ARE YOU A DEMOCRAT or REPUBLICAN?

IN TRUE POLITICAL RING FORM

Many citizens here in Edinburg and Throughout the Valley find themselves siding with one Political Party or flat out not being interested in either Candidate, Party or Issues. So we here at THE POLITICAL RING decided to show YOU the citizens the DIFFERENCE in the TWO DOMINANT POLITICAL PARTIES IN OUR NATION. So you can decide which party identifies with your personal beliefs, ideology, or issues. So we listed each Party's Platform Preamble alphabetically and well (D) comes before (R) so that nobody gets offended here. Just keeping you the readers informed.

Texas Democratic Party Platform
Adopted June 2006

Preamble
Texas Democrats believe our government can be as good as the people. We have faith that democracy, built on the sacred values of family, freedom and fairness, can afford every Texan, without exception, the opportunity to achieve their God-given potential.

We believe a democratic government exists to help us achieve as a community, state, and nation what we cannot achieve as individuals; and that it must not serve only a powerful few.

We believe every Texan has inalienable rights that even a majority may not take away, including …the right to vote…the right to fair and open participation and representation in the democratic process…the right to privacy.

We believe in freedom…from government interference in our private lives and personal decisions…to exercise civil and human rights…of religion and individual conscience. We believe in equal opportunity for all Texans …to receive a quality public education, from childhood through college…to have access to affordable health care…to find a good job with dignity…to buy or rent a good home in a safe community…to breathe clean air and drink clean water. We believe a growing economy should benefit all Texans…that the people who work in a business are as important as those who invest in it…that every person should be paid a living wage and no person who works full time should be paid a wage below the poverty level…that good business offers a fair exchange for customers…that everyone and every business should pay their fair share of taxes…that government policy should not favor corporations that seek offshore tax shelters, exploit workers, or pollute our environment.

We believe that our lives, homes, communities and country are made secure…through cooperative efforts of involved citizens, law enforcement, and emergency personnel…through retirement and pension security…through the preservation of our precious natural resources and quality of life
…through compassionate policy that offers a safety net for those most vulnerable and in need.


We believe America is made stronger by the men and women who put their lives on the line when it is necessary to engage our military to secure our nation.

We believe America is made more secure by moral, ethical, economic, and competent diplomatic leadership that uses the assets of a powerful, free nation to avoid unnecessary military conflict.

We believe in the benefits derived from the individual strengths of our diverse population. Where others would impose their narrow definition of “family values” on everyone, we offer common sense policies that value all our families.

We believe an honest, ethical state government that serves the public interest, and not the special interests, will help all Texans realize economic and personal security by serving the interests of the people who live here, who work here, who worship here and who play here.

To that end, we recommend specific policy goals based on the beliefs and principles that are the foundation of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

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2006 Republican Party of Texas Platform

PREAMBLE

Throughout the world people dare to dream of freedom, of opportunity, of a beautiful country in which to grow, to raise their family, to worship God in their own way without fear. The embodiment of that dream is America. And within America, people dare to dream of achieving, of becoming somebody better, served and protected by, not encumbered by, government, constantly nourished by faith and family, thriving in a free market, and helping others through charity of giving and serving. The embodiment of the Conservative Dream in America is Texas. Our Texas. It is we who strive to protect our culture from destruction, our children from predators and drugs, and our dear country from those who would destroy it. It is we who defend the embattled traditions that made our nation the greatest in all recorded history.
1. We respect and cherish the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and our Founders’ intent to restrict the power of the federal government over the states and the people. We believe self-government, based on personal integrity of a proper moral foundation, is the best government. This is best balanced with limited civil government, coupled with public trust, to provide collectively for the people those services not efficiently achieved individually.
2. We believe that human life is sacred, created in the image of God. Life begins at the moment of fertilization and ends at the point of natural death. All innocent human life must be protected.
3. We believe that good government is based on the individual, and each person’s ability, dignity, freedom, and responsibility must be honored and recognized. We believe equal opportunity is a right and a privilege but equal outcome is not. We insist that no one’s rights are negotiable and that individual freedom demands personal responsibility.
4. We believe that government spending is out of control and needs to be reduced. We support fundamental, immediate tax reform that is simple, fair, and fully disclosed. We commend President George W. Bush’s principled stand to reduce taxes and stimulate the economy.
5. We believe that traditional marriage is a legal and moral commitment between a natural man and a natural woman. We recognize that the family is the foundational unit of a healthy society and consists of those related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The family is responsible for its own welfare, education, moral training, conduct, and property,
6. We believe that a well-educated population is fundamental to the continued success of our Republic; and that parents have the right, as well as the duty, to direct their children’s education. This right should include choices among public, private, home and religious schools. Competition improves education.
7. We believe that the future of our country depends upon a strong and vibrant private sector unencumbered by excessive government regulation.
8. We believe that a strong America ensures a free America. While we recognize that our nation is the primary leader in the global community, we must also vigorously protect the sovereignty of the United States.
9. We believe in peace through strength. We take a principled stand to preemptively defend the citizens of the United States against all foes, foreign or domestic, whose goal is to destroy our American way of life. Freedom is never free, and we honor all those who have served our nation to protect our liberty, especially our men and women in uniform, who unselfishly and courageously defend our country.
10. We believe all Americans have the right to be safe in their homes, on their streets, and in their communities. We support enforcement of the laws through the Courts imposing swift and sure justice with stiff penalties, truth in sentencing, and respecting the rights of law-abiding citizens, while opposing judicial activism.
“We pray God Bless Texas. God Bless the U.S.A. God bless us all!"