Constitution Party (United States)

Fiscal policy

The Constitution Party supports reducing the role of the United States federal government through cutting bureaucratic regulation, reducing spending, and replacing the income tax with a tariff-based revenue system supplemented by excise taxes. Its leaders are among the strongest advocates of abolishing most forms of federal taxation, especially the income tax; they view most current regular federal expenditures, such as those for health care, education, and welfare, as unconstitutional under Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution and the Tenth Amendment. The party also takes the position that the "imposition […] of Federal income, payroll, and estate taxes […] is an unconstitutional Federal assumption of direct taxing authority."^[17] However, the 16th amendment to the US Constitution does grant Congress the power to "lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."^[18]

The party supports paying off the federal debt through a systematic elimination of further borrowing, programs, and agencies it considers unconstitutional such as the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. The party opposes foreign aid, asking that no further funds be appropriated for any kind of foreign aid program, and encourage the idea that the United States terminate its participation in international lending institutions, such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the Export-Import Bank. It also urges the government to immediately terminate all subsidies, tax preferences, and investment guarantees that encourage U.S. businesses to invest in foreign property; and to seek to collect all foreign debts owed to it.

Foreign policy

Additionally, the party favors a noninterventionist foreign policy. It advocates reduction and eventual elimination of the role the United States plays in multinational and international organizations such as the United Nations, and favors withdrawal of the United States from most current treaties, such as North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and the World Trade Organization. The party takes mercantilist positions in supporting protectionist policies on international trade.

The party also believes in exercising a tariff system to counteract the U.S.' increasingly negative balance of trade.^[19] The tariff system would levy additional import costs, the amount of which would vary proportionally with how much less the exporting country's production costs are compared to that of U.S. companies. This system would presumably give U.S. companies a better chance at competing with countries, like Mexico and China, which have lower labor costs.

Immigration policy

The party opposes illegal immigration and also seeks a more restrictive policy on legal immigration. They demand that the federal government restore immigration policies based on the practice that potential immigrants will be disqualified from admission to the U.S. if, on the grounds of health, criminality, morals, or financial dependence, they would impose an improper burden on the United States, any state, or any citizen of the United States.

Additionally, they oppose the provision of welfare subsidies and other taxpayer-supported benefits to illegal immigrants, and reject the practice of bestowing U.S. citizenship on children born to illegal immigrant parents while in this country (jus soli). They also reject any extension of amnesty to illegal immigrants. The Constitution Party calls for the use of U.S. troops to protect the states against an influx of illegal immigrants.

Social policy

The party opposes euthanasia and abortion.^[20][21] The party supports a state's right to administer the death penalty to those convicted of "capital crimes"^[22] which, it should be noted, are not necessarily limited to murder but usually equate to such in modern American society.

Our support of a State's option to impose the death penalty is limited to those who have been convicted of capital crimes. This is consistent with protecting "innocent" life because the death penalty would only be applied to those who have proven to be a threat to innocent life.

The party also opposes government recognition of same-sex unions, and believes state and local governments have the right to criminalize "offensive sexual behavior".^[23] The party further opposes pornography, believing it to be, at worst, "a destructive element of society resulting in significant and real emotional, physical, spiritual and financial costs to individuals, families and communities," distinguishable from the American citizen's "cherished First Amendment right to free speech." While expressing its belief in the individual responsibility of citizens and corporations, the party maintains that government plays a "vital role" in establishing and maintaining the highest level of decency in America's community standards. ^[24] Viewing gambling as destructive and contributing to crime, the party opposes all government sponsorship, involvement in, or promotion of gambling,^[25] and in keeping with the spirit of Article 1 Section 8 and Amendment 10, the party opposes federal anti-drug laws while maintaining that the federal government may have a role in limiting the import of drugs.^[26]

The party supports the right to bear arms in accordance with the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The party is opposed to the USA PATRIOT Act.

The Constitution party believes that charitable giving is most effective when conducted by private parties. Because the authority to administer charity has not been granted to the government in the Constitution, the party maintains that the government has no business being involved in such endeavors.^[27] The party opposes federal restrictions on, or subsidization of, medical treatments.^[28]

The party supports English as the official language for all governmental business, opposes bilingual ballots, and insists that those who wish to take part in the electoral process and governance of the US be required to read and comprehend basic English as a precondition of citizenship.^[29]

Abortion stance and post-Tampa state disaffiliations

The Constitution Party officially opposes both early and late-term abortions. Party members, however, have been divided on the subject of exceptions in the cases of rape, incest, and abortions performed to save the life of the mother.

In early 2006, Christopher H. Hansen, the gubernatorial candidate of Independent American Party of Nevada (the Constitution Party state affiliate in Nevada), and candidates in Colorado and Idaho, publicly expressed support for these exceptions, which were contrary to the official Nevada platform.

At the party's April national convention in Tampa, Florida, the assembly voted not to disaffiliate Nevada, citing that affiliate's official position on the issue and national party policy against dictating the internal affairs (such as electing leaders) of any affiliate. They also made it more difficult to introduce a disaffiliation resolution.

In response, nine state parties formally voted to disaffiliate from the national party, believing it to have unacceptably compromised on the issue of abortion.^{[30][31][32][33][34]} Several of these states have since reorganized and reaffiliated.^[35][36]

Federalism

The party supports the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, which allows Congress to tax income, and the Seventeenth Amendment, which requires the direct (popular) election of Senators.^[37] The party asserts the rights of states to secede without interference from the Federal Government.^[38]

Ballot access

The Constitution Party is on the ballot in the following states, as of January 4, 2007 ^[39]. Several state parties are still disaffiliated following the 2006 Tampa decision.

Ballot access only for Presidential candidate

1. Arkansas - The party collected 1,000 valid signatures (10,000 for party)^[46]

Presidential tickets

• 1992 - Howard Phillips and Albion Knight, Jr 43,369 Votes
• 1996 - Howard Phillips and Herb Titus 184,820 Votes
• 2000 - Howard Phillips and Curtis Frazier 98,022 Votes
• 2004 - Michael Peroutka and Chuck Baldwin 143,630 Votes
• 2008 - Chuck Baldwin and Darrell Castle

See also

• List of political parties in the United States
• Constitution Party National Convention
• Electoral history of the Constitution Party
• Free State Project
• List of state Constitution Parties
• Young Constitutionalists, youth activism arm of the party
• America First Party, The American Party, American Heritage Party, Independent American Party, American Patriot Party - parties with similar positions

References

External links

• Official Constitution Party website and platform
• National Veterans Coalition
• Promotional items and memorabilia
• Constitution Party at ThirdPartyNews.net
• Constitution Party bulletin board
• CP discussion forum at LiveJournal
• Profile at CNN

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