Conservative Party (Ohio)

Have you ever given any thought to whether or not you are actually classified as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent or Whocares?  And why is this important in the first place?

The Republican Party Platform

The most comprehensive information I could find comes from the 2008 platform.  I’ll try to shorten the 67 pages of the PDF file for you.

1. All Americans should affirm that our first obligation is the security of our country. To all those who defend it, we owe our full support and gratitude.
2. The security of our country is now everyone’s responsibility, from the Department of Homeland Security to state and local first responders, private businesses, and individual families.
3. Nuclear terrorism demands a comprehensive strategy for reducing the world’s nuclear stockpiles and preventing proliferation.
4. Intelligence is America’s first line of defense.
5. America can have a strong immigration system without sacrificing the rule of law.
6. Our Armed Forces today are modern, agile, and adaptable to the unpredictable range of challenges in the years ahead. We pledge to keep them that way.
7. The Republican vision of peace through strength requires a sustained international effort, which complements our military activities, to develop and maintain alliances and relationships that will lead to greater peace and stability.
8. Republicans will uphold and defend our party’s core principles: Constrain the federal government to its legitimate constitutional functions. Unleash the power of enterprise, innovation, civic energy, and the American spirit — and never pretend that government is a substitute for family or community.
9. Empowering the States, Improving Public Services.

I think you get the general idea.  National security, nuclear weapons restrictions, enforcement of immigration laws, international alliances, adherence to the Constitution, and States’ Rights through the power of the Tenth Amendment seem to provide the basis for what Republicans are supposed to believe and promote.  Naturally, the document mentioned above goes into much more detail than I provided here.  If you have about an hour to kill, you might want to read the entire 67-page document.

The Democratic Platform

Since I used the 2008 Republican Platform, I sought the 2008 Democratic Platform for comparison.  I found this one more easily read and the actual policies seem to be more visually appealing.

1. Jumpstart the Economy and Provide Middle Class Americans Immediate Relief
2. Empowering Families for a New Era
3. Affordable, Quality Health Care Coverage for All Americans
4. Retirement and Social Security
5. Good Jobs with Good Pay
6. Opportunity for Women
7. Investing in American Competitiveness
8. New American Energy
9. A World Class Education for Every Child

I have listed only the first nine “principles” as I did from the Republican platform.  I am trying to be fair, but I have to admit, it isn’t easy.  I read more than just the headlines in this 59-page PDF file, and it smacks of pure Socialism with a Communistic threat to the non-Democrats in America.

My next computer search was for information regarding the Independent Party Platform.  The search provided more detail than I was expecting.  Which Independent Party Platform shall I choose?  There is the Independent American Party and the American Independent Party.

Next was the Libertarian Party then the Green Party.

I have decided that I prefer a “none-of-the-above” approach.  I want something plain and simple that spells out what the party believes in, what they stand for, and what is important to the majority of the American people.  It would be totally impossible, in my opinion, to provide one single set of “platform statements” that would fit every American perfectly, but I think the one that comes closest to the ideals of the Constitution and the founders of our nation is one that I have written about on at least one other occasion.

In the center section of the national site for the Conservative Party-USA is a comprehensive writing of what the Conservative Party believes.  Continued on a separate page is a complete listing of 14 items that form the base of the Conservative Party.  Now we have come to the place where I seem to fit personally better than any of the others.

Believing so strongly in the Tenth Amendment, there are individual State Sites as well.  When I first began writing for the Conservative Party-USA in addition to my own blog there were four sites:  National, California, Louisiana, and Florida.  My first post was on August 3, 2009 on the California State Site.  As I write today (December 12, 2009) there are 14 State Sites in addition to the National Site; joining California, Louisiana, and Florida are Arizona, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas,  Tennessee, Ohio and Alaska.

Okay, you’ve been patient with me by reading this, so let me give you the opportunity to have a little input.  Which of the political parties I mentioned has grown more in the entirety of 2009?  What is the conviction of the largest number of people in the United States?  Which party comes closest to fitting with your own personal political beliefs?

If you answer those questions the same way I have, you will probably come to the same conclusion I did.  Do yourself a favor:  check out the National Site as well as your own individual State Site.  If you have thought about becoming politically active yourself but don’t want to run for a political office in your area, I am certain you will be able to find a need in your State Conservative Party that only you can fill.

Now is the only time we have to speak up for our conservative principles.  If we do not do it now, we may not have another opportunity.

Marie A Cole

OHIO JOINS THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY – USA!

Welcome, Ohio!  Your conservative voters are glad to know that they do – finally! – have real representation in their state.

My job is to do my best to keep you informed of your elections and any Conservative candidates I can find from my out-of-Ohio home.  Your job is to help me with candidate suggestions and ideas of topics that are close to Ohioans hearts so I can share them here on this site with other Ohio Conservatives.  We can be a team that will be impossible to beat!

We need to get started right away.  Primaries and general elections across the United States in 2010 are right around the corner.

Your present Governor, Ted Strickland was last elected with 60% of the vote.   He will be challenged by Republican John Kasich.  There is a shortlist of his goals for Ohio here.    Also challenging is Todd Kritzwiser who is also running as a Republican.

The race for the seat of your retiring senator, George Voinovich appears to be hotly contested between two Democrats, Jennifer Bruner and Lee Irwin Fisher.  Ms. Bruner, is your current Secretary of State while Mr. Fisher holds the position of Lieutenant Governor.  Four Republicans, Thomas D. “Tom” Ganley, Jason David Howard (no website available), James E. Lundeen, Sr. (website coming soon), and Robert Jones “Rob” Portman, and four Independents, Eric William Deaton, Eric LaMont Gregory, Adam D. Shaffer, and Jeremy D. Swartz are also seeking the Senate seat.

Living in Ohio, you are more likely to hear about these candidates more frequently than I.  I rely on you to advise me of any announcements concerning these politicians as well as the others in your state that we will be discussing as we move forward.

In the meantime, I received this very good piece of documentation regarding Ohio political parties, and I think I should pass it on to you.  You may know someone who would like to vote in your primary next May but without declaring a party of support, the only option would be to vote on local or state initiatives.  This makes becoming a member of the Conservative Party in Ohio a very valid option.

Do I declare my political party affiliation when I register in Ohio?

No. Under Ohio election law, you declare your political party affiliation by requesting the ballot of a political party in a partisan primary election. Additionally, Ohio law provides that, by signing a
declaration of candidacy for a minor party candidate, you become affiliated with that minor political party.

If you do not desire to affiliate with a political party in Ohio, you are considered to be an unaffiliated voter. An unaffiliated voter (identified by some people as an “independent voter”) does not vote the
ballot of a political party in a primary election. However, an unaffiliated voter may vote the Official Questions & Issues Ballot, if there is one for the voter’s precinct at the election.

If you have never wanted to actively join a political party until now, the Conservative Party in Ohio is interested to help you get started.  What a wonderful venue you have now, Ohio, to exert your political conservatism.   Together, we can elect truly Conservative candidates to speak for us in our governments locally, state-wide, and nationally.

Marie A Cole