Posted on 01/09/2014 8:37:00 AM PST by EternalVigilance
For Immediate Release
Contact: tomhoefling@gmail.com
January 9, 2014
As part of a campaign to get the Republican Party back to basics, candidate for Iowa Governor Tom Hoefling and District 10 State Representative Tom Shaw today released the text of their “2014 GOP Unity Platform” in advance of the January 21st Iowa Caucus.
“Ronald Reagan said that political parties cannot be all things to all people. He was right. They can’t be, and they shouldn’t try to be. That’s why this platform contains the key principles and clear purposes that represent the core of true American republicanism. However, with this document, we’ve done it in only one hundred words, and seven simple, straightforward planks,” Hoefling said.
“I think that in recent years the Republican platform has become bloated, and more than a bit internally inconsistent and self-contradictory. It isn’t any longer a crystal-clear message that candidates can effectively run on, or something that gives people a simple plumb line of principle to hold politicians accountable. That’s why we’re suggesting this somewhat radical change of approach. We want the title ‘platform Republican’ to mean something that is unmistakable,” he added.
Representative Tom Shaw won a long-held Democrat seat four years ago running on a variation of this platform, and easily won reelection in 2012 using it as well. “I know from experience that this simple yet powerful statement of principles resonates with the voters,” Shaw said.
Hoefling and Shaw are suggesting the adoption of this platform by those who attend their precinct caucus, but are also urging individual Republicans to use it as the means to carefully qualify all delegates, party leaders, and candidates for public office.
The complete text is as follows:
As Iowa Republicans we hereby declare our unity in firm support of these non-negotiable political principles and purposes: We're one nation under God, and our rights come from God, not men. The first sworn duty of every officer of government is to equally protect every individual person’s God-given, unalienable rights to life, liberty, and private property, from creation to natural death. The God-ordained institution of one man-one woman marriage must be preserved. The right of the people to Keep and Bear Arms shall not be infringed. Our national sovereignty, security, and borders must be defended. Our republican form of representative self-government must be upheld. The sacred oath of office to support and defend our Constitution must be fulfilled. In order to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, we strongly urge our fellow Iowans, and all Americans, to make this platform their own, and to henceforth hold all political leaders, regardless of party, strictly accountable to it.2014 GOP Unity Platform
You can learn more about Tom Hoefling at http://www.tomhoefling.com.
First reading sounds good.
Second reading finds some pretty big loopholes.
This may work, but it needs some clear revisions.
Somewhat related. Yesterday I heard commentary from the Chamber of Commerce that they were going to oppose any tea party candidate because they don’t want to support any candidate who might shut down the government. If ever there was a better example of the business government connection here it is. I immediately contacted my local chamber and told them if this is their stand, I will boycott any business that is a chamber member as obviously their mission and mine are not in sync.
Simple, but strong. There are always those for adding more to something, and people TEND to do just that! Simplicity is best. We would probably begin to find a lot of disenchanted democrats that liked this...in its simplicity.
A Constitutional amendment will be pursued to reestablish the meaning of citizenship and no longer grant citizenship to those born here not under the cover of Law.
Can you be specific about the loopholes you see?
I think you’re right.
That has been Tom Shaw’s experience in his IA House District. Even if folks don’t agree with him on everything, they know he is principled, and that he doesn’t compromise those principles, and so they really, really like him.
The sides are shaping up.
Thanks for the ping!
All that it needs is for the last section to declare that this platform means what it says and says what it means and that no interpretation other than exactly what it states can be given or endorsed.
New tagline ...
I like it!
This will be one area we agree. The Iowa platform process has become a complete joke and a sandbox for cranks with an axe to grind or ego to feed. A simple statement of principles is all we need.
Awesome.
The reception for this document has so far been very encouraging.
I think you’ll find there is overall general support for it. I’ve had a number of discussions and heard many negative comments about the whole platform process. I believe we’d get better convention attendance as well because people don’t want to be there for 12 hours.
How to get it done is the issue. With the planks starting at caucus and moving up the ladder after each level once the platform committee sorts them out, the problem becomes how to insert a statement of principles and getting it voted in while getting all the planks thrown aside.
It would seem the best place to do this would be at district conventions, as there are only 4 v. 99 county conventions and 1778 or so precinct caucuses. It would probably require a Roberts Rules maneuver on the floor at the right time, probably after the district platform committee gives it’s report and before you start going thru and voting on planks.
I do know in the 2nd in ‘10 there was a move to adopt the planks as written that passed, right after the platform committee report I believe, that avoided the whole process. It would seem that maybe the approach is to reject the platform committee’s report by a vote and insert the statement of principles right after.
Talk to a parliamentarian maybe if you know one who’s been to conventions. They may be able to tell you how to approach it.
Good ideas. We’ll be talking to some folks.
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