The Republican Party of Clallam County on this 1st day of April 2000 assembled in biennial convention at Sequim, Washington, adopts this platform as a guide to the candidates it sponsors and a pledge to the public it seeks to serve.

Our mission is to influence our party and our nation to embrace a constitutionally limited government that upholds the highest standard of moral integrity, and to substantially improve the economy of Clallam County by reducing the influence of government, thereby increasing the power of individuals. (Freedom to work and to spend what one earns as one sees fit.)

Goal 1: 

To reduce the burden of government on the economy and working families by:

b. Encouraging regulatory reform that reduces the size and influence of government

d. Returning to the foundational principles of our Constitution (federal and state) and Bill of Rights.

"We believe that the proper function of government is to do for the people those things that have to be done, but cannot be done as well by individuals. The most effective government is government closest to the people"

"We believe that good government is based on the individual and that each person's ability, dignity, freedom and responsibility must be honored and recognized."

"We believe that free enterprise and the encouragement of the individual initiatives and incentives have given this nation an economic system second to none."

"We believe in equal rights, not special rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all regardless of race, creed, age, sex or national origin."

"We believe we must retain those principles of the past worth retaining, yet always be receptive to new ideas with an outlook broad enough to accommodate thoughtful change and varying points of view."

"We believe that Americans value and should preserve their feelings of national strength and pride, and at the same time share with people everywhere a desire for peace and freedom and the extension of liberty and democracy throughout the world."

"Finally, we believe that the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government."

"Therefore , we pledge to elect and support candidates of good character and practice and a sense of fair play."

1. Balanced Budget 

We demand that our federal government balance the budget and, urge that it be done by reduction of government activities and programs and lowering of taxes after and without using Social Security funds to create the illusion of balance. Tax surpluses should be:
   a. Used to pay back monies stolen from Social Security.
   b. Used to reduce taxes.
   c. Used to pay down the national debt.

2. Taxes
   a. Flat-rate Tax: to establish equality and equity of taxation, we support a fat-rate federal income tax and elimination of the income tax and I.R.S. as we know it.
   b. We support the elimination of the marriage tax penalty.
   c. We support elimination of the estate taxes.
   d. We support the reduction of capital gains tax.

3. State Income Tax   We are opposed to a state income tax.

4. Removal of Sales Taxes from New Plant Construction, Remodel or Expansion
In order to enhance economic development in Washington state we support the elimination of all county, city and state sales taxes on new plant construction, expansion, and remodeling and on equipment utilized in research and development.

5. Bond Issues and Levy Elections
We support the present 60% majority and 40% validation requirements for school levy elections.

7. Natural Resources and Environment
We support the Republican Party's balanced principle of conservation and protection of Washington state's natural resources and environment. Satisfying this imperative requires dedication and a commitment both to the protection of our natural resources and environment, and to the development of economic opportunities for all through a growing economy.

8. Compensation for Property Right Takings
We are committed to the protection of all phases of our environment, but we are no less committed to the rights of the people and their property. We demand fair market compensation for any taking of private property for public use.

9. Endangered Species Act
We strongly support immediate legislation to amend the Threatened and Endangered Species Act to place into consideration the social and economic needs of individuals in reaching a balanced decision for the protection of a species of fish, wildlife or plant life

10. Fish Stock Protection and Water Rights
We strongly support immediate action to require federal and state agencies to utilize all other means to protect fish stocks prior to any further curtailment of private and public water rights. We support maintaining full river pool levels on the Snake and Columbia River systems.

11. Electric Energy and BPA
We oppose the selling of the Bonneville Power Administration, the removal of any power-producing dam and the deregulation of electric power.

12. Native American Fishing
"Native Americans" have all of the rights and privileges as those enjoyed by all other United States citizens, but should not have special rights and privileges. The A.G.'s office should take necessary action to carry out the mandate of the people of Washington state as outlined in Initiative #456 (1984) and all agencies should comply with R.C.W. 75.56.

13. Bond Posting when Economic Activity is Restrained
We support amendment to the Threatened and Endangered Species Act to require that anyone who is attempting to restrain an economic activity, must post a bond sufficient to cover the restrained party's economic loss and damage should they not prevail.

14. Marine Mammals Act
We urge that Congress review the Marine Mammal Protection Act to exclude mammals such as harbor seals and California sea lions which have become destructive and over-populated in some areas. Population control should be returned to the states.

15. Washington State GMA
While we recognize growth is a major problem facing the state as a whole, we oppose state mandates and sanctions of county and municipal governments. Therefore, we call for repeal of Washington state's Growth Management Act and abolishment of the Growth Management Hearings Board.

16. Private Property Rights Protection
We reaffirm support for the provisions of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution which provide protection of private property rights, and insist that regulation for the public good be accompanied by fair market compensation when those regulations cause loss of use and/or value of private property, such as forest and agriculture resource land restrictions and critical area ordinances.

17. Amendment X to U.S. Constitution
We strongly support full adherence to the 10th Amendment delineation of state and federal Jurisdiction. The federal government has no right to expand its powers at the expense of the right of local citizens and government.

1. Family Unit
The Traditional family is the most important unit of our society. It embodies the primary responsibility of providing for its children without governmental intervention. We strongly oppose recognizing same-sex "marriages".

2. Education
a. We ask the state legislature to keep its constitutional mandate to fully fund basic education of grades K - 12..
b. The most important element in making our society work, is a well educated population. We ask for implementation of State Law recognizing parental responsibility and authority for the education of their children, working through our elected School Boards.
c. We oppose Federal and State encroachment through legislation, licensure, regulation and taxation of private schools, and support a voucher system and/or charter schools enabling parents and students to choose a public or private school system.
d. We support the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance daily, and return to the basic education with special emphasis on American History, Washington State History, Civics, U.S. Government, in order to counteract revisionist influence and instill a renewed sense of national pride.
e. We support the teaching of English as our national language.
f. We support education regarding the consequences and responsibilities of sexual behavior with an emphasis on abstinence as mandated by state law, the use of drugs, tobacco, alcohol and other health-related choices. Birth control clinics should not be located on public school property and condoms should not be sold or distributed on school property.
g. School Prayer: Voluntary prayer by individuals or groups of individuals should be allowed in any public place, including schools, so long as such prayer is conducted by individuals and not by school authorities or government officials.
h. We support the display of the Ten Commandments as resolved by Congress, and we further support the celebration of traditional religious holidays in a public place including our public schools.

3. Human Life
a. We believe that all human beings have a right to life, regardless of age, health or conditions of dependency."
b. We condemn partial birth abortion, which is infanticide.
c. We commend the efforts of those individuals and religious and private organizations that are providing positive alternatives to abortion by meeting the physical, emotional and financial needs of pregnant women and offering adoption services where needed.
d. We support parental notification and informed consent for perspective mothers of all ages. prospective
e. We oppose the activity and use of tax dollars for abortion, euthanasia, fetal tissue experimentation and harvesting.

III. Crime and Drugs
We believe that respect for law and order will be achieved only when laws are so defined and enforced as to ensure that criminal offenders receive punishment commensurate with the severity of their crimes and serve their full sentence. We support the death penalty.

1. Right to Safe Communities
All citizens have the right to safe streets and communities. This right is fundamental and its guarantee is a primary responsibility of government.

2. Prisoner Benefits
We support the taking of 50% of any income earned by convicted felons while in prison to offset the cost of their own incarceration and contribute to their victim's compensation.

3. Truth in Sentencing
We demand that our governor, legislature and judicial system fully apply "truth in sentencing".

4. Support of Death Penalty
We support the death penalty and legislation that would limit the number of appeals in a capital case and the time limit set in which appeals can be exhausted.

5. Non-Citizens and Illegal Aliens
Non-citizens and illegal aliens convicted of crimes should be deported to their country of origin and barred from re-entry into the United States. The U.S. borders must be protected against illegal immigrants and rights of citizens should not be given to those who are illegally residing in the United States.

6. Drugs
We support the law enforcement agencies in Clallam County in their efforts to rid our county of the import, production and sales of illegal drug substances. We desire that our Prosecuting Attorney pursue to the fullest extent of the law the prosecution of those individuals attempting to profit from illegal drug production or sale. We urge our judges to impose mandatory jail time in drug cases. We desire Clallam County to be a drug-free county.

1. Welfare to the Truly Needy
a. We believe in the dignity of the individual and, therefore, subscribe to the belief that welfare should be a temporary source of aid to those in need and not a permanent life style.
b. Welfare assistance is the shared responsibility of family, church, community and representative government, respectively. Government assistance should be minimized and provided competently for only those whose needs cannot be met by their family, church or local community. In no instance, should welfare assistance be more attractive than wages, and able-bodied recipients should be required to work at some public service.
c. We urge the legislature to fund facilities and care for those unable to function in society, as determined by non-involved medical/judicial/ psychiatric evaluators.

2. Health Care
We support a health-care system that provides the highest quality care to the largest number of people at the lowest cost. We encourage the legislature to change regulations so as to attract private health care providers and insurers to return to Washington, thus providing healthy competition. We believe in a free market solution to curtail skyrocketing health costs such as private insurance incentives, tort reform and promoting healthier life-styles.

1.  Military Strength
a. We demand appropriate funding to maintain a strong and viable national defense. We opposed any further military downsizing. We continue to support the principle "peace through strength".
b. We believe our armed forces should serve only under our flag and our generals. Our military should never be subservient to the United Nations. The commitment to the U.S. Constitution by our military personnel should be paramount above any other agenda.
c. We demand the promised full funding of the Veterans Administration for pensions, medical needs and care for our veterans.

VI. Right to keep and bear arms
We strongly support the constitutional guarantee of the "right of the people to keep and bear arms." We believe the focus of government should be upon making current gun laws workable, as opposed to the implementation of more unenforced laws.

We oppose the mandatory gun registration, the licensing of gun owners, and local, state, federal and global laws which unjustly make criminals of law abiding citizens.

VII. U. S. Sovereignty
The Republican Party is opposed to the United States subordinating or relinquishing our national sovereignty, Constitution or Bill of Rights to the control of the United Nations or any global government.

2. We support the right of Taiwan's citizens ti self-determination, and the degree to which the citizens of Taiwan are granted this respect by their chosen government shall have direct effect upon the trade relationship that the United States keeps with the government purporting to represent them.