Constitution Party of Florida Platform
We declare the platform of the Constitution Party to be predicated on the principles of:
The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States and The Bill of RightsAccording to the original intent of the Founding Fathers, these founding documents are the foundation of our Liberty and the Supreme Law of the Land.
The sole purpose of government, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, is to secure our unalienable rights given us by our Creator. When Government grows beyond this scope, it is usurpation, and liberty is compromised.
We believe the major issues we face today are best solved by a renewed allegiance to the original intent of these founding documents.
Major Issues
Preamble
The Constitution Party Florida gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of these United States. We hereby appeal to Him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and the protection of His Divine Providence. The goal of the Constitution Party Florida is to restore Florida jurisprudence to uphold our natural [...]
Sanctity of Life
The Declaration of Independence states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. The Preamble of the Constitution states a purpose of the Constitution to be to: “secure [...]
Bring Government Back Home
The closer civil government is to the people, the more responsible, responsive, and accountable it is likely to be. The Constitution, itself, in Articles I through VI, enumerates the powers which may be exercised by the federal government. Of particular importance is Article I, Section 8 which delineates the authority of the Congress. The federal [...]
Character and Moral Conduct
John Adams, 2nd President and signer of the Declaration of Independence warned: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” He also counseled: “The people have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of [...]
Congressional Reform
“The Senators and Representatives … shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution”. – US Constitution, Article 6, Clause 3 With the advent of the 17th amendment, a vital check on Congress was removed. Since then, Congress has usurped power relatively unchecked, where today, very few members of Congress make it through [...]
Conscription
US Constitution, 5th Amendment: “No person shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Conscription deprives a person of liberty without due process of law. This is clearly prohibited by the 5th amendment. Conscription is an involuntary [...]
Constitutional Convention
We affirm the original text of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We affirm that the nation’s Charter, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution contain the foundational law of the federal union. We condemn, therefore, all legislative, executive, and judicial action that departs from the texts and intent of the Charter [...]
Copyrights and Patents
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states that Congress shall have the power “to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing” copyright and patent protection for authors and inventors. We oppose the unconstitutional transfer of authority over copyright and patent policy from Congress to other agencies, domestic or foreign. We favor [...]
Cost of Big Government
James Madison said: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) 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 (Amendment X). A legitimate and primary purpose [...]
Crime
St George Tucker was the pre-eminent constitutional scholar of the American founding era. He published View of the Constitution of the United States in 1803 as a comprehensive review of the Constitution of 1787 and the Bill of Rights. Felonies not enumerated within the United States Constitution are, in Tucker’s view, left within the jurisdiction [...]
Defense
The very purpose of Government, as defined in the 2nd paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, is “to secure these [unalienable] rights, Governments are instituted among Men”, “that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” To fulfill this obligation, the Preamble of the Constitution states one of the duties specifically delegated to [...]
Domestic Federal Aid
The 10th Amendment 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.” The Constitution assigns all powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people. Domestic federal “aid” not authorized by [...]
Drug Abuse
The 10th Amendment 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.” The 4th Amendment states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, [...]
Education
Since the Constitution grants the Federal Government no authority over Education, the 10th Amendment applies: “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.” All teaching is related to basic assumptions about God and man. Education [...]
Election Reform
US Constitution, Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1: “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing* Senators.” (*original spelling from [...]
Electoral College
Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution states, in part: “Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which the state may be entitled in the Congress: but no senator or representative, or person holding [...]
Energy
James Madison said: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) 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 (Amendment X). We call attention to [...]
Environment
James Madison said: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) 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 (Amendment X). It is our responsibility to [...]
Executive Orders
Article 1, Section 1 of the Constitution clearly restricts the power to make laws: “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States”. Presidential Executive Orders are clearly “legislative powers”. We oppose the use of Presidential executive orders that make law or otherwise usurp the Constitutional authority and responsibilities of [...]
Family
No government may legitimately authorize or define marriage or family relations, as affirmed by the 10th amendment, delegating to the people as our founders understood the family as necessary to the general welfare. We affirm the importance of Biblical scripture in the founders’ intent as eloquently stated by Noah Webster: “The moral principles and precepts contained [...]
Foreign Policy
“Europe has a set of primary interests, which have to us none, or very remote relation. Hence, she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, [...]
Gambling
James Madison said: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) 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 (Amendment X). Gambling promotes an increase in [...]
Government/ Private Partnership
“…what more is necessary to make us a happy and a prosperous people? …a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This [...]
Gun Control
The 2nd Amendment strictly limits any interference with gun ownership by saying: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The right to bear arms is inherent in the right of self defense, defense of the family, and [...]
Health Care and Government
James Madison said: “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.” (Federalist Papers #45) 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 (Amendment X). The Constitution Party opposes the [...]
Immigration
US Constitution, Article 4, Section 4: The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; James Madison: “When we are considering the advantages that may result from an easy mode of naturalization, we ought also to consider the cautions necessary to [...]
The Judiciary
We call attention to the following provisions of the Constitution: Article 3, Section 1: “The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour”. Note that the tenure of Federal Judges is not for life, but merely “during good behaviour”. Also, Article 2, Section 4: “all civil Officers of [...]
Money and Banking
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 5 grants only to Congress the power “To coin Money [and] regulate the Value thereof”, with no provision for such power to be delegated to any other group. Congress began immediately to fulfill this obligation with the Mint Act of 1792, establishing a US Mint for producing Gold and Silver based [...]
Personal and Private Property Security
The 4th Amendment states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things [...]
Pornography
Samuel Adams said: “While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.” Pornography, at best, is a distortion of the true nature of sex created by God for the procreative union between one man and [...]
Religious Freedom
Article I of the Bill of Rights reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Our Constitution grants no authority to the federal government either to grant or deny the religious expressions of the people in any place. Both the First and Tenth Amendments forbid such tyranny. [...]
Social Security
The Declaration of Independence declares “all men … are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights …That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men …” The Preamble of the US Constitution shows how these rights are to be secured including “provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare“. Two clear distinctions should be [...]
State Sovereignty
The 10th Amendment 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.” The Constitution delegated few, enumerated powers to the Federal Government, reserving all remaining powers to the States and the people. Thus, powers of the [...]
Statehood
US Constitution, Article I Section 8 Clause 17: “Congress shall have power …To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority [...]
Tariffs and Trade
Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution states that Congress shall have the power “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations.” Congress may not abdicate or transfer to others these Constitutional powers. We oppose, therefore, the unconstitutional transfer of authority over U.S. trade policy from Congress to agencies, domestic or foreign, which improperly exercise policy-setting functions with [...]
Taxes
The Constitution, in Article I, Section 8, gives Congress the power “to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States.” In Article I, Section 9, the original document made clear that “no Capitation, or other direct Tax shall be [...]
Terrorism and Personal Liberty
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. Because we will refer to the fourth and fifth amendments, let’s read them in their entirety: Amendment IV: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and [...]
Veterans
President George Washington stated: “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportionate to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country”. The Constitution Party appreciates the contributions of our servicemen and veterans to the preservation [...]
Wage and Price Control
The Declaration of Independence declares the purpose of Government is “to secure these Rights”, these unalienable rights such as Liberty. Nothing in the Constitution, writings of the Founders, or in logic, can imagine a God-given right to earn a specific wage or buy at a specific price. We deny that civil government has the authority to [...]
Welfare
The Declaration of Independence declares “all men … are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights …That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men …“ The Preamble of the US Constitution shows how these rights are to be secured including“provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare“. Two clear distinctions should be made here: Provide [...]
