The
Constitution Party is a United States political party rooted in the paleoconservative movement. It was founded as the
U.S. Taxpayers' Party in 1992. The party's official name was changed to the
Constitution Party in 1999; however, some state affiliate parties are known under different names. The party's goal as stated in its own words is "to restore our government to its Constitutional limits and our law to its
BiblicalThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
foundations." The party puts a large focus on
immigrationImmigration is the arrival of new individuals into a habitat or population. It is a biological concept and is important in population ecology, differentiated from emigration and migration.-As a political term:...
, calling for stricter penalties towards illegal immigrants and a
moratoriumA moratorium is a temporary ban or suspension of an activity.For instance, many animal rights activists and conservation authorities often request "Fishing Moratoriums" or "Hunting Moratoriums" on endangered animal species. These bans, or suspensions, prevent people from hunting or fishing the...
on legal immigration until all federal subsidies to immigrants are discontinued. The party absorbed the
American Independent PartyThe American Independent Party is a political party that was a vehicle for the 1968 presidential campaign of Governor of Alabama George C. Wallace, considered a leading advocate of racial segregation. After that election, the party continued as a California statewide party.The party was established...
, originally founded for
George WallaceGeorge Corley Wallace, Jr. , was a governor of Alabama for four terms; 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T...
's 1968 presidential campaign. The American Independent Party of California was an affiliate of the Constitution Party since its founding, but disaffiliated itself after the 2008 Constitution Party Convention to support
Alan KeyesAlan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author and former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. He ran for President of the United States in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2008, and was a Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992, and 2004. Keyes served in...
and his
America's Independent PartyAmerica's Independent Party is a conservative American political party formed in 2008 as an alternative to the Republican, Democratic and other parties.-Alan Keyes 2008 candidacy before the AIP:...
. The Constitution Party's affiliate in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
now bears the name of California Constitution Party.
Overview
According to the editor of
Ballot Access NewsBallot Access News is a monthly newsletter edited and published by Richard Winger of San Francisco, California. Winger is a expert on ballot access law in the United States...
, which periodically compiles and analyzes voter registration statistics as reported by state voter agencies, it ranks third nationally among all U.S.
political partiesA political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns...
in registered voters, with 384,722 registered members as of February 2008. With the American Independent Party of California's exodus from the national Constitution Party to support
Alan KeyesAlan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author and former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. He ran for President of the United States in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2008, and was a Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992, and 2004. Keyes served in...
' Presidential campaign and form America's Independent Party based in
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, the Constitution Party lost the bulk of its registered members and now ranks a distant fifth behind the Libertarian and Green parties. The Constitution Party now calls itself, "America's Fastest Growing Political Party."
The Constitution Party advocates a platform which it says aims to reflect the principles of the
Declaration of IndependenceThe United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain were now independent states, and thus no longer a part of the British Empire...
, the
Constitution of the United StatesThe Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America and the federal government of the United States...
, the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
, and the
Bill of RightsIn the United States, the Bill of Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are known. They were introduced by James Madison to the First United States Congress in 1789 as a series of articles, and came into effect on December 15, 1791, when they had...
.
In 2006,
Rick JoreRick Jore, a Montana politician and businessman, was a member of the 2006 Montana House of Representatives and chairman of the education committee. Jore was born and raised in Ronan, Montana and received his associates degree from North Idaho College in 1978...
of
MontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of the state contains numerous mountain ranges; other 'island' ranges are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
became the first Constitution Party candidate elected to a state-level office, although the Constitution Party of Montana had disaffiliated from the national party a short time before the election.
On April 26, 2008,
Chuck BaldwinCharles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004...
was nominated as the Constitution Party candidate for President of the United States in the 2008 election.
Affiliates and other similar parties
The
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
affiliate has kept the U.S. Taxpayers Party name to retain
ballot statusBallot access rules, called nomination rules outside the United States, regulate the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters' ballots...
. In
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....
the affiliate is the
Concerned Citizens PartyThe Concerned Citizens Party is the Connecticut affiliate of the Constitution Party. The party's name is related to ballot access issues in Connecticut which have made it advantageous for the group to retain a name differing from the national organization with which they are affiliated...
; in
NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
the affiliate has recently changed its name from "The
Nebraska PartyThe Nebraska Party is the Nebraska affiliate of the Constitution Party. Like its national counterpart, the Nebraska Party is a strongly right-wing party affiliated with the Christian right movement in American politics. The party claims to be the spiritual descendant of the political ideals...
" to "The Nebraska Independent Party".
Reports that the Constitution Party discussed a merger between several third parties such as the
Reform PartyThe Reform Party of the United States of America is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 who said Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics—as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues—and desired a viable alternative to the...
,
Independent American PartyThe Independent American Party is a Protestant political party in the United States that has several state affiliates. It was founded in 1998. This should not be confused with the Independent American Party of Nevada, the Nevada affiliate of the Constitution Party...
,
American Independent PartyThe American Independent Party is a political party that was a vehicle for the 1968 presidential campaign of Governor of Alabama George C. Wallace, considered a leading advocate of racial segregation. After that election, the party continued as a California statewide party.The party was established...
, and the
America First PartyThe America First Party is a paleoconservative third party in the United States.The party was formed in 2002 when a group of Pat Buchanan supporters left the Reform Party. The party is pro-life, opposes all gun control, seeks to end affirmative action, racial quotas, and illegal and unlimited...
have been refuted by other accounts of the events. Nevertheless, all of the aforementioned parties except for the Reform Party endorsed Constitution Party's
Michael PeroutkaMichael Anthony Peroutka is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute on the Constitution. He once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services and was the Constitution Party candidate for president in 2004. He is co-host of The American View radio...
as their presidential candidate in 2004.p
Notable persons
Pat BuchananPatrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American conservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior advisor to American presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought the...
threatened in 1996 to run as the U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate if
Bob DoleRobert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an attorney and retired United States Senator from Kansas from 1969–1996, serving part of that time as United States Senate Majority Leader, where he set a record as the longest-serving Republican leader. He was his party's 1996 presidential nominee but lost the...
chose a
pro-choicePro-choice describes the political and ethical view that a woman should have complete control over her fertility and the choice to continue or terminate a pregnancy. This entails the guarantee of reproductive rights, which includes access to sexual education; access to safe and legal abortion,...
running mate. Dole later chose
pro-lifeThe pro-life movement is a political and social movement focused chiefly around opposition to abortion, and especially support for the criminalization of abortion. Those involved in the movement generally maintain that human fetuses and embryos are persons, and that therefore they have a right to...
Jack KempJack French Kemp was an American politician and professional football player. A Republican, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989-93, having previously served nine terms as a Congressman for Western New York from 1971-89...
and received Buchanan's endorsement. Buchanan's Reform Party
running mateA running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
Ezola B. FosterEzola Broussard Foster is an American conservative political activist. Foster is president of Black Americans for Family Values, authored the book What's Right for All Americans, and was the Reform Party candidate for Vice President in the U.S. presidential election of 2000...
switched her membership to the Constitution Party in 2002. Buchanan stated on the September 7, 2004 edition of
Hardball with Chris MatthewsHardball with Chris Matthews is a talk show on MSNBC, broadcast weekdays at 5 and 7 PM hosted by Chris Matthews. It originally aired on now-defunct America's Talking and later CNBC. The current title was derived from a book Matthews wrote in 1988, Hardball: How Politics is Played Told By One Who...
, "There is a chance I would vote for
[Michael] PeroutkaMichael Anthony Peroutka is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute on the Constitution. He once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services and was the Constitution Party candidate for president in 2004. He is co-host of The American View radio...
." However, he later penned an
endorsementEndorsement may refer to:*Political endorsement*Endorsement terrorism*Endorsement test, a U.S. Supreme Court test for Church-State separation...
of President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
in the pages of
The American ConservativeThe American Conservative is a monthly U.S. opinion magazine founded in 2002 by Scott McConnell, Pat Buchanan, and Taki Theodoracopulos. The magazine is edited by McConnell and published by Ron Unz...
.
U.S. senator
Bob SmithRobert C. "Bob" Smith is an American politician who has served in both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:Smith was born in Trenton, New Jersey...
announced his switch from Republican to the U.S. Taxpayers Party in 1999 to seek its 2000 presidential nomination. Smith later claimed that anti-
New World OrderIn international relations theory, the term "new world order" has been used to refer to any new period of history evidencing a dramatic change in world political thought and the balance of power...
ideologues within the party resisted his candidacy due to his Roman Catholicism. He continued his campaign as a non-partisan independent but ceased the campaign soon thereafter and returned to the Republican party to assume a Senate committee chairmanship. In 2008, he began writing editorials on the Constitution Party's web page, fueling speculation that he would seek its presidential nomination again, although he had endorsed Rep.
Duncan HunterDuncan Lee Hunter is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the House of Representatives from California's 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981 to 2009....
for the Republican nomination. He requested that his name be withheld from consideration in a March 2008 letter to CP supporters.
Minuteman ProjectThe Minuteman Project is an activist organization started in April 2005 by a group of private individuals in the United States to monitor the United States–Mexico border's flow of illegal immigrants. Co-founded by Jim Gilchrist, the name derives from the Minutemen, militiamen who fought in the...
co-founder
Jim GilchristJames "Jim" Walter Gilchrist, Jr. is the American co-founder, along with Chris Simcox, of the Minuteman Project, a group whose aim is to prevent illegal immigration across the United States's southern border.-Early life:...
ran for Congress with the
American Independent PartyThe American Independent Party is a political party that was a vehicle for the 1968 presidential campaign of Governor of Alabama George C. Wallace, considered a leading advocate of racial segregation. After that election, the party continued as a California statewide party.The party was established...
in 2005, but has since rejoined the Republicans.
Author and
WorldNetDailyWorldNetDaily is an American online web site that publishes news and editorial articles from a U.S. conservative point of view. It was founded in May 1997 by Joseph Farah with the stated intentions of "exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power." In addition to articles, the site also...
columnist
Jerome CorsiJerome Robert Corsi is an American author, best-known for his two New York Times bestselling books: The Obama Nation and Unfit for Command...
launched a brief campaign for the 2008 nomination but in July 2007 decided to return to writing. Former
Reagan AdministrationThe United States Presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan Administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989. Reagan was the first U.S. president since Dwight D...
official and
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
activist
Alan KeyesAlan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author and former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. He ran for President of the United States in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2008, and was a Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992, and 2004. Keyes served in...
had actively sought the Constitution nod after ending a bid for the GOP nomination.
The party has also attracted notables in the anti-abortion movement such as Dr. Gregory Thompson, Lon Mabon,
Paul deParriePaul deParrie was an American pro-life activist and author who lived in Portland, Oregon. He was the executive director of Believers Against Child Killing and editor-in-chief of Life Advocate magazine...
, and
Missionaries to the PrebornMissionaries to the Preborn is an American pro-life organization based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was founded in 1990 by Rev. Matt Trewhella. This organization, as visible in names and faces of their membership, is closely tied to the Faithful Soldier School of Evangelism.In June 2005, the group...
leader Pastor Matthew Trewhella. However, many such notables were involved in the below-mentioned disaffiliation efforts over abortion, and it remains unclear on what effect the movement has upon the current reorganized rump affiliates.
A 2008 candidate for the Republican nomination, Representative
Ron PaulRonald Ernest Paul, M.D. is an American physician and Republican Congressman for the state of Texas. Paul is a member of the Liberty Caucus of Republican congressmen which aims to limit the size and scope of the federal government, and serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Joint...
(R-
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
), endorsed several third party candidates shortly after bowing out of the race. Ultimately, he would go on to endorse 2008 Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin. The unaffiliated
Constitution Party of MontanaThe Constitution Party of Montana is a third party. It was founded as the American Heritage Party state affiliate for Montana by Michael Heit of Elmo, Montana, but changed its name in 2000. It was a state-party affiliate of the national Constitution Party until it disaffiliated from the national...
replaced Baldwin with Paul for president and Michael Peroutka for vice president. Paul requested that Montana remove his name from the ballot, but the Secretary of State of Montana denied his request, stating that the request was sent too late.
Dan ItseDaniel C. Itse, known as Dan Itse , is a conservative Republican member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. A native of San Francisco, California, Itse is a professional engineer who resides in Fremont, New Hampshire...
, a Republican member of the
New Hampshire House of RepresentativesThe New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 103 districts across the state, created from divisions of the state's counties. On average, each legislator represents about 3,000...
active in the state sovereignty movement, is scheduled to speak at the June 2009 Constitution Party National Committee meeting to be held in
NewarkBrick City redirects here. For the township in Ocean County, see Brick Township, New Jersey.Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 281,402, making it the largest municipality in New Jersey and the 65th largest city in the U.S...
,
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
.
Platform
The preamble of the Constitution Party platform "gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of these United States," and supports the Constitutional provision in
Article VI, Section 3The no religious test clause of the United States Constitution is found in Article VI, section 3, and states that:This has been interpreted to mean that no federal employee, whether elected or appointed, career or political, can be required to adhere to or accept any religion or belief...
that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States" and calls on all those who love liberty and value their inherent rights to join with them in the pursuit of their goals.
Fiscal policy
The Constitution Party supports reducing the role of the United States federal government through cutting
bureaucraticBureaucracy is the collective organizational structure, procedures, protocols, and set of regulations in place to manage activity, usually in large organizations and government...
regulation, reducing spending, and replacing the
income taxAn income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or business . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate tax,...
with a
tariffA tariff is a duty imposed on goods when they are moved across a political boundary.-History:...
-based revenue system supplemented by excise taxes. Its leaders are among the strongest advocates of abolishing most forms of federal taxation, especially the
income taxAn income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or business . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate tax,...
; they view most current regular federal expenditures, such as those for
health careHealth care , is the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the medical, dental, complementary and alternative medicine, pharmaceutical, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions...
, education, and welfare, as unconstitutional under Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution and the
Tenth AmendmentThe Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, was ratified on December 15, 1791...
. 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." The
16th Amendment to the US ConstitutionThe Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results. This amendment overruled Pollock v...
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," however, the party
disputes the validity of the Amendment's ratificationTax protester Sixteenth Amendment arguments are assertions that the imposition of the federal income tax is illegal because the Sixteenth Amendment was never properly ratified, or that the amendment provides no power to tax income...
.
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 EducationThe United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
and the
Department of Health and Human ServicesThe United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
. 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 BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides leveraged loans to poorer countries for capital programs, tied to neoliberal market restructurings...
,
International Monetary FundThe International Monetary Fund is an international organization that oversees the global financial system by following the macroeconomic policies of its member countries, in particular those with an impact on exchange rates and the balance of payments...
, and the Export-Import Bank. It also urges the government to immediately terminate all
subsidiesA subsidy is a form of financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more...
, 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
The Constitution 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 NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
, 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 TradeThe General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was formed in 1947 and lasted until 1994, when it was replaced by the World Trade Organization in 1995...
(GATT), and the
World Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an international organization designed by its founders to supervise and liberalize international capital trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement, replacing the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade , which...
. The party takes
mercantilistMercantilism is an economic theory that holds that the prosperity of a nation is dependent upon its supply of capital, and that the global volume of international trade is "unchangeable." Economic assets or capital, are represented by bullion held by the state, which is best increased through a...
positions in supporting
protectionistProtectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states, through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other restrictive government regulations designed to discourage imports, and prevent foreign take-over of local markets and companies...
policies on international trade.
The party also believes in exercising a
tariffA tariff is a duty imposed on goods when they are moved across a political boundary.-History:...
system to counteract the U.S.' increasingly negative
balance of tradeThe balance of trade is the difference between the monetary value of exports and imports of output in an economy over a certain period. It is the relationship between a nation's imports and exports...
. The tariff system would
levyLevy or Lévy or Levies may refer to:*USS Levy, destroyer escort*Henry S. Levy and Sons, a former bakery in Brooklyn*Levy's Department Store, a former department store chain in Arizona*Levy County, Florida...
additional
importAn import is any good or service brought in from one country to another country in a legitimate fashion, typically for use in trade. It is a good that is brought in from another country for sale. Import goods or services are provided to domestic consumers by foreign producers...
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. The Constitution Party has stated that this system would give U.S. companies a better chance at competing with countries, like
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and
ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
, which have lower labor costs. In 2007 the US took in only about $25 billion in import tariffs, while at the same time running a $70 billion per month import deficit.
Immigration policy
The party opposes
illegal immigrationIllegal immigration is immigration across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country. Illegal immigrants are also known as illegal aliens to differentiate them from legal aliens...
and also seeks stricter controls on legal immigration. It demands that the federal government restore immigration policies based on the policy that potential immigrants will be disqualified from admission to the United States on the grounds of ill health, criminality, low morals, or financial dependence, believing that they would impose an improper burden on the United States, any state, and citizens of the United States. The party has stated a long term goal of a moratorium on future immigration, exempting extreme cases where it would be necessary.
Additionally, it opposes
welfareWelfare or welfare work consists of actions or procedures — especially on the part of governments and institutions — striving to promote the basic well-being of individuals in need...
subsidiesA subsidy is a form of financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more...
and other taxpayer-supported benefits to illegal immigrants, rejecting also the practice of bestowing U.S. citizenship on children born to illegal immigrant parents while in this country (
jus soliJus soli or birthright citizenship, is a right by which nationality or citizenship can be recognised to any individual born in the territory of the related state...
). It also rejects any extension of
amnestyAmnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent persons. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the offense. The word has the same root as amnesia...
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
euthanasiaEuthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many different forms of euthanasia can be distinguished, including animal euthanasia and human euthanasia, and within the latter, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia...
and
abortionAn abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced, in humans and other species...
. The party supports a state's right to administer the death penalty to those convicted of "capital crimes":
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 opposes
same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is a term used to describe a legally or socially recognized marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Other terms used to describe this type of recognition include gay marriage or gender-neutral marriage.Same-sex marriage is a civil rights,...
, and believes state and local governments have the right to criminalize "offensive sexual behavior". The party further opposes
pornographyPornography or porn is the depiction of explicit sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual excitement.Over the past few decades, an immense industry for the production and consumption of pornography has grown, with the increasing use of the VCR, the DVD, and the Internet, as well as the...
, 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 AmendmentThe First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the Congress from making laws "respecting an establishment of religion", prohibiting the free exercise of religion, infringing on the freedom of speech and infringing on the freedom of the...
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. The party opposes all government sponsorship, involvement in, or promotion of
gamblingGambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods. Typically, the outcome of the wager is evident within a short period....
, and in keeping with the spirit of Article 1 Section 8 and
Amendment 10The Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, was ratified on December 15, 1791...
, opposes federal anti-drug laws while maintaining that the federal government may have a role in limiting the import of drugs.
The party supports the right to bear arms in accordance with the
Second AmendmentThe Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects a right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights...
. The party believes that any attempt to make laws barring the second amendment are unconstitutional. It has taken a stand against the
USA PATRIOT ActThe USA PATRIOT Act, commonly known as the "Patriot Act", is a statute enacted by the United States Government that President George W. Bush signed into law on October 26, 2001...
.
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. The party opposes federal restrictions on, or subsidization of, medical treatments.
The party supports
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
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 U.S. be required to read and comprehend basic English as a precondition of citizenship. The party also opposes the federal
Voting Rights ActThe National Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the United States. Echoing the language of the 15th Amendment, the Act prohibited states from imposing any "voting qualification...
, which prohibits literacy tests as a requirement for voting.
Abortion stance and post-Tampa state disaffiliations
The Constitution Party officially opposes both early and late-term
abortionAn abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced, in humans and other species...
s. Party members, however, have been divided on the subject with some supporting the pro-choice position.
In early 2006, Christopher H. Hansen, the gubernatorial candidate of Independent American Party of Nevada (the Constitution Party state affiliate in
NevadaNevada is a state located in the western region of the United States. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. The state's nickname is Silver State, due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there...
), and candidates in
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. It may also be considered to be part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the “Centennial State”...
and
IdahoIdaho is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans." Idaho was admitted to the Union on 3 July 1890 as the 43rd state....
, publicly expressed support for these exceptions, which were contrary to the official Nevada platform as the big black official.
At the party's April national convention in
Tampa, FloridaTampa is a Gulf Coast city in Hillsborough County, on the west coast of the state of Florida in the United States. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. The population of Tampa in 2000 was 303,447...
, 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.
Rump factionsIn Politics, a Rump organization is a remnant of a larger political grouping that continues to exist after the group has formally dissolved, split or been abolished....
have been orchestrated by the national Constitution Party office in some of these states. Constitution Party affiliates in Arkansas, Ohio, Maryland, Missouri, and New York are just a few examples of these rump parties. Attempts by the national Constitution Party to form affiliates in Maryland have failed multiple times, and once again the national Constitution Party is expending considerable effort in organizing an affiliate in Maryland. Attempts, many believe, to discredit Michael Peroutka (2004 Presidential candidate) and his supporters as Mr. Peroutka is a life-long citizen of Maryland, and spoke in favor of recognizing the IAPNV's self-disaffiliation from the national Constitution Party.
Federalism
The party supports the repeal of the
Sixteenth AmendmentThe Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results. This amendment overruled Pollock v...
, which allows Congress to tax income, and the
Seventeenth AmendmentThe Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed by the Senate on June 12, 1911, the House of Representatives on May 13, 1912, and ratified by the states on April 8, 1913...
, which requires the direct (popular) election of Senators. The party holds that each state's membership in the Union is voluntary, this stance is known as the
Compact theoryCompact theory is a theory relating to the development of some federal constitutions.-Compact theory in the United States:In regards to the Constitution of the United States of America, it claims that the nation was formed through a compact agreed upon by all the states, and that the national...
.
Ballot access
The Constitution Party is on the ballot in the following states, as of September 1, 2009. Several state parties are still disaffiliated following the 2006 Tampa decision.
Started petitioning
The party has already started the process of petitioning for full party ballot access in 2010 in
WyomingWyoming is a state in the Western United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountain West, while the easternmost section of the state includes part of a high elevation prairie region known as the High Plains. While the tenth largest...
and
ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
.
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
has started the process of petitioning for full party ballot access in 2012.
Presidential tickets
- 1992
The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush; Democrat Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot....
- Howard Phillips and Albion Knight, Jr.Albion Knight, Jr was the vice-presidential candidate of the US Taxpayers Party in the U.S. presidential election, 1992, as the running-mate of Howard Phillips. Knight has the additional distinction of being an Anglican bishop and the son of another...
- 43,369 votes.
- 1996
The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Cabinet Secretary Jack...
- Howard Phillips and Herb TitusHerbert W. Titus is a former candidate for Vice-President of the United States and an attorney. His 1996 run for Vice President was on the Constitution Party ticket....
- 184,820 votes
- 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President. Bill Clinton, the incumbent President, was vacating the position...
- Howard Phillips and Curtis FrazierDr. J. Curtis Frazier a surgeon from Springfield, Missouri was the vice-presidential candidate of the Constitution Party in the U.S. presidential election, 2000, as the running-mate of Howard Phillips. The Phillips/Frazier ticket finished sixth receiving 98,022 votes for 0.1% of the total...
- 98,022 votes
- 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
- Michael PeroutkaMichael Anthony Peroutka is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute on the Constitution. He once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services and was the Constitution Party candidate for president in 2004. He is co-host of The American View radio...
and Chuck BaldwinCharles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004...
- 143,630 votes
- 2008
The 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign, and during the general election campaign, both major party...
- Chuck BaldwinCharles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004...
and Darrell CastleDarrell Castle is an American political figure, activist and attorney from Memphis, Tennessee, and was the vice presidential candidate of the Constitution Party in the 2008 United States presidential election.-Early life and education:...
- 199,314 votes
See also
- List of political parties in the United States
- Constitution Party National Convention
Constitution Party National Convention is held by the Constitution Party every two to four years. To date, there have been five.-National Conventions:...
- Electoral history of the Constitution Party
- Free State Project
The Free State Project is an Internet-based political movement, founded in 2001, to get at least 20,000 libertarian-leaning people to move to New Hampshire in order to make the state a stronghold for libertarian ideals....
- List of state Constitution Parties
- Young Constitutionalists
The Young Constitutionalists is the youth arm of the Constitution Party; it was launched in 2003. Its primary goals are awareness and activism on university campuses. The founding chapter was officially established in February 2003 at Christopher Newport University by conservative activist Joshua...
, youth activism arm of the party
- Christian Exodus
Christian Exodus is a Christian secessionist group promoting a mass emigration of fundamentalist Christians to South Carolina with the goal of influencing politics in the state...
- America First Party
The America First Party is a paleoconservative third party in the United States.The party was formed in 2002 when a group of Pat Buchanan supporters left the Reform Party. The party is pro-life, opposes all gun control, seeks to end affirmative action, racial quotas, and illegal and unlimited...
, The American PartyThe American Party is a conservative party in the United States. Originally called the American Independent Party, it was renamed in 1969 by representatives from 37 states. Following the 1972 election, the American Party split from the American Independent Party...
, American Heritage PartyThe American Heritage Party is a splinter offshoot of the Constitution Party of the United States. It began as a state affiliate of the Constitution Party, and after an acrimonious division of the state party, the AHP separated from the national party...
, Independent American PartyThe Independent American Party is a Protestant political party in the United States that has several state affiliates. It was founded in 1998. This should not be confused with the Independent American Party of Nevada, the Nevada affiliate of the Constitution Party...
, American Patriot Party - parties with similar positions
External links
- CP discussion forum at LiveJournal
LiveJournal is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal or diary. LiveJournal is also the name of the free and open source server software that was designed to run the LiveJournal virtual community...
- Profile at CNN
Cable News Network, almost always referred to by its initialism CNN, is an U.S. cable news network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first network to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television network in the United States...