Platform Committee Update

The Platform Committee meeting Thursday couldn't have gone much better. The following is subject to correction, but should be quite accurate. We adopted the following changes to the recommendations we had adopted in February.

The Committee replaced three 1- or 2- sentence stub planks with novel language (except for the recycled 2nd sentence of 2.3):

2.2. Environment. We support a clean and healthy environment and sensible use of our natural resources. Private landowners and conservation groups have a vested interest in maintaining natural resources. Pollution and misuse of resources cause damage to our ecosystem.  Governments, unlike private businesses, are unaccountable for such damage done to our environment and have a terrible track record when it comes to environmental protection.  Protecting the environment requires a clear definition and enforcement of individual rights in resources like land, water, air, and wildlife.  Free markets and property rights stimulate the technological innovations and behavioral changes required to protect our environment and ecosystems. We realize that our planet's climate is constantly changing, but environmental advocates and social pressure are the most effective means of changing public behavior.

2.3. Energy and Resources.  While energy is needed to fuel a modern society, government should not be subsidizing any particular form of energy. We oppose all government control of energy pricing, allocation, and production. Energy resources are increased as part of the same process by which man increases the production and supply of all other goods, namely, scientific and technological progress.

2.8. Education. Education, like any other service, is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality and efficiency with more diversity of choice. Schools should be managed locally to achieve greater accountability and parental involvement. Recognizing that the education of children is inextricably linked to moral values, we would return authority to parents to determine the education of their children, without interference from government. In particular, parents should have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their children's education.

3.7. Self-Determination. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of individual liberty, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to agree to such new governance as to them shall seem most likely to protect their liberty.

The Committee appended five words of novel language to 2.9:

2.9. Health Care. We favor restoring and reviving a free market health care system. We recognize the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want, the level of health care they want, the care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all other aspects of their medical care,including end-of-life decisions.

To simplify floor debate in the presence of minority reports, the Committee combined its two recommendations about 1.3 into a single recommendation, and dropped its recommendation to amend 2.5.  With novel language adopted in February underlined, the resulting plank recommendations are:

1.3. Personal Relationships.  Sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity should have no discriminatory impact on the treatment of individuals by government, such as in current marriage, adoption, immigration, or military service laws. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships. Government does not have legitimate authority to define or license personal relationships.

2.5. Money and Financial Markets. We favor free-market banking, with unrestricted competition among banks and depository institutions of all types. Individuals engaged in voluntary exchange should be free to use as money any mutually agreeable commodity or item. We support a halt to inflationary monetary policies, the repeal of legal tender laws and compulsory governmental units of account.

With four resignations since its recommendations were adopted in February, the Committee decided to take fresh votes on them.  For the plank recommendations changed above, the numbers below represent the vote on the latest recommendation adopted. Self-Determination was the only February recommendation rejected (5-9) in the re-vote, and the version above was adopted in its place.

1.0. Personal Liberty 12-2 1.1. Expression and Communication 11-3 1.2. Personal Privacy 11-3 1.3. Personal Relationships 8-1 1.4. Abortion 12-3 1.5. Crime and Justice 12-2 1.6. Self-Defense 12-2 2.0. Economic Liberty 11-2 2.1. Property and Contract 12-2 2.2. The Environment 11-5 2.3. Energy and Resources 11-2 2.4. Government Finance and Spending 12-2 2.5. Money and Financial Markets 9-1 2.6. Monopolies and Corporations 12-2

2.7. Labor Markets 12-2 2.8. Education 11-2 2.9. Health Care  12-0 2.10. Retirement and Income Security 12-2 3.0. Securing Liberty 11-2 3.1. National Defense 12-2 3.2. Internal Security and Individual Rights 12-2 3.3. International Affairs 12-2 3.4. Free Trade and Migration 12-2 3.5. Rights and Discrimination 12-2 3.6. Representative Government 12-2 3.7. Self-Determination 9-2 4.0. Omissions 12-2