Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The 2010 Platform

I've been able now to finally get a few minutes to incorporate the suggestions we got with regard to the platform. There really wasn't much to change, as the thing was really amazing the first time around. Why change something that was done right the first time?

There were some excellent suggestions, though, and they've been put in. Please put any further suggestions in the comment area. Should you wish to email me about the platform, please use americanfederalistparty at gmail dot com.

I wonder if those trying to rescue the Republican Party have considered this platform for their efforts ...

Proposed Platform for the American Federalist Party
2010


Preamble

The members of the American Federalist Party have come together in the spirit of freedom and fellowship to acknowledge several truths about our great Nation as it exists today. These truths have forced us to set aside our differences as patriotic Americans with regard to many issues for which we hold differing yet passionate positions, such as regards abortion, war, vice, and even crime, in order to stand together in defense of the very basic law, designed to protect the unalienable rights with which we are endowed by our Creator, that has been abused and usurped to such an extent that the wise men who gave us such would be embarrassed at what has become of their cherished creation.

Political campaigns are funded by the federal government, and people who wish to publicly support a candidate are often restricted from doing so in violation of the First Amendment.

Congress has passed legislation regulating which kinds of weapons the people may own, and many States require government permission to secure arms and registration thereof, in violation of the Second Amendment.

In violation of the Fourth Amendment, private property has been taken from the people for the sole purpose of increasing tax revenues to local and State governments.

The list goes on, and in many cases the problem is so severe that the people of America often either do not know that their rights are being violated, or do not care. This is the source of the problems that overwhelm our country today. Virtually every major problem that affects Americans nationwide is the result, either directly or indirectly, of some abridgement of Constitutional rights or of some usurpation or abdication of power by those in federal, state, and/or local governments.

It goes without saying that with rights comes responsibility. We will therefore not, as part of our platform, explain how the people of this great Nation should take responsibility for those aspects of life that we expect the government to vacate. Americans are a creative people, and all have the ability to learn for themselves how to succeed in the free world.

It goes without saying that with actions come consequences. We will therefore not, as part of our platform, explain how those who, experiencing negative consequences for their actions, bring themselves most readily into the ranks of the successful. The freedom to overcome adversity and succeed on one’s own has its own natural rewards for success.

It also goes without saying that not everyone will be responsible and/or successful. We reject, however, that it is within the power of government to involve itself in matters of providing for those less fortunate. We further reject that governments are in any way properly equipped to take on responsibilities such as these.

As Federalists, we believe in the separation and delegation of powers as provided in the US Constitution, with the proper delegation of the weakest powers to the federal government, and the strongest powers to the people, as provided in the bill of Rights. We acknowledge that the concerns voiced by the Anti-Federalists in the infancy of our Nation have largely come true, and wish to place restrictions upon government that will protect our unalienable rights from such abuses in future generations.

The Constitution was written in simple language so that any layman could understand it. Its plain language itself makes it a proper platform for a party trying to rescue it from the current abuses, as it stands as a clear statement of the people granting limited authority to the government, not the other way around. Therefore, we believe that every American should read the Constitution thoroughly and come to a clear understanding of its meaning by reading the writings of the Founding Fathers and of those who opposed its initial ratification.

We wish our own platform to be so simple. We, however, claim none of the genius of the Founders in their wisdom; we only seek to follow their example in seeking the best way to secure the unalienable rights of the citizens of this great Nation.

Diversity and Common Ground within the Federalist Party

As a party, we seek only a few simple things. We rally around the concept of "originalist" interpretation of the Constitution, and allow all other issues to be resolved by the individual for himself. Each member or candidate will be free to hold whatever position he wishes, without interference from anyone in the party, for as Federalists we develop these positions with the Constitution in mind and reverence.

However, as Federalists, we cling to several simple concepts, and each of us freely affirms:

• That the unalienable rights as enumerated in the Bill of Rights exist to protect the rights of individual Americans.
• That government infringement of those rights should be vigorously opposed.
• That government is by its very nature evil and must be watched closely by the people lest it enter into areas where it should not be allowed.
• That the concept of limited government requires that government officials work within the boundaries set forth in the Constitution, and that these limitations include lateral boundaries within the various levels of government as well as boundaries between the levels themselves.
• That compulsory government service is incompatible with the concept of individual liberty.
• That a government that does not function within its means is worse than an individual who does the same, and that using terms like "balanced budget" and "surplus" in misleading ways merely intensifies the evil under which the people must function.
• That a vibrant and superior military with state-of-the-art weapons systems is necessary to defend the unalienable rights of Americans from those who would do them harm; and American soldiers must never be subservient to non-American commanders or serve under a foreign flag.
• That America is a sovereign nation with no obligations to any international organization.
• That the Right to Keep and Bear Arms includes the right to use deadly force in self-defense, as well as the right to organize into militias for defense against oppressive people and governments.
• That federal domestic and foreign aid programs are both illegal and immoral.
• That parents, not any government, are responsible for the education of their children, including manner, choice of facility, and the bearing of cost.
• That the federal government has no power to influence elections through regulation, finance, or control of the media.
• That the federal government does not possess the power to set forth an "energy policy".
• That government programs aimed at reducing poverty are neither legal nor beneficial to those they are designed to help, and
• That under a properly instituted federalist system, the federal government is at the weakest level, with local governments and the people being at the most powerful.

Policies of the Federalist Party

As Federalists, we seek to return our government to its proper distribution of powers as set forth in our Founding Documents. All policy positions to be advocated by Federalists, ad infinitum, shall be devised and implemented to respect and enforce these limits, thus keeping the government at its proper distance from the people. As federalists we will seek to implement policies requiring:

• That laws, programs, and policies that violate the federalist structure outlined in the Constitution be repealed.
• That laws passed in violation of the Constitutional rights of the States or the people are likewise repealed.
• That laws requiring compulsory government service or the pre-registration for the same be repealed. This includes laws that require registration for compulsory military service.
• That a Constitutional Amendment requiring the real balancing of the federal budget and the retiring of the national debt be ratified.
• That our military's superior training be continued, and development of state-of-the-art weapons systems such as SDI be expedited instead of delayed.
• That no American shall be deprived of the right to arm himself however he wishes, without interference of any kind from any level or branch of government, unless first adjudicated as insane by at least two competent courts of law.
• That membership in international organizations not clearly serving the national interest be dissolved. This includes the United Nations.
• That no group of Americans be penalized for the simple act of choosing to act as part of a militia.
• That all taxpayer-funded federal aid programs be dismantled.
• That all federal involvement in the education of children be phased out, and States rightly transfer all power and authority over education to the parents.
• That all federal laws placing limits of any kind on campaign finance or procedure be repealed.
• That the federal government remove itself from all involvement in the decisions of States and businesses with regard to energy.
• That all federal assistance programs aimed at the poor, sick, or elderly be phased out in favor of private sector entities or, where state constitutions may allow, the States.
• That provisions be made so that the federal government can never again rise to greater power than any state or local government.

Federalist Philosophy

As Federalists, we believe that government is at best a necessary evil that is prone to intolerable acts, and that it is the responsibility of the people to see through the salesmanship, half-truths, and blatant lies that those in government present in their efforts to gain acceptance for the things they advocate. We pledge, as Federalists to honor in all of our decisions the original intent of the Founding Fathers.

Legislatively:

• Federalist legislators will demand (and when in the majority, require) that all proposed legislation be accompanied by a Constitutional Authorization Report detailing how the proposed legislation is authorized under the Constitution. This report will then serve as a point of reference throughout debate and voting, as well as for executives, jurists, and the people, to assist in ensuring compliance with constitutional restraints upon government officials.
• Federalist legislators will propose, sponsor, and co-sponsor only legislation that is expressly allowed under the Constitution, and will insist upon appropriations being limited to single-subject bills.
• Federalist legislators will vote against any legislation not expressly authorized by the Constitution, and will stand against any legislation that exempts themselves or any other government entities from laws passed.
• Federalist legislators will refrain from using as examples legislation passed in other countries or international organizations.
• Federalist legislators will endeavor to legislate consistently according to the Founders' original intent.

Judicially:

• Federalist justices will demand (and when in the majority, require) that all cases brought before their courts be accompanied by a Constitutional Authorization Report detailing how the relevant case either violates or is supported by the Constitution, especially in matters of government abuse.
• Federalist justices will defer powers to the States where constitutionally appropriate.
• Federalist judges will assert the powers appropriate to their level of government (state, local, etc.) over those of the federal government.
• Federalist jurists will reference the Constitution in their opinions.
• Federalist jurists will refrain from any reference to the law of any other nation or international organization in determining the course of their decisions.
• Federalist jurists will endeavor to rule consistently according to the original intent of the Founders.

Executively:

• Federalist executives will demand that all bills passed by legislators and received for approval be accompanied by a Constitutional Authorization Report detailing how the bill in question is authorized under the Constitution.
• Federalist executives will defer to state or local governments where constitutionally appropriate.
• Federalist executives will sign into law only legislation that is expressly allowed under the Constitution.
• Federalist executives will proudly veto any legislation that is not expressly authorized under the Constitution, including legislation that contains multiple provisions, only some of which may be in violation.
• Federalist executives will respect as relevant only the laws and customs of the United States of America in their decision-making processes.
• Federalist executives will endeavor to govern consistently according to the Founders' original intent.

Summary

Not all Federalists agree on all issues. Our positions on various issues are based in our individual interpretations of the Constitution. However, we reject the progressive expansion of socialism that has plagued this country for so long as legal under the Constitution and believe that returning to our Constitutional roots will solve the majority of the problems that this evil has created and encouraged. Socialism begets hate, jealousy, and economic mediocrity in is subjects. The free people of America should stand firmly against it. The Founders made no provisions for such things in the Constitution, and we Federalists believe this to be by design.


Thanks!

RWR

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Haloscan Comments Removed

Haloscan's recent decision shutdown of its free comment service has brought about its removal from this site. Please feel free to leave comments in the new "Blogger" comment areas.

No irrelevant comments, please.

RWR

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Platform Suggestions

This comment was recently received regarding the Federalist Party Platform:
The platform sounds good overall, however there is some tweaking that needs to be done.

"That no American considered sane and safe enough to be at large shall be deprived of the right to arm himself however he wishes..." Uh, no. There are convicted felons that have been released from prison that are supposedly sane and safe enough to be at large. They should not be allowed firearms.

"and American soldiers must never be subversive to non-American commanders or serve under a foreign flag." I think you mean "subservient"?

Under "Policies" you need to add that the States have the right to invoke the Doctrine of Nullification if the Federal Government passes a law that is in violation of the Constitution, particularly in violation of the 9th and 10th amendments.

Under "Legislatively" you need to add that all appropriation bills will deal with one subject only. For example, no hiding pork projects such as a Blueberry Museum in the Military Appropriations bill.

And, no highway or building may be named after any living politician. (Direct smack in the face to Sen Robert Byrd, there.)

Also under "Legislatively", Congress may not except themselves or any branch of the Federal Government from the laws they pass.

Ogrrre
I responded in the comment area as follows:
Uh, no. There are convicted felons that have been released from prison that are supposedly sane and safe enough to be at large. They should not be allowed firearms.

If their debt is paid, then they have the right to defend themselves as they see fit. If there is a problem with that, keep them in jail.

"and American soldiers must never be subversive to non-American commanders or serve under a foreign flag." I think you mean "subservient"?

Yes we do.

Under "Policies" you need to add that the States have the right to invoke the Doctrine of Nullification if the Federal Government passes a law that is in violation of the Constitution, particularly in violation of the 9th and 10th amendments.

That right is part of the 9th and 10th Amendments and needs not be restated, as the Constitution is already recognized as the basis for the platform itself.

Under "Legislatively" you need to add that all appropriation bills will deal with one subject only. For example, no hiding pork projects such as a Blueberry Museum in the Military Appropriations bill.

I like this, but simply requiring that all legislation be constitutional from the get-go with written justification should achieve this end without issue. Still, it is a great suggestion. Let's put it in.

And, no highway or building may be named after any living politician. (Direct smack in the face to Sen Robert Byrd, there.)

Eh. Who cares?

Our platform must deal with issues, not non-issues like what name a building or highway has. In fact, if Congress is busy mulling over those things, then they are not engaging in debate or voting on unconstitutional (illegal) legislation, and that is a good thing.

Also under "Legislatively", Congress may not except themselves or any branch of the Federal Government from the laws they pass.

An excellent addition. Thanks!

RWR
RightWingRocker
A few additional comments:

1. The Bill of Rights protects ALL Americans, not just the ones you like or I like. When one is sent to prison, his rights are not revoked, they are SUSPENDED. This applies to ALL God-given rights, and neither you nor I has the right to take them away. The right to bear arms is as sacred as the right to life itself, since without the right to bear arms, you don't have the right to life because you have surrendered the means of defending that right. Therefore, if someone cannot be trusted with arms, leave them in prison where they belong.

2. The rest of Ogrrre's ideas are very good, though highway and building names are as relevant to what this country needs as the highway and building names in East Beijing. With all that needs to be done to save this country, I'll gladly pass on making a stink over that.

3. Ogrrre's last idea would fall under the repeal of laws, programs, and policies that violate the federalist structure and/or the rights of the States and People, but wow, what a strong statement we make in supporting it!

4. Probably the best addition to the platform is the "one subject" idea. Make Congress vote on EVERY ITEM and justify EVERY ITEM with a Constitutional Authorization Report. Make the president sign or veto EVERY ITEM. Furthermore, it would probably be a good idea to require that all legislation be written in simple English and be limited in length and scope. One page should be sufficient. If the people don't understand it, then exactly how do you expect those same people to follow it?

All in all, I agree with most of what Ogrrre suggested, except where noted. The idea of disarming Americans is totally unacceptable. No one is "allowed" firearms. The government is "allowed" to suspend that right as a means of bringing justice to a victim. If a man's crime is so heinous he can't ever be trusted with a weapon again, then lock him up and throw away the key.

RWR

Monday, August 10, 2009

Answers For Another Ex-Republican

I received an email today asking questions about the Federalist movement. It was quite encouraging:
Since leaving the Republican Party when 10 GOP senators voted to acquit Clinton in 1999 I have been investigating every political party and movement I could find on the net. So far I have not found any party or movement that I would be comfortable supporting, and I have reached the point where I don't want to invest any time or effort in anything without knowing ahead of time whether or not I could support the end result. I would appreciate having your thoughts on certain matters.
I will leave the writer's name out of the post, but the questions he asked were very important to someone searching for a new party to support. Here they are, with my answers:

First of all, let me stipulate that the idea of the Federalist movement is designed to meet the needs of conservative Americans, and the Platform that came about last spring was largely drawn from the common ground among the Reagan2020.org New Federalist Platform, the 2008 Constitution Party Platform, and the 2008 Libertarian Party Platform. It stipulates that as Federalists (conservatives), we are free to have whichever opinion we wish on a position, as long as we are using the Constitution as our guide. This is a very important point, as many conservatives are "pro-life" on the basis that a baby is a human life that should be protected (under the 5th Amendment), while other conservatives, largely Libertarians, are "pro-choice" on the basis that allowing the government the power to force someone to carry a pregnancy to term would be unconstitutional (they don't believe the 5th Amendment applies).

A lot of information can be found on my blog regarding these parties and what they are about, as well as the Reagan202.org New Federalist Platform. Here are some links for your perusal:

Reagan2020.org:
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/09/new-federalism-part-i-preamble.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/09/new-federalism-part-ii-honoring-our.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/09/new-federalism-part-ii-honoring-our.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/10/new-federalism-part-iv-establishing.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/10/new-federalism-part-v-ensuring.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/10/new-federalism-part-vi-common-defense_10.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/10/new-federalism-part-vii-general.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/10/new-federalism-part-viii-secure.html

Federalist Party:
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/10/federalist-party-new-conservative.html
http://rightwingrocker.blogspot.com/2005/10/where-we-all-agree.html
What is your position on interpreting the Constitution- do you believe that there is such a thing as original intent, or do you believe that the Constitution is a living document that can be interpreted to fit the times without formal amendment?
Strictly Original Intent
What are your views on large corporations such as as Walmart and Home Depot- are they good for the country or do they need more government regulation?
They are great. Government regulation always causes more problems and in most cases solves very little.
What is your position on the legalization of drugs?
Legalize away, but people's consequences for choosing to use drugs are their own, not yours, mine, or the government's.
What is your position on marriage?
One man and one woman. Some of us would support the states making these rules without interference from the federal government at all, others would support something along the lines of an amendment defining marriage as noted.
What role do you think the federal government should play in public education?
Exactly the role that the Constitution authorizes: NONE.
Do you support the war in Iraq?
Yes, but with the caveat that the war was not fought aggressively enough.
What policies do you/would you support in the Middle East?
Support our allies, and destroy our enemies (my position). The position of the Federalist movement, however, is more flexible than that, ranging from isolationist to involvement as national security dictates.
What government policies do you/would you support regarding the use and conservation of natural resources?
Get the federal government out of the business of dealing with these things altogether. If the states want to deal with it, that's their business.

My answers would reflect those of most of those who come around here. Some with variations. I hope this person can understand the concept of voting for a candidate and not a party. This is what America REALLY needs, but if a party is desired, the Federalist Platform would be a great place to start looking.

RWR

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Join the Resistance

The Resistance States:

As an American citizen, while I will show respect to President-elect Obama, I oppose the far-Left and socialistic elements that comprise the centerpiece of his agenda. I recognize that it will take a patriotic and resilient Citizen Resistance to block implementation of this agenda and I join with others who oppose these threats to our liberties.

Specifically, I Resist:

* Socialistic wealth redistribution including any and all tax increases and big-government welfare programs.

* Silencing conservatives through the Fairness Doctrine and other efforts that restrict free speech.

* Open border anarchy including amnesty for illegal aliens and promotion of multi-nation "unions".

* Government-run health care that weakens our system and imposes more tax burdens on citizens.

* Weakening of our military through rapid pullback from Iraq, defunding our troops and overall disarmament.

* Social liberalism including radical pro-abortion agenda, the end of marriage and the homosexual agenda.

* Liberal court activism that undermines faith, family and liberties while expanding government control.

* Post-American globalism that diminishes our global role and threatens our national sovereignty.

* Environmental extremism, the CO2 tax, undermining coal and nuclear, and bans on exploration.

* Weakening the 2nd Amendment through unconstitutional gun laws that take away or penalize us for owning firearms and our right to defend our family, our property, and ourselves.
Sign the petition here.

RWR

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Comments Enabled

We can now support comments here. Remember that this blog is not a place for those who support that which we oppose to make their criticisms known. Rather, this is a place for those who support the concept of bringing conservatives together to defeat the liberals as a coherent party to bring forth ideas of how best to do so, and to occasionally discuss an issue or two. Comments outside the scope of this blog will be deleted.

Also, this blog is not to be a one-man project. If you would like to contribute, please send your name, city/state, and email address to federalistparty@verizon.net. You will need to have a Blogger/Google account as well.

RWR
www.rightwingrocker.com

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

The Work Begins Today

The Republican Party has failed the conservative movement yet again. With a perfect opportunity to easily beat a weak ultra-liberal candidate, they presented a similarly weak liberal candidate as their own standard-bearer. Conservatism has not been on the presidential ballot for over twenty years, and it's time we re-evaluated our strategy.

If the Republicans don't want to be champions of conservative ideals and beliefs, as is becoming more and more apparent, then it is clearly time to look for a way to build a powerful conservative party by uniting the conservative factions under one flag. This can easily be done by building a platform based upon the common ground of all the conservative parties.

This is what I have done with the American Federalist Party Platform, and I hope conservatives all across America will be willing to sign on. It's built on the platforms of the Constitution Party, the Libertarian Party, and the New Federalist Platform found at reagan2020.org. It may need some fine-tuning as other conservative factions sign on, but for now I would like to set a number of goals for the new party:

1. Bring the Libertarian and Constitution Parties on board, along with the American Independent Party and the Conservative Party.

2. Organize at the state level, building the coalition from the ground up. These state Federalist Parties will need to build their own platforms and agendas as well.

3. Where we cannot bring a particular party fully on board, work to build a colaition of conservative parties.

Comments are not enabled on this blog yet, but any correspondence can be sent to federalistparty@verizon.net

I will be seeking others of like mind to post here as well. Let me know if you're interested.

RWR
www.rightwingrocker.com