SECTION 1: GOVERNMENT

 

WE reaffirm the words in the Declaration of Independence, “That all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness -That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. WE believe government closest to the people is most responsive and that government should encourage personal responsibility rather than government dependence. WE believe government’s role is to protect the life and liberty of all citizens regardless of age or development born and unborn. WE believe the integrity of the election process is critical to sound government; therefore the elimination of voter fraud is essential.

 

SECTION 2: EDUCATION

 

WE believe students are best served when they have more educational options. We believe in school choice and local control of education. Along with public school education, we support charter schools, STEM programs, vocational schools, Running Start, pre-apprenticeship programs, magnet schools, alternative-learning programs, online learning programs, private schools, and home-schooling education. WE oppose common core and various overly complicated alternative solutions to math.

 

SECTION 3: PUBLIC SAFETY

 

WE believe a criminal justice system must make individuals accountable for their actions with an emphasis on restitution to the victim and appropriate punishment which will provide a deterrent. WE believe our state must keep violent felons off our streets and protect our children from sex offenders by giving law enforcement the tools to accomplish this. WE believe in the individual right of the law-abiding citizen to “keep and bear arms” as provided in the Second Amendment of the U. S. Constitution.

 

SECTION 4: ECONOMY

 

WE believe the free enterprise system is the world’s best economic system and that it should be allowed to function free from excessive government restrictions, regulations and burdensome taxes WE believe that for a sound economy, the free-market system, not government, must be the fundamental driver for the creation of jobs. WE believe government must practice fiscal responsibility. We support balanced budgets.

 

SECTION 5: HEALTH CARE

 

WE support the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Health care choices are a personal issue and individuals are better able to make decisions about their health care than government. WE support free-market driven solutions by offering more and better choices, including open competition in health care insurance across state lines for individuals to purchase. WE support tort reform.

 

SECTION 6: PRIVATE PROPERTY

 

WE believe individual property rights are the foundation of all rights in a free society. It is the proper role of government to protect the private property rights of its citizens. We support the reduction of excessive regulations which restrict the owners’ enjoyment and use of their land. WE affirm the Fifth Amendment that private property may be taken only for public use, with just compensation, when property is taken or devalued by regulation WE oppose regulations based on the concept of Climate Change that violates the ownership of private property. We support revisions to the Growth Management Act which would allow counties with populations of less than 100,000 to opt out of all or part of the Act . We support a review of the Washington State Shorelines Management Act every five (5) years and any revisions of the Act needed to correct its effect on the economic viability of counties with fewer than 100,000 residents.

 

SECTION 7: NATIONAL DEFENSE AND FOREIGN POLICY

 

WE believe that the United States’ government exists, most fundamentally: (a) to protect our national sovereignty; (b) to negotiate international treaties that first benefit our citizens; (c) to protect all of our borders; and (d) to secure the safety of our citizens. WE support the enactment of a meaningful temporary guest worker program, which includes proper security measures, and that all existing immigration laws should be enforced. WE believe in a strong national defense and military that will protect the physical and economic security of the United States. We believe only Congress can declare war and commit our troops. We believe our military should be under U.S. command exclusively. WE believe it is the duty of the U.S. government to maintain a strong Homeland Security Department that does not infringe on the constitutional rights of our citizens. WE believe that when the federal government enters into any treaty it must not deny to the citizens of the United States those rights and powers which are secured to them under the U.S. Constitution.

 

SECTION 8:

 

ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION WE oppose cap and trade as a means of promoting environmental regulations and taxation on business and agriculture. WE believe that the most cost-effective answer to our country’s immediate energy independence and needs is the prioritization and development of our own resources. WE support the development of safe, clean, renewable energy sources, provided that they are economically competitive. WE oppose the unnecessary removal of dams used for hydroelectric, irrigation and transportation. WE support the creation of regional transportation plans to work in conjunction with the state’s objective and goals. WE support the prioritization of highway projects and efficient use of public monies to reduce congestion and maintain the infrastructure on a regional basis but not giving priority to any region in the state over any other. WE support streamlining the process for transportation projects by reducing our state’s complicated and bureaucratic permitting process.

 

Respectfully submitted by the Lewis County Platform Committee

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1st Commissioner District Sean Swope

2nd Commissioner District Lindsay Pollack

3rd Commissioner District  Scott Brummer