section 8 Clause 6: “To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting
the Securities and current Coin of the United
States;” US Constitution,
Article III Section 3 Clause 2: “The Congress shall have power to declare the
Punishment of Treason” Amendment 10: “The powers not delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved
to the States respectively, or to the people.” Crime, in most cases, is to be
dealt with by state and local governments. To the degree that the
federal government, in its legislation, in its judicial actions, in
its regulations, and in its executive branch activities, interferes
with the ability of the people in their communities to apprehend,
judge, and penalize accused lawbreakers, it bears responsibility for
the climate of crime, which has grown more destructive with each
passing year. We favor the right of states and
localities to execute criminals convicted of capital crimes and to
require restitution for the victims of criminals. Federal
involvement in state and local criminal justice processes should be
limited to that which is Constitutionally permitted. All who are accused of crimes,
petty to capital, shall have a trial by jury upon request, and the
jury shall be fully informed of its right to nullify the law.
Furthermore, we oppose defendants being charged and tried by both
state and federal jurisdictions under different laws for the same
alleged criminal act, thus violating the Constitutionally secured
prohibition against double jeopardy. We are opposed to “hate crime”
legislation and to enhanced penalties for so called hate crimes. We
recognize that a real result of the designation of "hate crime" is
to extend federal jurisdiction to crimes which would otherwise be in
the province of the states. The very purpose of Government, as
defined in the 2nd paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, is
"to secure these [unalienable] rights, Governments are instituted
among Men", "that among these are Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness." 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. That which is
hastily torn down will not be easily rebuilt. 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. Under no circumstances would we
commit U.S. forces to serve under any foreign flag or command. We
are opposed to any New World Order, and we reject U.S. participation
in or a relinquishing of command to any foreign authority.
The goal of U.S. security policy
is to defend the national security interests of these United States.
Therefore, except in time of declared war, for the purposes of state
security, no state national guard or reserve troops shall be called
upon to support or conduct operations in foreign
theatres. We should be the friend of
liberty everywhere, but the guarantor and provisioner of ours
alone. We call for the maintenance of a
strong, state-of-the-art military on land, sea, in the air, and in
space. We urge the executive and legislative branches to continue to
provide for the modernization of our armed forces, in keeping with
advancing technologies and a constantly changing world situation. We
call for the deployment of a fully-operational strategic defense
system as soon as possible. We believe that all defense
expenditures should be directly related to the protection of our
nation, and that every item of expenditure must be carefully
reviewed to eliminate foreign aid, waste, fraud, theft,
inefficiency, and excess profits from all defense contracts and
military expenditures. We reject the policies and
practices that permit women to train for or participate in combat.
Because of the radical feminization of the military over the past
two decades, it must be recognized that these "advances" undermine
the integrity, morale, and performance of our military organizations
by dual qualification standards and forced integration. 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. Under no circumstances should we
have unilaterally surrendered our military base rights in Panama.
The sovereign right of these United States to the United States
territory of the Canal Zone has been jeopardized by treaties between
these United States and Panama. Inasmuch as these United States
bought both the sovereignty and the grant ownership of the
ten-mile-wide Canal Zone, we propose that the government of these
United States restore and protect its sovereign right and exclusive
jurisdiction of the Canal Zone in perpetuity, and renegotiate the
treaties with Panama by which the ownership of the canal was
surrendered to Panama. It should be a priority goal of
the President and Congress to insist on enforcement of that portion
of the 1978 Panama Canal Neutrality Treaty which prohibits control
of the entrances to the Panama Canal by any entity not part of the
Republic of Panama or these United States of America. By this
standard, the award of port facilities at the entrances to the
Panama Canal to Hutchison Whampoa, a Hong Kong company closely
linked to the Chinese Communist People's Liberation Army, must be
overturned. Similarly, Congress and the President should take
advantage of Panama Canal treaty provisions to negotiate the return
of a U.S. military presence at the Isthmus of Panama. At a time when
the U.S. Navy is one-third its former size, it is essential that
rapid transit of U.S. military vessels between the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans be assured. The 10th Amendment states: The Constitution assigns all
powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the
people. Domestic federal "aid" not
authorized by the Constitution is not only illegal, it is
immoral. We call upon the states,
therefore, to decline to accept all monies from the federal
government for any purpose not specifically and clearly articulated
in the Constitution, and reject all federal mandates and regulations
which are unconstitutional, thus restoring the intended balance of
power between the states and their creation, the U.S.
Government. The
10th Amendment states: The
4th Amendment states: The Constitution Party will
uphold the right of states and localities to restrict access to
drugs and to enforce such restrictions. We support legislation to
stop the flow of illegal drugs into these United States from foreign
sources. As a matter of self-defense, retaliatory policies including
embargoes, sanctions, and tariffs, should be considered. At the same time, we will take
care to prevent violations of the Constitutional and civil rights of
American citizens. Searches without probable cause and seizures
without due process must be prohibited, and the presumption of
innocence must be preserved. Since
the Constitution grants the Federal Government no authority over
Education, the 10th Amendment applies: "The powers not
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people." All teaching is related to basic
assumptions about God and man. Education as a whole, therefore,
cannot be separated from religious faith. 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. No federal laws subsidizing or regulating the education of
children should be enacted. 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. Because control over education
is now being relegated to departments other than the Department of
Education, we clarify that no federal agency, department, board, or
other entity may exercise jurisdiction over any aspect of children's
upbringing. Education, training, and discipline of children are
properly placed in the domain of their parents. 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. So that parents need not defy
the law by refusing to send their children to schools of which they
disapprove, compulsory attendance laws should be
repealed. US Constitution, Article 1, Section 4,
Clause 1: “The Times, Places and Manner of
holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be
prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the
Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations,
except as to the Places of chusing* Senators.” (*original spelling from
Constitution) The Constitutional balance of power on
this matter has been destroyed by the 17th amendment. The
States no longer have a representative at the Federal level. (See
“Congressional Reform” plank.) The Constitution Party seeks the
restoration of an electoral process which is controlled at the state
and local level and is beyond manipulation by federal judges and
bureaucrats. The federal government has unconstitutionally and
unwisely preempted control in matters of district boundaries,
electoral procedures, and campaign activities. The Voting Rights Act should be
repealed. The Federal Election Campaign Act, including its 1974
amendments, and the Federal Election Commission should be
abolished. Each citizen should have the
right to seek public office in accordance with the qualifications
set forth in federal and state constitutions. Additional
restrictions and obligations governing candidate eligibility and
campaign procedures burden unconstitutionally the fairness and
accountability of our political system. To encourage free and fair
elections, all candidates must be treated equally. We call for an
end to designated "Major Party" status that gives an unfair
advantage to some candidates by providing ballot access and taxpayer
dollars, while requiring others for the same office to gather
petition signatures or meet other, more stringent
criteria. We call for a repeal of all
federal campaign finance laws (i.e. McCain-Feingold) due to their
violation of the First Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution. In order to avoid election
fraud, we urge an end to electronic or mechanical voting processes
and a return to the manual counting process overseen by, and
accountable to, voters resident in each precinct where the votes are
cast. Article II, Section I of the U.S.
Constitution states, in part: "Each state shall appoint, in such
manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors,
equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which
the state may be entitled in the Congress: but no senator or
representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under
the United States, shall be appointed an elector." This established
our Electoral College. Although the Constitution does
not require the states to adhere to any specific manner in electing
these electors or how they cast their votes, it suggests, by its
wording, that prominent individuals from each congressional
district, and from the state at large, would be elected or appointed
as electors that represent that district. Under this arrangement, a
voter would vote for three individuals, one to represent his
district and two "at large" representatives to represent his state.
These electors, in turn, would then carefully and deliberately
select the candidate for president. Under this system each
congressional district could, in essence, select a different
candidate. The candidate with the most electors nationwide would
become the next president. This was the general procedure
used until the 1830's, at which time all the states, except for
South Carolina, changed to a "general ticket." The "general ticket" system is
still in use today. Inherently, it causes corruption by the
inequitable transfer of power from congressional districts to the
states and large cities at the expense of rural communities.
The Constitution Party
encourages states to eliminate the "general ticket" system and
return to the procedure intended by the Framers. James Madison said: “The powers
delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are
few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) The powers not
delegated to the United States by the Constitution , nor prohibited
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people (Amendment X). We call attention to the
continuing need of these 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 abolishing the Department of
Energy. Private property rights should
be respected, and the federal government should not interfere with
the development of potential energy sources, including natural gas,
hydroelectric power, solar energy, wind generators, and nuclear
energy. James Madison said: “The powers
delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are
few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) The powers not
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited
by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people (Amendment X). It is our responsibility to be
prudent, productive, and efficient stewards of God's natural
resources. 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. In keeping with this
requirement, 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. The globalists are using the global warming threat to
gain more control via worldwide sustainable development. The Fifth Amendment of the
United States Constitution limits the federal power of eminent
domain solely to the purchase of private property with just
compensation for public use, such as military reservations and
government office buildings - not for public ownership, such as
urban renewal, environmental protection, or historic preservation.
Under no circumstances may the federal government take private
property, by means of rules and regulations which preclude or
substantially reduce the productive use of the property, even with
just compensation. We call for a return to the
states and to the people all lands which are held by the federal
government without authorization by the Constitution. We also call for 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 for 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. Article 1, Section 1 of the Constitution clearly
restricts the power to make laws: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall
be vested in a Congress of the United
States". We oppose
the use of Presidential executive orders that make law or otherwise
usurp the Constitutional authority and responsibilities of the
legislative and judicial branches. This Constitutionally subversive
practice must be stopped by Congress. All unconstitutional executive
orders must be repealed. No government may legitimately authorize or
define marriage or family relations, as affirmed by the 10th amendment, delegating to the people as
our founders understood the family as necessary to the general
welfare. We affirm the importance of Biblical scripture
in the founders’ intent as eloquently stated by Noah Webster: “The moral principles and precepts contained in
the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitution
and laws… All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice,
crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war proceed
from their despising or neglecting the precepts in the
Bible.” The law of our Creator defines marriage as the
union between one man and one woman. The marriage covenant is the
foundation of the family, and the family is fundamental in the
maintenance of a stable, healthy and prosperous social order. 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 states and localities to proscribe offensive sexual
behavior. We oppose all efforts to impose a new sexual legal order
through the federal court system. 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 recognition of
homosexual unions. We recognize that parents have the fundamental
right and responsibility to nurture, educate, and discipline their
children. We oppose the assumption of any of these responsibilities
by any governmental agency without the express delegation of the
parents or legal due process. 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. “Europe has a set of
primary interests, which have to us none, or very remote relation.
Hence, she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of
which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it
must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in
the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary
combinations and collusions of her friendships or
enmities. “Why forego the advantages
of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign
ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of
Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European
ambition, rivalship, interest, humor, or caprice?” (George
Washington’s Farewell Address) “I deem [one of] the
essential principles of our government, and consequently [one] which
ought to shape its administration,…peace, commerce, and honest
friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.”
Thomas Jefferson—First Inaugural Address. Bergh 3:321.
(1801.) “America has abstained
from interference in the concerns of others, even when the conflict
has been for principles to which she clings....She goes not abroad
in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the
freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator
only of her own.” (John Quincy Adams, Speech Delivered in
Washington DC 04 July 1821) “In the wars of European
powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken any
part, nor does it comport with our policy so to do....Our policy in
regard to Europe...is, not to interfere in the internal concerns of
any of its powers...” (James Monroe, Monroe Doctrine) National Sovereignty: These United States is properly a free and
sovereign republic which should strive to live in peace with all
nations, without interfering in their internal affairs, and without
permitting their interference in ours. We are, therefore,
unalterably opposed to entangling alliances - via treaties, or any
other form of commitment - which compromise our national
sovereignty, or commit us to intervention in foreign wars. 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). To this end, we shall: steadfastly oppose American participation in
any form of world government organization, including any world
court under United Nations auspices; call upon the
President, and Congress, to terminate United States membership in
the United Nations, and its subsidiary organizations, and
terminate U.S. participation in all so-called U.N. peace keeping
operations; bar the United
Nations, and its subsidiaries, from further operation, including
raising of funds, on United States territory; and propose that
the Constitution be obeyed to prohibit the United States
government from entering any treaty, or other agreement, which
makes any commitment of American military forces or tax money,
compromises the sovereignty of the United States, or accomplishes
a purpose properly the subject of domestic law. In this connection
we specifically denounce the agreement establishing the proposed
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and any other such trade
agreements, either bi-lateral or regional in nature. All treaties
must be subordinate to the Constitution, since the Constitution is
the only instrument which empowers and limits the federal
government. American troops must serve only under American
commanders, not those of the United Nations or foreign
countries. Pacts and Agreements: Since World War II, these United States has
increasingly played the undesirable role of an international
policeman. Through our involvements abroad our country is being
changed from a republic to a world empire in which our freedoms are
being sacrificed on an altar of international involvement. These
United States is now committed by treaty to defend foreign nations
in all parts of the world, and by agreements other than treaties to
defend more. Therefore, we call upon the President, and Congress, to
immediately commence a systematic withdrawal from these treaties and
agreements, each of which holds the potential to plunge America into
war in some far-flung corner of the earth. NATO, for instance, serves no defensive purpose
for these United States, and this country should withdraw from
it. Unconstitutional, Undeclared Wars: Since World War II, these United States has been
involved in tragic, unconstitutional, undeclared wars which cost our
country the lives of many thousands of young Americans. These wars
were the direct and foreseeable result of the bi-partisan
interventionist policy of both Democrat and Republican
administrations. The Constitution Party is opposed to the
continuation of the same interventionist policy, with that policy's
capacity to involve our country in repeated wars. We demand that: never again shall United States troops be
employed on any foreign field of battle without a declaration of
war by Congress, as required by the United States Constitution;
Congress
refuse to fund unconstitutional, undeclared wars pursuant to
presidential whim or international obligations under which
American sovereignty has been transferred to multi-national
agencies. Foreign Involvement: The Constitution Party has consistently opposed
American involvement in conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, Asia,
Europe, and Central and South America. These United States has no
interest in these areas which would justify the sacrifice of
Americans on foreign battlefields - nor is our country properly cast
as a merchant of death in international arms races. We propose that these United States repudiate any commitment, express or implied,
to send U.S. troops to participate in foreign conflicts, whether
unilaterally, under NATO auspices, or as a part of the United
Nations "peace-keeping" operations; and cease
financing, or arming of belligerents in the world's troubled
areas. We support the principle of the Monroe Doctrine,
which expresses U.S. opposition to European adventurism in the
Western Hemisphere. We call upon the Congress to immediately
terminate American military presence in all foreign countries where
such U.S. presence constitutes an invitation for this nation to
become involved in, or further participate in, foreign
wars. Foreign Aid: Since World War II, these United States has
engaged in the greatest international giveaway program ever
conceived by man, and is now spending billions of dollars each year
to aid foreign nations. There is no constitutional basis for foreign
aid. These expenditures have won us no friends, and constitute a
major drain on the resources of our taxpayers. 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. James Madison
said: “The powers delegated by the proposed
Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.”
(Federalist Papers #45) The powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States respectively, or to the people (Amendment
X). Gambling
promotes an increase in crime, destruction of family values, and a
decline in the moral fiber of our country. We are opposed to
government sponsorship, involvement in, or promotion of gambling,
such as lotteries, or subsidization of Native American casinos in
the name of economic development. We call for the repeal of federal
legislation that usurps state and local authority regarding
authorization and regulation of tribal casinos in the
states. “…what more is necessary to make us a happy and
a prosperous people? …a wise and frugal Government, which shall
restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise
free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and
shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This
is the sum of good government. America was
founded on the economic principles of the “free enterprise” system.
An individual was free to operate his business under the law without
government intervention and regulation. This economic system is
being replaced by public (government) – private partnerships. This
system is called fascism. The Constitution Party is opposed to
public-private partnerships and is for a return to the true “free
enterprise” system that once made our nation great and economically
prosperous. The 2nd Amendment strictly limits any
interference with gun ownership by saying: The right to bear arms is inherent in the right
of self defense, defense of the family, and defense against tyranny,
conferred on the individual and the community by our Creator to
safeguard life, liberty, and property, as well as to help preserve
the independence of the nation. The right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed by
the Second Amendment to the Constitution; it may not properly be
infringed upon or denied. The Constitution Party upholds the right of the
citizen to keep and bear arms. We oppose 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 emphasize that when guns are outlawed, only
outlaws will have them. In such circumstances, the peaceful
citizen's protection against the criminal would be seriously
jeopardized. We call for the repeal of all federal firearms
legislation, beginning with 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. James Madison said: “The
powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal
government are few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) The
powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the people (Amendment X). The Constitution Party opposes the
governmentalization and bureaucratization of American medicine.
Government regulation and subsidy constitutes a threat to both the
quality and availability of patient-oriented health care and
treatment. Hospitals, doctors, and other health care
providers should be accountable to patients - not to politicians,
insurance bureaucrats, or HMO Administrators. If the supply of medical care is controlled by
the federal government, then officers of that government will
determine which demand is satisfied. The result will be the
rationing of services, higher costs, poorer results - and the power
of life and death transferred from caring physicians to
unaccountable political overseers. 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 such 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. We applaud proposals for employee-controlled
"family coverage" health insurance plans based on cash value life
insurance principles. 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, as it has been the federal agency primarily
responsible for prohibiting beneficial products, treatments, and
technologies here in the United States that are freely available in
much of the rest of the civilized world. We affirm freedom of choice of practitioner and
treatment for all citizens for their health care. We support the right of patients to seek redress
of their grievances through the courts against insurers and/or
HMO's. We condemn the misrepresentations made by the
Federal Administration in securing passage of the recently enacted
Medicare prescription drug bill, and the use of such legislation to
secure government subsidies to special interests, such as the HMOs,
and to protect the artificially high cost to consumers of
prescription drugs. US
Constitution, Article 4, Section 4: The United States shall guarantee to every State
in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect
each of them against Invasion; James Madison: “When we are considering
the advantages that may result from an easy mode of naturalization,
we ought also to consider the cautions necessary to guard against
abuses … aliens might acquire the right of citizenship, and return
to the country from which they came, and evade the laws intended to
encourage the commerce and industry of the real citizens and
inhabitants of America, enjoying at the same time all the advantages
of citizens…” We affirm the integrity of the international
borders of these United States and the Constitutional authority and
duty of the federal government to guard and to protect those
borders, including the regulation of the numbers and of the
qualifications of immigrants into the country. Each year approximately one million legal
immigrants and almost as many illegal aliens enter these United
States. These immigrants - including illegal aliens - have been made
eligible for various kinds of public assistance, including housing,
education, Social Security, and legal services. This
unconstitutional drain on the federal Treasury is having a severe
and adverse impact on our economy, increasing the cost of government
at federal, state, and local levels, adding to the tax burden, and
stressing the fabric of society. The mass importation of people with
low standards of living threatens the wage structure of the American
worker and the labor balance in our country. 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 these 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 this country. We oppose any extension of amnesty to illegal
aliens. We call for the use of 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. We call attention to the following provisions of
the Constitution: Article 3, Section 1: “The Judges, both of the
supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good
Behaviour”. Note that the tenure of Federal Judges is not
for life, but merely “during good behaviour”. Also, Article 2, Section 4: “all civil Officers of the
United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and
Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and
Misdemeanors.” “All civil officers” clearly includes
Judges. And the Constitution says regarding
jurisdiction: And regarding the duty of Judges: Which Constitution must they swear to support?
The United States Constitution does not provide
for lifetime appointment of federal judges, but only for a term of
office during good behavior. We support Congressional enforcement of
the Constitutional rule of good behavior and to restrain judicial
activism by properly removing offending judges through the process
of impeachment provided for in Article I, § 2 and 3 of the
Constitution. Furthermore, Congress must exert the power it
possesses to prohibit all federal courts from hearing cases which
Congress deems to be outside federal jurisdiction pursuant to
Article III, § 2 of the Constitution. We particularly support all the legislation
which would remove from Federal appellate review jurisdiction
matters involving acknowledgement of God as the sovereign source of
law, liberty, or government. We commend Former Chief Justice Roy Moore of the
Alabama Supreme Court for his defense of the display of the Ten
Commandments, and condemn those who persecuted him and removed him
from office for his morally and legally just stand. We deny the validity of judicial rulings that
use foreign court rulings to overturn U.S. precedent. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 5 grants only to
Congress the power "To coin Money [and]
regulate the Value thereof", with no provision for such power to
be delegated to any other group. | ||
