1. NDGOP Platform
2020 NDGOP Resolutions
WHEREAS: the members of the North Dakota Republican Party share a set of core values that shall be referred to as our platform, and
WHEREAS: these values reflect the view of the party as a whole and the party membership.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the North Dakota Republican Party adopt the following principles as the party platform:
• INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY—The rights of American citizens proceed from The Creator, not from government. Government authority proceeds only from the consent of the People. Individuals, including the unborn, have the intrinsic right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
• PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY—Individuals and families are responsible for their behavior. Public policy should encourage and empower their efforts to provide for their own health, safety, education, moral fortitude and personal wealth.
• LIMITED GOVERNMENT—Federal, state and local governments should be transparent and limited to their respective roles, in accordance with the Tenth Amendment. The size of government, government regulations, and entitlement and transfer programs, should be limited to essential, inherently governmental functions.
• PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH AND THE RULE OF LAW—National security, national sovereignty, public safety, the right of self-defense, the rule of constitutional and statutory law, and civil justice should be preserved without excessive burdens to civil liberty.
• LOWER TAXES—Individuals, families and the government should be responsible in their spending. Taxpayers expect the government to be efficient and avoid waste with their money. The State should only collect taxes to fund legitimate government functions. Government taxes and fees should be limited to essential, inherently governmental functions and not for the forced redistribution of wealth, or disproportionate advantages for targeted interest groups.
• RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS—We uphold the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, a right, which antedated the Constitution and was solemnly confirmed by the Second Amendment.
• FAMILY INTEGRITY AND THE AMERICAN MORAL TRADITION—Traditional American families should be encouraged and supported by policies to nurture strong marriages consisting of one man and one woman, to support moral values, and to create, control and
maintain their individual wealth with minimal interference from government.
• QUALITY EDUCATION—Parents have the right to rear and educate their children according to high standards of character and quality, with minimal government interference. Parents are ultimately responsible for their family’s education and should be able to choose among traditional, charter, home school, online, private, or other alternative schools. School children should not be restricted in their rights to voluntary prayer, religious expression, and acknowledgement of God, the American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
• LEGISLATIVE INTEGRITY—Legislators lead through personal moral integrity, and should consider this Platform responsibly before supporting or opposing legislation.
2. National Sovereignty
WHEREAS: The life of freedom enjoyed by United States citizens is made possible by our multi-layered federal system of local, state, and federal governments based on the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS: The gradual creation of a multi-national government including the United States, Mexico, and Canada, or any other such entangling alliance with any nation, are a direct threat to our Constitutional Republic, our nation’s sovereignty, and the rights of its citizens; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports defunding, dismantling, or repealing any government program or agreement that usurps the powers of any United State government entity or citizen, or that would lead to the creation of a multi-national or on world government.
3. Resolution Of Border Security
WHEREAS: Legal immigrants represent both challenges and opportunities for our nation; and
WHEREAS: Illegal aliens have become a scapegoat for the bad government policies which enable them, and for the bad government policies which introduce the costs and burdens they place on our society; and
WHEREAS: Amnesty for illegal aliens is a violation of the rule of law and an affront to those who have worked diligently to legally enter the United States; and
WHEREAS: A lack of adequate enforcement of immigration laws at the borders represents a real
threat to national security; and
WHEREAS: We trust individual physicians and hospitals to discern what constitutes a life-threatening medical emergency and to compassionately act to preserve all human life by providing basic necessary treatment for immediately life-threatening emergency conditions, irrespective of immigration status, without the Federal government necessitating this by an unfunded entitlement mandate; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota reaffirms its continued opposition to illegal immigration; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota calls upon the North Dakota Legislature and the United States Congress to implement legislation to effectively stem the tide of illegal aliens into this country, including legislation that will:
• Physically secure our borders and coastlines, via a return of our border patrol agents from overseas, increased patrols, and employment of other measures necessary to control entry into our country; and
• Enforce visa rules, requiring immigration officials to track visa holders and deport those who overstay their visas or otherwise violate United States law; and
• Deny amnesty, so that illegal aliens are not rewarded for breaking our laws; and
• Deny welfare and entitlements to illegal aliens, so that taxpayers are not saddled with the financial burden of illegal aliens who use our hospitals, schools, and social services; and
• Clarify that, since illegal aliens are not "subject to the jurisdiction [of the United States]" as required in Section 1 of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution, merely giving birth on United States soil does not grant citizenship to those born to illegal aliens present in the United States; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota calls upon the North Dakota Legislature and the United States Congress to pass immigration reform to create an efficient and fair system for those who are willing to enter our country legally and work for the American dream.
4. Freedom Of Speech, Faith, Religion
WHEREAS: North Dakota Republicans understand that one of the reasons freedom is at risk of disappearing from North Dakota is because in many instances freedom has been inadequately defended philosophically and theologically; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican party strongly supports the right of North Dakota citizens to speak freely and to practice religious freedom as guaranteed to all citizens under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and Article 1 of the North Dakota Constitution; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican party supports the right of a business owner to refuse to give up their religious freedom in order to comply with local, state, or federal laws that mandate otherwise; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party supports the rights to voluntary prayer and the posting of the Ten Commandments during any public meeting or activity.
5. Resolution On Privacy
WHEREAS: We believe the biggest threat to our privacy is the government, and we must drastically limit the ability of government to collect and store data regarding citizens' personal matters; and
WHEREAS: The role of government in our constitutional republic is to protect the privacy and liberty of the citizens of the United States, while keeping us safe, not to protect the government from our citizens; and
WHEREAS: There is a powerful move towards establishing a national identity card system, the establishment of which will likely lead to far more intrusive invasions of our privacy and liberty; and
WHEREAS: The Patriot Act, USA Freedom Act, subsequent legislation and other Executive Orders and federal legislation have:
• Expanded the federal government's ability to use wiretaps without judicial oversight; and
• Allowed nationwide search warrants non-specific to any given location, nor subject to any local judicial oversight; and
• Made it far easier for the government to monitor private Internet usage; and
• Authorized "sneak and peek" warrants enabling federal authorities to search a person's home, office, or personal property without that person's knowledge; and
• Required libraries and bookstores to turn over records of books read by their patrons; and
• Endangered our Constitutional right of habeas corpus and gutted the Posse Comitatus Act and further centralized the power of federal government at the expense of states and individual United States citizens; and
WHEREAS: Revelations about the National Security Agency’s programs have been collecting
huge amounts of data from major internet companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft and
Facebook, pertaining to personal computers, computer software hacks, emails, texts, phone, etc.
from ordinary Americans intrusively and illegally, and further illegally passing that raw data
along to other countries’ intelligence services, all outside of the legitimate privacy guaranteed by th
the 4 Amendment; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: By the Republican Party of North Dakota that the Patriot Act, USA Freedom Act, subsequent legislation and other Executive orders and federal legislation that enhance the power of the federal government and diminish the privacy and liberty of United States citizens be repealed, and the national ID card movement in any form be rejected; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: By the Republican Party of North Dakota to rein in unlawful data collection on United States citizens and return to warrants procured in open courts only, in accordance with the Constitution.
6. Constitutional Supremacy
WHEREAS: The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States of America; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports the nomination, confirmation or election of judges who support the original intent of the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of North Dakota; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That North Dakota Republicans recognize and acknowledge that no treaty or any laws of international, religious or any other source should not supersede either the Constitution of the United States of America or the Constitution of North Dakota.
7. Right To Keep And Bear Arms
WHEREAS: The United States Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land; and the Constitution of the State of North Dakota is the supreme law of the state; and
WHEREAS: Our forefathers, the drafters of the United States Constitution, placed full faith and confidence in the citizenry to accept full responsibility for their actions commensurate with their freedom; and
WHEREAS: The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees, without reservation, the right of people to keep and bear arms; and
WHEREAS: The Constitution of the State of North Dakota, Article 1, Section 1, guarantees the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of their person, family, property, and the state, and for lawful hunting, recreational and other lawful purposes, which shall not be infringed; and
WHEREAS: Citizens of North Dakota demand a stop to more restrictive federal gun control laws within the borders of North Dakota; and
WHEREAS: Uniformity of laws throughout the state of North Dakota is necessary to protect nd
against further restriction of our 2 amendment freedoms and to prevent having a patchwork of local ordinances throughout the state that would result in inadvertent breaking of these laws by residents of North Dakota and an unreasonable infringement on the right to keep and bear arms in this state; and
WHEREAS: Neither the Constitution of the United States nor the Constitution of the State of North Dakota require licensing, permits, taxation, registration or other form of infringement on the inalienable right to keep and bear arms; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That North Dakota Republicans support, in spirit and deed, that in a free society, each citizen must have the right to keep and bear arms, and that right shall not be infringed. Each individual must have the right to protect their life, liberty, and property by keeping and bearing arms without licensing, permits, taxation, registration or other form of infringement or permission from the state or federal government; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party supports having state law preempt and nullify any and all local firearm ordinances that are more restrictive than state law; thus providing uniformity of law and protection of the people’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party urges the Governor and State Legislature to pass laws to reject and nullify any Federal attempts at
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further infringement on the 2 Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and to make it illegal for any
state or local government officials to enforce such while appropriately addressing the concerns of law enforcement officers engaged in joint investigations with Federal agencies.
8. Support Of Education
WHEREAS: Quality education and local government services are critically important for the future of our state; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that:
1. The Legislature continue its strong support for primary and secondary education and revenue-sharing with local government entities; and
2. The North Dakota Republican Party supports the proposition that school curriculum content of local districts in the State of North Dakota should remain under the control of the local school boards, and that accreditation or funding should not be denied or withheld from districts on the basis of national goals and standards established under any federal education act, or as adopted by the state in compliance with the national goals and standards; and
3. The North Dakota Republican Party urges Congress to eliminate federal education mandates, regulations, and restrictions, and abolish the Federal Department of Education.
9. Home School Education
WHEREAS: North Dakota Republicans believe parents have the right and responsibility to educate their children, and we acknowledge the parental rights to choose public, private or home education; education that is not mandated by liberal, multicultural or globalist agendas; and
WHEREAS: North Dakota Republicans understand that the North Dakota Constitution authorizes a public school system, but grants no authority for the regulation of home education as consistent with American history, parental rights, and constitutional liberty; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That North Dakota Republicans support and acknowledge the liberty and rights of homeschoolers in North Dakota to educate their children.
10. Parental Rights Concerning Minor Children
BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party supports the rights of parents to guide the education of their children and reaffirms their primary rights and responsibilities to control decisions concerning psychological, physical, emotional, medical, and moral development of their children without interference from government.
11. Abstinence Education
WHEREAS: The best protection for men and women from sexually-transmitted disease is to abstain from sexual activity until marriage; and
WHEREAS: When told the truth, young men and women are capable of making good decisions and are capable of controlling their natural desires; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports teaching about the true risks regarding premarital sexual activity for both men and women, and their future children. This should be taught whenever sex education is taught, including junior high, high school, and higher education. Parents should be notified prior to their children receiving sex education and be able to opt out of such education. Sex education should not be taught in pre-school, kindergarten, or elementary school; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: When possible, the state should use this knowledge when making policy decisions that would encourage young men and women to abstain from sexual activity until marriage.
12. Origin Of Life
WHEREAS: There is scientific evidence and opinion for and against the theory of evolution and other theories about the origin of life, such as intelligent design theory; and
WHEREAS: A person's beliefs about the origins of life have a great influence on their worldview; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports the rights of teachers to teach and of students to discuss the scientific evidence for and against multiple theories of the origin of life, including intelligent design and evolution.
13. Opposition to Required CO2 Capture or Containment
WHEREAS: Regulations requiring the capture and containment of CO2 at coal fired power generating stations should rest with the states; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That any federal regulations requiring CO2 capture or containment at power plants should be rescinded.
14. National Energy Supply Stability / Pipelines
WHEREAS: Fossil fuels will remain the largest energy source at least for the foreseeable future; and
WHEREAS: Expanded fossil fuel use is critical for the economic development of our state and our country; and
WHEREAS: Fossil fuels continue to be among the least costly ways of providing energy; and
WHEREAS: Fossil fuel exploration and development can be done in an environmentally responsible manner; and
WHEREAS: The increased exploration and production of domestic fossil fuel will contribute to the national security of the United States; and
WHEREAS: Pipelines are both a safe and affordable manner in which to transport oil and natural gas; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party supports the ongoing exploration and production of fossil fuels, and supports the construction of pipelines as well as other necessary pipeline infrastructure projects; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party opposes international agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord or domestic laws designed to curtail the use of fossil fuels.
15. Right To Life
WHEREAS: The founding fathers of our great nation dealt thoughtfully with the issue of life when they included the following statements in our country's Declaration of Independence: “they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, “that” among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"; and
WHEREAS: Our constitution, in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, reaffirms these rights with the following guarantee: "Nor shall any person be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;" and
WHEREAS: The National Republican Platforms of 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 stated, in part: "The unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed."; and
WHEREAS: Every innocent human life from conception forward is a created child of God; now THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That no government money should fund abortions; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports a ban on abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. And that the North Dakota Republican Party reaffirms its long-standing support of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, and the National Republican Party Platforms, with respect to human rights and reaffirms its historic support for the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural death.
16. Definition of Marriage
BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports the State’s “Constitutional” definition of marriage as a union of one man and one woman; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party calls upon our attorney general to vigorously defend in court any attempts by local, State, or Federal government including the judiciary to override our State Constitution’s definition.
17. Support Of Free Enterprise
WHEREAS: The Republican Party believes that the State of North Dakota or any of its political subdivisions should not compete with private industry; and
WHEREAS: Government should work to encourage, promote, motivate and facilitate the growth
of private business opportunities throughout the state and all sectors of industry; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party supports free enterprise. The North Dakota Republican Party does not support the creation of new, state-owned businesses or businesses owned by political subdivisions directly competing in the marketplace; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party is confident that the North Dakota entrepreneurial spirit will stand up in all situations and create competition where economical, producing a more efficient and effective product for the people of North Dakota than government, under any circumstance.
18. Property Rights
WHEREAS: The North Dakota Republican Party supports the right of individual citizens to own and benefit from private real property ownership and further supports that the individual’s right of ownership should be the primary purpose inherent in the use and value of their real property; and
WHEREAS: These beliefs hold the North Dakota Republican Party to the concept that any attempts to interfere with the individual’s right to enjoy their own real property by any local, state, or commercial interest is an intrusion to the individual’s real property rights; and
WHEREAS: The federal government has created administrative rules and regulations to implement legislation, such as, but not limited to “Swampbuster,” the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act which have usurped the rights of real property owners to the beneficial use of their property without just compensation; and
WHEREAS: Property owners are entitled to timely, individual notification of potential impairment of their property rights by any governmental entity before it 1.) reconfigures any zoning plan that intensifies or in any way adds restrictions to existing property rights; 2.) implements conservation easements or Trading of Development Rights; 3.) accepts any grant money, whether from non-profit organizations, governmental or private funding sources for purposes of "studying", "planning", "zoning", or otherwise implementing any program that will impact private property; and
WHEREAS: The quality of life for all North Dakotans hinges on the state’s businesses ability to compete without undue and unnecessary regulations; and
WHEREAS: The quality of rural public services, including hospitals, schools, fire districts, and roads depend on the tax base represented by area landowners and the use of local land-based resources; and
WHEREAS: The fifth amendment to the Bill of Rights protects private property from public use without just compensation; and
WHEREAS: To the extent that governmental regulation is deemed necessary and proper, such responsibility resides with state and local government; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party opposes regulation, interference, or control of private property in North Dakota by agencies of the federal government such as, but not limited to, the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of Land Management; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports legislation which prevents the taking of rights to the beneficial use of real property by its owner without just and actual compensation and legislative oversight of administrative rules which carry the force and effect of law.
19. Opposing The Expansion Of Federal Control Of Water
WHEREAS: The federalized control of “all” waters in the United States means centralized control of the most critical requirement for the sustenance of all life and all enterprises necessary for prosperity; and
WHEREAS: The appropriation of water for the beneficial use of citizens has throughout the history of the west been under state jurisdiction and was affirmed in the 1944 Flood Control Act authorizing the reservoirs on the Missouri River; and
WHEREAS: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is attempting to abrogate State jurisdiction over Missouri River waters flowing through reservoirs using a change of definition of “stored water” in its rule making process: and encroaching on State jurisdiction by prohibiting access to State permitted water from the Missouri River along the boundaries of the reservoirs, which comprise most of the length of the Missouri River in North Dakota and South Dakota; and
WHEREAS: The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are currently promulgating rules developed without State collaboration which vastly expand the jurisdiction of the EPA, the Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies in the “Waters of the United States” rules: to include virtually all water, with the narrow exception of some ground water; and
WHEREAS: The management of land and non-navigable waters is fully integrated and cannot be separated, so that federalized control of “all” waters virtually constitutes total control of all agriculture, and all management or development of private land; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party opposes the
encroachment of federal agencies on State jurisdiction over State waters through the arbitrary employment of their internal federal rulemaking process, and federal use of control of adjoining lands to nullify State appropriations of water use.
20. Severability Of Land Use
WHEREAS: The in-perpetuity severance of land uses, including hunting rights, wind-power generation, water, and many other potential severable uses severely restricts the opportunity value of land for future uses and development, potentially impairs agricultural production, and will necessarily cause competing claims through incompatible uses; and
WHEREAS: The in-perpetuity severance of enough land uses, strips land of its options of use and burden of taxes; and
WHEREAS: The confusion and conflicting uses generated by severing land uses will cloud the meaning of land ownership and the value of land, complicating land sales and generating uncertainty of value ultimately threatening land values; and
WHEREAS: The confusion and conflicting uses generated by severing land uses will impair land-use decision making and lead to conflict and expensive litigation over conflicting use of claims; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party opposes extending the legal sale of in-perpetuity land uses as severable from the land title beyond subsurface mineral rights as currently allowed.
21. In Support Of Our Troops
WHEREAS: The freedoms that we enjoy in this great country were won with the blood of many brave men and women in the American Revolution; and
WHEREAS: Those freedoms have been guaranteed by the blood of the many brave men and women of every generation since then; and
WHEREAS: The present generation has demonstrated a strong commitment to that heritage, and to the protection of our freedoms; and
WHEREAS: North Dakotans on active duty, in the National Guard and the Armed Forces Reserves have joined the active duty military in defending those freedoms; and
WHEREAS: North Dakotans have served, and are serving with great honor and pride in our
Nation's military; and
WHEREAS: Our nation's veterans often times experience a great deal of difficulty acclimating to post-war life as a result of their experiences while serving; and
WHEREAS: Many of these individuals do not receive the support and care that they have earned and deserve; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party encourages all of our elected officials to support legislation enhancing the care and support our nation's veterans receive; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party stands in full support of the men and women of our National Guard, Armed Forces Reserves, and active duty military and their families, both at home and abroad.
22. Support of Proper Use of Military Force
WHEREAS: The U.S. National Military Strategy establishes the following interrelated military objectives:
• Protect the United State against external attacks and aggression. • Prevent conflict and surprise attack.
• Prevail Against Adversaries; and
WHEREAS: The recent National Defense Authorization Act now includes authorization for members of the US Armed Forces to arrest and detain US citizens for suspected criminal activities without probable cause; and
WHEREAS: The fourth and fourteenth amendments to the Constitution of the United States clearly state that no person shall be deprived of liberty without due process of law and that no arrest warrants shall be issued but upon probable cause supported by oath of affirmation; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota opposes the usurpation of civilian law enforcement authority to make arrests, and the unconstitutional use of military personnel to arrest, US citizens without probable cause or to detain them indefinitely unless the privilege of a writ of habeas corpus has been suspended as provided by the US Constitution.
23. Limited Government
WHEREAS: The 10 Amendment of the United States Constitution states, “The powers not
delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”; and
WHEREAS: The Republican Party stands for limiting the growth of government to the powers granted by the US and State Constitutions. We do not believe that government growth or government spending should be in any way related to its growth in revenues other than their effect on needs and population; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota calls for the abolition of agencies and offices not authorized by the powers granted under the North Dakota State Constitution or the United States by the Constitution and a return of these duties to the several states and to the people; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party encourages the state executive, legislative, and judicial branches to exercise their authorities under the 10th Amendment to protect the people of the state from unreasonable infringement of their rights by the federal government, and to take the actions necessary to nullify those federal government infringements on the natural rights of the people of this state; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota State Government and local taxing entities only provide for the people those critical functions that cannot be performed by the people or private organizations.
24. Repeal The Affordable Healthcare Act
WHEREAS: The Affordable Health Care Act is a very costly government intrusion into the lives of all American citizens; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Affordable Health Care Act be repealed and replaced with a free enterprise alternative.
25. Audit Of The Federal Reserve
WHEREAS: The North Dakota Republican Party applauds transparency and accountability in government and rejects government secrecy involving monetary policy that impacts the entire economy; and
WHEREAS: Serious discussions of proposals to oversee and audit the Federal Reserve are long overdue; and
WHEREAS: The Federal Reserve can enter into agreements with foreign governments and foreign central banks and the United States Congress is prohibited from overseeing these agreements; and
WHEREAS: The North Dakota Republican Party believes agreements made by the Federal Reserve with foreign powers and foreign banking institutions should be subject to Congressional oversight; and
WHEREAS: The United States Constitution, in Article I, Section 8, gives the United States Congress the authority to coin Money and regulate the value thereof and does not give Congress the authority to delegate control over monetary policy to a central bank; and
WHEREAS: Auditing the Federal Reserve will allow Congress to assert its constitutional authority over monetary policy and help to protect the value of the United States dollar; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party, in defense of the United States Constitution, strongly urges the representatives of the United States Congress to audit the Federal Reserve.
26. Oppose Picking Winners And Losers
WHEREAS: Capitalism, while not perfect, is the best economic system; and
WHEREAS: The free market allocates resources in an economy better than any governmental body; and
WHEREAS: Any governmental body that takes money from some to give it to others for any reason whatsoever is distorting the market’s efficient way of allocating resources, and a government that picks winners and losers in the marketplace is being inherently unfair; and
WHEREAS: Distortions in the market caused by governmental interference harm economic growth and economic liberty; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party opposes all efforts for any government to redistribute wealth by picking winners and losers in the marketplace by favoring certain industries over others or favoring specific entities within an industry over others in the granting of contracts or bestowing entitlements.
27. Benefit Reform
WHEREAS: There has been a progressive centralization of power in the Federal government to provide welfare benefits since 1935; and
WHEREAS: There is a role for society to assist in caring for the poor, disabled, and needy; and
WHEREAS: Compassionate people on both sides of the conservative-liberal political philosophy spectrum adamantly disagree as to how much we should tax our citizens and borrow in deficit spending (passing the responsibility on to future generations) in order to pay for such programs; and
WHEREAS: We have learned over the past seven decades of our Federal government’s attempt at social welfare programs, that the extent and nature of our existing programs have inadvertently created an “entitlement” mentality in some of our citizens that is counterproductive and not compatible with a peaceful, grateful, productive, prosperous, opportunity-rich, and free society; and
WHEREAS: Most states in the union are required by law to balance their budget and it is immoral to force future generations to pay for our immediate desires through deficit spending; and
WHEREAS: It is the tax payers of the individual states that are currently being taxed by the Federal government and then being told what they must do with their own money by the Federal government as it is given back to the states for the states to provide the care for the poor and disabled; and
WHEREAS: State and local leaders are more accessible and accountable to the people of their state than the United States Congress and President; and
WHEREAS: The ability to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of benefit programs as well as to prioritize how social program funds should be used and who should be eligible is enhanced on the state level and will be more consistent with the philosophy of the citizens of that state who pay for such programs; now
th THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican party supports the 10
Amendment to the United States constitution and believes that the power and responsibility to provide for the welfare and medical care of its poor and disabled citizens should be returned to the individual states where state governments that represent the people, political philosophy, and interests of that state can determine what benefits the people of that state wish to provide, how the revenue to fund the efforts will be collected, and how much the taxes on the people will be to provide such welfare services.
28. Transitional Program Reform
WHEREAS: Citizens of the United States of America have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and
WHEREAS: Citizens of the United States of America understand transitional programs help legal citizens transition from periods of unemployment to employment; and
WHEREAS: Citizens of North Dakota deserve protection from people who are breaking the law and illegally using a system that was put in place to help legal citizens in transitional periods; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota does hereby realize that the time is now to ban legal citizens from using transitional programs when they are found to use illegal drugs or unlawfully abuse legal drugs; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota does hereby realize that the time is now to require that legal citizens in transitional programs must also use a photo ID when purchasing supplies with EBT cards or their equivalent.
29. Fiscal Accountability
WHEREAS: The Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of North Dakota clearly delineate the proper scope, responsibility and authority of government; and
WHEREAS: The citizens of North Dakota are ultimately responsible for pledges, promises and commitments made by the government of North Dakota; and
WHEREAS: The general welfare and happiness of the people of North Dakota requires a government which limits its actions to those areas set forth in our Constitution; and
WHEREAS: Fiscal responsibility and accountability is expected by the people of North Dakota; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Republican Party of North Dakota supports fiscal responsibility and constitutionally limited government. To those ends the Republican Party of North Dakota supports:
1. Tax and Expenditure Limits. Any new tax or any increase in an existing tax shall require an affirmative two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber in North Dakota. Appropriations and Expenditures approved and made in any biennium shall be limited to revenue estimates prepared prior to each legislative session. Any shortfall in revenue from a biennium estimate shall be met
by use of reserve funds or expenditure reductions.
2. Government Spending. State spending shall be limited to specific and identified Constitutional functions. All proposed appropriations must identify the Constitutional authority for such expenditure prior to consideration by the Legislature.
3. Transparency and Accountability in Government. The citizens of North Dakota have delegated power to the three branches of state government and with those delegated powers comes the responsibility and requirement for governmental actions to be transparent and governmental officials to be accountable.
4. Truth in Budgeting. Preparation of budgets must identify future unfunded, contingent or other liabilities of the state.
30. Protect Our Electrical Grid From Serious Attacks
WHEREAS: Reliable operation of the complex United States electrical grid is at serious risk from state-sponsored hackers and terrorists, solar storm electromagnetic pulse (EMP), and nuclear EMP; and
WHEREAS: Worst-case impacts from these real-world threats could according to reliable sources take down much if not most of our national electrical grid for an extended period; and
WHEREAS: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former CIA Director Jim Woolsey, and many other leaders and technical experts have been warning about these threats to the grid; and
WHEREAS: Due to the operational and regulatory complexities of public and private utilities that provide electric power in the United States, most utilities cannot be expected to implement necessary actions on their own; because it could put them at a competitive disadvantage; and
WHEREAS: In 2017 the North Dakota Sixty-fifth Legislative Assembly adopted House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 3010, that recognized the continued need for the State of North Dakota and the entire United States to undertake responsible measures to harden our commercial electrical grid against multiple serious threats; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The Republican Party of North Dakota supports having responsible state and federal regulatory agencies uniformly facilitate said actions to appropriately harden our electrical grid, by installing electrical shunts and surge suppressors at appropriate points; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That as long as Congress and federal regulatory agencies fail to take any significant action to resolve this critical issue at the national level, the
North Dakota Republican Party supports production of a cost estimate by the State of North Dakota; as to what it would cost State government to pay for the hardening of at least the critical electrical system nodes within our State, and perhaps the entire North Dakota electric power grid.
31. In Opposition to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Bills
WHEREAS: SOGI bills do not contain provisions whereby individuals who make the claim to be opposite or other than their biological gender shall be prohibited from entering facilities designated for use by members who are biologically the opposite sex; and
WHEREAS: SOGI bills seek to pacify those made uncomfortable as a result of their gender dysphoria by compromising the potential comfort and safety of an untold number of innocent individuals; and
WHEREAS: SOGI bills do not provide means to test the veracity of the claimant who identifies as other than his or her biological gender; and
WHEREAS: SOGI bills open the door for non-gender dysphoric individuals to exploit the opportunity to enter oppositesex facilities for purposes other than those for which they were designed, which may be impossible to detect or identify with any certainty; and
WHEREAS: SOGI bills provide non gender dysphoric individuals with the means to initiate legal action against anyone who may question their motives in entering an opposite-gender facility, effectively rendering such inquiries impractical for fear of retribution’ and
WHEREAS: SOGI bills grant protection to voyeurs who wish to prey on members of the opposite sex; and
WHEREAS: Proponents of SOGI bills ask us to abandon basic biological principle in accepting that sexual orientation is a genetic trait, but gender is not; and
WHEREAS: Proponents of SOGI bills have failed to demonstrate that the issue is even an issue, let alone a pressing issue warranting remediation; and
WHEREAS: Proponents of SOGI bills routinely advance the false narrative that they "just want the same rights and protections [you] already have". Every right and protection enshrined in statute applies to every North Dakotan equally. There is no legal remedy against suffering discrimination as a result of the heterosexuality of any given subject; and
WHEREAS: The Republican Party of North Dakota does not advocate discrimination borne of hatred for one’s fellow man; and
WHEREAS: Right of conscience is paramount and should not be infringed to pacify a vocal minority; and
WHEREAS: The Republican Party of North Dakota recognizes that arbitrary discrimination is best sorted out in the free market which is invariably unforgiving in instances of unwarranted discrimination; and
WHEREAS: research has shown that causes of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) compulsions are primarily developmental and not genetic as in color and gender; and
WHEREAS: SOGI laws empower those practicing LGBT behaviors to assume positions of mentorships of minors often over objections of parents influencing their emotions and thereby recruiting for their lifestyles; and
WHEREAS: SOGI laws are routinely used to attack the religious freedom, free speech and livelihood of others, forcing them to serve their events and beliefs in commerce, employment and education; and
WHEREAS: SOGI bills in some cases criminalize not using certain preferred pronouns; and
WHEREAS: Many LGBT practices are unhealthy and dangerous, sometimes endangering or shortening life and sometimes infecting society at large; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The Republican Party of North Dakota opposes the passage of legislation which adds sexual orientation and gender identity to our Century code as protected classes.
32. Oversight of Refugee Settlement Programs in North Dakota
WHEREAS: Under the Wilson-Fish Act (a federal law), North Dakota can decide whether to oversee the refugee program directly or delegate to a private entity such as Lutheran Social Services which North Dakota did several years ago; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party calls upon the Legislature to take back oversight of the refugee program.
33. American Exceptionalism
WHEREAS: God has endowed us with the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and
WHEREAS: These rights provide the basis for the great experiment that resulted in America’s Exceptionalism; and
WHEREAS: Those blessings give America a responsibility to serve as an example to the rest of the World; and
WHEREAS: The World is a safer, more stable place when America provides strong leadership; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the North Dakota Republican Party embraces the concept of American Exceptionalism and the responsibility that comes with it and favors its incorporation into public education and public discourse.
34. Support for Law Enforcement and First Responders
WHEREAS: The first responsibility of Government is to provide for the security of its citizens; and
WHEREAS: Law Enforcement Officers, selflessly, put themselves in harm’s way to protect our citizens; and
WHEREAS: Law Enforcement Officers, face circumstances every day that most cannot even imagine; and
WHEREAS: First Responders, similarly, put themselves forward in service; and
WHEREAS: protests against Law Enforcement Officers have degraded civility in our society; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the North Dakota Republican Party supports Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders who serve in the most professional manner possible.
35. Regaining Local Control of Education in North Dakota
WHEREAS: The people of North Dakota hold final authority in determining education policy for their children, and care more about their children’s schooling than does any federal bureaucrat in Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS: Despite federal intervention, K-12 educational achievement has shown no improvement. The federal government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on educational initiatives, yet for all its spending the results are stagnant test scores, huge bureaucracies, and tons of federal regulations that smother local innovation; and
WHEREAS: The federal education law says the federal education secretary does not have approval authority over any state’s academic standards; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That North Dakota Republicans support local control of education and the North Dakota Constitution’s guarantee of a uniform system of public schools throughout the state for North Dakota citizens.
36. Coal Industry
WHEREAS: The lignite industry is fifth largest industry in North Dakota; and
WHEREAS: North Dakota has more than an 800-year supply of lignite at current production rates; and
WHEREAS: The lignite industry provides reliable, affordable, and clean electricity for more than two million people in region; and
WHEREAS: The lignite industry directly and indirectly employs nearly 12,000 people and provides some of the highest wages in North Dakota; and
WHEREAS: The lignite industry generates over $1 billion in personal income and over $3 billion in business volume annually; and
WHEREAS: The lignite industry generates over $100 million in state tax revenue each year; and
WHEREAS: The lignite industry continues to serve as a leader in coal mine reclamation and maintaining ia standard of restoring land to as good or better than before mining; and
WHEREAS: A new coal-fired power plant would provide North Dakota with hundreds of millions in additional economic benefit; and
WHEREAS: Any form of carbon tax would devastate North Dakota business and industry; now THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republicans Party does not support
renewable energy mandates, nor government policies that put existing coal-fired power plants at an unwarranted economic disadvantage, prohibit additional development of our coal reserves, and lead to an increase in consumer electricity costs and negatively impact grid reliability; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party supports a comprehensive energy policy which leads to increased production of North Dakota lignite. Energy policy should encourage economically viable energy development without government subsidy.
37. The United Nations And American Sovereignty
WHEREAS: Certain efforts within the United Nations represent threats to national sovereignty; and
WHEREAS: These efforts include the pursuance of an expanded international judiciary, including the International Criminal Court, and the International Court of Justice, legal jurisdictions that do not include the safeguards required by the United States constitution; and
WHEREAS: Despite these concerns, the continued presence of the United States in the United Nations, especially as the member of the Security Council, remains important to several national interests; and
WHEREAS: The United States’ sovereignty is increasingly threatened by a never-ending supply of United Nations’ treaties and conventions; and
WHEREAS: Our federal government has limited its rights of sovereignty over many of the United States’ revered heritage sites which have become world heritage sites under the United Nations; and
WHEREAS: The United Nations is striving to gain control over all of the United States’ land, to tax many areas of commerce, to control all natural resources, environmental and election laws, to outlaw guns, to educate and control our children, and decide how many you can have; and
WHEREAS: United States armed forces are fighting wars or standing guard in over 70 nations, all under the control and command of the United Nations; and
WHEREAS: The Constitution of the United States specifies that no law or treaty can properly be made unless it is “in the pursuance thereof” and “under the authority of the Constitution,” and which has been supported by five supreme court rulings that treaties cannot authorize what the Constitution forbids; and
WHEREAS: The main architect (and Acting Secretary General) of the United Nations at its 1945 founding conference in San Francisco was identified Soviet Agent Alger Hiss, who played a key
role in drafting the UN Charter; and
WHEREAS: When and If ratified by the United States Senate provides for the confiscation of all small arms of the citizens of the United States by the armies of foreign nations; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party believes that American soldiers and citizens should be subject only to domestic legal entities, and urges all public officials to ensure United States’ sovereignty over people, property, and policy during any interaction with the United Nations; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party respectfully, but firmly requests all member of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation, and all candidates seeking public office to:
• Diligently work to limit and control the United States’ financial support for the United Nations; and
• Ensure that United States military service members shall serve only under the authority of the United States civil, military command and law; and
• Reject ratification of the UN Small Arms Ban Treaty, and work to remove the United States as signatories; and
● Support the American Sovereignty Restoration Act, presently identified as HR 204.
38. Federal Budget Reduction
WHEREAS: The federal government’s debt has surpassed $22 trillion; and
WHEREAS: The Republican Party and its official spokespeople have always advocated for a balanced budget without raising taxes; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party supports cutting spending to balance the federal budget within two years. Furthermore, we do not recognize cuts to increases in the baseline budget as actual cuts; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party urges the entire North Dakota federal delegation to the US Congress to co-sponsor a bill to reduce debt; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That in order to initiate a balanced budget, the State of North Dakota will reduce its dependency on federal monies thereby diminishing its portion of the federal debt.
39. The Role Of Church In Society
WHEREAS: The role of the church in society is essential, and a relationship with God is both
private and public; and
WHEREAS: The church helps us to re-commit and affirm the North Dakota Constitutional provisions that state:
• “We, the people of North Dakota are grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty.”; and
• “The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference shall be forever guaranteed in this state...and the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this state.”; and
• “Perfect toleration of religious sentiment must be secured, and no inhabitant of this state may ever be molested in person or property on account of that person's mode of religious worship.”; and
WHEREAS: the Doctrine of the Separation of Church and State, was created by the United States Supreme Court in 1947, and prohibits any federal, state, or local government preference or support for religion; and
WHEREAS: The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution of the United States explicitly state “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”; and
WHEREAS: The doctrine of Separation of Church and State has no basis in the Constitution of the US; and
WHEREAS: The suppression of religious liberties and the values they represent leads to a moral decline in society; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the North Dakota Republican Party recognizes and supports the original intent of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution of the United States and the very important role the Church plays in a healthy society, and supports the protection of the free practice of religious liberties by citizens
40. To Support Permanent Regulatory Reform
WHEREAS: President Trump’s willingness to utilize the Congressional Review Act (CRA) has set a historic record for rolling back and repealing abusive regulations, thereby shrinking government and federal regulatory control; and
WHEREAS: American families have already begun to see, and will continue to see, the benefits from the benefits from the economic growth created by these regulatory reform efforts; and
WHEREAS: Shrinking Administrative Control by giving legislative authority back to Congress aligns with Article I of the Constitution; and
WHEREAS: The North Dakota Legislative Assembly has reasserted its Constitutional authority to make law in our state by enacting regulatory reform which asserted its authority over administrative rules; and
WHEREAS: President Trump, along with every voting Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives (House) and many Republicans in the U.S. Senate (Senate) have endorsed the REINS Act which would require regulations with an annual impact of $100 million or more to come before Congress for approval; and
WHEREAS: Many regulations impact not only economic growth, but also religious freedom and 2nd Amendment rights, and are thereby not flagged by the REINS Act; and
WHEREAS: Curbing the power of unelected federal bureaucrats in the administrative state who impose burdensome regulations on the American people should be the continuing objective of Congress and the several States, reclaiming their authority under the 10th Amendment; and
WHEREAS: the Regulation Freedom Amendment (RFA) included in the 2016 Republican Platform, has been unanimously endorsed by the RNC, and has been endorsed by Resolutions passed in 26 state legislative chambers in 16 states, including the North Dakota House of Representatives and the North Dakota Senate; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the RNC urges Congress to propose the Regulation Freedom Amendment (RFA) to the U.S. Constitution which will permanently require new major federal regulations to be approved by Congress prior to taking effect; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all regulation rollbacks currently being made under the Trump Administration have the greatest likelihood of being permanent by adding the following Regulation Freedom Amendment (RFA) language to the U.S. Constitution: “Whenever one quarter of the Members of the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate transmit to be the
President their written declaration of opposition to a proposed federal regulation, it shall require a majority vote of the House and Senate to adopt that regulation.”
41. Shutting Down Planned Parenthood’s Abortion Money
WHEREAS: In 2016, over 120 members of Congress sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office that requested information on federal funding for organizations involved in health-related services and activities; and
WHEREAS: The GAO report has indicated that Planned Parenthood (and its affiliates) spent $288 million in federal funds over a 3-year period and received $1.2 billion in Medicaid funding; and
WHEREAS: In 2015-2016 Planned Parenthood served 100,000 fewer women than the previous 2015-2015 period; and
WHEREAS: Planned Parenthood performed over 4,300 more abortions during the same period and performed 83 abortions for every single adoption referral; and
WHEREAS: The 2017-2018 annual report indicates that Planned Parenthood has received $563.8 million in taxpayer funding and performed 332,757 abortions, more than 117 abortions for every adoption referral; and
WHEREAS: Arguments that Planned Parenthood does not directly use federal funds for abortion are intellectually dishonest; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party calls upon North Dakota’s members of Congress, along with every other member of Congress, to support the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act”, which permanently ends federal taxpayer funding for abortion.
42. Enforcing the “Separation of Powers in North Dakota”
WHEREAS: The Founding Fathers accepted the concept of the “separation of powers”; and
WHEREAS: This design is intended to ensure that no one branch of government gains too much power over the others, thus helping to allow a society of balanced government and greater liberty; and
WHEREAS: The Founding Fathers, and others, came to establish the “Non-delegation doctrine”,
which affirms that one branch of government cannot delegate its authority to another; and
WHEREAS: The ND State Constitution, Article III, Section 1 states, “...the legislative power of this state shall be vested in a legislative assembly consisting of a senate and a house of representatives...” and further that Article IV, Section 13, states, “The legislative assembly shall enact all laws necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this constitution”; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: In order to maintain a balanced government, enacting law ought to properly and inherently encompass the entire process of drafting, introducing, procedurally moving and voting on a piece of legislation; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party calls upon the State Legislature to assert its own power, to alter its rules and adopt legislation, as applicable, and to deny the executive branch the inappropriate privilege of formally introducing legislation.
43. Trump Economy
WHEREAS: The Dow Jones average stands at 10,000 points higher than when the Trump Administration came to office; and
WHEREAS: There are more jobs than people to fill jobs in North Dakota and across the country; and
WHEREAS: Employment has never been higher, including among minorities; and WHEREAS: Average personal incomes are reflective of the strong economy; and
WHEREAS: The political divide in Washington, D.C. is because there are two very different views for the future of America; and
WHEREAS: That divide has increased by the sharp leftward movement of the Democrat Party with candidates embracing socialism; and
WHEREAS: The success of the Trump economy is because he unleashed the economy with less regulation, lower taxes, fair trade deals, and free market/ capitalism principles; and
WHEREAS: The election in November will pit the free market against socialism in a way that is unprecedented in American history; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the ND Republican Party stands fully in support of the free market with government non-interference; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the ND Republican Party encourages the North Dakota Dem/NPL to repudiate it”s national party that has moved far to their Left.
44. Impeachment
WHEREAS: Donald Trump won the 2016 Presidential election with majorities in 30 states, including 63% of the vote in North Dakota; and
WHEREAS: The Left began calling for the President’s impeachment immediately following his election; and
WHEREAS: The Left has pursued several investigations toward impeachment that ended up in a dead end; and
WHEREAS: The charges the Left adopted offer no more credibility than the charges they abandoned; and
WHEREAS: A primary tenet of the U.S. Constitution is the election of the President and members of Congress; and
WHEREAS: The Constitution also provides for the Presidential appointment of Federal judges with the confirmation by the U.S. Senate; and
WHEREAS: The Left has also called for the impeachment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the ND Republican Party supports the will of the people as it was expressed in the 2016 election.
45. Support of Electoral College
WHEREAS: Every President in the history of America has been elected through the electoral college as established by the constitution; and
WHEREAS: Presidential candidates strategize their campaigns based on those rules, currently campaigning where they can win electors; and
WHEREAS: The winner takes all rules in 48 of the 50 states give the Left the Electoral advantage going into a campaign; and
WHEREAS: The Left attempts to delegitimize a successful Republican candidate by challenging the rules; and
WHEREAS; As of January 6, 2020, fifteen states and the District of Columbia have adopted the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) to agree to allot all of their electoral votes to the presidential candidate that wins the national popular vote; and
WHEREAS: If North Dakota adopts the NPVIC legislation, then our state’s electoral college votes will be allotted to the winner of the national popular vote for president and vice president, even if the majority of voters in the state vote for a different candidate; and
WHEREAS: The Founding Fathers provided for two Senators for each state in recognition of the sovereignty of each state: and
WHEREAS: The U.S. Constitution includes provisions for amending it by process, and not by Judicial fiat; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the ND Republican Party is committed to the Constitution and supports the will of the people as expressed by the electoral vote of the state, regardless of the outcome of the national popular vote; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the NDGOP reject any attempts to institute the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact or make any changes to the electoral college.
46. 2 Amendment Sanctuary Cities and Counties
WHEREAS: The right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental individual right that shall not be infringed, and local, state and federal acts, laws, orders, rules, or regulations regarding firearms,
firearms accessories, and ammunition are a violation of the 2 amendment; and
WHEREAS: Local Government has the legal authority to refuses to cooperate with State and nd
Federal firearm laws that violate those rights, and to proclaim a 2 amendment sanctuary for citizens in their cities and counties; now
nd THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: We support the ability of the counties and cities to enact 2
Amendment Sanctuary cities and counties.
47. Opposing Red Flag Laws
WHEREAS: There is no federal authority to regulate policy related to emergency orders, which remain constitutionally a state power; and
WHEREAS: Red flag proposals do not provide clear constitutional due process and the standard of proof is typically much less than ‘clear and convincing evidence’. Generally, the judge issues the order without the individual targeted for gun confiscation having any chance of a hearing. In many cases, the standard to re-obtain one’s property is much higher than the confiscation itself; and
WHEREAS: The 66 North Dakota legislative assembly wisely rejected a red flag law, but a
renewed effort has Congress looking at providing federal incentives to coerce states into adopting these types of laws; and
WHEREAS: Red flag laws are primarily focused on the confiscation of firearms possessed by individuals of a dangerous mental state and typically have no requirement for the judge to determine if the individual meets the legal standard for involuntary commitment, thereby ignoring the real problem, and while the guns get taken, the individual goes free; and,
WHEREAS: Many versions of red flag laws allow a range of individuals who may bring forward a case to disarm another. This includes coworkers and former intimates, opening the door for false accusations and endangering victims of domestic violence. Most proposals have no penalty for false accusations. Meanwhile, law-abiding gun owners must spend their resources defending their legal rights; and
WHEREAS: Many veterans suffering from PTSD or other conditions require a range of treatments, including shooting range activities used as therapy. If the stigma of being “flagged” and the risk of losing one’s firearms exists, it is highly likely many veterans will not seek the help they need, therefore red flag laws openly discriminate against our veterans; and
WHEREAS: If a gun owner refuses to cooperate with a confiscation order, it can put local law enforcement officials in unnecessarily dangerous seizure operations, as well as put innocent bystanders at risk; and
WHEREAS: None of these proposed laws would have prevented any of the recent mass shootings in 2019. According to researcher Dr. John Lott’s analysis on crime statistics from 1970 to 2017, he found that “Red Flag laws appear to have had no significant effect on murder, suicide, the number of people killed in mass public shootings, robbery, aggravated assault or burglary. There is some evidence that rape rates rise. These laws apparently do not save lives.”; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party calls upon its state legislators and members of North Dakota’s Congressional delegation to oppose any efforts that do not guarantee due process toward “red flag” type gun confiscation proposals.
48. Congressional War Powers
WHEREAS: Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution clearly enumerates that Congress has the power, “To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal” and that such power is not prescribed elsewhere to any other branch of the federal government; and
WHEREAS: Nations that are our enemy can thus have War declared upon them; and
WHEREAS: International criminals and terrorists can thus have letters granted in order to track them down and destroy their threat; and
WHEREAS: The President can only repel invasion, respond to an immediate or imminent attack, or act if authorized by Congress; and
WHEREAS: Congressional authorization, as aforementioned, can only apply to the precise powers enumerated and that the vague and nebulous “authorizations of force” of recent years lead to unending conflict and misuse of valuable military resources and personnel; and
WHEREAS: National polling has going back as far as 1973 has clearly illustrated a majority support by Americans that a President should not be able to unilaterally use troops without congressional authority; and
WHEREAS: Since 2003, much US military action has had a meandering strategic vision resting on legally dubious grounds, as the ‘Authorization of Military Force’ (AUMF) passed in 2001 has little to do with the several different wars we have been involved in since its passage; and
WHEREAS: A lack of clear authority and purpose has led to military engagements that serve political agendas instead of tactical objectives; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the North Dakota Republican Party calls upon the United States Congress to reassert its war powers, and to stand firm against the President of any political party should they violate this principle by sending our nation to war without the thorough deliberation and support of the elected representatives of the people.
49. Reinstate Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)
WHEREAS: U.S. cattle farmers and ranchers raise the best quality beef in the world, and do so under the best of conditions; and
WHEREAS: When American consumers select exclusively U.S. beef they support the rural economy, the U.S. economy, and help to strengthen the U.S. cattle industry's domestic supply chain; and
WHEREAS: When Congress repealed Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) in 2015 at the behest of the World Trade Organization(WTO) they failed to recognize that COOL is the only tool available to U.S. cattle farmers and ranchers that enables them to compete with the increasing volumes of cheaper, undifferentiated beef entering the domestic market each year; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: American consumers should have the right to identify and purchase beef from the cattle born, raised, and harvested in the United States; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: given the national importance of COOL to both American consumers and American cattle producers, Congress should not continue ceding our U.S. sovereignty to the WTO or any other international trade organization by refusing to reinstate COOL for beef; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: the North Dakota Republican Party urges Congress and the President of the United States to reinstate COOL for beef as quickly as possible.
50. Against Funding of Public Broadcasting
WHEREAS: The North Dakota Republican Party believes in a free market economy free from government intervention; and
WHEREAS: Public broadcasting has been supported by the taxpayers and is not a participant in the free market which rewards and penalizes media organizations based on the quality of their product; and
WHEREAS: Public broadcasting has overwhelmingly provided commentary contrary to the beliefs of the North Dakota Republican Party and presented that commentary as factual news; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The North Dakota Republican Party does not support public broadcasting funded by the taxpayers and demands that no public dollars be allocated to it in the future.
51. Civil Asset Forfeiture
WHEREAS: The 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees that "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law”; and
WHEREAS: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitution which guarantees that "excessive fines shall not be imposed" applies to the states in the matter of civil asset forfeiture; and
WHEREAS: The theory behind civil asset forfeiture is that the property itself is the criminal, not its owner or possessor, and can therefore be denied the protections of law that would be granted to a person; and
WHEREAS: Recovery of assets seized in this manner is difficult, expensive, time-consuming, and often unsuccessful; and
WHEREAS: Civil asset forfeiture is often described as a "stealth tax” used to enhance the revenues of local government and law enforcement agencies; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The Republican Party of North Dakota condemns the practice of forfeiting property from rightful owners under "civil asset forfeiture" rules until and unless the rightful owner of the property is convicted of a crime in which the seized asset was an instrument; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: If the property is proven to have been legally seized, the property or the proceeds from the sale of the property shall be deposited in the general fund of the State of North Dakota.
52. Support of Independent Local Police
WHEREAS: The gradual conversion of our independent local police force into a federal police force is a grave danger; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The Republican Party of North Dakota opposes the federal militarization of local police forces and supports all efforts to keep them independent.
53. Rescind North Dakota's Applications for a Constitutional Convention
WHEREAS: The size, cost, scope, and power of government has expanded far beyond the limits imposed by the U. S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS: The U.S. Constitution was designed to guarantee that the independent states would cede only certain of their sovereign powers to a central federal government, and the intent of this design was reiterated in the 9th and 10th Amendment; and
WHEREAS: The federal government, the state governments, the courts, and the people are all complicit in allowing (even promoting) the piecemeal destruction of the wise, power-limiting provisions of the U.S. Constitution by disregarding constitutional limits on the government's powers; and
WHEREAS: A movement has arisen that promises to correct these excesses and perversions of power of the federal government by convening a new constitutional convention to amend the U.S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS: It is logical to assume that if these governmental entities and courts do not obey the constitution NOW, that they will not obey any new provisions of the constitution; and
WHEREAS: The power of a constitutional convention has no limits, and could conceivably even “alter or abolish” the existing Constitution and "institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"; and
WHEREAS: Popular knowledge and understanding of America's constitution has declined so dramatically and modern culture has been so polluted by the notion that government is the master of the people, not the servant and the provider of unlimited goods and services to the public, it would be extremely risky to open the doors to the potential dangers of "reorganizing" the powers of government to "affect the happiness" of this type of society; and
WHEREAS: The N.D. state legislature has passed two resolutions applying for Congress to call a constitutional convention; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That The Republican Party of North Dakota hereby rejects the effort to call a constitutional convention and asks that the 67th session of the ND legislature rescind both of these existing applications for a constitutional convention.