Jonah Patel
The Constitution Party is a third-party conservative political group in the United States. It was founded in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party and renamed in 1999. The party's platform focuses on restoring the federal government to the provisions outlined in the US Constitution, with a belief in limited government intervention and broad individual freedoms. The Constitution Party ranks fifth in the US in terms of registered members and has 28 elected municipal officials as of June 2024.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Constitution Party's history
The Constitution Party is a third-party conservative political party in the United States. It was established as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party in 1992 by Howard Phillips, in response to a perceived shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms." The party gained FEC-recognized national party status in 1996 and changed its name to the Constitution Party in 1999.
The Constitution Party's platform is focused on restoring the federal government to the provisions outlined in the U.S. Constitution, as well as supporting the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. The party believes that the proper role of government is to protect and defend the unalienable rights bestowed upon humankind by the Creator, which include the rights to life, liberty, and private property. They advocate for a limited role for the federal government, with more power given to local and state governments.
The party has taken a number of controversial stances on social issues. These include opposing abortion, euthanasia, and suicide, pornography, and gambling. The Constitution Party also opposes same-sex marriage, stating that "the law of our Creator defines marriage as solely the legal union of one man and one woman." In addition, the party rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, believing that it is being used to justify greater government control.
On economic issues, the Constitution Party has supported reducing the role of the federal government by cutting regulations, reducing spending, and replacing the income tax with a tariff-based revenue system. The party also opposes welfare subsidies and other benefits for undocumented immigrants. As of 2024, the Constitution Party had 28 members elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the United States, ranking fifth among national parties in terms of registered members.
Influential English Documents: Framing the US Constitution
You may want to see also
The party's stance on social issues
The Constitution Party of the United States is a third-party conservative political party. It was established as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party in 1992 by Howard Phillips, in response to a perceived shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms." The party has a conservative platform that focuses on restoring the federal government to the Constitution's provisions.
The Constitution Party's stance on social issues reflects its conservative ideology and commitment to individual freedoms and states' rights.
Abortion and Euthanasia
The party staunchly opposes abortion, including in cases of rape and incest, as it believes in the right to life for all humans, pre-born and post-birth. This belief also leads to its opposition to euthanasia and suicide.
Marriage and Family
The Constitution Party opposes any government legislation that defines or authorizes marriage contrary to the Bible. It believes that the first level of government exists in the individual and the family, followed by local and state governments, with the federal government acting in a limited capacity.
Immigration
The party takes a hard line on immigration, demanding strict immigration policies. It supports disqualifying potential immigrants on grounds of ill health, criminality, low morals, or financial dependence. It also opposes welfare subsidies and other benefits for undocumented immigrants and rejects the idea of birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants.
Pornography and Gambling
The Constitution Party is against pornography, believing it to have negative impacts on individuals, families, and communities. It also opposes government sponsorship, involvement in, or promotion of gambling.
Climate Change and Environment
The party rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, arguing that it is a ploy by globalists to gain control through sustainable development. However, it believes in being prudent and efficient stewards of God's natural resources and supports free-market solutions for energy needs.
Taxation and Economy
The Constitution Party supports reducing the role of the federal government and cutting taxes. It opposes the imposition of federal income taxes, favouring a return to the gold standard and a tariff-based revenue system.
The Constitution Party's stances on social issues are rooted in its interpretation of individual rights, states' rights, and a limited role for the federal government. These positions reflect the party's conservative and libertarian ideals.
Child Abandonment Laws in Florida: Understanding the Legal Definition
You may want to see also
Immigration policy
The Constitution Party of the United States, originally called the US Taxpayers Party, was founded in 1992 as a conservative alternative to the Republican Party. The party is considered far-right and has been described as theocratic. It believes that the United States is a Christian nation founded on the Bible and that jurisprudence should be restored to its "Biblical foundations".
Regarding immigration policy, the Constitution Party wants to reform and toughen the immigration system to emphasize family. They believe that amnesty only encourages illegal immigration. The party also wants to only allow legal immigration. They believe that the federal government has the authority to manage immigration, which is rooted in constitutional provisions such as the Naturalization Clause and the Commerce Clause. The Constitution, adopted in 1789, serves as the foundation of legal authority in the United States and empowers Congress to legislate federal immigration and citizenship laws. These laws must align with constitutional principles, particularly those found in the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, significantly expanded citizenship rights, asserting that all individuals born or naturalized in the US are citizens, regardless of their parents' status. This principle of jus soli (right of the soil) has allowed many immigrants and their children to achieve citizenship. The Constitution Party's immigration policy also includes a focus on national security and public safety. They believe that illegal aliens present significant threats in these areas and are engaged in hostile activities such as espionage and preparations for terror-related activities.
The party supports the federal government's authority over immigration, which has been affirmed by the Supreme Court in landmark cases such as Chae Chan Ping v. United States (1889) and Fong Yue Ting v. United States (1893). These cases emphasized the power to exclude foreigners and the power to deport non-citizens, respectively. The Supreme Court has also played a role in protecting the status of immigrants, particularly in the latter half of the twentieth century, through interpretations of the Fourteenth Amendment. However, challenges remain regarding due process for immigrants facing deportation or detention. Current immigration policies and practices continue to evolve, reflecting ongoing debates about the balance between immigration control and individual rights.
Founding Fathers' Vision: Guarding Against Tyranny
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Economic policies
The Constitution Party of the United States advocates for limited government and states' rights, with a focus on reducing federal involvement in the economy. The party supports free-market policies, low taxes, and minimal government interference in the economy. They seek to reduce the role of the federal government in areas such as healthcare, education, and welfare.
In terms of specific economic policies, the Constitution Party has supported the abolition of the Department of Energy and the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, which allows Congress to tax income derived from interest, dividends, and capital gains. They also oppose the imposition of federal income, payroll, and estate taxes, arguing that it is an unconstitutional assumption of direct taxing authority by the federal government. Additionally, the party supports the prohibition of fractional-reserve banking and a return to the gold standard, citing the Constitution's mandate for a gold and silver-based currency.
The Constitution Party also takes a strong stance on immigration, calling for stricter immigration policies and opposing welfare subsidies and other benefits for undocumented immigrants. They support the use of the military to enforce immigration laws.
In terms of taxation, the Constitution Party favours replacing the income tax with a tariff-based revenue system supplemented by excise taxes. This aligns with their overall support for lower taxes and reduced government spending.
The party ranks as the fifth-largest political party in the United States as of 2019 and has seen some success in local elections, with 28 members elected to city council and other municipal offices across the country as of June 2024. The Constitution Party positions itself as more conservative than the Republican Party, particularly on issues such as spending, abortion, and gun rights.
The Confederacy's Constitution: What Freedoms Were Guaranteed?
You may want to see also
The party's beliefs about the role of government
The Constitution Party of the United States is a third-party conservative political group. It was founded in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party and was officially recognised by the Federal Election Commission in 1996. The party's platform is focused on restoring the federal government to the Constitution's provisions.
The Constitution Party believes that the proper role of government is to protect and defend the unalienable rights bestowed upon Man by the Creator. The party sees the individual and the family as the first level of government, followed by local government, state governments, and, finally, the federal government, which should have a very limited sphere of influence.
The party supports the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. It seeks to limit the federal government to its delegated, enumerated, and Constitutional functions. The Constitution Party believes in individual responsibility and sees government as playing a "vital role" in establishing and maintaining high community standards in America.
The Constitution Party's 2012 platform supported reducing the role of the federal government by cutting regulations, reducing spending, and replacing income tax with a tariff-based revenue system. The party opposes federal anti-drug laws but concedes that the federal government may have a role in limiting drug imports. It also opposes pornography, believing it to be destructive to society, and gambling, rejecting all government sponsorship, involvement, or promotion of it.
The party has expressed opposition to abortion, euthanasia, and suicide, and supports the right of states to administer the death penalty. It also opposes any government legislation that contradicts the Bible on marriage. In terms of immigration, the Constitution Party demands that the federal government implement a strict policy, enforced by the military, to disqualify potential immigrants on grounds of ill health, criminality, low morals, or financial dependence.
Plea Deals: Negligence Per Se or Strategic Move?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Constitution Party is a third-party conservative political party in the United States. It was established as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party in 1992 and officially recognized by the FEC in 1996. The party's platform is focused on restoring the federal government to the provisions outlined in the U.S. Constitution.
The Constitution Party believes that the proper role of government is to protect and defend the unalienable rights bestowed upon humankind by the Creator. These rights include the right to life, liberty, and private property. The party also supports limited government, individual freedoms, and returning to a gold standard for currency.
The Constitution Party opposes pornography, abortion, euthanasia, suicide, and same-sex marriage. The party also supports the right of states to administer the death penalty.
The Constitution Party advocates for strict immigration policies, including a moratorium on future immigration with limited exceptions. They oppose welfare subsidies and other benefits for undocumented immigrants and reject the idea of birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants.
The Constitution Party believes that the first level of government exists in the individual and family, followed by local and state governments, with the federal government acting in a limited capacity. This differs from the traditional view of federalism, where federal power typically supersedes state and local authority.
