2010 Texas GOP Platform! (Extracts)

We may be the only people to read the 2010 Texas GOP Platform here it is. It is too big to post.

I find it to be an interesting document. These are the things these guys think are important. No word on apologizing for slavery, but they do mention regulation of dog breeding kennels.
Here is a selection (my comments in italic):

  1. Self-sufficient families, founded on the traditional marriage of a natural man and a natural woman. Natural woman?

Continuity of Government – We oppose appointing members of Congress to fill large vacancies, depriving our right to elect our own representatives.{i]I have no idea what this means *

Emergency War Powers – We charge the President to cancel the state of national emergency and charge Congress to repeal the War Powers Act and end our declared state of emergency. repealing the WPA is usually a lefty issue.
Elimination of Executive Orders – We demand elimination of presidential authority to issue executive orders and other mandates lacking congressional approval, as well as repeal of all previous executive orders and mandates. all?

Census – We oppose the Census Bureau’s obtaining data beyond the number of people residing in a dwelling, and we oppose statistical sampling adjustments in the “mid-decade” census. We urge that U.S. citizens who, because of religion or conscience, are compelled to withhold their full response to any census question, be held guiltless. We support the actual counting of people and oppose any type of estimation or manipulation of data. no person has ever been jailed on census rap. Ever.

Preservation of Republican Form of Government – We support our republican form of government in Texas as set forth in the Texas Bill of Rights (Art. I, § 2, §29; Art II §1; and Art. XVII §2g) and oppose Initiative and Referendum. We also urge the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress to enact legislation prohibiting any jurisdiction from allowing any substitute or parallel system of Law, specifically, but not limited to, Sharia Law, to be recognized which is not in accordance with the Constitutions of Texas or of the United States of America. I swear, these people are going to wrry themselves to death.

Constitutional Convention – We oppose any constitutional convention to rewrite the United States Constitution. We demand the Legislature rescind its 1977 call for such a convention. We call upon other states to rescind their votes for such a convention.*I am a big fan of a convention, if only for the amusement value.[/i

Livestock and Pet Locations – We oppose a mandatory national animal identification system requiring registration of all animals, of animal owners and their properties, including GPS coordinates and the use of RFID technology.Huh?

Banning the Use of Red Light Cameras – We oppose the manner in which alleged vehicle violations are documented and fines levied against individuals without proof of their having been the driver of the offending vehicle and we call for a ban on Red Light Cameras in the State of Texas. I agree

Driver Licenses – We propose that every Texas driver license shall indicate whether the driver is a U.S. citizen. No such documentation shall be issued to anyone not legally in the country.I need the DMV to decide if I am a resident

Free Speech for the Clergy – We urge change of the Internal Revenue Code to allow a religious organization to address issues without fear of losing its tax-exempt status. We call for repeal of requirements that religious organizations send government any personal information about their contributors. *I think Microsoft ought to reorganize as a church. *

Government Regulation of Religious Institutions – The state should have no power over licensing or training of clergy. The State should withdraw all imposed regulations.Is this an issue?

Real ID Act – As the Real ID Act effectively creates an unconstitutional and privacy-inhibiting national ID card, we hereby call for its immediate repeal.*You just said you want the DMV to … Be consistent! *

Direct Election of State Judges – We support our right to select our judges by direct vote.Freakin’ nuts

Qualified Juror Service – Jury service should be limited to registered voters. Why?

Candidate Eligibility – A candidate running for office should be required to reside within the geographical boundaries of the office sought. A candidate must submit proof of qualifications for the office being sought, including proof of citizenship and in the case of a presidential candidate, an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, bearing names and signatures of parents, attendant(s), as well as date, time and location of birth for the purpose of satisfying the requirement of being a “natural born citizen”. I see the Birthers were at the meeting!

Voter Registration – We support restoring integrity to the voter registration rolls and to reducing voter fraud. We support repeal of all Motor Voter laws; re–registering voters every four years; requiring photo ID of all registrants; proof of residency and citizenship, along with voter registration application; retention of the 30-day registration deadline; and requiring that a list of certified deaths be provided to the county clerk in order that the names of deceased voters be removed from the list of registered voters.So we ought to make it harder to register to vote? Why?

Electoral College – We support the Electoral College.Why? Texas is no longer a rural state.

Voting Rights – We support equal suffrage for all citizens of voting age who are not felons. We oppose any identification of citizens by race, origin, or creed and oppose use of any such identification for purposes of creating voting districts.Yep, but I would rather let felons vote.

Felon Voting – We affirm the Constitutional authority of state legislatures to regulate voting, including disenfranchisement of convicted felon The Texas GOP begs to differ.

Fair Election Procedures – We support modifications and strengthening of election laws to assure ballot integrity and fair elections. Specifically, we support a federal or state government-issued photo ID at in-person voting; increased scrutiny and security in balloting by mail; prohibition of internet voting and any electronic voting lacking a verifiable paper trail; prohibition of mobile voting; prosecution for election fraud with jail sentences; repeal of the unconstitutional “Help America Vote Act”; and assurance that each polling place has a distinctly marked and if possible separate location for Republican and Democratic primary voting. Again with making it harder to vote.

Campaign Finance Reform – We urge immediate repeal of the McCain-Feingold Act.Does their hatred for John McCain have no limits?

AWOL Legislators – We urge the Texas House and Senate to compel attendance of absent members and penalize those who attempt to bust the quorum by leaving the state or hiding within it.They are still pissed off about the Democratic road trip to Oklahoma.

Traditional Principles in Education – We support school subjects with emphasis on Judeo-Christian principles (including the Ten Commandments) upon which America was founded and which form the basis of America’s legal, political and economic systems. We support curricula that are heavily weighted on original founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and Founders’ writings. The Late-night comedian full employment clause.

School Health Care – We urge legislators to prohibit reproductive health care services, including counseling, referrals, and distribution of condoms and contraception through public schools. We support the parents’ right to choose, without penalty, which medications are administered to their minor children. We oppose medical clinics on school property except higher education and health care for students without parental consent.bareback is a Texas tradition.

U.S. Department of Education – Education falls under the 10th Amendment to our United States Constitution. Given this, the Department of Education (DOE) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have no jurisdiction and must be repealed.Hatred of George Bush

Freedom of Access Act – We urge repeal of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Law. Those who assault peaceful protesters acting under the Constitution should be vigorously prosecuted. Picketing and literature distribution do not fall under the RICO Act.

Judeo-Christian Nation – As America is a nation under God founded on Judeo-Christian principles, we affirm the constitutional right of all individuals to worship in the religion of their choice.

Safeguarding Our Religious Liberties – We affirm that the public acknowledgement of God is undeniable in our history and is vital to our freedom, prosperity and strength. We pledge our influence toward a return to the original intent of the First Amendment and toward dispelling the myth of separation of church and state. We urge the Legislature to increase the ability of faith-based institutions and other organizations to assist the needy and to reduce regulation of such organizations.

Electronic Privacy – We believe all law-abiding citizens should be free from government surveillance of their electronic communications except in cases directly involving national security. Except for non-citizens, we further oppose any national ID program, including the Real ID Act and the use of Radio Frequency Identification Chips (RFID) on humans.ANd on animals, as noted above. Would non RFID technologies be OK?

Equality of All Citizens – We deplore all discrimination. We also deplore forced sensitivity training and urge repeal of any mandate requiring it. We urge immediate repeal of the Hate Crimes Law. Until the Hate Crimes Law is totally repealed, we urge the Legislature to immediately remove the education curriculum mandate and the sexual orientation category in said Law. *oh yeah, what did you expect?[/i

Contractual Freedom – We support the individual right to enter into real estate contracts without Government interference or regulations.* any idea what they are talking about? *

Speed Limits – We support highway speed limits based only on safety standards.

Waste and Fraud in Government Contracts – All government contracts should be awarded by competitive bids. We call upon all levels of government to allow the awarding of contracts, requiring performance and payment bonds, be awarded to the lowest bidder. More hatred of George Bush

Faith-Based Charities – We oppose any restrictions by any government agency on taxpayer contributions to churches and faith-based charities So write that check to ‘Mosques for Free Palestine’ proudly!

Bailouts and Subsidies – We oppose all bailouts of businesses, states, and all other government entities. We encourage government to divest its ownership of all business that should be run in the private sector and allow the free market to prevail. Have they no end for their hatred for George Bush? Have they no decency?

Federal Tax Reform – We recommend a national sales tax (which does not include a Value Added Tax) to replace all other Federal taxes once the I.R.S. is abolished and the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is repealed. However, until such time that the income tax is abolished, we support deductions for private and home schooling, home mortgages, and sales taxes.The Tax the Poor Clause

Internet Taxation – We oppose any taxation on use of the Internet.GO team, but why is this important?

Workers’ Compensation – We urge the Legislature to resist making Workers’ Compensation mandatory for all Texas employers.
Minimum Wage – We believe the Minimum Wage Law should be repealed. Prevailing Wage Law – We urge the federal legislature to repeal the Prevailing Wage Law and the Davis Bacon Act.Yikes!

Foreign Military Bases on American Soil – We oppose relinquishing United States supremacy to any foreign powers on our soil. We support prohibition of all foreign or international military bases within the United States. Fort Bliss? They are angry about Fort Bliss?

National Defense – We support funding for a strong national defense; development and funding of ballistic missile and space based weapons systems maintaining our military’s effective combat strength sufficient to defend our nation’s borders and its strategic interests; avoiding new arms control agreements with any nation not complying with previous agreements; never deploying the military except against invasion or threat to our vital interests, which may include pre-emptive action; and expiration of special emergency war powers unless renewed by Congress in six-month intervals. More hatred of George Bush

Birthright Citizenship – We call on the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of these United States to clarify Section 1 of the 14th amendment to limit citizenship by birth to those born to a citizen of the United States: with no exceptions.Come on, no weasel words. What does ‘clarify’ mean?

NASA – We support full funding for the Constellation program that will take the U.S. out of low earth orbit and back to the moon. We also support funding for the Aerospace Commission and private sector research and development of space technology. Small government plus the LBJ Spaceflight Center!

Transportation Corridors – We oppose the construction of transportation projects which surrender control or ownership to foreign interests. We oppose the use of eminent domain for construction of a “trans Texas corridor” or similar project which would create a federal corridor through Texas. tinfoil cowboy hats

One World Government Organizations – We oppose a one-world government in direct opposition to our basic principles and eroding our sovereignty. We oppose the implementation of one world currency.

At minimum, maintain current penalties for drug related crimes.
• Reject needle exchanges.
• Repeal the Marijuana Ticket Law. House Bill 2391 (80R) allows police officers to issue citations for certain misdemeanors, including possession of up to four ounces of marijuana. Small government plus a war on drugs? You lost my vote.

• Oppose any effort to expand gambling.Seriously, a bold move and I support!

What is it with the census paranoia? Has there ever been any suggestion of misuse? And I think I’m opposed to Sharia law also, but is it threatened in U.S.A.? Or is this platform just full of blather to avoid addressing real issues?

Jury duty is a duty, not a privilege; didn’t the drafters study simple civics? The “why” seems clear though: Texas GOP doesn’t want jury of peers, it wants to stuff juries with red-blooded anti-crime citizens.

I don’t think my U.S. (but non-Texas) Birth Certificate fulfilled that requirement. Perhaps the goal is that only Born-in-Texas candidates are permitted.

Since it’s “winner take all”, it’s not at all clear that electoral college system is bad for big states.

Under the heading “Equality, deplore discrimiation” we find they oppose equality and support discrimination! This is the modern GOP that must have studied rhetoric via George Orwell: “WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH”

Well, that’s sure an important idea central to economic recovery. And if we can’t drive like, well, Texans, wouldn’t that mean the terrorists have won?

Thanks for the laughs, Paul in Qatar! This was just a parody of a platform, right?

I know my Texas issued birth certificate does not meet the requirements listed.

I am not sure if I am scared more by the idea that this crap is written by a sharp eyed political opportunist or that it might have been written by somebody who actually believes it.

[Dave Bowman]My god, its full of stupid[/Dave Bowman]

The Contractual Freedom clause is there so people can refuse to sell to black, brown, yellow, green or blue folks. Bring back segregated neighborhoods!

It seems many of these planks have their origins in those many-forwarded emails that my mom sends to me.

I can only imagine what they will consider as proof of a natural man and a natural woman, but they must effectively annul all marriages that were recorded in the state of Texas until we can do a 100% inspection on all the ‘lady parts’. Feel free to inspect the ‘man parts’ if you wish, I expect that the lady parts inspection will keep me occupied for some time.

Perhaps Aretha Franklin is the only woman allowed to get married?

That is what I thought the moment I read it.

As a relatively new Texan, I have a few comments on those items:

[ul]
[li]Drivers’ Licenses - I’d also like to add that the Texas DMV issue the license the same day that a person applies. Maryland does it; Virginia does it. (The last two states I’ve lived in.) But Texas has to mail the new license, which takes about 3 weeks. So you’re basically screwed if you have to show a photo ID for anything. Plus, thieves probably scan mailboxes in the hopes of grabbing someone’s new ID for their own purposes.[/li][li]Census - I just got finished being a Census Bureau enumerator for the NRFU operation (non-response follow-up). I got a handful of respondents who either would only give me a count of residents, or outright refused. Now, if we only gathered a count (which would satisfy the need for redistribution of congressional seats), we wouldn’t know about the age distribution, ethnic distribution, or other statistics that states have requested from the Census Bureau. So when schools are overcrowded because the local government had no reason to suspect that there were 1,000 more school-aged kids living in an area, we’ll know why.[/li]
And the mid-decade censuses - which are not used for congressional apportionment - do allow for statistical analyses of population trends.

[li]Jurors - limiting jurors to registered voters will discourage citizens from registering if they hate jury duty more. I’d rather they made the jury pool from registered voters, drivers’ license registry, auto registry, hunting & fishing license registry, parents of school-aged children (schools require you show proof of residency before allowing your child to attend a neighborhood school), etc.[/li][/ul]

So the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders can’t get married? Cuz you know those aren’t natural.

Okay, seriously, they’re trying to close a loophole that past conservatives created. Texas refuses to recognize sex changes. As far the Texas legal system is concerned if you’re born a man you remain a man all your life, even if you acquire a vagina at some point.

Some people have been taking advantage of this in ways Texas hadn’t anticipated. If a transsexual happens to also be a homosexual, they can be legally married in Texas. In other words, gay marriage is legal in Texas as long as one of the couple changed genders at some point. Adam and Steve can get married in Texas if Steve used to be Eve because Texas refuses to recognize that Eve became Steve.

So does the Texas driving license proves you are a US Citizen or not? Or is the drivers license a “Certificate of Citizenship” whereas voter registration requires a “Citizenship Certificate”? I’m sure the birthers can tell us which is the real proof of citizenship.

Right, but fuck that Sharia Law.

No kidding. Have they ever been to the German Soldier Octoberfest? Why does the 2010 Texas GOP Platform hate beer?

Of course they will equally support the prohibition of all US military bases on foreign soil as well, won’t they?

I needed this thread. I sometimes forget just what it was that made me leave Texas. This is a good refresher course.