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The Constitution Party, formerly known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. It was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist and originalist, in response to President George H.W. Bush's violation of his no new taxes pledge. The party promotes a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution and the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence. Howard Phillips, the founder, was also the party's first presidential candidate, running in 1992, 1996, and 2000.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Constitution Party |
| Other Names | U.S. Taxpayers' Party (until 1999) |
| Year Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Howard Phillips |
| Political Ideology | Ultra-conservative |
| Political Position | Right-wing |
| Political Issues | Social, Economic, Environmental |
| Political Stance Examples | Anti-abortion, Anti-LGBTQ+ adoption, Anti-federal aid, Anti-foreign aid, Anti-national healthcare, Anti-federal environmental regulations, Anti-taxes, Pro-death penalty, Pro-English as the official language, Pro-right to bear arms |
| Number of States as a Ballot-Qualified Party (as of September 2019) | 14 |
| Ranking Among Political Parties in the U.S. (as of September 2019) | Fifth-largest |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution Party was founded by Howard Phillips
The Constitution Party, previously known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist, in 1992.
Phillips had been involved with the Republican Party since his early teens. He served as chairman of the Boston Republican Party and as a staff member at the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C. However, he left the Republican Party in 1974, feeling that it was not conservative enough for him. After leaving the Republican Party, Phillips established the Conservative Caucus, a lobbying group. He also founded the U.S. Taxpayers Alliance, an organization with affiliates in 25 states.
In 1988, Republican nominee George H. W. Bush stated, "read my lips: no new taxes" at the Republican National Convention. However, Bush broke this pledge during his presidency. This prompted Phillips to announce the formation of a third political party, the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, in 1992. The new party was established in response to a perceived shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms." The Federal Election Commission officially recognized the party in 1996.
The Constitution Party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and is shaped by principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party opposes federal restrictions on or subsidization of medical treatments, federal anti-drug laws, and government involvement in charitable giving, believing that it is not authorized by the Constitution. They also support English as the official language for governmental business and oppose bilingual ballots.
In 1999, the U.S. Taxpayers' Party changed its name to the Constitution Party. Phillips was the party's presidential candidate in 1992, 1996, and 2000.
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The party is ultra-conservative and promotes religious values
The Constitution Party, formerly known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist and former Republican, in response to President George H. W. Bush's decision to introduce new taxes, despite his pledge not to. The Constitution Party promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution.
The party's platform is deeply rooted in originalist interpretations of the Constitution, as well as principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Bible. This religious foundation is evident in the party's stance on various social issues. For example, the party opposes abortion, euthanasia, and suicide, citing the sanctity of life as an inherent value bestowed by a higher power. They also oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage, adoption by homosexual couples, and pornography, believing that marriage is defined by "the law of our Creator" as between one man and one woman.
The Constitution Party's religious values extend beyond social issues. They support the right to bear arms, citing the Second Amendment and the belief that this right is conferred by the Creator to safeguard life, liberty, and property. The party also prioritizes states' rights and limited government intervention, believing that the federal government should be restricted to its enumerated Constitutional functions. This includes opposition to federal environmental regulations and a rejection of the scientific consensus on climate change, which they view as a ploy for global control.
Additionally, the Constitution Party promotes religious freedom, interpreting the First Amendment as protecting the right to freely participate in religious worship without government interference. The party also emphasizes the importance of consent and individual freedoms, stating that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. This belief in limited government extends to economic policies, with the party supporting a free-market system and opposing federal aid, foreign aid, and national healthcare.
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It was formed in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party
The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. It was formed in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers Party, founded by conservative activist Howard Phillips. The U.S. Taxpayers Party was established in response to a perceived shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms". Phillips, who had founded the U.S. Taxpayers Alliance, used its mailing list to announce the formation of the new party. The U.S. Taxpayers Party was also known as the Tisch Independent Citizens Party, organised by Bob Tisch in 1982, which became the US Taxpayers Party's Michigan affiliate.
The Constitution Party promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. The party platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and is shaped by principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party supports English as the official language for all governmental business, opposes bilingual ballots, and insists that participants in the electoral process and governance of the U.S. should be proficient in English.
The Constitution Party also supports the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, which allows Congress to tax income from interest, dividends, and capital gains, and the Seventeenth Amendment, which mandates the direct election of Senators. The party holds that each state's membership in the Union is voluntary, a stance known as the compact theory. Additionally, the party opposes all government involvement in gambling and federal anti-drug laws, while conceding that the federal government may play a role in limiting drug imports.
In 1999, the US Taxpayers Party changed its name to the Constitution Party, reflecting its goal of upholding the principles of the Constitution. The Federal Election Commission officially recognised the Constitution Party in 1996. The Constitution Party has since become the fifth-largest political party in the United States, with a presence in 14 states as of 2019.
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The party supports the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment
The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. It was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist, in 1992. The party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the US Constitution, as well as principles it believes were set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Bible.
One of the key tenets of the Constitution Party is its opposition to the federal government overreaching its authority. The party believes that the federal government should be limited to its delegated, enumerated, and constitutional functions. To this end, the party supports the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, which allows Congress to tax income derived from interest, dividends, and capital gains. The party argues that the Sixteenth Amendment was never properly ratified and is not a legitimate amendment to the Constitution. They contend that it allows, but does not require, any tax, and does not repeal the prohibition against direct taxes in Article I, Section 9.
The Constitution Party proposes alternative means of funding the federal government that are aligned with the Constitution. They suggest imposing duties on imports, or revenue tariffs, which would be paid by those participating in commerce with US citizens. These tariffs would be kept as low as possible, with a maximum cap of 10%, and would support the constitutional functions of the federal government. Additionally, the party calls for the elimination of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the replacement of the income tax with a tariff-based revenue system supplemented by excise taxes.
The Constitution Party's stance on taxation aligns with its broader philosophy of promoting individual liberty and limiting government intervention. They believe that charitable giving, for instance, is most effective when conducted by private parties, rather than the government. The party also opposes federal restrictions on or subsidization of medical treatments, federal anti-drug laws, and government involvement in gambling. By advocating for the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, the Constitution Party seeks to reduce the power of the federal government and restore what they view as the proper balance between state and federal authority.
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The Constitution Party is the fifth-largest political party in the U.S
The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party that promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. The party platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and is shaped by principles that it believes were set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party supports English as the official language for all governmental business and opposes bilingual ballots.
The Constitution Party's 2012 platform supported phasing out social security, and its 2016 platform stated that "Social Security is a form of individual welfare not authorized in the Constitution". The party also supports the prohibition of fractional-reserve banking and the return to the gold standard. It opposes euthanasia, suicide, and abortion, and supports the right of states to administer the death penalty. The party also opposes any government legislation to authorize or define marriage contrary to the Bible and rejects "the notion that homosexuals, transgenders, or those who are sexually deviant are deserving of legal favour or special protection".
The Constitution Party believes that the federal government has exceeded its authority and seeks to limit it to its delegated, enumerated, and Constitutional functions. The party supports the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, which allows Congress to tax income derived from interest, dividends, and capital gains, and the Seventeenth Amendment, which requires the direct (popular) election of Senators. The party also opposes federal anti-drug laws and believes that charitable giving is most effective when conducted by private parties, not the government.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution Party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist and former Republican.
The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party that promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. The party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Bible.
The Constitution Party was established in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party in response to President George H. W. Bush's violation of his "no new taxes" pledge. It was rebranded as the Constitution Party in 1999 to better reflect its focus on upholding the ideals of the Founding Fathers.
