Friday, January 29, 2010

Utah County Republican Party Platform

Utah County Republican Party Platform
(as adopted 25April 2009)

PREAMBLE

We the members of the Utah County Republican Party do hereby affirm our belief and trust in God and that it was through His intervention that this nation was established. The foundation of our platform is the knowledge that all people are created equal and that the role of government should be limited to protecting and preserving the God-given rights of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the ownership and control of property.

And in order to identify our Party and our elected officials with certain shared values and principles, we do hereby present this platform to convention delegates and the public and invite all who share these values and principles to vote for Republican candidates.

PROPER ROLE OF CITIZENS

Individual responsibility and accountability are necessary for government to operate within the limited powers granted by the divinely

inspired Constitution of the United States of America in keeping with the principles established by our Founding Fathers. We believe a society can only remain free when the majority of its members lead spiritually grounded and morally upright lives and are willing to become involved to preserve these values. We support the “Rule of Law” and believe in upholding the law of the land.

PROPER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

The proper role of government at all levels is to protect each person’s unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and each individual's right to own and control property. Any other rights or privileges should not be construed or applied in any way to infringe on our God-given unalienable rights.

Freedom of Religion. God is our supreme Sovereign, and the sole source of our rights. We must, therefore, be free to worship Him in public and private. Government should not restrict public prayer or other forms of public religious expression.

Right to Bear Arms. The right of individuals to keep and bear arms must not be infringed.

Support of Local Government. Local governments allow for greater community involvement and are most aware of the needs of the people. Federal regulations of state and local governments should be restricted to powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States.

Accountable Government. All government officials are accountable to the people. Any government agency or entity that receives public funds must be open to public audit and review. Elected officials are accountable for all taxpayer money and will not delegate appropriation authority to non-elected or appointed entities.

Voter Registration. The Party supports needed legislation to ensure the integrity of the voter registration rolls and to reduce voter fraud.

Fiscal Responsibility. Government at all levels should be required to live within a balanced budget. Increases in government spending should not exceed inflation and population growth.

National Sovereignty. Ours is a sovereign nation governed solely by the Constitution of the United States of America. Our government shall not relinquish its authority to foreign or world powers.

National Defense. We affirm the principle of peace through strength and call for the rebuilding of our armed services to defend our nation. The United States of America should only be involved in armed conflicts when there is a clear and present threat to our safety or vital national interest. It is the right of the United States Congress alone to declare war.

EDUCATION

A well-educated and informed citizenry is essential to the long-term well being of a free society. The primary responsibility for education rests with the student and the family. Parents have the right to choose whether a child is educated in private, public or home schools and government should not infringe on that right. To promote excellence, consumer choice in education should be encouraged. Schools or other government entities should not invade the privacy of parents or their children. We favor local accountability and control in all aspects of the education system.
Public schools should abstain from teaching promiscuity in any form.

Higher Education. Funding for Utah’s public higher education institutions should be based on the number of students currently attending that college or university and the type of degrees offered, and not on past history.

ECONOMY

The proper role of government in economic development is to create an environment in which free enterprise, innovation, investment and risk-taking can thrive. In order to create such an environment, we believe the following principles:

Economic Development. Utah's economic growth should be sustained through the principles of free enterprise. We encourage the privatization of public services where appropriate.

Regulation. We oppose excessive and restrictive government regulation. Regulation should be minimized, or eliminated, unless a convincing case can be made that the collective good is clearly improved by such regulation. Regular review of regulatory goals is necessary to insure their effectiveness.

Taxation. Taxation should be as equitable, simple, and minimal as possible. Limited government dictates that taxpayers should keep the majority of their money instead of giving it to government. Utah’s system of taxation has improved and government should continue to refine and improve it. Appropriate tax policy is essential if Utah is to compete globally.

Infrastructure. Funding shall be formula based to provide an adequate source of funding to develop and maintain Utah County’s infrastructure. Decisions need to be made now on how to build the necessary infrastructure to handle growth, or future economic development could be lost, and our quality of life rapidly diminished.

ENVIRONMENT

There must be a balance between the economic benefits of growth and the need for clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment.

We are stewards of the earth, and we should leave our posterity an earth in better condition than we started with. Market forces should be considered when managing environmental issues.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUSTICE

Law enforcement agencies and the judiciary should strictly uphold the law in the exercise of their duties and work with citizens to maintain safe communities.

Crime Prevention. The primary defense against crime is stable and responsible family life emphasizing personal accountability and respect for the law. Swift and certain punishments with just and appropriate penalties are essential deterrents to crime.

Victims’ Rights. Victims’ rights are always superior to criminals’ rights. Victims’ right of restitution should be required of criminals.

Judicial System. Each individual is entitled to a trial by jury in both criminal and civil cases. It is the duty of juries to rule on the law as well as the facts of a case. We call upon the judiciary to reestablish this process and to inform juries of this duty. State senators must hold thorough hearings for all judicial nominees, and members of the Judiciary should undergo regular reviews. The results of such reviews should be a matter of public record. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of human life. Judges should not make statute but apply it.

Juvenile Crime. Juveniles who are charged with a serious violent crime should be tried as adults, acknowledging that in some instances the judicial system must use discretion when dealing with young offenders. We support adult punishment for the conviction of adult crimes. We call for swift, just, and appropriate punishment for adults who aid in the commission of crimes by juveniles.

SOCIAL NEEDS

Family. We believe that marriage consists only of the legal union between a man and a woman and that no other domestic union should be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equal legal effect. Parents have the right to bear children, (or otherwise add children to their families), to determine their own family size, and to determine what is in their best interest without interference from government. We encourage all efforts to strengthen the moral character of our children and oppose policies, practices, and public expressions that degrade humanity and the sanctity of family relationships. We oppose efforts to include sexual orientation as a protected minority.

Protection of Human Life. We affirm the fundamental, unalienable right to life for both the born and the unborn. We oppose using public funds for abortion or to support any organizations that promote abortion. Abortion should be illegal except where the life of the mother is at serious risk, or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. All people should be protected from abuse and exploitation.

Personal Agency and Accountability. Individuals have the primary responsibility for their own welfare. Family, church, and private organizations should provide secondary support when needed. The focus of assistance programs should be the development of self-reliance.

Gambling. We oppose all efforts to legalize gambling in any form.

Pornography. Pornography is destructive to the individual, family, and the community. We support the vigorous prosecution of those who create, distribute, or promote pornographic materials, especially in connection with children. Local communities have the right to
establish moral and ethical standards.

IMMIGRATION

We support the 2008 National Republican Party Platform under the title of Immigration, National Security, and the Rule of Law. We also support measures to ensure that the immigration system is structured to address the needs of national security. We support efforts to
enforce the law while welcoming immigrants who enter America through legal avenues. America is a stronger and better nation because of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants. We support the Constitutional mandate for the federal government to protect and secure our national borders. Taxpayers should not be covering state benefits for illegal aliens.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security must satisfy its obligations to those who have contributed to it, and become an optional program for any who wish to participate.

All Republican elected officials, candidates and party officers are expected to endorse these principles and agree to be held accountable to the people and to the party.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Brad Daw, Our Representative, In Session

Joe Pyrah and Heidi Toth - Daily Herald | Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 12:45 am

More than 4,000 people are admitted to the emergency room every year with a prescription drug overdose, says one Utah County lawmaker, and it's time to put an end to it.

"Even if it was an accident, if there was an overdose, there's a problem there," said Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem.

Daw is running a trio of bills targeting prescription drug abuse, a growing problem in Utah and specifically Utah Valley. His bills would require the state Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing to send notification to a doctor anytime someone went to the ER on an overdose or was arrested for DUI involving prescription drugs. -- Read More

And from Brad to his constituents (that would be us), he emailed on January 23, 2010:

Dear Neighbor,

This coming Monday, January 25th, the 2010 session of the Utah State Legislature will begin. The session will last for 45 days ending on March 11th. I will be sending you weekly updates to keep you informed on the activities of the legislature. Additionally, during this time, I invite you to e-mail me with your comments and concerns; I would love to hear from you and will take all input with the utmost consideration.

During this session I am sponsoring three main bills that involve prescription drug abuse. They all deal with helping to educate and inform those that write the prescriptions. Hopefully, through this heightened awareness, preventative measures can be taken to reduce the number of unnecessary deaths resulting from prescription drug abuse. If you wish to follow these bills during the times of the session, you can find them on the quick bill search on le.utah.gov. You can also see what these bills are about by clicking on the following links: HB 28, HB 35, HB 36.

Another piece of legislation you may be interested in coming to the floor this session is an ethics bill. A great article describing this bill can be found on the Deseret News [website.]

On the national front, some interesting events have happened as of late involving national health care reform. Scott Brown, Republican, landed the Massachusetts’ senate seat, thus representing the 41st vote in the senate against the health care bill. The LA Times summarizes the situation in the following paragraph:

“To many Democrats, the bill is a victim of simple math. All 435 members of the House and one-third of the Senate are up for reelection in November, a fact that makes them acutely tuned to shifts in public opinion. With Brown campaigning . . . against healthcare in the Senate, they're not sure they want to risk their own political necks for a proposal that is spurring a huge voter backlash.” (Does Scott Brown’s Election Doom Healthcare?)

Other insighful articles on this topic can be found at Newsmax - Scott Brown Win Is a Wake-Up Call, and the Daily Caller: What’s next for health-care reform? We are currently diligently working in the state of Utah on reform that empowers consumers to make their own health care decisions as opposed to reform that enables the government to have that right.

Once again, I welcome your comments and concerns and invite you to visit me at the capital during the session. Thank you for your support and I promise to do all that I can to make this 2010 session the best one yet in representing the needs of our district.

Brad Daw

To receive your own email updates from Brad Daw, subscribe here.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Mike Lee Opposes Nomination of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke

January 25th, 2010

Utah Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate demands transparency and accountability

Salt Lake City, UT, January 25, 2010 — Joining an increasing number of current U.S. Senators, Utah Republican Senate candidate Mike Lee today voiced his opposition to the nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to a second term. Bernanke's current term expires on January 31st. President Obama's nomination of Bernanke is seen by many as a continuation of the status quo in Washington, without transparency or accountability, sparking significant opposition from Senators on both sides of the political aisle.

Mike Lee stated, "It is clear that during Chairman Bernanke's term, the Federal Reserve has played a significant role in creating and perpetuating policies and strategies that have contributed significantly to the most difficult economic environment our country has faced in a generation." Lee continued, "To confirm the Chairman to a second term would be both a tacit approval of his actions during these past few years, and an endorsement that 'business as usual' is acceptable. That is something I am simply not willing to do."

Lee is not alone in this sentiment, as he is joined by members of the Senate and by a vast majority of Americans. Lee pointed to a recent Rasmussen poll which found that only 21% of people favor the reappointment of Bernanke. "I believe people are seeing through the flowery rhetoric and hollow reassurances in the statements Bernanke has made and continues to make," Lee said. "For example, Congress was warned that we were on the precipice of collapse in the credit markets and that the premise for voting for the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) was to purchase toxic assets. Despite their stated intentions to the contrary, the Department of the Treasury, under guidance from the Fed, used the appropriated money for bailing out banks and other purposes unrelated to purchasing toxic assets. The TARP funds were simply not used as they were described and intended. For this reason and others, I strongly support Senator Jim DeMint's efforts to block Chairman Bernanke's confirmation until the Senate votes up or down on the Federal Reserve Sunshine Act."

The Federal Reserve Sunshine Act, sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), currently has over thirty sponsors in the Senate and would give the Government Accountability Office authority to conduct a full audit of the Federal Reserve. Efforts to have this bill come to a vote on the Senate floor have recently been blocked, but according to a Rasmussen poll conducted last month, 8 out of 10 Americans support the audit. Lee commented, "The Sunshine Act seems aptly named, as a little sunshine pointed at the Federal Reserve, by way of an audit, would do wonders to increase transparency and assure accountability."

"The Federal Reserve is an institution which has mismanaged the people's money, inflated our currency, blocked efforts to determine and disclose who they have given over $2 trillion of our money to, all while earning $45 billion during 2009," Lee explained. "Simply replacing Bernanke may not be sufficient, but Chairman Bernanke must be held accountable for the Fed's actions. It is time to send a clear message that 'business as usual' is not acceptable, that transparency is mandatory and that everyone is accountable, now and in the future. This is the first in a series of important steps which must be taken to ensure the integrity and reliability of our monetary system."

Mike Lee is running for the seat currently held by three-term incumbent Senator Bob Bennett, who recently cast an approving vote in the Senate Banking Committee to confirm Bernanke for a second term.

About Mike Lee: An attorney from Alpine, Utah, Lee has served as a law clerk to Judge Dee Benson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, as a law clerk to Judge Samuel Alito of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, as General Counsel to Governor Jon Huntsman, and as a law clerk to Justice Samuel Alito of the U.S. Supreme Court. He has also held positions in private practice, and is currently a partner with the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Howrey LLP. 


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Learn more about Mike Lee and donate to the restoration of America at www.mikelee2010.com.

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved by Candace E. Salima.

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Saturday, January 9, 2010

An Evening with the U.S. Constitution and Mike Lee

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

You are invited to an Evening with the U.S. Constitution and Mike Lee. This night is about the U.S. Constitution, why it was created, what it is all about. The Constitution is our rule of law, and as Mike Lee has said, every law and piece of legislation should be measured against the Constitution and then dealt with accordingly. Come and learn, be motivated and be inspired. Bring your friends, family and neighbors...leave no one untold about this incredible opportunity to learn from one of the most brilliant constitutional minds in our nation. I do not grant that title lightly, for I am related to another of the greatest constitutional minds in our nation.

This is an amazing opportunity for every Utahan. I love, support, stand for and defend the U.S. Constitution as our rule of law. This is your chance to strengthen your educational foundation as an American citizen. An educated and literate society cannot be overthrown...think about that for a moment, and then come meet Mike Lee.

I've created a flyer announcing "An Evening with the U.S. Constitution and Mike Lee" for those willing to hand out to their friends, family and neighbors. If you are interested in receiving one, please feel free to email me and I'll send it right back to you.

Mike’s formal bio:

Mike has a great love of the Constitution, which he holds dear and wants desperately to preserve. The Constitution - including everything from the Due Process Clause to the Presentment Clause - was discussed around the Lee family's dinner table, almost in the same way many families talk about the weather, school, or the day's events. As a result, at a very young age Mike acquired a great love and admiration for the Constitution and for the principles found therein.

After graduating from Law School in 1997, he served as a law clerk to Judge Dee Benson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. He then clerked for then-Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., who was serving at that time on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Court. From there he went into private practice, joining the Washington, D.C. office of Sidley & Austin, where he specialized in appellate and Supreme Court litigation. Several years later, Mike returned to Utah after being invited to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Salt Lake City, preparing briefs and arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He served as Governor Huntsman's General Counsel from January 2005 until June 2006, when he returned to Washington to serve a one-year clerkship at the U.S. Supreme Court with Justice Alito.

Mike returned to Utah (and to private practice) in the summer of 2007, joining the Salt Lake office of the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Howrey LLP. Mike has earned a reputation as a truly outstanding lawyer based on his sound judgment, unsurpassed writing and courtroom advocacy skills, and thorough understanding of the Constitution (and of federal law generally).

Mike has a strong desire to bring about fundamental change in the way the federal government operates. In particular, he supports efforts to:

1. Secure passage and ratification of a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to operate on a balanced budget

2. Secure passage and ratification of a constitutional amendment imposing term limits on U.S. Senators and Representatives

3. Rein in entitlement spending

4. Reform campaign finance laws, many of which restrict core political speech in violation of the First Amendment and - while cleverly presented to the public as ethics-reform laws - are principally designed to give incumbent Senators and Representatives an unfair advantage over challengers

Mike, his wife Sharon, and their three children live in Alpine.

To learn a little more about Mike:

http://mikelee2010.com
http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2010/01/mike-lee-general-welfare-clause-in-us.html
http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/2010/01/mike-lee-to-announce-his-candidacy.html

I hope to see you all there. Mike Lee has formally announced his bid for Bob Bennett’s U.S. Senate seat. He is actively campaigning around the state, but has graciously agreed to come and speak to us about that document he loves so much.

Thursday, 14 January 2010
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

An Evening with the U.S. Constitution and Mike Lee
Noah Webster Academy
205 East 400 South
Orem, UT

Candace E. Salima
Precinct Chair
OR/28