2020 WY GOP PLATFORM
Unanimously adopted June 27, 2020 Wyoming Republican Party State Convention
WE believe there are Timeless Truths that will always inform and direct our party and our country regardless of current events and circumstances, changing strategies, goals, and leadership.
These Truths, put into action, maintain, protect, and defend our unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, Property and the Pursuit of Happiness.
LIFE
1. All individuals are endowed by their Creator from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death with the rights to Life, Liberty, Property, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The only purpose of government is to protect these rights for all.
EQUALITY
2. Every citizen is equal before, equally protected by, and equally subject to, the law.
SECOND AMENDMENT
3. The right of individuals to keep and bear Arms and ammunition shall not be infringed, restricted, or denied. Individuals must never be prevented from defending life, liberty, or property.
PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS
4. The pursuit by an individual to rightfully acquire, keep and enjoy his own property is foundational. Every individual has the right to develop his own potential, to use and enjoy his own property, tangible or intellectual, and pursue his own interests, free from the restrictions of arbitrary force. Individuals are always presumed to be the best stewards of their property.
5. The Wyoming Republican Party supports the protection of private property from the use of eminent domain, civil asset forfeiture, amortization or inverse condemnation.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
6. The freedom to practice one’s faith is a fundamental natural right secured by our Constitution. The First Amendment does not require the expulsion of religion from public life. We must keep in mind the Judeo-Christian principles of the Founding Fathers when they wrote it; the practice of faith under this tradition encourages good moral behavior and the development of character that helps secure the other fundamental bases of our national citizenship. Freedom of religion includes the right to abstain from actions contrary to one’s religious beliefs.
FAMILY VALUES
7. The Wyoming Republican Party believes that the definition of marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
8. The traditional family, based on the foundation of marriage between one man and one woman, is the best institution and is the authority on how to provide children with the education and training to develop their potential and prepare them to participate in society and in our government.
LIBERTY
9. Liberty is indivisible from economic freedom. The free market economy is the economic system most compatible with the requirements of personal freedom and constitutional government. Government’s undue interference in the market, as well as the fiscal irresponsibility of government, results in economic inequity. There exists no fundamental right to the fruits of another person’s labor.
CITIZENRY GOVERNMENT BY THE CONSTITUTION
10. The citizens of the United States are the ultimate authority. Governments possess powers derived only from the consent of the governed.
11. Our constitutional representative republic remains the best political system, derived from history and knowledge of human nature, to prohibit tyranny, assure equality of opportunity and protect our individual rights.
12. The Constitution of the United States establishes a more perfect union of sovereign states, not a group of subordinate subsidiaries. Neither the judiciary nor the executive may effectively change the document via decisions, judicial opinions, or executive actions. The Constitution of the United States may only be altered by the processes of amendment as provided therein. The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land. Under the Tenth Amendment, powers not enumerated in it are reserved to the States and the People. The most effective, responsible, and responsive government is the government that is closest to the People. Government that governs least governs best.
AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM
13. The United States must maintain its national sovereignty free from foreign influence that would infringe on the rights of the American People guaranteed by the Constitution. Foreign policy must serve the just interests of the United States.
MILITARY
14. It is incumbent on the federal government to maintain a strong military defense for the protection of our people, our interests, and our way of life. Those who serve our country honorably deserve our deepest gratitude, highest respect and unwavering support.
TAXES
15. All taxes collected must be used for the constitutional purposes of government. It is irresponsible to run up debts that are passed on to our children and grandchildren. Taxes should never be more than necessary to meet the government’s constitutional obligations.
EDUCATION
16. The Wyoming Republican Party supports the teaching of the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Wyoming, the Declaration of Independence, and other United States founding documents as well as the factual history and heritage of the United States in Wyoming schools and the historical evidence of the role of faith and biblical principles in the founding of our nation.
WATER RIGHTS
17. The Wyoming Republican Party believes in the state’s primacy over water, wildlife, minerals and natural resources; supports any actions which assures Wyoming’s primacy over its water; i.e. the doctrine of prior appropriations.
RIGHT TO WORK
18. The Wyoming Republican Party opposes the unionization of public employees and supports the Right to Work Law.
CIVIC DUTY
19. Our liberty and the continued success of our republican form of federal government demands continuous vigilance by “We the People.
FREE SPEECH
20. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right secured by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Wyoming. Freedom of speech includes the freedom of the individual to express his or her beliefs, ideas and opinions without fear of retaliation, censorship or legal sanction by government.
Finally, having thus set forth our distinctive principles and views, we invite the co-operation of all citizens, however differing on other questions, who substantially agree with us, to offer their affirmation and support.
WE believe there are Timeless Truths that will always inform and direct our party and our country regardless of current events and circumstances, changing strategies, goals, and leadership.
These Truths, put into action, maintain, protect, and defend our unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, Property and the Pursuit of Happiness.
LIFE
1. All individuals are endowed by their Creator from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death with the rights to Life, Liberty, Property, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The only purpose of government is to protect these rights for all.
EQUALITY
2. Every citizen is equal before, equally protected by, and equally subject to, the law.
SECOND AMENDMENT
3. The right of individuals to keep and bear Arms and ammunition shall not be infringed, restricted, or denied. Individuals must never be prevented from defending life, liberty, or property.
PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS
4. The pursuit by an individual to rightfully acquire, keep and enjoy his own property is foundational. Every individual has the right to develop his own potential, to use and enjoy his own property, tangible or intellectual, and pursue his own interests, free from the restrictions of arbitrary force. Individuals are always presumed to be the best stewards of their property.
5. The Wyoming Republican Party supports the protection of private property from the use of eminent domain, civil asset forfeiture, amortization or inverse condemnation.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
6. The freedom to practice one’s faith is a fundamental natural right secured by our Constitution. The First Amendment does not require the expulsion of religion from public life. We must keep in mind the Judeo-Christian principles of the Founding Fathers when they wrote it; the practice of faith under this tradition encourages good moral behavior and the development of character that helps secure the other fundamental bases of our national citizenship. Freedom of religion includes the right to abstain from actions contrary to one’s religious beliefs.
FAMILY VALUES
7. The Wyoming Republican Party believes that the definition of marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
8. The traditional family, based on the foundation of marriage between one man and one woman, is the best institution and is the authority on how to provide children with the education and training to develop their potential and prepare them to participate in society and in our government.
LIBERTY
9. Liberty is indivisible from economic freedom. The free market economy is the economic system most compatible with the requirements of personal freedom and constitutional government. Government’s undue interference in the market, as well as the fiscal irresponsibility of government, results in economic inequity. There exists no fundamental right to the fruits of another person’s labor.
CITIZENRY GOVERNMENT BY THE CONSTITUTION
10. The citizens of the United States are the ultimate authority. Governments possess powers derived only from the consent of the governed.
11. Our constitutional representative republic remains the best political system, derived from history and knowledge of human nature, to prohibit tyranny, assure equality of opportunity and protect our individual rights.
12. The Constitution of the United States establishes a more perfect union of sovereign states, not a group of subordinate subsidiaries. Neither the judiciary nor the executive may effectively change the document via decisions, judicial opinions, or executive actions. The Constitution of the United States may only be altered by the processes of amendment as provided therein. The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land. Under the Tenth Amendment, powers not enumerated in it are reserved to the States and the People. The most effective, responsible, and responsive government is the government that is closest to the People. Government that governs least governs best.
AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM
13. The United States must maintain its national sovereignty free from foreign influence that would infringe on the rights of the American People guaranteed by the Constitution. Foreign policy must serve the just interests of the United States.
MILITARY
14. It is incumbent on the federal government to maintain a strong military defense for the protection of our people, our interests, and our way of life. Those who serve our country honorably deserve our deepest gratitude, highest respect and unwavering support.
TAXES
15. All taxes collected must be used for the constitutional purposes of government. It is irresponsible to run up debts that are passed on to our children and grandchildren. Taxes should never be more than necessary to meet the government’s constitutional obligations.
EDUCATION
16. The Wyoming Republican Party supports the teaching of the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Wyoming, the Declaration of Independence, and other United States founding documents as well as the factual history and heritage of the United States in Wyoming schools and the historical evidence of the role of faith and biblical principles in the founding of our nation.
WATER RIGHTS
17. The Wyoming Republican Party believes in the state’s primacy over water, wildlife, minerals and natural resources; supports any actions which assures Wyoming’s primacy over its water; i.e. the doctrine of prior appropriations.
RIGHT TO WORK
18. The Wyoming Republican Party opposes the unionization of public employees and supports the Right to Work Law.
CIVIC DUTY
19. Our liberty and the continued success of our republican form of federal government demands continuous vigilance by “We the People.
FREE SPEECH
20. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right secured by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Wyoming. Freedom of speech includes the freedom of the individual to express his or her beliefs, ideas and opinions without fear of retaliation, censorship or legal sanction by government.
Finally, having thus set forth our distinctive principles and views, we invite the co-operation of all citizens, however differing on other questions, who substantially agree with us, to offer their affirmation and support.
