Taxes, gays, abortion targeted by (TX) state GOP

[CShine]

Texas Republican delegates on Friday adopted an ultraconservative party platform that attacks a wide range of targets -- from taxes and homosexuality to abortion and the United Nations -- and gives a mixed review to Gov. Rick Perry's priorities. The GOP activists also re-elected Houston attorney Tina Benkiser as state party chair. Challenger Gina Parker, an attorney-businesswoman from Waco, conceded after a majority of delegates in most of the 31 state senatorial district caucuses sided with Benkiser.

The platform, which represents the views of social and religious conservatives who have controlled the state party's leadership since 1994, isn't binding on Republican candidates or elected officeholders, who typically promote some planks and ignore others.

Benkiser said the platform represents Texas ideals. "Our issues, our principles resonate with Texas voters all across this state. And I think that bodes well for our future and the future growth of the party in our state," she said.

Texas Democratic Chairman Charles Soechting disagreed. He called the platform the "longest political suicide note in modern Texas history."

"It's a shame the Republicans have concocted a platform so extreme they have to run from it rather than on it," Soechting said.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2610350

[PfcHammer]

1. Crap. What a freak show.

Hands lifted, sometimes dropping to their knees, the delegates prayed for the nation...

An albino Burmese python and two Magellanic penguins joined the usual political animals at the GOP gathering, courtesy of SeaWorld.

With the dilemma of school finance still unresolved, Bexar County GOP Chairman Richard Langlois proposed a unique solution to the problem: Tax a taco.


With the exception of the penguins, the rest is poo.

[bluestateguy]

2. Yikes

The platform also calls for repeal of the hate crimes law, repeal of the minimum wage, opposes the provision of reproductive health services, including condoms, in public schools and proposes the death penalty as a punishment option for rape.

I can just see it now: 16 year old Suzie from a lily white family has an 18 year old black boyfriend and they are sexually active. Suzie's angry white male father finds out, hits the roof and calls the cops to arrest the black kid as a "rapist". Then under Texas' fine justice system he finds himself on death row.

[Beatrix]

3. Look at the highlights from the platform of 2002

like I've said before - it gets nuttier every time.  This is
why Texas is a lost cause.

"The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United
States of America is a Christian Nation ..." 

1. GOVERNMENT 
     "We reclaim freedom of religious expression in
public on government property, and freedom from government
interference." 

     Support government display of Ten Commandments. 

     Dispel the "myth" of the separation of church
and state. 

     "A strong and vibrant private sector [should be]
unencumbered by excessive government regulation" 

     Oppose Campaign Finance Reform 

     Oppose any form of gun control 

Abolish: 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; 
position of Surgeon General; 
EPA; 
Department of Energy; 
Department of Housing and Urban Development; 
Department of Education; 
Department of Commerce and Labor; 
National Endowment for the Arts 
2. ECONOMY 
     Abolish the dollar in favor of the gold standard. 

     Abolish the IRS 

     Eliminate income tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, capital
gains, corporate income tax, payroll tax and property tax. 

     Repeal minimum wage law. 

     " ... gradually phase out Social Security tax"
for a system of "private pensions" 

3. UNITED NATIONS 
     " ... we immediately rescind our membership in, as
well as all financial and military contributions to the United
Nations." 

     We should " ... evict the United Nations from the
United States and eliminate any further participation." 


4. FAMILY 
     "We believe that traditional marriage is a legal and
moral commitment between a man and a woman. We recognize that
the family is the foundational unit of a healthy society and
consists of those related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The
family is responsible for its own welfare, education, moral
training, conduct, and property." 

     "The practice of sodomy tears at the heart of our
society..." "The party oppose[s] decriminalization
of sodomy." 

     Oppose all forms of abortion - even in cases of rape or
incest. 

     "We unequivocally oppose United States Senate
ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
the Child." 

5. EDUCATION 
“We call for the abolition of the U.S. Department of Education
and the prohibition of the transfer of any of its functions to
any other federal agency.” 

     Support official prayer in public schools 

     Oppose Early Childhood Development Programs 

     "We support ... a program based upon biblical
principles..." 

     Terminate bilingual education 

     "Since Secular Humanism is recognized by the United
States Supreme Court as a religion ... Secular Humanism should
be subjected to the same state and federal laws as any other
recognized religions." 

6. THE ENVIRONMENT 
     Oppose the "myth" of global warming 

     Reaffirm "the belief in the fundamental right of an
individual to use property without governmental
interference" 

     Oppose EPA management of Texas air quality 

7. THE MIDDLE EAST 
     " ... Jerusalem is the capital of Israel ... "
therefore, the United States should move its embassy from Tel
Aviv to Jerusalem. "

[alarimer]

6. "Myth" of the separation of church and state???

Have these people not read the Constitution?? It is there in Black and white. I guess they are opposed to the rights of children so they can bring back child labor throughout the world.

These people are nuts. Its gets worse and worse all the time. Hopefully the emerging Hispanic majority with put these worms below ground again where they belong.

[JayS]

21. I think it is part of the "Congress shall make no law" argument...

...but I am not sure.


Preserving Our Constitutional Rights

Right to Keep and Bear Arms – The Party calls upon the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress to repeal any and all laws that infringe upon the right of individual citizens to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution; and to reject the establishment of any mechanism to process, license, record, register or monitor the ownership of guns. We urge the Legislature to clearly declare that it has the exclusive authority to determine where firearms may or may not be legally carried in the State of Texas, and that no other state governmental entity and no local governmental entity may regulate or prohibit the possession of firearms. We believe it is the responsibility of all gun owners to safely store and operate their firearms.

Freedom of Access Act – The Party urges repeal of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances law. We reaffirm our belief in our constitutional right to peaceful protest, and we insist that assaults on peaceful protesters be prosecuted vigorously.

Christian Nation – The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United States of America is a Christian nation, which was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christian principles based on the Holy Bible. We also affirm the right of each individual to worship in the religion of his or her choice.

Religion – The Party acknowledges that the church is a God–ordained institution with a sphere of authority separate from that of civil government; thus, churches, synagogues and other places of worship, including home Bible study groups, should not be regulated, controlled, or taxed by any level of civil government, including the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service. We reclaim freedom of religious expression in public on government property, and freedom from governmental interference.

Texas Capitol Chapel – We urge the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to collaborate to release space to restore a chapel to the original Texas Capitol building.

Free Exercise of Religion – The Party believes all Americans have the right to practice their religious faith free of persecution, intimidation, and violence. We call on Congress to sanction any country that is guilty of persecuting its citizens because of their religious beliefs. Our Party pledges to do everything within its power to restore the original intent of the First Amendment of the United States and dispel the myth of the separation of Church and State. We support the right of individuals and state and local governments to display the Ten Commandments on public property subject to their control.

Faith Based Opportunities – The Party encourages the Texas Legislature to identify and develop ways to increase the ability of faith–based institutions and community and business organizations to assist individuals and families in need.

Electronic Privacy – The Party believes that all citizens have the right to be free from government surveillance of their electronic communications, including a government mandate for trap door encryption standards. The Party also opposes any government effort to create or implement a national ID utilizing a universal identifier or the federalization of state drivers licenses.

Equality of All Citizens – Believing all men are created equal, the Party reasserts itself as the party of Lincoln and deplores all forms of preferences and discrimination based upon religion, race, color, national origin, gender, age, or physically disabling condition. We also deplore forced sensitivity training and urge the repeal of laws and mandates requiring such training. We believe that the Hate Crimes Law is unnecessary, and that it unconstitutionally creates a lower class of victims. We urge that it be repealed immediately.

[bearfan454]

7. Tx will go repuke, but

we will still fight them every step of the way. Even if they get their way in the end it costs them more money to do it.

[hatrack]

13. Are they enjoying the "myth" of 2 grid-swamping storms in 3 days?

The "myth" of at least 20,000 dead Europeans in last year's heat wave? The "myth" of Arctic ice equal in area to France and Germany disappearing in the last 10 years?

Have fun, y'all!

[Ripley]

25. Is that for real?

Every line sounds like satire.

Oppose any form of gun control? Would that mean all convicted felons and mentally ill people can buy one at Walmart?

The family is responsible for its own welfare, education, moral training, conduct, and property. So they want to burn down the schools and have homeschooling for all kids? How sexist of them. I guess all the women in the republican party there will be resigning so they can stay home and teach Billy Bob about how flat the Earth is.

Oppose EPA management of Texas air quality? Since they want to be on their own, I guess they want Texas to look like England did back a couple of centuries ago. A big black cloud of noxious fumes over the entire state. Maybe when the repukes there start dropping like flies with emphysema at 40, they'll rethink that. Too bad they'll be killing lots of other people too.

Man, things are bad here in Alabama, but I think they're worse in Texas. I feel for yall living there!

[JayS]

26. It is what you would call...

...severely edited.

The original is here if you are interested: http://www.texasgop.org/library/RPTPlatform2002.pdf

[Ripley]

27. Thanks, but I couldn't stomach more than 3 pages.

I had to quit when I got to the part that said "...reaffirms the fact that the USA is a Christian Nation, founded on Judeo-Christian blah blah blah...." Then two lines down says they support "Religious Freedom."

Well, which the hell is it?

And why does Texas need a special item in their platform that says they're against DC becoming the 51st state?

[JayS]

28. There is just no telling. You just keep on...

...drinking and sooner or later things will begin to make some sort of sense. :)

[Ripley]

29. Hah!

Ain't that the truth! :toast:

[bleedingheart]

4. somehow I am not shocked...

since this is the national GOP agenda...

[Beatrix]

5. Reaching out to african-americans...

while at the same time establishing a platform of hate against GLBT people. Pathetic. I wonder if the fools realize that 30-40 years ago these people would be making a platform against interracial marriage and integration. And probably would be doing so right now if it wouldn't be political suicide....

[fudge stripe cookays]

8. Interesting juxtaposition.....

Look how close these items fall within the list:

"Oppose all forms of abortion - even in cases of rape or
incest.

We unequivocally oppose United States Senate
ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of the Child.

5. EDUCATION
We call for the abolition of the U.S. Department of
Education and the prohibition of the transfer of any of its
functions to any other federal agency.

Oppose Early Childhood Development Programs"

Says it all right there, doesn't it? Hypocritical fucking bastards.

[Tansy_Gold]

10. Only the unborn have rights

or rather A right -- the right to be born.

after that, the little fuckers are on their own.

Because it's not a matter of the rights of the child, dontcha know, it's really a matter of the rights of men to control the bodies and lives (and deaths) of women.

[alarimer]

19. Why do they oppose early Childhood programs?

From what I have read Head Start is one of the more successful programs. They make kids ready for school (primarily poor kids). What is wrong with that? Does anyone know why they have a problem with this?

[JayS]

20. It is a local control issue.

Early Childhood Development – The Party opposes programs designed to bring about a comprehensive, taxpayer–funded, federally–controlled and regulated system of educational, psychological, and physical
development for all children (such as Early Childhood Development and Parents as Teachers). We also oppose a centralized record keeping system of student information on a national level.



Local Control – The Party supports the concept of choice in education and believes that quality education is best achieved by encouragement of parental involvement and maximizing local control of public schools. We call for the abolition of the regulatory authority of the Texas Education Agency and to transfer its responsibilities to the elected State Board of Education (SBOE). We believe district superintendents and their employees should be made solely accountable to their locally elected boards and we support amending the Education Code to permit recall of a school board member by a majority vote at an election required to be held when 10 percent of the registered voters of a school district have petitioned for such an election.

State Board of Education – The Party believes that the SBOE should remain as an elected board. The areas of decision–making authority that were removed from the elected SBOE, but have remained at the state level, should be restored by the Texas Legislature to the elected SBOE. These powers include the authority of the SBOE to hire and terminate the Commissioner of Education, to oversee the Texas Education Agency, and to appoint state textbook review panels. The SBOE must retain constitutional authority for the governance and
oversight of the Permanent School Fund. We call on the legislature to abolish the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) and its authority returned to the State Board Of Education.

[Tansy_Gold]

23. They SAY it is a "local control" issue, but just as they call

"vouchers" a means of proiding school "choice," the words hide the intention.

Head Start, a product of LBJ's War on Poverty, has been enormously successful in helping pre-kindergartners from low-income families get the same "head start" kids in higher-income families get just by virtue of being in higher-income families. Nixon's administration began almost immediately to undo everything of the WoP; Head Start is about the only thing left.

The RW has ALWAYS targeted anything that would help bring the masses up. It's fine and dandy if a few individual po' folks' lift themselves up by the bootstraps and make good, but no way no how are the rich folks gonna fund any such liftin' up. That means, in blunt terms, yo' ain't gonna take none o' my money in the form of TAXES to put no po' kids in good schools.

Behind all the rhetoric is still the rich white christian male agenda. Always and forever. Segregation. Misogyny. Inherited aristocracy. The haves and the have mores. The nobles and the peasants.

Many of the good people of Texas never see behind the rhetoric, they never see that it's all lies. The bad people of Texas know it is, and they like it that way.

Tansy Gold

[struggle4progress]

9. Let's give Texas back to Mexico.

[fudge stripe cookays]

11. Here we go again....

{{{sigh}}}}

[struggle4progress]

12. Well, I used to live in Texas, too.

[fudge stripe cookays]

15. Nice that you had the luxury to leave.

Some of us don't, and are doing our best to change things here.

I'd like to move to Seattle or San Francisco, or anywhere but here. But I can't. My mortgage and my stubborn husband compel me to stay.

I don't feel like learning Spanish as a condition of my continued residence here. Don't feel like dealing with police corruption the likes of which no one can possibly comprehend. Don't feel like dealing with armed uprisings and mind-numbing poverty.

Please stop with the continual "Give it back to Mexico" bullshit. It's far too insensitive to be continually heard on this board. I've had enough.

FSC

[struggle4progress]

18. Well, we really ought to do something with the many wackos in Texas.

Handing them off to Mexico sounded cheaper to me than shipping them off to Mars. :)

[skippysmom]

14. Sigh

My sympathies to Texas DUers who have to listen to this crap more often than we non-Texans do.

[fudge stripe cookays]

16. Thanks SM.

Sympathy duly noted.

[Catfight]

17. Not so long ago it was blacks, women and slaves...the Repugs

haven't evolved at all. Blah blah blah...Repugs are ruining this country that was once the place of dreams, now it's the place of corruption.

[DaveSZ]

22. The Repubs passed the first civil rights legislation

...back when they were the liberal party of course.

:)

[Trailrider1951]

24. These people are frickin' idiots, but I will NOT surrender

my beautiful state to them!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:
Please do not believe the lie that ALL Texas are this stupid. There are plenty of fine Democrats here, from all walks of life, and we need to get more vocal and active. My friends, print out a copy of that platform, highlight the parts that are BLATANTLY unconstitutional, and show that copy to anyone who says "yes, I agree with the GOP". Chances are that these people haven't read more than a few snippets, and if you show them the entire document, they will be appalled!

[JayS]

30. "show them the entire document"

Remember that what has been posted here is not the entire document. Things make a little more sense when you read the actual platform.