Our Platform
THE 2012 SOUTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM AS ADOPTED BY THE 2012 SOUTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN PARTY STATE CONVENTION
JUNE 21, 2012
Preamble
The South Dakota Republican Party believes that the fundamental principles of the Republican Party are rooted in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of South Dakota. The Party supports the preservation of our Republic, its ideals and institutions for the good of all Americans and adamantly opposes the erosion of these cherished freedoms.
The South Dakota Republican Party believes the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person's dignity, liberty and integrity must be honored. The Party supports our heritage of religious freedom and personal responsibility and further recognizes the need to be proactive in defending our freedom at every level against infringement of our sovereignty.
The South Dakota Republican Party believes in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, gender, age or ability.
The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes the free enterprise system and the work ethic of our people as the foundation of our economic success and security.
The South Dakota Republican Party believes the 21st Century requires continued responsible leadership. Leadership must neither burden nor hinder individual rights and efforts. Leadership must also be mindful of the Republican Platform and the fundamental principles of the Constitution of the United States of America. We believe the most effective and responsible government is government closest to the people.
The South Dakota Republican Party believes the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations. The best government is that which governs least.
We believe South Dakota is a great place to live, raise and nurture a family, and provide opportunity for everyone. To those ends, and for the people of South Dakota, the Republican Party offers, pledges, and commits itself to the following platform.
1.0 Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy
1.1 The South Dakota Republican Party supports a strong and viable economy for agriculture, our number one industry, with a strong emphasis on new technologies, labeling and value-added products that increase the value of our agricultural products.
1.2 The South Dakota Republican Party supports free, fair and competitive markets, both domestic and foreign, for all agriculture products. We support allowing agricultural producers to use any and all business opportunities available. We believe free, fair and competitive markets are best for both the producer and the consumer.
1.3 The South Dakota Republican Party supports conservation of our natural resources. We also support the continued development and funding of water resource projects that will enhance our economic viability and assure sufficient water quality and quantity in the best interest of our state.
1.4 The South Dakota Republican Party supports a clean environment with fair and reasonable standards for maintaining clean air, clean water and a healthy environment through the application of technically sound management practices supported by sound science.
1.5 The South Dakota Republican Party supports efforts to take advantage of the state's incredible renewable energy resources. Renewable energy, such as ethanol, biodiesel, and power created by water, wind, solar energy and biomass, must become a larger piece of our nation's energy supply. South Dakota should work toward becoming a leader in the production and delivery of energy.
1.6 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the mining, petroleum development, forestry, energy, and agricultural industries of our state, for their contributions to our economy and supports the responsible multiple use of our public lands. In support of the reasonable multiple use of our public lands, we discourage further designation of wilderness and roadless areas.
1.7 The South Dakota Republican Party supports a responsible increased harvest of the Black Hills National Forest to make a healthier, more sustainable resource that reduces losses from destructive forces such as catastrophic fires or insect infestations.
1.8 The South Dakota Republican Party supports efforts to reduce losses to public and private lands from destructive forces such as catastrophic forces and infestations from insects, weeds and pests, such as prairie dogs, originating from public lands.
1.9 The South Dakota Republican Party supports responsible waste management, which protects the environment and allows local units of government to make decisions for their communities.
1.10 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the development of sound recreation projects throughout the state without adversely affecting agriculture, fish, wildlife and other natural resources and with due consideration toward property owners who have property affected by such development.
1.11 The South Dakota Republican Party strongly supports private property rights.
1.12 The South Dakota Republican Party supports implementation of the national process to identify the country of origin of meat sold for human consumption.
1.13 The South Dakota Republican Party supports efforts to reduce the amount of sediment entering the Missouri River main stem reservoirs and supports the removal of sediment that has or will, enter the reservoirs. American Indians and others in South Dakota with interest in the Missouri River should be involved in the decision-making process.
1.14 The South Dakota Republican Party supports efforts to prohibit the adoption or implementation of policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in, or traceable to “Agenda 21,” adopted by the United Nations.
2.0 Economic Development and Jobs
2.1 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the expansion and promotion of business and industries to create new jobs in the state, particularly those that will use South Dakota resources.
2.2 The South Dakota Republican Party supports public and private efforts to promote, develop, and fund South Dakota tourism.
2.3 The South Dakota Republican Party strongly encourages collaboration between business and education.
2.4 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the continued use of innovative and successful programs that promote continued economic growth and diversity for all South Dakotans and ensure that our South Dakota youth have opportunities to remain in the state.
2.5 The South Dakota Republican Party supports fair compensation for all citizens, regardless of race, creed, gender, age or ability, and continued support of the right to work provision in our state constitution.
We support the employee's right to have a secret ballot in any election called to organize a union.
2.6 The South Dakota Republican Party believes government should not have an unfair advantage in competition with private enterprise.
2.7 The South Dakota Republican Party supports and salutes the men and women of Ellsworth Air Force Base for their efforts in maintaining a strong national defense and encourages the strengthening of the current mission and adding more missions to Ellsworth Air Force Base.
2.8 The South Dakota Republican Party supports and salutes the men and women of the South Dakota Army and Air National Guard and Reserves for their efforts in maintaining a strong national defense and for supporting local projects and missions.
2.9 The South Dakota Republican Party supports partnerships, and cooperation between telecommunications providers and government to improve affordable access and service to all South Dakota residents. The Party supports the increased use of telecommunications technology by education, business and government. The Party supports efforts to attract higher-paying technology jobs to South Dakota.
2.10 The South Dakota Republican Party continues to support the development of the deep science and engineering lab at Homestake Mine for scientific and research purposes which will have long-lasting economic impact throughout the entire state.
2.11 The South Dakota Republican Party acknowledges the important contribution railroads have made in the past to our state. A new and expanded east-west rail link is vital to our energy and economic security.
2.12 The South Dakota Republican Party acknowledges that all phases of energy production, distribution, and consumption are fundamental building blocks to our state economy and to our national security. As such, we encourage the construction of energy infrastructure projects as vital to the development and sustainability of our economy.
(Section 2 Adopted)
3.0 Health and Human Services
3.1 The South Dakota Republican Party affirms its commitment to the physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being and quality of life for South Dakotans of all races, creeds, and cultures.
3.2 The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes that South Dakota continues to make strides in health care. The South Dakota Republican Party supports the private practice of medicine and opposes socialized medicine in the form of a government-run universal health care system. We will not put government between patients and their health care providers.
The South Dakota Republican Party believes the key to real reform is to give control of the health care system to patients and their health care providers, not bureaucrats in government or business.
We strongly support market-based reforms that are consumer-driven and targeted to reducing costs and increasing access.
We strongly support the fundamental right of a patient to choose their own physician and respect the importance of treatments focused on the patient's well-being.
3.3 The South Dakota Republican Party supports and encourages a working relationship between government, health-related organizations, faith-based organizations, businesses, and individuals to address the quality, access and affordability of health care, including pharmaceuticals, especially in rural areas of South Dakota.
3.4 The South Dakota Republican Party affirms its commitment to addressing the needs of our citizens who are physically and/or mentally unable to care for themselves.
3.5 The South Dakota Republican Party reaffirms that parents, being the primary nurturers, are responsible for financial support, moral training, education, childcare and discipline of their children.
4.0 Education and Cultural Affairs
4.1 The South Dakota Republican Party supports our state's commitment to quality education consistent with Republican values. The Party supports public, private and home school educational opportunities for all students in South Dakota. The Party supports a continuing emphasis on educational opportunity so South Dakota students can have the same knowledge and skill levels as the best students in the world. Education should remain among our highest priorities.
4.2 The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes that good reading skills are key to success in life. The Party supports improvements in reading programs at all grade levels as the foundation for all subsequent learning.
4.3 The South Dakota Republican Party supports parental choice and local control in education in our state. The South Dakota Republican Party opposes any further state mandated adoption of what are generally known as ‘Common Core Standards’ in areas of academic study in our K-12 schools beyond what has currently been adopted and acknowledges those decisions should be made at the discretion of each individual school district.
4.4 The South Dakota Republican Party supports sex education classes that include instruction to students on the social, psychological, economic, and health gains to be realized by abstinence from sexual activity until marriage. No state-sponsored sex education should glamorize or support adolescent sexual activity to students.
4.5 The South Dakota Republican Party affirms its commitment to a quality, safe educational environment conducive to learning, which is free of crime, violence, illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco use.
4.6 The South Dakota Republican Party supports state aid to education within the financial limits of the state of South Dakota.
4.7 The South Dakota Republican Party supports a post-secondary technical and university system that will provide the highest quality education for all our citizens to address the challenges that are presented by today's state, national and global economy.
4.8 The South Dakota Republican Party supports and encourages ethnic harmony in our multi-cultural state. The Party reaffirms its support of efforts to increase awareness of the rich and changing cultural diversity of South Dakota's citizens.
4.9 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the teaching of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the S.D. Constitution, the Federalist Papers and other important historical documents. The Party also supports emphasizing the principles and values upon which our nation was founded.
4.10 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools and opposes deletions, changes or amendments to the Pledge. The Party supports the display of the South Dakota Motto - "Under God, the People Rule" - in our schools. The Party also supports display of the Ten Commandments in our schools.
4.11 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the state's continuing efforts to supply and use technology in our schools. The Party supports programs that give teachers, administrators and school specialists the special skills, tools and technology they need for improving educational opportunities for their students.
4.12 The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes the importance and value of the cultural, artistic and historical resources of South Dakota.
4.13 The South Dakota Republican Party supports English as the official language for South Dakota and the nation.
5.0 Governmental Affairs
5.1 The South Dakota Republican Party continues to support the people of South Dakota in their long-standing commitment to reject personal or corporate income or estate taxes at the state level and support the reduction of the income tax at the federal level.
5.2 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the continued review and reduction of federal, state and local taxation to protect the long-term economic viability of all people of South Dakota.
5.3 The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes that government is primarily funded by the taxes which come from individuals and businesses. The Party encourages government and all levels to operate efficiently, share services wherever possible and limit or reduce government spending when possible.
5.4 The South Dakota Republican Party supports states' rights and opposes government mandates, especially those which do not provide the funding, or the means of funding, necessary to carry out such mandates.
5.5 The South Dakota Republican Party supports a balanced state budget with the maintenance of an adequate reserve fund and supports a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.
5.6 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the funding of construction, repair, maintenance and development of quality transportation infrastructure in a fair, innovative and equitable manner throughout the state.
5.7 The South Dakota Republican Party respects the American flag and supports an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect our flag from acts of desecration.
5.8 The South Dakota Republican Party supports with all our hearts those men and women and their families in all branches of the armed forces past and present who have sacrificed their time and lives for our country.
5.9 The South Dakota Republican Party supports entitlement reform at the federal level in order to put federal entitlement programs on a sound fiscal basis. Comprehensive reform should include the opportunity to freely choose to create your own social security personal investment accounts which are distinct from and supplemental to the overall Social Security system.
5.10 The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes that voting is the cornerstone of our republic. It is a right, privilege, and responsibility that should not be taken for granted, and must be treated with dignity and safeguarded from fraud. The South Dakota Republican Party supports efforts to ensure a voting process that guarantees every eligible South Dakotan a valid vote.
5.11 The South Dakota Republican Party encourages dialogue pertaining to Article VI of the United States Constitution concerning treaties related to South Dakota.
5.12 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the appointment of Federal judges that support a strict constructionist view of the Constitution.
5.13 The South Dakota Republican Party believes the free flow of information empowers and energizes a republic and serves to keep the process of government honest and robust.
5.14 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the right of immigrants to enter our country legally and also supports the right of legal immigrants to work in our state. It is the responsibility of the Federal and state government to strongly enforce the current immigration laws and protect our borders.
5.15 The South Dakota Republican Party is committed to unity among all people and cultures in South Dakota and to specifically work cooperatively with tribal governments to create opportunity on our state's reservations.
5.16 The South Dakota Republican Party supports efforts to require the courts of South Dakota to refrain from relying upon foreign law and judgments that are contrary to the public policy of South Dakota.
5.17 The South Dakota Republican Party encourages those who run for public office in South Dakota as a Republican to familiarize themselves with, and pledge to support, the platform of the South Dakota Republican Party.
5.18 South Dakota Republicans hold that our government was instituted to secure the blessings of freedom, and that the exploitation of illegal aliens is an unqualified evil and the antithesis of freedom.
We further hold that it is the explicit sworn duty of South Dakota’s state and federal elected officials to take all legal actions available to protect South Dakotans from the growing problems of illegal immigration.
6.0 Public Safety and Security
6.1 The South Dakota Republican Party supports the fair and equal administration of justice to protect the general public and their property, to assist victims of crime, punish as well as rehabilitate offenders and assist in the transition of offenders into society.
6.2 The South Dakota Republican Party supports public decency standards. We support the rights of South Dakota communities to implement and enforce such standards.
6.3 The South Dakota Republican Party supports law enforcement that assures every citizen's right to live in a crime-free environment. We applaud, appreciate and promote respect of those involved with public safety in South Dakota.
6.4 The South Dakota Republican Party supports our 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms and opposes any further attempts to restrict private firearms ownership.
6.5 The South Dakota Republican Party supports a strong emergency response system in South Dakota.
6.6 The South Dakota Republican Party supports a strong and reasonable approach to homeland security while protecting our borders and our liberties; and maintaining a secure state and nation.
7.0 Family and Community Values
7.1 The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes the family as the central core of society and the foundation of our state and nation, and supports the family as it nurtures the spiritual growth that fosters generosity of spirit and responsible citizenship.
7.2 The South Dakota Republican Party recognizes that our country was founded in faith upon the truth that self-government is rooted in religious convictions. The Constitution guards against the establishment of state-sponsored religions and honors the free exercise of religion. The courts must respect this freedom and the original intent of the framers of the Constitution.
7.3 The South Dakota Republican Party encourages parents/guardians, schools and libraries to secure their computers against online pornography and predators.
7.4 The South Dakota Republican Party opposes music, videos, printed or electronic media that glamorizes illegal drug usage and the exploitation or abuse of adults and children.
7.5 The South Dakota Republican Party believes that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and must never be redefined to include civil unions of same-sex couples, or groups of individuals. To defend the sanctity of marriage, we support the passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment and appropriate South Dakota laws. We affirm that it is in the best interest of children to be raised by a mother and a father.
7.6 The South Dakota Republican Party reaffirms its long-standing historic support and respect for the sanctity of human life, including the unborn, the elderly, the chronically ill and the terminally ill.
7.7 The South Dakota Republican Party opposes partial birth abortion and supports the congressional ban on sex selection and partial birth abortion. We support those who provide alternatives to abortion or offer adoption services.
7.8 The South Dakota Republican Party, consistent with South Dakota law, opposes funding abortions with public resources.
7.9 The South Dakota Republican Party opposes all embryonic stem cell research. The Party, however, supports alternatives such as adult stem cell research that do not involve the killing of human embryos.