2024 Republican Convention Platform
Abortion Change to RNC Platform Creates Rifts on Right
This July 11, 2024 article by Joe Perticone in The Bulwark indicated that [t]he Republican National Committee finalized its new party platform earlier this week, and it includes some major overhauls of longstanding GOP orthodoxy.
The article stated that [the] platform only mentions the word “abortion” once. It also advocates for a “Vote of the People” at the state level to determine the future of abortion law. That’s a major departure from the longstanding Republican position that the practice should be banned outright at the federal level.
The article mentioned that 3 prominent Republican politicians (Hawley, Tuberville, and Lankford) were against the platform's stance on abortion. The article provided the politicians' comments.
Source:
The Bulwark online
By: Joe Perticone
July 11, 2024
RNC approves platform that would
give rights to fetuses, endangering abortion, IVF
The Republican Party on Monday adopted a “Make America Great Again!” policy platform ahead of its national convention that does not call for a federal ban on abortion; but, supports states establishing fetal person[-]hood through the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which grants equal protection under the law to all American citizens.
The platform, released ahead of next week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, adopts a states-centered approach to protecting or restricting reproductive rights, including abortion. It states: “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those rights.”
Fetal person[-]hood is widely seen as being in conflict with in vitro fertilization (IVF), which creates embryos outside of the uterus that are later implanted. Fetal person[-]hood bestows the same rights currently reserved for people to embryos from the moment of fertilization.
Source:
19thnews.org / Abortion
By: Amanda Becker, Shefali Luthra
July 8, 2024, 4:06 p.m. ET
https://19thnews.org/2024/07/republican-national-convention-party-platform-fetuses-abortion-ivf/
2024 GOP PLATFORM
Here is the Republican Party Convention Platform as finalized on July 7, 2024. The document is 16 pages long. The platform, which has some overlap with the conservative Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, consists of 20 specific promises discussed as 10 distinct chapters.
The Trump / Vance campaign has tried to distance itself from Project 2025.
As someone who performs detailed research based on historical fact and votes as an Independent, I am concerned about several of the far-right platform topics. Below are the platform topics I find concerning with my comments.
CHAPTER ONE: DEFEAT INFLATION AND QUICKLY BRING DOWN ALL PRICES
1. Unleash American Energy: Under President Trump, the U.S. became the Number One Producer of Oil and Natural Gas in the World — and we will soon be again by lifting restrictions on American Energy Production and terminating the Socialist Green New Deal.
Comment: Republicans want to keep using fossil fuels like oil and gas to assist the large-dollar donors who run coal and oil production facilities.
2. Rein in Wasteful Federal Spending: Republicans will immediately stabilize the Economy by slashing wasteful Government spending and promoting Economic Growth.
Comment: There is nothing wrong with the economy. Republicans only identify spending as wasteful when done by Democrats. Under Trump Administration, the deficit climbed exponentially.
5. Restore Peace through Strength: War breeds Inflation while geopolitical stability brings price stability. Republicans will end the global chaos and restore Peace through Strength, reducing geopolitical risks and lowering commodity prices.
Comment: Trump is pro-authoritarian. He routinely complements leaders such as Vladimir, Putin, Viktor Orbán and Xi Jinping.
CHAPTER TWO: SEAL THE BORDER, AND STOP THE MIGRANT INVASION
1. Secure the Border: Republicans will restore every Border Policy of the Trump administration and halt all releases of Illegal Aliens into the interior. We will complete the Border Wall, shift massive portions of Federal Law Enforcement to Immigration Enforcement, and use advanced technology to monitor and secure the Border.
Comment: Republicans in congress purposely derailed a Democrat-proposed plan that would have done all of these things so that Trump could keep this issue as a platform item. The 2016 Trump Administration separated children from parents and kept children in cages. The United States has a long history of closing borders to certain groups because they don't act, think, prey, or look like those who already citizens. At one time or another, the citizens wanted to prevent immigration of Germans, Irish, Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Japanese, Jews, Socialists, Marxists, and Russians among other groups. Now it's Mexicans, Central Americans and South Americans.
4. Strict Vetting: Republicans will use existing Federal Law to keep foreign Christian-hating Communists, Marxists, and Socialists out of America. Those who join our Country must love our Country. We will use extreme vetting to ensure that jihadists and jihadist sympathizers are not admitted.
Comment: Not many jihadists enter the U.S. in via Mexico. The boarder with Canada is much easier to cross. Also, the biggest threat of terrorism comes from home-grown, antisemitic, anti-black, and anti-LGBTQ+ persons in alt-right hate groups or far-left pro-Palestinian college students.
CHAPTER THREE: BUILD THE GREATEST ECONOMY IN HISTORY
1. Cut Regulations: Republicans will slash Regulations that stifle Jobs, Freedom, Innovation and make everything more expensive. We will
implement Transparency and Common Sense in rule making. Comment:
Regulations are required for clean air, wildlife areas, and banking.
2. Make Trump Tax Cuts Permanent and No Tax on Tips: Republicans will make permanent the provisions of the Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that doubled the standard deduction, expanded the Child Tax Credit, and spurred Economic Growth for all Americans. We will eliminate Taxes on Tips for millions of Restaurant and Hospitality Workers, and pursue additional Tax Cuts.
Comment: Taxes received by the government are what is used to fund programs and reduce the deficit. Tax cuts must be offset by fund reductions in other programs. Republicans have been keen to reduce food stamp and related programs as well as funding programs such as medicare, medicaid and social security. Not taxing tips is a gimmick to bring in younger voters. It is similar to Biden's continuing efforts to eliminate education loan debt.
4. Reliable and Abundant Low Cost Energy: Republicans will increase Energy Production across the board, streamline permitting, and end market-distorting restrictions on Oil, Natural Gas, and Coal.
Comment: I re-iterate my concerns from Chapter One, Item 1 and Chapter Three, Item 1 above.
CHAPTER FOUR: BRING BACK THE AMERICAN DREAM AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLE AGAIN FOR FAMILIES, YOUNG PEOPLE, AND EVERYONE
1. Housing Affordability: To help new home buyers, Republicans will reduce mortgage rates by slashing Inflation, open limited portions of Federal Lands to allow for new home construction, promote home ownership through Tax Incentives and support for first-time buyers, and cut unnecessary Regulations that raise housing costs.
Comment: What about the homeless and others who can't afford homes? Will Republicans continue to send people crossing the boarder to cities where no homes are available?
3. Affordable Healthcare: Healthcare and prescription drug costs are out of control. Republicans will increase Transparency, promote Choice and Competition, and expand access to new Affordable Healthcare and prescription drug options.
Comment: Republicans have never liked the Affordable Care Act, but have never come forward with an alternative. The Biden Administration is already working to reduce healthcare and drug costs.)
CHAPTER FIVE: PROTECT AMERICAN WORKERS AND FARMERS FROM UNFAIR TRADE
1. Re-balance Trade: Our Trade deficit in goods has grown to over $1 Trillion Dollars a year. Republicans will support baseline Tariffs on Foreign-made goods, pass the Trump Reciprocal Trade Act, and respond to unfair Trading practices.
Comment: Several economists have indicated that increasing tariffs will increase inflation by increasing costs of goods.)
2. Secure Strategic Independence from China: Republicans will revoke China’s Most Favored Nation status, phase out imports of essential goods, and stop China from buying American Real Estate and Industries.
Comment: I have trouble believing this considering Trump's fondness for China's Xi Jinping and other autocrats.)
3. Save the American Auto Industry: Republicans will revive the U.S. Auto Industry by reversing harmful Regulations, canceling Biden’s Electric Vehicle and other Mandates, and preventing the importation of Chinese vehicles.
Comment: Electric vehicles are the way of the future and reduce toxic gas emissions. The toxicity produced by gas vehicle emissions was dramatically proven when stay-at-home orders were in effect during COVID.
CHAPTER SIX: PROTECT SENIORS
1. Protect Social Security: Social Security is a lifeline for millions of Retirees, yet corrupt politicians have robbed Social Security to fund their pet projects. Republicans will restore Economic Stability to ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security.
Comment: The Republican Party has been historically against social safety net programs, including Social Security and Medicare. However, Democrats have been historically protected social safety net programs.)
2. Strengthen Medicare: Republicans will protect Medicare’s finances from being financially crushed by the Democrat plan to add tens of millions of new illegal immigrants to the rolls of Medicare. We vow to strengthen Medicare for future generations.
Comment: I'm not sure where the Republican Party is obtaining their facts. This sounds more like hysterical Republican rhetoric about immigrants and border security. Immigrants come to the U.S. border seeking asylum from dangers in their home country as well as pursing a living wage. Employers are supposed to deduct a percentage of the earned wages for social security, taxes, and medicare; thereby, adding to these plans rather than extracting monies from them.
CHAPTER SEVEN: CULTIVATE GREAT K-12 SCHOOLS LEADING TO GREAT JOBS AND GREAT LIVES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
2. Universal School Choice: Republicans believe families should be empowered to choose the best Education for their children. We support Universal School Choice in every State in America.
Comment: Public money, including income generated from taxes, should not be used to pay for religion-based schools.
3. Prepare Students for Jobs and Careers: Republicans will emphasize Education to prepare students for great jobs and careers, supporting project-based learning and schools that offer meaningful work experience. We will expose politicized education models and fund proven career training programs.
Comment: High School and College students require a broad-based education that includes liberal arts, science, math, language, fact-based history and civics programs which allow students to have meaningful, intelligent, non-biased discussions. Anything else will only serve to continue the tribal, over-heated rhetoric being see in schools, politics and communities.
4. Restore Parental Rights: Republicans will restore Parental Rights in Education, and enforce our Civil Rights Laws to stop schools from discriminating on the basis of Race. We trust Parents!
Comment: WTF??? Really!! Christian Nationalists and MAGA hardliners are among the most hypocritical racist, misogynistic, and anti-LGBT people in the country. They frequently spout bible verses to try to support their views.
6. Knowledge and Skills, Not CRT and Gender Indoctrination: Republicans will ensure children are taught fundamentals like Reading, History, Science, and Math, not Left-wing propaganda. We will de-fund schools that engage in inappropriate political indoctrination of our children using Federal Taxpayer Dollars.
Comment: Refer to my comments in item 3 of this section. The only people trying to indoctrinate children are the Christian Nationalists and MAGA hardliners pushing prayer in school and requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms in violation of the 1st Amendment's "Freedom of Religion" and Church-State Separation clauses. According to Britannic.com, Critical Race Theorists believe that "racism is inherent in the law and legal institutions of the United State insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans." Christian Nationalists and MAGA hardliners want everyone to believe that brainwashing and indoctrination are the same thing. These terms are not the same! According to Merriam-Webster.com, the term 'indoctrinate' simply means to teach or to teach the ideas, opinions, or beliefs of a particular group; meanwhile, the term 'brainwashing' means to "forcibly ... induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas." [i.e. "Persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship."] I do not see a problem with teaching children about the different types of people they might meet in society.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/critical-race-theory; https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indoctrinate; https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brainwash
7. Promote Love of Country with Authentic Civics Education: Republicans will reinstate the 1776 Commission, promote Fair and Patriotic Civics Education, and veto efforts to nationalize Civics Education. We will support schools that teach America’s Founding Principles and Western Civilization.
Comment: First, the 1776 Commission was a Trump Administrative counter-narrative to the 1619 Commission. As someone who received a well-rounded, public high school education and went to both a small, private, liberal arts college and large, publicly-funded state universities, I do not believe that the Federalist Society, Christian Nationalists, and MAGA hardliners should be trusted to determine what considered either "Fair" or "Patriotic". A civics program cannot "white wash" historical events. Colonial and United States history is messy, bigoted, misogynistic, and racist. It is important that all citizens understand this. America's founding principles were based European, ancient Roman, ancient Greek, and other cultural ideas, philosophies and traditions.)
8. Freedom to Pray: Republicans will champion the First Amendment Right to Pray and Read the Bible in school, and stand up to those who violate the Religious Freedoms of American students.
Comment: As I've described in other sections of this website, this platform item conflicts with the Founding Fathers' meaning of "freedom of religion" and "church-state separation". The First Amendment also guarantees a right not to pray. Reading the Bible, which should be construed as the 'New Testament' since this platform was put forward by the Federalist Society and the conservative2025 Commission, is not appropriate in public schools.