PARKER COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM

PREAMBLE

We believe in and adopt the platform of our State Republican Party. We emphasize those beliefs held by our state party; that the least government is the best government and that a local personal government can respond to local needs better than a distant impersonal government. We also have the concurrent belief with our state party that the preservation of social order is maintained by individual responsibility. Sharing these basic beliefs with our brethren statewide, we desire herein to emphasize those beliefs and objectives for Parker County. We believe the citizens of Parker County should be aware of our basic beliefs as set forth herein and that the dissemination of those beliefs plays a part in generating public dialogue with regard to local self-government.  We recognize the rapid growth of our county and the Possibilities this growth brings both in the tremendous potential for a very high quality of life as well as a similar potential for those problems experienced by urban communities across our state and nation. We prepare this document with a view to the future and with the understanding that the citizens control their own destiny by literally being upon the threshold of generating a quality of life for our county which could well exceed virtually any other region in our state. We realize this possibility can he significantly hindered if those persons whom we vote into elected office do not share our vision. Toward that end, the following platform items are set forth. Long live our high ideals and long live the Parker County Republican Party.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

We understand that it is the exclusive province of the third branch of government to provide criminal justice for our citizens. We support an adequately-staffed and adequately-funded judicial system for Parker county along with the appropriate physical facilities to allow this system to operate efficiently. We believe a strong judicial system helps assure a high quality of life. we realize that requiring individuals to be responsible for their actions promotes social order and accountability for criminal acts, both on the juvenile and adult levels. We support strong punitive measures against those responsible for the abuse of children, sexual assault, theft, intoxication offenses, and drug offenses. The sentencing of criminals should be done with a view toward punishment and crime deterrence rather than rehabilitation and the resulting possibility of continuing danger to our citizens. We support an adequately-staffed and well-paid police force. Our police departments should be supplied with the latest in technology and other tools with which to assure public safety and protection of themselves while pursuing their important and dangerous duties. Additionally, we support the police forces of Parker County as they protect the people of our county. We recognize their courage in the performance of their important and dangerous duties. Accordingly, we encourage strong support by elected officials for adequate and appropriate police force budgets and manpower necessary to meet Parker County's rapidly expanding needs.

COUNTY ISSUES

We expect our local elected officials to represent the highest standards of ethics and personal responsibility not only as an example to all citizens but also as an ingredient for maintaining credibility when dealing with state and federal governmental officials. We believe those persons should recognize and practice a philosophy that the government which governs best, governs least, reserving power to the people. Our local governmental officials should generate a spirit of courtesy and cooperation throughout their respective departments. Our elected officials should always recognize they are servants of the people. We reject a philosophy by some government officials that they are spending someone else's money rather than their own. Our government should foster and maintain a spirit of fiscal responsibility by limited taxation, balanced budgets, and appropriate monetary expenditures when necessary to provide the highest quality essential governmental services. In the past, our citizens have witnessed behavior by some local government officials which has fostered an atmosphere of mistrust and lack of respect for other government officials. Such an atmosphere has been counterproductive and has prevented some government officials from effectively carrying out their official responsibilities. We realize that this lowers the public image of our county. Our party recognizes, therefore, that the constitutional principles upon which our country is based provide for free speech and free exchange of ideas in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Our forefathers recognized that free people can disagree on important issues yet maintain respect for each other so as to assure the effective carrying out of the democratic process. We therefore advocate the election of public officials who subscribe to these beliefs and accordingly bring honor to their offices and respect to our county. While carrying out the duties of office, elected officials should always endeavor to do what is right rather than to seek personal or political gain to the detriment of the real issues and needs of the citizens of Parker County.

STATE ISSUES

Our local elected officials should cooperate with State elected officials in all branches of government as well, while protecting our local interests. Appropriate interaction with state government Should be undertaken when required by the circumstances utilizing a cooperative spirit and we believe that local government should always practice those principles when dealing with other governmental entities.

FAMILY ISSUES

We recognize the family as the fundamental social unit throughout the history of mankind. The family is the true key to the implementation and dissemination of these stated principles and beliefs which free people hold so dear. All local should be conducted with a view toward protecting individual freedom, promoting personal responsibility, and providing for the preservation of a healthy family unit. We reject the intrusion of government into the family unit through the implementation of socialist ideology. We recognize that political, economic, and religious freedom are a large part of the foundation upon which healthy families are built. We embrace and uphold the concept that the moral fabric of society starts with the family and not with the government.

THE POLITICAL PROCESS

We hold true to the time-honored beliefs of the Republican Party which recognize free speech and the allowance of a broad range of political thought in a free society. We seek to carry out our beliefs through the political process originally conceived by our forefathers when drafting The Constitution of the United States of America. The pursuit of our ideals should not lead us to act with malice toward those who may not share our beliefs but, rather, in the spirit of these constitutional principles, our endeavors should be directed toward the common good of our citizenry through the carrying out of those principles. in Parker County, Texas, we should strive to achieve what is right through the proper use of the political process. We should neither initiate nor engage in battles with our political opponents for the simple purpose of gaining revenge or power. We recognize that the political process is a competitive environment, however, adherence to a philosophy of vengefulness ultimately will defeat the opportunities we currently face and act to destroy our vision of the future of Parker County, Texas. May we always endeavor to remember our principles even in the face of wrongdoing by our political opponents.

OUR MISSION

To seize the moment in shaping our future for the good of Parker County, our great state of Texas, and our great nation and to elect people who will provide the leadership and determination to assure  success.