We are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights as stated in our Declaration of Independence. We believe every person has rights and responsibilities, not as part of a group, but as individuals. We view all people with respect and concern.
The Republican Party, with a long and proactive history of equal rights for all people, was founded in 1854 to oppose the expansion of slavery in any newly created territories of the U.S. Our first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves in any area then in rebellion against the United States. He thereafter led the Union to victory and reunification of the nation.
Republicans passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution permanently abolishing slavery. Republicans passed the 14th Amendment granting citizenship and recognizing voting rights of black men. Republicans passed the 19th Amendment recognizing all women have the right to vote. Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate, in far greater percentages than Democrats, passed the 1964 and 1968 Civil Rights Acts.
For decades since, those in power have controlled cities where many people have suffered from poverty, non-performing schools, urban blight, crime, and hopelessness, despite government spending of trillions of dollars. It’s time for these failed policies to end. Therefore, we stand on the following values and suggest the changes proposed in this platform.
The foundation of this platform agreement is based on the four cornerstones of: Liberty, Values, Wisdom, and Economy.
We agree that the founding documents of our nation define the role of government as a servant of the people and protector of our God-given unalienable individual civil rights. Government has no power or authority of its own except for that which is delegated by the people. We are guaranteed freedoms of speech, religion, peaceful assembly, individual possession of arms, property rights and the Washington State initiative process.
We agree that the pandemic emergency bore witness to one of the most serious violations of our civil rights in state history. Citizens were forbidden entry into places of public accommodation (grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) for not covering their face or providing proof of vaccination. Workplace and university vaccine mandates violated the right to Informed Consent and many were coerced to vaccinate against their free will. Others were wrongfully terminated. Churches were ordered to close their doors during the lockdown. The mandates were unlawful orders that violated our constitutional rights as well as pre-existing public health guidelines. State governments were incentivized by federal grants, with Washington State receiving $88 billion in federal COVID aid.
Therefore, we affirm our civil rights that were breached during the emergency and support legislation that limits the Governor’s use of emergency powers.
We agree to protect the rights of the individual against unlawful (or mandated) intrusion of medical acts, medical products, or injections by government, employer, school, or any other authority.
We also agree that we do NOT suspend our Constitutional rights nor individual liberties under any declaration of “emergency” by any local, state, federal administration, bureaucracy, or global entity. Our public health authorities have lawful guidelines for dealing with public health situations and must not override the rights of the individual.
Therefore, we stand that in accordance with our core principles of individual liberty and limited government, we do not support laws that mandate medical products or procedures of any kind.
We believe that our free speech rights are protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution and that those rights are being threatened by state sponsored censorship, Artificial Intelligence monitoring software, and speech-restrictive legislation.
Therefore, we oppose forcing people to use certain words in their private and public conversations and which are being aggressively labelled as “hate speech.” We also oppose government initiatives to monitor our speech or characterize our free speech as “misinformation” or “dis-information.” We oppose censorship that would silence dissenting views of public policy.
We agree that stable and supportive families are the best environment for raising the next generation of our free society.
Therefore, we believe the rights and responsibilities of parents/guardians must be protected and supported by the government. Parents are their minor child’s primary stakeholder, and, in working with medical professionals, will make decisions for their minor child’s medical care. No medical procedures, including vaccinations, will be conducted without parents’ consent.
Parents shall not be coerced by the state to allow their children to be exposed to content or be placed in situations that the parent or guardian deems harmful to their minor child. Parents have the right to choose how their children receive their education. The education of children in the topics of math, science, language arts, history and civics is critical to our country’s future. Education provided by the state should teach these topics. We also encourage communities to support families and children in need.
Property Rights
We agree:
Our U.S. Constitution requires the government to compensate people for fair market value when they take private property for public use, when the taking is physical. When the taking is by regulation, the government should also compensate the property owner when the regulation is for the public benefit. We assert that when regulations decrease property value, the government should pay the owner for this decrease in value.
The government also takes property through civil forfeiture, seizing property declaring it the product of a crime. When they are wrong, the procedures for return of the property are cumbersome and often take years.
Therefore, we encourage Congress to pass the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act, known as the FAIR Act, to create new safeguards against forfeiture abuse.
We oppose foreign entities from the abusive purchasing of commercial, agricultural, and residential land and property.
Local Government
We agree our Constitution sets up a system where power is divided, so no one person or group can have complete control. Over years, the power and control of government has been moving, from the people and the lower levels of government to the upper levels of government.
For example, the federal government controls much of the local building of roads, which was formerly a local function. They collect a large federal gas tax and require local governments to apply for money to build roads. The federal government reviews proposals for engineering, environment, and needs assessments. Then they have a federal agent monitor road construction here. The costs are enormous.
Therefore, we urge our elected officials at all levels of government to work on returning power to the local level.
Emergency Powers
We agree our state legislature is made up of three representatives from each of the 49 legislative districts in the state, one senator and two state representatives. They are the ones who make policy and enact laws, after collecting evidence, holding public hearings, and debating. The governor was given emergency power for when the legislature does not have time to act according to these legal procedures.
Therefore, in 30 days or less, the governor should be required to return the power of enacting policies and requirements back to the people’s representatives allowing the Separation of Powers to function properly by giving the Legislative branch time to enact proper legal responses to the emergency if it lasts longer than 30 days. If the legislature does not act expeditiously and continues endless authorization of emergency powers to the Executive Power, then our citizens suffer under singular rule and not our Constitutional rule by a limited government.
Election Integrity
We agree that the public has the right to assurance of election integrity and security, and that our elected officials have a duty to provide verifiable data and information so the public can readily obtain that assurance.
We agree that voters are frustrated and need absolute confidence in accuracy and reassurance in our fundamental right to vote. The U.S. citizens’ right to vote in a free and fair election is the most basic civil right, one on which many of the other rights of the American people depend. Our current system is too slow with vote counts shifting after election day results undermining trust.
Therefore, to assure and restore voter confidence our liberties, and our Republic, we propose:
1. Reinstating the hand counting of paper ballots at the precinct level, without tabulation machines.
2. Returning to same-day, single-day voting (proposed holiday), with absentee ballots available on request.
3. Ensuring ballot chain of custody.
4. Restoring photo ID requirements to ensure only legal citizens vote.
5. Keeping voter rolls accurate, with timely maintenance per Federal laws.
6. Holding elected officials, judges, and law enforcement accountable
7. Banning dark money from pouring into local election offices.
8. Electing the best candidate, rather than using ranked choice voting.
9. Repealing the top two primary and returning to party primaries.
Restore verifiable election integrity and give Americans a solid foundation to once again trust in our election results.
Health
We agree that a healthier population is achievable by creating and maintaining efficient, effective, and free-market healthcare solutions and insurance options unencumbered by over-reaching federal and state regulations, with an emphasis on the individual right to make medical decisions with minimal government involvement, control and/or coercion.
Therefore, we strongly oppose mandatory vaccination and masking policies and forcible quarantine without due process. We oppose the use of mRNA technology in food, agriculture, and other products. Requirement for informed consent must transcend the medical-industrial complex, government and “Big Pharma” control, as well as profit and political motivations that offer little accountability and transparency. Unelected boards of health must function in an advisory capacity only.
Therefore, physicians, conventional and alternative-medicine healthcare providers, pharmacy owners, and healthcare organizations must retain the right to exercise their professional judgment and freedom of conscience to provide for their patients in a manner consistent with the Hippocratic Oath of “first, do no harm.” Health care reform must continue to be patient-focused and centered on the relationships of individuals with their health-care providers using marketplace solutions that work to improve health outcomes, guarantee coverage for individuals’ specific needs to include pre-existing conditions, reduce unnecessary treatments, allow for more innovation, introduce greater price transparency, and remain accessible for all Americans.
National Security
We agree that national security is a central function of government and that a strong America is a free America. Unfortunately, wars around the globe are escalating and for the first time in decades we are faced with the real possibility of World War III. In addition, recent years have revealed new threats within our borders due to the vast numbers of undocumented foreigners who have entered the United States illegally and do not have U.S. interests at heart.
Therefore, we must strengthen our borders, protect U.S. land ownership, and support our law enforcement. We must also reverse the DEI policies and vaccine mandates that have undermined the strength and morale of our military. Support for active and retired law-enforcement and veterans is essential. We must make good on our promises to past civil servants and their families. This will prove to all civil servants that their sacrifice is valued and give our citizens confidence to pursue careers in law- enforcement and military in the future.
Public Safety
We agree that safety on our streets, in our schools, our homes and in our workplaces is a fundamental right of the people and an obligation of the government.
Crime is out of control and is a blot on the reputation of King County. We encourage vocal public support of law enforcement officers. City, county, and state authorities must enforce existing laws against all crime, minor and major. Property crime carried out by large-scale raids on retail establishments should be prosecuted promptly and effectively. Petty shoplifting is still a crime and lack of enforcement implies permission to continue without consequences. Post arrest arraignment, bail and pre-trial release should be handled in strict accordance with the law. Chronic, repeat offenders should be given longer sentences to protect society.
We support professional training of police officers in citizen encounters and the use of force. We oppose legislative attempts to criminalize law abiding gun owners for exercising their rights under the constitutions of both our state and nation.
We support the equal application of justice regardless of race or social status. Prosecutors and judges are bound by their oaths to treat each case individually in strict compliance with the law. Mass-scale lawlessness must be dealt with early and effectively.
Therefore, we energetically support prosecutors and council members who will faithfully execute the duties of their office to reduce crime against people and property.
Immigration and Border Security
We believe America is enriched by the economic and cultural benefits of legal immigration.
We support multiple, well-defined, and reasonable paths to citizenship and authorized residency. Our elected national authorities set the laws and policies, including quotas and criteria for admission based on our country’s needs and the likelihood of assimilation.
We also welcome refugees fleeing persecution and oppression as temporary residents, who should not be confused with economic migrants. Our immigration policy and enforcement has failed, resulting in ambiguity, excessive undocumented entry, conflict within our country, and the burdening of even our northern cities with the disruption and excessive cost of unauthorized immigrants.
Therefore, our immigration laws must be fully enforced. Unauthorized entry and overstays need consequences, including timely deportation. Our national administration must provide whatever additional barriers, technology, staffing, enforcement authority and foreign arrangements necessary to fully secure our borders. All local, state, and national authorities and law enforcement must fully enforce our national immigration laws. We must end the tolerance of NGOs that provide guidance and encourage deception by illegal migrants. New citizens need to honor their pledge to be loyal to our country and to integrate themselves into our communities.
Addiction and Mental Health
We agree that the problems of drug addiction and mental health are often intertwined and have reached a crisis level that demands effective solutions. Although there are many causes for this increase, we cannot discount the effects felt from the extended pandemic lockdown and the emotional and financial distress that drove many into drug use or mental breakdown.
We cannot begin to measure the effects on our youth, with their education interrupted, graduating into an unstable economy. The de-funding of Western State Hospital in 2018 reduced already limited resources and put many suffering from drug addiction and mental health disorders back on the streets. We agree that “harm reduction” approaches have not proven effective and provide no incentive for long-term recovery.
Therefore, we support solutions that give these individuals a hand up, with the goal of long-term self-sufficiency. We support diversion programs, such as drug court, to provide treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Chronic offenders should face stiffer penalties. We support a review of our public policies toward marijuana and the full impact of legalization of marijuana on individuals’ mental health and the community.
Homelessness
We agree homelessness can result from financial crisis, deteriorating mental health, drug addiction, domestic violence, and/or society’s failure to provide adequate safety nets for veterans, foster children, victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable groups.
An additional critical layer is that more than 50% of the homeless in King County became homeless in another state and moved to Washington.
Homeless encampments, squatting, and living on the street present health and safety risks to homeless persons and to the neighboring communities. For these reasons, these living conditions cannot be tolerated or allowed.
Therefore, we support enrollment of homeless Washington citizens in safe, secure, clean housing that is governed by enforceable rules. We believe all people should be empowered to work and contribute to society as they are able. We support employment assistance, vocational training, mental health counseling and/or substance abuse assistance for all citizens faced with homelessness.
In addition, we believe that the policy surrounding in-coming (from out of state/out of country) homeless persons should be amended to make the citizens of Washington state the state’s priority. We must look at our disingenuous policies that attracted homeless people in a way that is not sustainable for them or for King County.
Protecting Women
We agree that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights and that our government was instituted to protect those rights.
Therefore, we endeavor to protect the dignity and safety of biological women and girls in spaces designated solely for females such as multi-occupancy locker rooms, bathrooms, living spaces, groups, and jails, as well as in sports and sex-segregated activities.
Life
The Declaration of Independence states that all people have the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Pregnancy involves more than one life, and consideration must be given to the rights of each. We support candidates that seek to strengthen protections for children before birth.
We agree, the matter of life and reproductive health is critically important and very personal. We also acknowledge that we have diversity of thought within the party on this topic. Individually, we hold true to our own values while respecting the will of the voters.
As a party, in King County, we therefore:
1. Acknowledge the Reproductive Privacy Act/RCW 9.02 as passed in 1991 asserts that women are allowed to terminate pregnancy within legal limits,
AND we therefore prioritize:
2. Advocating that women receive complete information regarding informed consent, including facts on physical risks, stage of development, potential psychological and emotional aftereffects of abortion.
3. Educating people on the viable option of adoption as an alternative to abortion and advocate for legislation and policies that ensure women have access to a full range of services to aid in carrying a baby to full term including financial, housing, education, and food support.
4. Supporting legislation that parents and guardians of minors be notified prior to such minors procuring medical procedures, including abortion.
Arts and Culture
The First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech to all Americans includes the freedom to celebrate the true, good and the beautiful through artistic expression.
We agree that Art can impact culture in ways that other influences cannot and regard it of high value in King County, to inspire and reflect the culture and beauty of our region. We support and value creative expression and its unique opportunity to heal, restore and inspire. We believe our county should continue to preserve the opportunity for students, young and old, and for programs to continue to flourish, especially as they are restorative and uplifting for the next generation.
Education
The Washington State Constitution acknowledges, “All schools maintained or supported wholly or in part by the public funds shall be forever free from sectarian control or influence.”
We agree that Parental rights shall not be infringed, and their influence must be primary and foundational in the education of our children. We stand that all government funding for the student should be at the direction of the parent or guardian.
Schools must do better at providing a solid foundation in reading, writing, math, science, civics, and the arts. Schools must reject curriculum that promotes inconclusive theories (such as CRT and gender ideology) or that are biased with “preference…of race, color, caste, or sex. To remain free, we must have the knowledge, strength, and virtue to teach an accurate view about America without ignoring the faults from our past. Students must have the opportunity to explore our foundational documents that highlight eternal values to ennoble our youth to embrace and preserve the triumphs of our founders.
Therefore, local school boards are responsible for adopting curricula that must be freely available to parents prior to its use and throughout the year to allow families to meaningfully engage with their children. Sex education needs to be opted-into, rather than opted-out of. The focus being primarily on the biology of reproduction, with respect to students’ age, personal boundaries, and the wide range of community values.
Family
We agree that the family unit is the cornerstone of a free and moral society.
Therefore, we strongly oppose any effort by legislation, curriculum, or any government agencies, which would try to undermine the most precious underpinning of health and freedom: That our family unit would remain the cornerstone of our free and moral society.
Environment
We agree that protecting the environment requires humanity’s attention. The EPA was established to protect human health and the environment. However, regulatory agencies have gone far beyond the clear limits of their statutory authority. Recent expansions of carbon regulations and wetlands’ definitions in our state are good examples of this type of overreach.
The earth’s changing climate is not exclusively man-made and certainly will not be helped by restricting Americans’ freedom of movement through banning gas-powered automobiles or excessive taxation of fuel or carbon-based industries. We promote stewardship of our landscape and work to understand and preserve our environment.
Therefore, Environmental policies should be based on valid and replicable scientific research and subject to rigorous debate. Proposed solutions should be based on sound economic analysis, realistic weighing of costs, and avoidance of excessive bureaucracy. Recent wildfires prove the necessity of responsible, proactive fire management tools such as selective harvesting, brush removal, and prescribed fires in our forests.
Economy and Jobs
We agree, prosperity comes from initiative, intelligence, and hard work. The economic policies of the last 3+ years have hurt American households. Inflation has crushed American families with Food and Energy expenditures consuming a higher percentage of the budget than ever before. Homeownership, a pillar of our U.S. economy, has become increasingly more difficult for most Americans due to high interest rates. Credit card debt is at an all-time high.
In contrast, the U.S. experienced one of its best economies from 2016 to 2019. Employment and growth were robust. Official labor department figures show unemployment for minorities was at one of the lowest rates in history. Unfortunately, the last 4 years of failed decisions and policies have undone the prosperity the country was experiencing, led to record-breaking U.S, Debt, handicapped U.S. manufacturing, eliminated U.S. jobs and devalued our currency.
Therefore: We believe economic success is best be achieved through imposing as few restraints as reasonably possible on private property, industry, and trade. We reject Marxist and Socialist ideologies being touted as a “better” way. We affirm that a reduction in government regulation fosters private sector job creation, entrepreneurship, and helps retain business and industry in our state.
Sound Fiscal Policy
We agree, the trajectory of our federal spending is unsustainable and irresponsible. Skyrocketing government debt/deficits are driving high inflation, high interest rates, economic dysfunction, unsound retirement programs and economic and emotional stress on our citizens, young and old.
We agree the WA State Constitution prohibits a state income tax which voters have opposed by rejection 10 times and call for a repeal of the proposed WA State Capital Gains tax which is essentially income tax with a new name.
Therefore, we oppose omnibus spending bills and call for line-item budgets and transparency. We call for a restoration of long-term fiscal stability via a balanced budget amendment and the requirement of a legislative super-majority to increase taxes.
Therefore, we maintain that new taxes must be voted upon by the citizens and not at the sole discretion of elected officials. We call for the federal government to prioritize the United States and American citizens.
Housing Affordability
We agree housing affordability is a big concern for homeowners and renters. King County has attracted world-class companies, retail, and services. This has helped our cities and county to thrive economically. However, growth has outpaced housing starts and has created a shortage of affordable housing. We believe our legislators have greatly contributed to the housing shortage by placing too many regulations in our county restricting the amount of land available.
In addition, the permit process is far too lengthy, lacks transparency, is subjective and extremely costly for builders large and small. Rental housing has been impacted by restrictive laws that discourage private rental ownership and shrink the availability of affordable rental housing.
Therefore, we favor free market solutions wherever possible to promote private housing ownership and construction. These solutions include loosening zoning requirements, easing costly land-use regulations, requiring transparent and reasonable permitting fees, and streamlining approvals for building permits and inspections.
We also support targeted adjustments to urban growth areas where environmental impact is minimal. We adamantly oppose rent control, which economists have consistently shown to reduce the supply and quality of housing. We support non-discriminatory rental policies that protect both citizen and landlord and tax credits for private citizens providing rental housing. Since increasing property taxes hurt renters and homeowners in a free market system, we support keeping the current rates flat.
Transportation
We agree effective transportation systems are crucial to the region’s economy and quality of life. Sound Transit, WSDOT, and Metro have a long record of broken promises, lack of accountability, and excessive taxation. Ridership is extremely low and costly for consumers. The emphasis on mass transit has been at the expense of our highway system which is the dominant form of transportation in our region. Other vital services such as our WA State Ferry System have been neglected.
Therefore, Transportation agencies must be held to a higher standard of transparency and accountability with a renewed commitment to our roads, highway system and ferry system. In addition, we believe freedom of movement is an inherent right and should not be subject to restrictive laws and taxes.
In keeping with this, we oppose government surveillance through the proliferation of “traffic “cameras on public roads and public space. We do not support any attempt of WA State to impose “per mile” taxes or GPS tracking devices in attempt to monitor driving mileage or location.
We oppose excessive tolls on existing roads and need increased public input regarding present and future tolls. In addition, gas and diesel taxes paid at the pump exclude EVs and Hybrids. These vehicles should pay their fair share of taxes used for road maintenance and expansion.
Energy
We agree sound energy policy is critical to the maintenance of living standards, job creation, and economic development. The U.S. and Washington are energy-rich, and it should remain a national priority to responsibly utilize reliable and cost-effective sources of energy. American production of energy is the cleanest, most regulated, least polluting in the world.
The National and Washington electric grid is essential to our economy and to our living standards and faces growing demands due to normal population growth. Unfortunately, the State’s policy goals to abandon fossil fuels are unattainable without dramatic cost increases and, potentially, substantial disruptions in baseline power.
Therefore, we oppose electricity and natural gas customers being priced out of King County. We oppose the State’s current campaigns to eliminate fossil fuels. Natural gas and hydroelectric contribute consistent base load power for businesses and homes and should not be restricted.
We support the formal designation of hydroelectric dams as renewable sources and oppose the removal of functioning hydroelectric power dams. Fusion, hydrogen, and small nuclear plant private development should be encouraged to expand our energy supply. We support a comprehensive energy policy, consistent with free market principles and that energy development should not be distorted by mandates, subsidies, or tax credits.