Maine Republican Party Platform 2004
As Amended at the 2004 Republican StateConvention
May 15, 2004
- We believe that we must protect our country and our fellow citizens by supporting President George W. Bush in his effort to continue the defense of our nation against terrorist attacks;
- We believe state spending must be brought under control to ensure fiscal stability for future generations;
- We believe that Maine per capita income is low because our tax burden is high and that reducing tax rates will increase both income and tax revenues by improving the business climate in the State of Maine;
- We believe in gaining economic prosperity and freedom for all Maine people, through changing our antibusiness laws that keep jobs and money out of our state and letting hard working Maine people keep more of their own money;
- We believe that all Maine people deserve access to quality, affordable health care that can be achieved through free market reforms;
- We believe in planning for the future of our state by ensuring that our children have the best educational opportunities possible through increased accountability and educational choice;
- We believe in the power of the individual over the power of the government to make personal decisions affecting their future and their well-being and that the role of government is to serve the people, not for the people to serve government;
- We believe that private ownership of Maine lands that is consistent with our economic system, limited government, good land stewardship and our Constitution should be a priority;
- We believe in the Second Amendment and Maine Constitutional rights to bear arms;
- We believe that state policies must promote economic opportunity for all the citizens of Maine;
- We believe in the sanctity of life and the right of parents to be involved in the reproductive decisions of their minor children;
- We support the defense of marriage by recognizing that the sole definition of marriage is the union of one man and one woman;
- We oppose any attempt to create a federal park in the Maine woods, including a feasibility study; and
- We recognize the Maine Week of Heroes and request that delegates participate in the Maine Week of Heroes by acknowledging the service of Active Duty military and veterans, fire fighters, police officers, EMTs and all those who live for the sake of others.
Based on these principles, we support the following initiatives:
- A constitutional amendment that will ensure state spending never grows faster than our income;
- All Republican candidates for state and national office are urged to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which says they will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes;
- Promoting state budgets that reduce the tax burden on Maine citizens;
- Reforming the regulations and the regulatory process that have a negative impact on family stores, businesses and the traditional Maine industries of manufacturing, forestry, fishing and farming;
- Ensure that our regulations recognize the value of our outdoor heritage and promote responsible stewardship of our environment;
- Elimination of the business equipment tax that inhibits investment and economic prosperity, while ensuring Maine’s communities are provided with a stable revenue base;
- Conforming the state tax code to the federal tax code to achieve fairness and equity without increasing the tax burden on our citizens;
- Promoting competition in the health care system to lower costs for all Maine citizens;
- Create statewide tax incentives to help Maine businesses grow new jobs to increase Maine’s competitiveness and encourage more businesses to locate in Maine;
- Enforcing existing criminal laws to protect the innocent and the victims of crime; and
- Fully funding and staffing OPEGA, Maine’s governmental oversight agency, to achieve effective and efficient state government.
Source: Copy of the platform posted at http://www.mainegop.com/platform2004.pdf. (accessed May 19, 2005)
Members of the Platform Committee:
The Honorable Paul Davis, Chair
Professor Douglas Hodgkin, Secretary
The Honorable Jane Amero
Mr. Michael Beardsley
The Honorable Don Berry
The Honorable Kenneth Blais
Mr. William Blanchard
The Honorable Bob Crosthwaite
The Honorable Ken Fletcher
Mr. Lance Harville
Mrs. Rebecca Kendall
The Honorable Gary Lowe
The Honorable David Madore
The Honorable June C. Meres
The Honorable Betty Lou Mitchell
Ms. Jennifer Mooers
The Honorable Bob Nutting
Mr. Artemas Pickard
Mr. Chris Pollard
Mrs. Karen Raye
The Honorable Will Rogers
The Honorable Christine Savage
The Honorable Roger Sherman
The Honorable Lois Snowe-Mello
The Honorable Charlie Summers
The Honorable Rick Sykes
The Honorable Chandler Woodcock