Informed Voter's Want to Know; Is there a Difference

          You Decide         

Arizona Republican Party, 2007-2008 State Platform

We have said, "We Are Different and We Want to Make a Difference"; how then you might ask are we different and do we intend to make a difference.  We proudly state hereto our "Republican Principles"; these define us as the Republican Party in the State of Arizona.  It is these Republican Principles which we offer for your consideration and acceptance.  If, you should find that your in agreement; stand proud, register as a Republican and vote for candidates which are Republicans'.  Then, make the effort to hold those leaders accountable to these principles.

Your vote is the mechanism by which you elect a candidate into office.  It is the foregoing Republican Principles that states what a Republican Party Candidate is exspected to also believe, ahear to during election and support when voted into office in order that they properly represent those who voted as a Republican voter.  Let the Republican Candidates' know that it is these principles by which you intend to vote for them and to hold them accountable.

These Republican Principles were voted upon by 618 voting delegates at the 2008 Republican State Committee Mandatory Meeting on January 26, 2008.  To the pleasure of the Party, in humble respect to our country's Fore Father's and to defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Declaration of Independence; these principles are hereto set forth.

ARIZONA REPUBLICAN PARTY

Randy Pullen; State Chairman

Bill Bridwell; Platform Committee Chairman (billyb@cgmailboc.com)

Sean McCaffrey; Executive Director (smccaffrey@azgop.org)

Approved by Arizona Republican Party Executive Committee

September 15, 2007

PREAMBLE

          Arizona Republicans believe in working hard and dreaming big, and are confident that in holding true to these two principles as guides our best days are indeed ahead of us. With this sense of optimism we look toward the future with great hope for our state and nation, and do offer the following platform as a foundation of principles upon which our party might continue to grow into this still new century.  For it is our purpose to usher in a new era of prosperity! in Arizona: economic prosperity so that individuals, families and businesses might thrive; personal prosperity so that the citizens of our great state might blossom under new freedoms borne from less government regulation; and, the prosperity of a society that shall one day come to recognize fully the value of life, the value of each individual, the value of responsibility, the value of the rule of law, and the value of personal dignity.  We hope these values shall be self evident to all citizens of Arizona and to the future generations who will provide leadership as Arizona and the United States of America face now challenges and opportunities in the years and decades to come.  To those ends, we submit these Republican principles as our 2008 Platform.

SECTION l: TAXES, JOBS & ECONOMY

The Arizona Republican Party:

1.    Believes hardworking businesses and entrepreneurship create jobs and drive the economy.

       Government should reduce regulation, fees, and taxes to foster an ideal economic and business

       climate.

2.   Believes we should continue to develop, maintain and improve a favorable climate for business, job

       creation, and entrepreneurship.

3.   Supports only essential government regulation and calls on our elected officials to repeal those

       regulations upon individuals and businesses which are obsolete, unnecessary, or serve only to restrict

       personal freedom.

4.   Believes reducing taxes not necessary to pay for essential government services creates jobs and

       economic growth, encourages new businesses to come to Arizona, and ultimately increases public

       sector revenues in our state.

5.  Believes the federal income tax code is repressive and burdensome and should be replaced with a

      national consumption tax or national flat tax.

6.  Believes Arizona workers deserve to take home more of their paychecks, deserve to have a say in how

      their union dues are spent, and deserve meaningful common-sense comp-time reform at the federal

      level.

SECTION ll: LAW & JUSTICE

The Arizona Republican Party:

7.  Believes it is the obligation of the state and local governments to protect the rights, person and

      property of its citizens.

 8.  Believes n the constructionist interpretation of the Second Amendment, that the right to keep and

       bear Arms belongs and applies to law-abiding individuals.

 9.  Believes that the best way to decrease violence in our schools and in our communities; the best way to

      decrease crime on our streets; the best way to decreases spousal a abuse and child abuse in our homes;

      is to pursue policies supporting a drug-free Arizona.

 10.  Supports the efforts of communities to prevent crime and create safe living environments because

        Republicans have shown that cleaning up cities and urban centers, stopping gang violence, and

        offering children and young adults viable alternatives to crime does indeed reduce crime and

        recidivism rates.

 11.  Supports the appointment of constructionist judges to the state and federal supreme courts who will

         interpret the Constitution of Arizona and the United States with the idea of enforcing the intent of the

         founding fathers.

 12.  Believes it is the duty of the federal and state government protect our citizens by securing our

         borders, including:

         a.  Completing the border fence without delay;

         b.  Authorizing National Guard stationed on the border to enforce border laws, as do Border Patrol;

         c.  Increase the number of National Guard and Border Patrol on Arizona's border;

         d.  Protect our children and schools from the drugs and weapons flowing over the border.

 13.   Believes government has an obligation to enforce all citizen-passed initiatives deemed constitutional,

        and that government must lead by example and first and foremost follow the rule of law.

 14.  Believes repeat sexual offenders particularly those whose victims were children should be sentenced

        to  life in prison without the possibility of parole.

 15.  Supports consistent sentencing to impose appropriate, strict and sever penalties on crimes, including

        restitution to victims and their families.

16.  Supports tougher sentencing guidelines and prosecution of smugglers, manufacture, users and

        dealers of methamphetamines, and supports appropriating additional resources to law enforcemen

       agencies to combat this tragic crisis.

SECTION III: GOVERNMENT REFORM

The Arizona Republican Party:

17.  Believes that government is similar to a business and that taxpayers are the shareholders.

        Unfortunately, most government agencies operate more like monopolies than competitive

        businesses; therefore, all levels of government should be subject to continued oversight with the

        explicit intent to simplify or reduce unnecessary failing programs.

18.  Believes government should protect, not infringe upon, individual rights and freedoms, and that

        "good government" begins with all elected officials being constantly aware of the tremendous

        responsibility they hold as public servants.

19.  Supports an "Arizona Results Act" requiring each state agency and bureaucratic office to submi

        strategic plans which clearly outline where their agency is going, how their agency plans to get there,

        and whether is headed in the right direction.

20.  Supports an "Arizona Paperwork Reduction Act" reducing the bureaucratic requirements of state

         government imposed on other government agencies, private institutions and individuals by 20

         Percent the next two years.

21.  Supports our fundamental rights to free speech, to keep and bear Arms, to private property without

        fear of government intrusion, and to those freedoms and liberties we hold dear that protect us in the

        Arizona and United States Constitutions from an oppressive government.

22.  Supports State and National Right to Work legislation.

23.  Opposes unfunded federal mandates on state or local governments; and opposes unfunded state

        mandates n local governments.

24.  Support the citizen-passed law of Arizona that individuals must provide proof of citizenship in order

        to register to vote and proper identification at the polls.

25.  Supports additional system of checks and balances to protect Arizona and American citizens from

        activist judges, including limiting the terms of judges.

26.  Supports greater legislative oversight on all state executive agencies to protect Arizona children,

        veterans and those who rely on state care.

 27.  Believes that a good budgeting process includes the disclosure of all sources and uses of funds

         received and spent by every state government agency.

SECTION IV: EDUCATION

The Arizona Republican Party:

28.  Believes the provision of public schooling is a function of the state as provided by the Arizona

        Constitution while also acknowledging that no student should be forced to attend a failing school. We

        affirm the right of parents to seek a quality education at home, charter, private, or parochia

        schools and acknowledge that a diverse marketplace of schools helps Arizona compete in the global

        economy.

29.  Believes that Arizona's continued commitment to education at all levels, public and private, should

        remain among the highest legislative priorities.

30.  Believes that Parents naturally possess the primary responsibility or their children's education and

        should therefore have the right to choose the place and type and method of schooling without

        governmental interference.

31.  Supports voluntary prayer and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in its present form in public

        schools.

32.  Believes all school districts should institute mandatory drug testing and background checks for all

        public school employees.

SECTION V: CHILDREN & FAMILIES

The Arizona Republican Party:

33.  Believes that the core principles upon which the modern Republican Party has been built – faith,

        family and freedom - are as relevant today as ever before, especially as the basis of values to be taught

        to each new generation of Americans.

34.  Believes that Arizonans should have access to affordable health care that provides for their physical

        and mental well-being with fair, reliable and portable insurance coverage.

35.  Supports a range of reforms to retain health care professionals and improve the afford ability and

        accessibility of health care, including meaningful federal and state lawsuit abuse prevention to kee

        trial lawyers and frivolous lawsuits from bankrupting doctor, hospitals and health care providers.

36.  Believes substance abuse, especially methamphetamine abuse, is a continuously increasing problem

        in Arizona and supports strong enforcement, education and treatment.

37.  Opposes euthanasia or any physician assisted death but supports individuals' and their legal

        guardians' or designee's right to refuse medical treatment.

38.  Believes innocent life should be protected and supports alternatives to abortion such as adoption.

39.  Supports the definition of traditional marriage as only a union between one man and one woman.

SECTION VI: INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The Arizona Republican Party:

40.  Believes our nation should never surrender to terrorists and should never willingly weaken our

        position in the battle against terror. We call upon the congress and our nation's leaders to continue to

        prosecute the war to its successful conclusion.

41.  Honors the brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and guardsmen at home and abroad who, through

        their courageous service to God and Country, secure the blessings of liberty and protect the freedom

        under which we live today. They are our heroes and are always in our thoughts and prayers.

42.  Honors the tremendous accomplishments and sacrifices of Arizona's 700,000 veterans who are

         responsible for defending our nation in countless wars and military actions, and for securing our

         freedoms for much of the past century. We pledge to them our service and our voice, and our promise

         that their great deeds shall never be forgotten.

43.  Welcomes to our state and our nation all legal immigrants and newest citizens, and wishes them God

         Speed in their pursuit of the American Dream. We share their struggles, for once they are ours.  We

         share their  hopes, for they are ours today.

CALL TO ACTION

The Republican Party of Arizona today is honored to represent more than one million register voters, and we are growing each day.  We understand that not everyone believes in every principle outlined in this platform, but we offer it respectfully as a guiding document approved by a majority of voting members of our party's leadership with the hope that those who read it might find some comfort reference, or even inspiration in our words.  We offer this platform at a time when our nation is at a crossroads in its war against Islamic terrorism, at a time when our politics at home are often heated and divisive, and at a time

when we believe our bright hope for the future might help unite some wounds within our society.

As Arizona's Republican Party moves forward, united, determined, stronger in resolve than ever before to carry our message to the voters of this great state, we hope that those who read this platform will consider joining our ranks if they have not yet done so - or becoming more involved if you consider yourself a 'proud Republican" already.

Our's is the party of Abraham Lincoln and of equality for all men and women.  Our's is the party of Barry Goldwater and of true conservative principles, such as smaller, smarter government.  Our's is the party of Ronald Reagan who once proclaimed 'What I'd really like to do is go down in history as the President who made Americans believe in themselves again."

We hope the party of Lincoln, Goldwater and Reagan will be your party, too.  May God bless you, may God bless Arizona, and may God bless the United States of America.