January 13, 2017 | Ellensburg | ~
Progressive Politics. This is what has given rise to the progressive movement that attempts to put judges on the bench that circumvent the existing laws and the legislature. It has also fomented the progressive education movement that has schools circumventing the wishes of parents and current norms.
In the fourth century B.C. Socrates is reputed to have said “Know Thyself” and that advice is as relevant today as twenty-five centuries ago. People say they know what they support when asked “are you a republican or a democrat?” and respond with what others have said or what they believe to be true without benefit of facts. With this essay I am going to compare what the state parties espouse on their websites as their party platforms and focus on the differences. The reader should confirm for themselves by going to www.wsrp.org for the Republican party and www.wa.democrats.org for the Democrat party official positions. It should be noted that it requires forty-three pages for all the interest groups to stake out their positions and sacred cows in the democrat platform while the republican platform economizes and says it all in five pages.
One caveat should be obvious, I am a republican and support that platform. For those who believe I have misrepresented the positions of either party please contact me by email at ie9489@gmail.com.
In the preamble of the WSDP(Washington State Democrat Party) Platform it states that it is to promote a progressive democracy . One should look up what that means for themselves but I say progressive means that the party is compelled to make societal changes through whatever means possible. Changes that reflect the neo-collectivist ideals of party leaders and their activist supporters. This is what has given rise to the progressive movement that attempts to put judges on the bench that circumvent the existing laws and the legislature. It has also fomented the progressive education movement that has schools circumventing the wishes of parents and current norms. The result is the lack of societal stability and a growing number of young adults unable to enter the world after school with marketable skills. Progressive is the trigger word for out with the old and in with the new, wether you like it or not. The WSRP(Washington State Republican Party) Platform preamble is simple in its idea that it promotes a government under god that is accountable to the people. Later in Section III WSRP it promotes the Rule of Law, constitutionally based and not progressive.
Because the sections of the two platforms do not align by subject mater, I will state the position of the referenced section and if applicable the corresponding position of the other state party. Many sections seem to stand alone due to the special interest factions of the Democrat Party.
Section II WSDP. Promoting living wage for all workers including illegal aliens. A living wage will surprise you since it is above the current nation average.
Section III WSDP. Promoting publicly funded housing for artist.
Section IV WSDP. This section wanders a bit but promotes Black Lives Matter, no definition of marriage(anything goes), absolute abortion choice with government subsidies and no restrictions as well as no restrictions by employers or federal contractors or on foreign aid. Several places promote new definitions of human rights/civil rights to include legal aid and health care. Opposition to farm subsidies. Section X WSRP. calls for the Right to Life and a prohibition on publicly funded abortion and support of the Defense of Marriage Act. Section XIII WSRP promotes property rights as a civil right.
Section V WSDP. Promoting a Windfall Profit Tax. Section VI WSDP Promoting a State Income Tax (on both eared and unearned income) and a State Capital Gains Tax while calling to prohibit any initiative to limit tax increases with a two-thirds voting requirement in the legislature. Section VIII WSRP promotes a Balanced Budget Amendment (live within our means), two-thirds majority vote in the legislature for tax increases and opposes a state Income Tax. Section XVII WSRP promotes the initiative process in Washington and opposes the use of the Emergency Clause to circumvent legislative intent.
Section VII WSDP. Supports free education pre-school through college, wants the legislature to ratify into law the teachers union right to strike local school districts, and strongly opposes vouchers, charter schools and standardized testing. Section XI WSRP. Opposes Progressive Education and Common Core while supporting vouchers, charter schools, and local control with an instructional emphasis on civics and the U.S. founding documents.
Section VIII WSDP. Another catch all section that Supports a Carbon Tax and emphasizes that Climate Change is a Crisis and critical issue for all governments, opposes nuclear and fossil fuels, again supports world wide abortion rights, the recognition of Palestine and the Iran Nuclear Treaty. Section XVI WSRP opposes the Carbon Tax as well as the Transportation 2040 Plan. The support of Israel, the only democratically elected government in the mid-east.
Section X WSDP Calls for publicly funded elections, a Constitutional Convention to abolish the Electoral College and promotes no verification of citizenship for voting rights. Section II WSRP Supports limited government, individual freedom, limited government spending. Section III WSRP promotes personal responsibility, proof of citizenship to vote.
Section XII WSDP promotes The Affordable Care Act(Obamacare) and a single-payor government funded health care system and opposes for-profit health care insurance. Specifically calls for the public funding of Planned parenthood and public funding for sexual identity change surgery. Calls for gun violence to be re-defined as a Public Heath issue. Section XII WSRP Calls for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and opposes a single-payor health care system while supporting a free market solution with tort reform and freedom of conscience for providers.
Section XIII WSDP asserts Immigration and Illegal aliens are not a Homeland Security issue, calls for full rights for all immigrants (legal and illegal) and condemns the use of the term “illegal” to describe any person. Sections IV & V WSRP define national Security as a Strong America is a free America and must not relinquish any powers or rights to foreign powers. Supports Israel. Liberty is based on national sovereignty and oppose any and all treaties contrary to the constitution. Section VI WSRP promotes border security to prevent all illegal crossings, the deportation of all criminal aliens, the sanctions against sanctuary cities and the withdrawal of all monetary support from illegal aliens.
Section XV WSDP support gun registration, ban on high capacity magazines and assault weapons, the decriminalization of drugs. prosecution of George W. Bush for war crimes, Sanctuary Cities, and the opposition to the “Castle Doctrine”, Stand your Ground, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the criminal justice system. Section III WSRP opposes gun registration and affirms the Right to Bear Arms.
Section XIX WSDP Supports the tribes sovereignty and ability to prosecute non-native Americans on tribal trust lands and oppose the use of all native-American mascots. Section XIV WSRP calls for the return of federal lands to the states with the exceptions of National Parks, military reservations and tribal lands.
Section XV WSRP promotes energy independence of the United States and a Comprehensive Energy Plan formulated on a national level.
In conclusion, the reader should read the referenced documents to interpret for themselves the intent of the state political parties. After carefully contemplating the effect of the outlined sections he/she/? should put together a balance sheet to see where they best align as far a policy, intent and consequences of the party policies.
Once that is methodically completed : Welcome to the Republican Party!!
Afterwards it is paramount that all elected official are held accountable to the precepts of the party with which they aligned. Make them defend the positions put forth by their party leaders and the faithful that support them.
Ian Elliot
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