We, the members of the Republican Party of the State of Maine, recognize that people are creatures of God and as such are entitled to all the dignity that life on this planet can provide. We believe that it is our duty to preserve our Constitutional rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

To ensure these rights and the well-being of all the people of Maine, we suggest the following planks as our 1974 platform. We present a document which provides guidance to the general philosophy of the Republican Party in meeting the problems of our time. It is not an attempt to represent the views of all our candidates or members, for we are a diverse and individualistic party. These proposals ultimately must he subject to debate and refinement in a free and democratic process.

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

Recognizing the importance of agriculture and forestry in Maine’s economy, we recommend:

  1. Increased involvement of the Maine Departments of Agriculture and of Commerce and Industry and the Bureau of Forestry in the promotion and marketing of agricultural and forest products.
  2. Land use and tax laws which encourage continued use of land for agricultural purposes and which contain safeguards to ensure that taxation be based on land’s present use and not a possible future use.

BICENTENNIAL

Because our country will be celebrating its 200th birthday in 1976, in preparation for the occasion, we support:

  1. Recognition and promotion of Maine’s significant historical landmarks of the American Revolution.
  2. State financial support for appropriate State and municipal observances to supplement federal grants already authorized.
  3. Recognition of the bicentennial as ongoing reaffirmation of American values as expressed by the founding fathers in the Revolutionary period.

CITIZEN’S RIGHTS

To protect the rights and privileges of Maine citizens, we propose:

  1. Implementation of procedures whereby closer scrutiny of residence facilities would be conducted before institutionally confined patients and wards of the state are integrated into the community.
  2. Funding of the Maine State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights regarding Maine Indians.
  3. A study of the concept of forming Police Administrative Districts in rural areas of our state as a possible means of helping to combat rural crime.
  4. Continuation of state funding of the Maine Police Academy.
  5. Return of public lands in an equitable and reasonable manner to the citizens of the State of Maine.
  6. Modification of the state’s so-called “Little Hatch Act’ to allow employees to participate in municipal elections.
  7. A study to determine the pattern of social service funding in Federal and State level programs to ensure equitable distribution throughout the State.

CONSUMERS RIGHTS

To Protect the rights and interests of consumers, we recommend:

  1. Probate reform.
  2. Consumer oriented No Fault Insurance.
  3. Generic names be listed on containers of all prescription drugs.
  4. Abolition of the Maine Milk Commission.

EDUCATION

The foundation of a democratic society is an informed and educated citizenry. To this end we propose:

  1. Continued support of all vocational training programs and expansion in the area of agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and medicine.
  2. Financial aid, based on need, to Maine students attending post-secondary educational institutions, public and private.
  3. Support of educational systems that encourage on the job training for youth through school-industry cooperative programs and government encouraged programs.
  4. Continuation and improvement of educational programs regarding abuses of drugs, alcohol and nutrition.
  5. More flexible state teacher certification requirements in that individuals with special competence in their field may teach students in vocational programs.
  6. Support the concept of a return of local control of education so that the people who determine educational policy will be directly responsible to the people of their respective communities.
  7. Support of opportunities for Maine youngsters to become veterinarians to care for our herds, our pets, and to protect our food supply.
  8. Continued support of programs to eliminate illiteracy in our State.

ENERGY

Energy conservation and development are of particular important now. We recommend:

  1. In light of the present energy shortage consideration of all methods of power generation projects on a cost comparison basis and with environmental consideration in order to increase Maine’s capacity for the generation of electric power.
  2. Renewed consideration of the Passamaquoddy federal power project.
  3. Continuation of the policy of lowered speed limits on Maine’s roads.

ENVIRONMENT

The quality of life and economic well-being of Maine citizens depends upon a carefully balanced environmental policy. We support:

  1. Refinement of environmental standards to be applicable to local conditions rather than conformance to a universal state-wide norm.
  2. Legislative action on such portions of existing environmental and land-use laws as seems appropriate, in order to change standards that experience has shown unworkable at this time.
  3. Approval by appropriate planning, zoning, and other regulatory boards of developmental land before its tax status is changed.
  4. Implementation of workable standards for all environmental agencies by streamlining their application and decision-making procedures.
  5. Establishment and maintenance of wild life habitats.
  6. Legislation abolishing the sale and distribution of non-returnable beverage containers, and in addition urge legislation requiring returnable beverage containers.
  7. Fair and energetic enforcement of fire prevention laws with early detection and alarm as primary goal.
  8. Establishment of enabling legislation so that communities that desire zoning can choose from several community model zoning concepts which best suits their needs.

FISHERIES

in order to protect our existing fishing industry and to tap the tremendous potential of our relationship to the sea, we propose:

  1. Protection and promotion of present inshore fisheries.
  2. Establishment of aquaculture projects compatible with existing fisheries to encourage growth of marine resources harvesting.
  3. Encouragement of research in underdeveloped marine species as a source of food, as well as for scientific study; and promotion of these beyond the current markets.
  4. Continued support of the proposed Federal legislation establishing the 200 mile commercial fishing limit.
  5. Federal and State government financial assistance programs for our fishermen, to make them competitive with foreign fishing fleets.

HEALTH CARE

We acknowledge the rights of Maine citizens to adequate health care. We support:

  1. Promotion and development of local health care programs as an aid to decreasing medical costs for all citizens.
  2. Development of comprehensive planning for state-wide mental health programs.

LABOR AND INDUSTRY

Diligent and honest working people are one of Maine ’s greatest assets. To provide and assure a respectable livelihood reflecting the true needs of these citizens, we recommend:

  1. Expansion of job opportunities by broadening of the site selection law and the wetlands act to require consideration of economic factors as one of the criteria.
  2. Careful consideration be given to the protection of the existing fishing, recreation, and other commercial industries before affirmative action is taken regarding an oil refinery on the Maine coast.
  3. The requirement that there be labor representation on the Board of Environmental Protection.
  4. The change of the name of Bureau of Labor and Industry to Bureau of Labor.
  5. Establishment of the Maine Small Business Commission to aid small businessmen in meeting rules and regulations of Federal and State government.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Whereas we recognize our special responsibility as Republicans dedicated to the great principles on which this nation was founded to speak out to the citizens of our State concerning our position on the issue generally referred to as “Watergate.” We state as follows:

  1. The Republican party of Maine deplores the activities of those who are responsible for the political action commonly referred to as “Watergate.”
  2. We believe it is in the best interests of the country and the political process that responsibility be determined and the guilty punished whenever and wherever found.
  3. We believe the House of Representatives should act promptly and without partisan bias concerning the question of impeachment.
  4. We reaffirm our belief in the political process and encourage all of our citizens to be willing to become involved in the politics of their municipality, state and nation.

THE PRESIDENCY

We resolve that special recognition he given to President Nixon for:

  1. His accomplishment in bringing about the release of our prisoners of war and an honorable termination of our servicemen’s involvement in active overseas combat.
  2. His efforts to normalize relations with China and Russia and to bring peace to the Middle East.
  3. His efforts to bring welfare reform.
  4. The ending of the draft.
  5. Reorganization of the federal bureaucracy, and
  6. Revenue sharing.

RECREATION

Our unique recreational opportunities provide enjoyment and employment to Maine people and are an economic boon to the State. We favor:

  1. Continuation and expansion of recreational facilities at both state and local level.
  2. State support of the tourist industry.

SENIOR CITIZENS

We believe our Senior Citizens should be accorded high respect in recognition of their years of contribution to Maine. We recommend:

  1. Coordination at state level with local organizations to provide better transportation and other services for senior citizens.
  2. Expansion of support for social services such as nutritional meal programs and Homemaker Services.

3. Reform of the state tax structure as it relates to Senior Citizens with a view to decreasing their overall tax burden.

STATE GOVERNMENT

A well-structured state government should be more responsive, efficient, and effective. We propose:

  1. Approval of department head appointments only after public hearings to determine the qualification of appointees and to hear an expression of their policies.
  2. Updating of the Maine Constitution to comply with one person, one vote requirements.
  3. Single member districts – a true expression of one person, one vote philosophy.
  4. Annual sessions of the legislature on a controlled basis.
  5. On-going implementation of the Maine Management and Cost Survey where feasible and practicable.
  6. Implementation of a zero base budget.
  7. Streamlining government by utilizing existing private facilities where possible instead of creating new tax consuming agencies, by adopting sound budget policies, and eliminating unworkable programs and unnecessary subsidies.
  8. Home rule for counties.

TRANSPORTATION

A well-developed transportation system is vital to Maine’s economy and to the mobility of Maine’s people. We recommend:

  1. Continued consideration be given to all modes of mass transportation, including rail passenger services, within the State of Maine and in cooperation with other states.
  2. Priority be given to resurfacing and the maintenance of existing state and state aid highways in preference to building new roads.
  3. Continued financial support to communities for town road improvement and winter maintenance at least at the current level, with special consideration given to farm-to-market roads.
  4. First priority in all new construction programs be given to areas of the State not presently served by controlled access highways or the interstate system.

VETERANS

In recognition of the service performed by our veterans, we favor

  1. Continued and improved service by the State Department of Veterans Affairs to all Maine Veterans and their dependents in receiving state benefits to which they are entitled.
  2. The establishment of a Maine Veteran’s Home.

Source: Copy of the printed platform at the Maine State Law Library.

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