Tag Archive for: Gop Platform

Sorry RINOs: GOP’s new platform is pure Trump!

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In the midst of our almost daily dose of bad news, it’s heartening when some sunshine breaks through the dark clouds. Leave it to Wayne Allyn Root to broadcast the good news!

In his recent commentary, Wayne points out that Trump just trumped both the Country Club Republicans, (a.k.a. Republicans in Name Only/RINOs) and the Dems, by coming up with such a solid, common sense platform that rivals or surpasses Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America.”

The platform includes a combination of goals that Trump accomplished during his term in office, such as making the U.S. energy independent again (Drill baby, drill!), and cutting inflation (arguably more difficult to achieve this time ‘round due to O’Biden’s profligate spending), cutting taxes, securing the border, and more.

Some important new planks:

  • Deport tens of millions of these foreign invaders, rapists, murderers, terrorists and welfare addicts out of America.
  • Kill regulations strangling our economy— like electric car mandates.
  • Cut federal funding for any school, college or institution that brainwashes students with CRT, DEI, and transgender ideology.
  • Secure our elections with Voter ID and proof of citizenship.
  • Deport pro-Hamas protestors on college campuses who preach violence, hate Jews, and chant “death to America.”

Wayne dares the Dems to argue against the 20 Planks in this Platform:

“Please say loudly and proudly that you support open borders, keeping illegal invader criminals in the country, more massive spending and debt, higher inflation, raising energy prices, letting violent criminals out of prison, protecting pro-Hamas protestors, and starting WW3.” Etc.

More good news: Trump is opposed to Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)! See Forbes article on this here.

And read more of Wayne’s optimistic and inspiring take on Trump and the RNC playing to win! Here’s the link.

©2024. Cherie Zaslawsky. All rights reserved.

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Launch of Platform Integrity Project Seeks to Keep Conservative Planks ahead of GOP Convention

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A new conservative coalition is mobilizing to ensure that the Republican Party’s platform maintains its strong commitment to socially conservative principles. On Monday, FRC Action partnered with a host of other conservative organizations to form the Platform Integrity Project, an initiative to ensure that when Republican delegates gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention next week, they will write a party platform that includes, according to a press release shared with The Washington Stand, “longstanding pro-life, pro-family, and pro-Israel planks.”

The initiative is the first ever to track and score how delegates vote on the Republican Party’s platform. In addition to FRC Action, Platform Integrity Project partners include WallBuilders, Faith Wins, American Principles Project, Family Policy Alliance, AFA Action, Liberty Counsel Action, Pro-Family Legislative Network, The Family Foundation of Kentucky, Center for Arizona Policy Action, Frontline Policy Action, Maryland Family Action, Human Coalition Action, Palmetto Family Council, and the North Carolina Values Coalition.

“Party platforms matter. They state a party’s principles and their priorities,” FRC Action Chairman Tony Perkins, an elected member of the Republican National Committee (RNC) Platform Committee from Louisiana, said in a statement. He noted that research has found that, historically, elected Republicans follow their party’s platform over 80% of the time. “America is in an unprecedented place of moral and cultural confusion and is in dire need of leadership and moral clarity,” Perkins continued. “The Republican Party must once again communicate a clear and hopeful contrast between the parties by painting a message for voters on the foundational issues — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — not in pale pastels but in bright, bold colors.”

“Voters need to see a contrast between the two parties on their policy priorities. Voters want and need a choice,” Perkins concluded. “The message to Platform Committee delegates is clear: preserve life and family values in the Republican Party platform so that social conservatives can continue to find a home in the GOP.”

FRC Action Director Matt Carpenter told The Washington Stand, “The party platform is an important document for voters to understand what policies a public official is likely to support if elected.” He continued, “The Platform Integrity Project is an effort to organize like-minded organizations, officials, delegates, and individuals to keep pro-life and pro-family language in the GOP platform. Drawing a clear contrast is important for Christian voters to see where the parties are on the issues that we care about.”

Since the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled Roe v. Wade in 2022, there has been a push from moderate Republicans to abandon the life issue altogether and remove pro-life commitments from the GOP platform. Even some more hardline conservatives, like former President Donald Trump, have taken a more tentative position on abortion. While Trump touts the pro-life record established in his first term and proudly takes credit for his Supreme Court appointees overturning Roe, he has repeatedly shot down any notion of using the federal executive branch to craft pro-life protections at the national level, instead saying that the issue should be left to the states. A memo from the Trump team has suggested that the GOP “streamline” its platform to be more “easily digestible.” Concerns have mounted among Republicans and conservatives that this “paring down” may result in tacit Republican support for abortion, same-sex marriage, and even transgenderism.

With the party platform debate taking place behind closed doors — a novelty, given that the debate is typically public — on July 8 and 9, the Platform Integrity Project commitment to “an open process that will help ensure the preservation of the GOP’s solidly conservative platform” will allow Republican voters to ensure that their party represents their values. The Platform Integrity Project’s website encourages Americans to sign up to pray for their delegates when they meet next week.

In a letter sent Monday and seen by The Washington Stand, Perkins suggested to RNC Chairman Michael Whatley that the platform deliberations not be a secret, noting that the “gag rule” is “unprecedented and appears to violate RNC rules.” Perkins quipped that the gag rule cannot be the will of Trump, especially since the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has himself been targeted by such “un-American” tactics from the Left. He added that the gag rule “heightens speculation that the GOP platform will be watered down to a few pages of meaningless, poll-tested talking points. This contrasts sharply with Ronald Reagan’s call for a party platform, ‘a banner of bold, unmistakable colors with no pale pastels,’ challenging the nation with a clear vision for the future.”

“These bold principles on life, family, and freedom have served the GOP well for over a half-century, starkly contrasting with the other Party and attracting many God-fearing Americans to the GOP,” Perkins wrote. “There is great concern that the foundational efforts of patriots like Phyllis Schlafly and countless others who have built the Republican Party into a majority, pro-life, pro-family, pro-ordered liberty party will be undermined by these unprecedented changes in the process.”

The letter was sent not only to Whatley, but to all RNC leadership. Perkins pledged that if the gag rule were not rescinded, he would elevate the issue to all GOP platform stakeholders. “This process will likely result in an outcome that jeopardizes the Party’s ability to continue being a stabilizing force for freedom in this nation, as it has been for nearly 175 years,” Perkins averred. “I respectfully request that you reject the imposition of the Gag Rule. If you decide to proceed, I formally request the RNC meeting minutes that recorded the motion and the vote, which allowed this unprecedented Gag Rule to be implemented.”

In comments to The Washington Stand, former Congressman and FRC Senior Vice President Jody Hice stated, “In the world of politics, few things are more important than the party platform. A written ‘platform’ delineates the differences between parties, and is the track upon which elected representatives generally vote. Moreover, its impact goes far beyond the federal government, it also provides guidance for the various state legislatures. Further yet, the voters themselves align with one party or the other based upon the stated values expressed in the platform.”

Hice concluded, “The importance of a statement that clearly identifies core values and the foundational worldview upon which the GOP will be guided cannot be over-emphasized. As the platform debate begins, we cannot afford to compromise or water down the essential elements of conservatism and morality.”

AUTHOR

S.A. McCarthy

S.A. McCarthy serves as a news writer at The Washington Stand.

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2024 Family Research Council.

The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

Biblical Marriage Must Remain Intact in the Republican Party

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With the Republican National Convention set to be held this summer, this means that also on the horizon is the decision of whether or not the Republican Party keeps in place its current party platform adopted in 2020 or puts forward an updated version with changes.

Aside from its pro-life stance against abortion, the platform’s support for natural biblical marriage is a major distinction that has always set Republicans apart from Democrats — the saints from the sinners. We are the party of rule and law, civility and decorum, discipline, and honor; not debauchery, rioting, lewdness, or indecency. This is because we stand for truth. But if Republicans compromise on the fact that marriage is only between man and woman, this would mean a departure from Truth. It would create such an irreversible crack away from our core principles that the party would lose its way and ultimately lead to breaking apart. Therefore, any attempts to weaken our platform’s position on traditional marriage should be squashed at the outset.

The possibility that the GOP’s current language on marriage could be challenged is very real. Conversations and debates among leadership and delegates about the Republican Party’s platform occur every four years and coincide with the timing of the party’s convention, which is planned this year for July 15-18th, in Milwaukee. When the last Republican Convention was held in 2020, the Republican Party leadership and delegates came to an agreement to not amend but keep in place the platform’s language in its entirety that had been adopted in 2016 — and which still is in place today. Our current platform has language that upholds traditional marriage and properly states: “[t]raditional marriage and family, based on marriage between one man and one woman, is the foundation for a free society and has for millennia been entrusted with rearing children and instilling cultural values.”

Amen.

Behind-the-scenes discussions are underway about whether or not to keep the current Republican platform in place as written or to make changes to it, so if any debate and negations occur, this will all be done prior to the actual main convention gathering. But make no mistake — there is a contingent within the Republican Party plotting to change our position on traditional marriage. After all, the woke agenda to soften Christian teachings on marriage has crept into American churches — so no place is off limits to this sinful agenda.

LGBT advocates will likely cite and point to the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision from 2015 and make a false claim that this is now the law of the land, set in stone, and therefore conservative Republicans should move forward and let others in the party modernize the platform and appeal to more voters. But the Republican platform’s current language rightfully addresses this argument and outright “condemn[s]” the high court’s past ruling against marriage, which is worth pointing out, was made during the Obama administration. In fact, when the current Supreme Court decision decided to reverse Roe v. Wade, in his opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that Obergefell v. Hodges should also be reconsidered, which implied overturned. And his suggestion is not such a long-shot possibility.

Many may recall the bravery shown by Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky, who rightfully stood by her moral convictions and refused to write out a marriage license to two gay-identifying men. And while she has faced enormous persecution since then, being slapped with a penalty of $360,000 (and just last month was denied appeal), her lawyers plan to take her case to the Supreme Court; the same path that was taken to overturn Roe v. Wade.

While having pro-marriage language included in our platform is no guarantee that all Republican elected leaders will fall in line (as we saw when 12 Republican U.S. Senators voted against natural marriage and supported the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act), if this critical language were to be removed, then it is all but guaranteed that our Republican representation becomes even weaker in fending off the Democrats’ side to turn all of America into Sodom and Gomorrah. This is because the Republican platform that is decided and written this year will serve as a guide for influencing current and future Republican candidates and elected leaders, both at local, state, and federal levels.

This is why any born-again believer who disconnects themselves from American politics and thinks that the fight for marriage within the Republican Party has nothing to do with them, needs to understand this is delusional thinking and they are only lying to themselves.

There is no other matter before us more important than the cultural fight for marriage. Supporting marriage, as created by God, is the starting point from which all other policy issues flow. This one matters most because it affects children. By natural design, children need to be reared by both a mom and dad, and for their mental and physical well-being, they need their parents to be married to each other. As a national advocate to protect children from being exposed to perverse drag queen story hours and pornographic materials in school, I can make the argument that there is a direct correlation between the growing trend to legitimatize the homosexual lifestyle on par with marriage, to children being sexually exploited and abused.

This means that the time for all true born-again believers, including American pastors, to engage and rise up publicly in support of traditional marriage is now and well past overdue.

Our democratic system involves various levels of engagement. Voting on Election Day (which is absolutely critical) is just one piece of the process. Engaging in the court of public opinion is another, and it is something we can do. And it starts within our inner circle of friends and family. Turning a blind eye and self-censuring oneself in conversation about marriage is the wrong choice. Speaking up in defense of natural marriage is a good thing and nothing to be embarrassed about. As Psalm 119 shows us, if we truly love the Lord, then we love His law, including His Natural Law.

Most informed born-again Christians, especially those of older age, align with the Republican Party, and the reason that the platform has always upheld both marriage and a pro-life position (two fundamental biblical principles) is due to countless faceless Christian believers who have over the years served as delegates and made sure of this. What is vitally important to recognize is that the ability to withstand any upcoming challenges to water down our solid stance on traditional marriage (or our pro-life position) can be eased with the help of fellow believers.

Writing op-eds, speaking from the pulpit, doing media interviews, and attending local and state political meetings to advocate for marriage can make a big difference and are small prices to pay when taking into account how we are beyond privileged to live in this nation, thanks to the selfless Americans who have gone before us and sacrificed life and limb.

American pastors in particular can help turn the tide and use their influence and public forums to speak up; though some may try to use the Johnson Amendment as an excuse not to. But the fact that LBJ authored this law as revenge against conservatives who believed him to be a communist, should be enough revelation to make the case that the Johnson Amendment should be repealed. And considering how liberals faced no real obstacle in getting the Defense of Marriage Act repealed, it should be sufficient proof to show just how far behind the eight ball most American churches are.

None of us can afford to be lackadaisical anymore. Marriage is primary to the foundation of America and fundamental for a functioning healthy society. If we don’t stand for marriage, then we stand for nothing. The Republican Party must continue to support traditional marriage. Keep the language as written and add no language to it that would compromise this position.

This article originally appeared in The Christian Post.

AUTHOR

John Amanchukwu

John K. Amanchukwu Sr. is an influential preacher, author, and activist who spreads God’s truth. Along with serving his local church in North Carolina, John travels nationally to speak, preach and confront school boards.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2024 Family Research Council.

The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

Trump Townhall Underscores Life as a 2024 Issue

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The Trump administration was, decidedly, the most pro-life in our history. During his debate with Hillary Clinton in 2016, former President Trump graphically described the brutality of the abortion procedure. A signal achievement was his appointment of three Supreme Court justices who support the Constitution as it was written, underscoring the sanctity of unborn life.

So, when President Trump’s spokesman recently said that “President Donald J. Trump believes … [abortion] is an issue that should be decided at the state level,” I was deeply concerned. That’s why, earlier this week, I joined Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, for a meeting in Florida to discuss the important topic directly with the former president.

Our sense of alarm has been growing. After last summer’s Supreme Court decision returned the power to defend life to the people, a number of Republicans heaved a sigh of relief. Many of them were glad to see the end of the fictional constitutional right to abortion, but some seemed more glad to kick the life issue back to the states than take any further action. More concerned with political consequences than protecting the unborn, their eagerness to abandon the pro-life cause was striking.

That’s not what they were saying before the Dobbs decision, which returned to them the power to defend life. Since the mid-1980s, the GOP has called for the right of the unborn to live to be recognized as the most fundamental of human rights. Overwhelmingly, Republican lawmakers have supported a human life amendment to the U.S. Constitution and called upon legislators and judges in the states to respect human personhood in the womb, where life begins. Science tells us that personhood begins in the womb. For years, Republicans at the federal level have taken a stance in defense of life, and presidential administrations have defended it. So what has changed now?

None of these proposals would prevent states from enacting pro-life legislation, whether protecting the unborn after they can feel pain, after a certain point in gestation, protecting American taxpayers from funding abortion, or anything else. I was a state legislator in Louisiana for many years and authored a number of pro-life measures. And no one is more committed to a constitutional understanding of the limits of the federal government and the broad authority of the states than me. Yet personhood in the womb is not just a state issue — it is the most profound of all human rights issues. It merits federal consideration — and protection.

During our meeting in Miami, Mr. Trump reaffirmed his commitment to protecting children who can feel pain and are actually sucking their thumb in their mother’s womb. His horror at late-term abortion and the incredible idea that some so-called “unwanted” children could be left to die after birth remains unchanged. That’s why we met with him: To encourage the former president to stay strong on the issue of the sanctity of human life. And I can report that Mr. Trump has not changed his position. He remains committed to his strong presidential track record of defending the unborn to the fullest extent of the executive branch’s authority.

During his Wednesday town hall in New Hampshire, he said of his pro-life record, “I am honored to have done what I did.” President Trump noted several times during the event that pro-abortion activists are radical. And radicals are unreasonable and never satisfied. This is why, in last November’s elections, Democrats spent at least $320 million in advertising to attack the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The Biden administration has authorized nearly half a billion dollars of taxpayer funds that can be used to subsidize abortions and abortion businesses. Republicans spend only a fraction of this amount celebrating unborn life.

I deeply appreciate the pro-life, pro-family policies that President Trump’s administration advanced. As we move into the 2024 presidential election cycle, my role will not be to endorse in the primary election but to work with the candidates, like President Trump, to ensure the issues impacting faith, family, and freedom are understood and advanced. My focus will be ensuring that the sanctity of human life, upholding the true, God-given purpose of human sexuality, and the myriad policies that affect the family — ranging from religious freedom to tax policy — remain front and center.

It is encouraging to see that Mr. Trump remains committed to defending the little ones in the womb. But how much more heartening it is to know the God Who gives us the privilege of protecting them and their mother from the abortion industry. That’s a high calling, and we’ll never retreat from it.

AUTHOR

Tony Perkins

Tony Perkins is president of Family Research Council and executive editor of The Washington Stand.

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2023 Family Research Council.

The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.