Republican Platform and the Constitution

I looked through the Republican platform today searching for references to the U.S. Constitution, and I found quite a few. I was hoping to find a declaration in the Platform that specifically says it will adhere, at all times, to the U.S. Constitution and all of the founding documents. Senators and Representatives individually swear to uphold the Constitution at the time they take office, but we know that means little in some parts of Congress, and both sides of the aisles.

Republicans and the U.S. Constitution

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could require Congress - Democrats and Republicans, to swear their oath of office again, before each and every vote?

Take a look Below at the references to the Constitution in the  Republican platform  below, and then

 read the new Republican resolution saying the GOP will deny support to any pretender-Republicans (RINOs). If you followed the Dede Scozzafava race in the NY23rd, you will love this new resolution and know from "whence" it came.

Republican Platform 2008:

Category: Government Reform:

Reforming Government to Serve the People:

Republicans will uphold and defend our party’s core principles: Constrain the federal government to its legitimate constitutional functions.

The Budget Process - A Fraud that Guarantees Runaway Spending:

We call for a constitutionally sound presidential line-item veto. 

Empowering the States, Improving Public Services:

Congress must respect the limits imposed upon it by the Tenth Amendment: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

We look to the model of Republican welfare reform, which, since its enactment in 1996, has accomplished a major transfer of resources and responsibility from the federal government back to the states – with an accompanying improvement in the program itself.  Applying that approach to other programs will steer Congress back into line with the Constitution, reversing both its intrusion into state matters and its neglect of its central duties.   

Appointing Constitutionalist Judges for the Nation's Courts

Judicial activism is a grave threat to the rule of law because unaccountable federal judges are usurping democracy, ignoring the Constitution and its separation of powers, and imposing their personal opinions upon the public. This must stop.

Republicans will insist on the appointment of constitutionalist judges, men and women who will not distort our founding documents to deny the people's right to self-government, sanction federal powers that violate our liberties, or inject foreign law into American jurisprudence. 

We oppose stealth nominations to the federal bench, and especially to the Supreme Court, whose lack of a clear and distinguished record leaves doubt about their respect for the constitution or their intellectual fortitude. Nominees must have a record of fidelity to the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.

In affirming Article VI of the Constitution - that no religious test shall ever be required for an office - we insist that the Senate should never inquire into a noninee's religious conviction and we condemn the opposition, by some members of the Democratic Party, to recent judicial nominees because of their ethnicity or religion.

Protecting the Right to Vote in Fair Elections:

We oppose any restrictions or conditions upon those activities that would discourage Americans from exercising their constitutional right to enter the political fray or limit their commitment to their ideals. 

Guaranteeing a Constitutional Census in 2010

We urge all who are legally eligible to participate in the census count to do so; at the same time, we urge Congress to specify -- and to constitutionally justify - which census questions require a response.

Working with Americans in the Territories:

We appreciate the extraordinary sacrifices the men and women of the territories are making to protect our freedom through their service in the U.S. Armed Forces....We affirm their right to seek the full extension of the Constitution, with all the political rights and responsibilities it entails.

Category - Education: 

Education:

Although the Constitution assigns the federal government no role in local education, Washington’s authority over the nation’s schools has increased dramatically....We call for a review of Department of Education programs and administration to identify and eliminate ineffective programs, to respect the role of states, and to better meet state needs.

Category - Crime:

Protecting the Victims of Crime:

Twenty-six years ago, President Reagan’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, calling the neglect of crime victims a “national disgrace,” proposed a constitutional amendment to secure their formal rights...Today, that disgrace persists...We call on Congress to correct this imbalance by sending to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment to protect the rights of crime victims. 

Securing our Civil Liberties:

 Because our Constitution is based on the principles of individual liberty and limited government, we must always ensure that law enforcement respects the civil and constitutional rights of the people.  While we wage war on terrorism in foreign lands, it is sometimes necessary for intelligence agencies and law enforcement officials to pursue terrorist threats at home.  However, no expansion of governmental powers should occur at the expense of our constitutional liberties.

Category - Values:

Upholding the Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms:

We uphold the right of individual Americans to own firearms, a right which antedated the Constitution and was solemnly confirmed by the Second Amendment....We call on the next president to appoint judges who will similarly respect the Constitution... 

We call for education in constitutional rights in schools, and we support the option of firearms training in federal programs serving senior citizens and women.

Ensuring Equal Treatment for All: 

As a matter of principle, Republicans oppose any attempts to create race-based governments within the United States, as well as any domestic governments not bound by the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.

Maintaining the Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life: 

We support a human life amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.

Preserving Traditional Marriage: 

Because our children’s future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it.

Safeguarding Religious Liberties: 

Our Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids any religious test for public office, and it likewise prohibits the establishment of a state-sponsored creed.

The public display of the Ten Commandments does not violate the U.S. Constitution and accurately reflects the Judeo-Christian heritage of our country. We support the right of students to engage in student-initiated, student-led prayer in public schools, athletic events, and graduation ceremonies, when done in conformity with constitutional standards.