1A.

Reducing the burden of existing taxation on our economy, supporting President Bush’s tax cuts and making those cuts permanent; abolishing federal and state capital gains taxes as well as taxes on marriage, sickness, and death; and a 25% maximum limit for corporate taxes, starting the self employment tax at $15,000 and keeping Internet access and sales free of taxation.

1B.

Limiting the ability of Congress and the Legislature to use tax increases as the first solution to every problem by requiring a supermajority vote in Congress or the Minnesota Legislature to enact such increases; by a state Constitutional amendment limiting growth in state spending to inflation plus population growth; by requiring that all state surpluses be returned to the taxpayers in proportion to the taxes paid; and adopting a United States Constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget, except when Congress has declared war.

B

1C.

Reforming our tax systems, including our complex state property tax system, repealing the 16th Amendment, abolishing the estate tax and the property tax, abolishing the current IRS tax code, and replacing it with a simpler, fairer tax system that favors a national sales tax (FairTax) or a flat tax.

B

1D.

Dedicating all taxes, fees, and licenses from their revenue streams to their appropriate program funding, and money from gas taxes should be dedicated solely for road and bridge construction and maintenance and not mass transit.

B

1E.

Maintaining the principle that sports, public broadcasting, entertainment and the arts should be funded by users and voluntary donors and requiring professional sports teams to deposit 1/2 percent of sales into escrow for facility repairs and requiring a voter referendum before increasing local sales taxes to subsidize any professional sports stadium or ballpark.

B

1F.

A fair and honest competitive business environment and therefore we oppose corporate welfare and unbalanced trade agreements.

B

1G.

Allowing all Americans to invest some or all of their Social Security payments, continuing to fulfill our obligations to olderall current and future Americans, and prohibiting Congress from using Social Security funds for any other purpose.

B

1I.

Adequately funding highway and bridge construction in Minnesota, including constitutionally dedicating 100% of the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET), fuel tax, license tabs and wheelage taxes to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund, allocating federal road and bridge money to out-state (rural) projects, and increasing the use of general obligation bonds to fund highway projects; and opposing any public funding of commuter rail or new light rail projects.

B

1K.

The repeal of state and federal legislation that imposes mandated wage rates, commonly but incorrectly labeled "prevailing wage," on government-funded projects including and school district projects.

B

1Q.

Returning incrementally to a gold standard.

C

1U.

Eliminating farm subsidies unless there are crop failures.

B

2N.

Protecting personal privacy by prohibiting the use of Social Security numbers for any purpose other than Social Security identification. and prohibiting the collection or release of any personal, financial, or other private information by anyone without the express consent of the person involved.
2AD was added to replace the stricken language and then some.

B

2S.

Supporting tThe right of employees, decided through secret balloting exclusively, to organize, to join a union or other association,; and to not have dues used prohibiting the use of dues to support political candidates,; requiring unions to receive written permission from their members before collecting funds for any political purpose.

B

2W.

EnforcingRequiring the legislation that requires informed opt-in consent of parents for newborn genetic testing and for the Minnesota Department of Health to retain their children’sconform its newborn genetic screening program to the informed consent requirements of the 2006 Minnesota Genetic Privacy law which requires informed opt-in consent of parents for retention and use of baby blood and DNA.

B

2Y.

That the lawful definition of a ‘Human Being’ shall be: ‘When the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) (DNA) of Mankind a woman and a man is joined.’

B

2Z.

Strengthening the patient-doctor relationship; implementing tort reforms to suppress the increased cost of care due to the plaintiff bar; banning the implicit practice of medicine by health plans, government agencies, and government-established committees.

B

2AA.

Encouraging cash-based medical practices and the restoration of true medical charity for the protection of patients and the preservation of medical ethics.

B

2AB.

Securing the right of all Minnesotans to be free from government-imposed health care systems and universal coverage policies that violate individual rights under the U.S. Constitution and endanger individual access to medical care.

B

2AC.

Opening up the health insurance market to insurance companies and insurance products outside the state of Minnesota to encourage competitive pricing of health insurance; liberal policies in favor of Health Savings Accounts and health reimbursement arrangements; opening access to a comprehensive market of medical professionals and health care services; standing opposed to proposals for a Minnesota "Health Insurance Exchange."
An amendment to this resolution was submitted from the floor per rule 27 and applied after passage by ballot.

B

2AD.

Prohibiting the collection or release of any personal, health, financial, or other private information by anyone without the informed written consent of the person or parents involved, including the online storage, access, sharing, disclosure, exchange or transmission of such private information.
An amendment to this resolution was submitted from the floor per rule 27 and applied after passage by ballot.

B

2AF.

Minnesota legislation that would bar the State of Minnesota from participating in the federal Homeland Security Real I.D. Act that requires initiation of a standardized driver's license to be required for air travel, to enter government buildings, and to receive Social Security benefits.

C

2AG.

Releasing federal border security agents, Ramos and Compean, who have been incarcerated due to their wounding of an illegal alien crossing the border into the United States.

B

2AH.

Minnesota legislation that establishes a preference for mercury-free vaccines when available, and that if a vaccine containing more than a trace amount of mercury must be given, informed consent be obtained prior to giving the vaccine.

B

2AI.

Encouraging the health care industry, consisting of all service providers, pharmaceutical companies and its retailers, and insurance companies, to provide pricing transparency for patients to enable them to make better informed health maintenance and cost control decisions.

B

2AJ.

Curtailing government funded non-emergency services at emergency rooms.

B

2AL.

Abolishment of Gun Free Zones.

B

2AM.

The traditional practice that all elected officials to a government office swear their oath by placing their hand on the Holy Bible.
This resolution was submitted from the floor per rule 27.

C

2AN.

A constitutional amendment that the President of the United States have the line item veto.
This resolution was submitted from the floor per rule 27.

C

3A.

A well-rounded knowledge-based curriculum to prepare our children to be good citizens and to compete in the rapidly evolving economy of the 21st century, and emphasizing traditional values of hard work, honesty, home and family, and respect for America’s religious and civic heritage, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the merits of democracy and capitalism compared to socialism, communism, and fascism.

B

3I.

Requiring public schools to teach both evolution and creation, protecting educators from disciplinary action for including discussion of creation science, and adopting science standards that acknowledge the scientific controversies pertaining to the theory of evolution.

B

3M.

Abolishing No Child Left Behind and the U.S. Department of Education and all itstheir unfunded mandates and opposing any new state or federal laws which seek to centralize educational authority at the expense of local school boardsreturning control of education to its constitutionally proper place as a state and local function.

B

3AA.

School districts having all negotiating powers for school contracts, especially teacher contracts.

B

3AD.

Ensuring that state aid be equal for all Minnesota students, K-12 and college, regardless of district.

B

3AE.

Requiring a semester course in personal finance for high school graduation.

B

3AF.

Teaching mathematics in a rigorous way, such as Singapore math or Saxon math, and not with a curriculum such as "fuzzy math", "reform math", or "Everyday Math".

B

3AG.

Prohibiting public schools from adopting programs or curricula that undermine Christianity or any of its denominations as they contradict the First Amendment to the Constitution.

B

3AH.

Removal from curricula of subjective, controversial, non-academic outcomes that deal with the likes of gender issues, family structure diversity, mental health, multiculturalism, environmentalism, and careers from both state and federal outcomes.

B

4A.

We need to change laws regarding marriage, divorce, adoption, child support, welfare, taxes, and others, to encourage families to stay together. Minnesota's laws governing marriage should be amended to offer a 'Covenant Marriage' option, entailing extensive pre-marital counseling and limits on divorce. Parental privileges of fathers in child custody issues should be restored to comply with the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, including a presumption of joint physical custody. Grandparents and other relatives should be considered as the first option and the logical choice when children cannot live with their parents.

B

4H.

Parents and legal guardians have the right to all of their minor children's health records, including sexual health records, without requiring their minor children's consent.

B

4S.

Development of a Minnesota comprehensive plan to promote new and flexible long-term care service options; improvement of the infrastructure of nursing facilities as one service choice in the continuum; adequate funding of long-term care providers so they may be able to attract and retain a quality workforce.

B

5J.

Creating mandatory work programs for non-violent prisoners in Minnesota’s jails and prisons.

B

5K.

Formation of programs, staffed by faith-based and other private groups, to work with our incarcerated citizens in an effort to reduce recidivism by changing hearts, minds, and lives.

B

6A.

AppointingExpecting judges towho will exercise their authority to review, and when necessary limit, excessive awards of damages and attorneys’ fees.

B

6F.

Reaching decisions involving U.S. law by recognizing primacy of our U.S. Constitution over that of international law.

B

6G.

Limiting the reporting of exit polls until voting is complete.

B

6H.

Preventing government agencies such as the EPA from creating binding requirements in the absence of passed and signed legislation.

B

7C.

Following commonsense practices in forest, wetlands and wildlife management and promoting multiple uses of natural resources in most circumstances, which would include use of motorized vehicles on recreational trails on non-parkland state and federal lands; relaxing wetlands laws pertaining to areas less than 1.5 acres.

B

7K.

That any formentity of municipal government be prohibited in condemning a business or property through the process of eminent domain for the sole purpose of increasing tax revenues rather than the general public good or to take private property from one owner in order to favor another private entity.

B

7M.

That there be no net gain of government-owned land by the Minnesota DNR or nonprofit land trusts; that not more than 5% of any bonding bill will be transferred to the Department of Natural Resources; and that all conservation easements should be limited to a maximum of 21 years.

B

7Q.

Opposition to diverting fresh water resources to “other” regions.

B

7R.

Responsibly expanding the use of existing energy resources by such as opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific Ocean to oil drilling and by expediting permitting for such as new power plants, refineries, wind farms, and transmission lines.

B

7S.

Balanced use of all forms of domestically available power and fuel, to include, coal, nuclear, oil, natural gas, wind, water, and biomass; realizing that CO2 is not a pollutant and is essential for all life; prohibiting any government agency or associate from using CO2 emissions for the purpose of taxation or regulation; abolishing the State Climate Change Committee; opposing any enactment of cap and trade legislation.

B

7T.

Opposing Congressman Oberstar's bill (HR 2421) which would allow federal control of virtually all land and water in the U.S.

B

7V.

Implicitly denying the United Nation's sovereignty in our country by opposing U.N. “Biosphere Reserves” and “Heritage Sites” in the U.S.

B

7W.

Trails maintained only by user fees collected for the trails' designated uses.

B

7X.

Having the right to use incandescent light bulbs.

B

7Y.

That drilling for oil be allowed only by American oil companies in Alaska oil fields.

B

8 Preamble

Republicans want government to be honest, efficient, void of nepotism, and responsive to individual concerns.

B

8C.

Maintaining Minnesota’s two-house legislature, rather than adopting a unicameral system and keeping our state senate and house as a part time legislative body.

B

8H.

Reforming campaign finance laws so as to uphold all Americans’ rights to free speech by allowing American citizens to donate their time or money to political campaigns without limitation; establishing limits for individual contributions to judicial candidates’ committees; requiring immediate and full disclosure of all sources of campaign funding and repealing the Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold).

B

8M.

Making English the official language in Minnesota and the United States of America; requiring all state and local agency documents, forms, instructions, ballots and other printed materials to be produced exclusively in English.

B

8N.

Eliminating the practice of vouching for individuals at polling places, requiring that voters be registered at least 30 days prior to an election and requiring that voters present a valid proof of U.S. citizenship, a valid picture ID, and state residency at the time of registration and voting.

B

8O.

Enacting a system of open and competitive judicial elections electing judges as outlined in the Minnesota Constitution and opposing the replacement of the election system with an appointment system or the ‘Missouri Plan’ (appointment followed by retention election).

B

8P.

Withdrawing the United States from the United Nations.

C

8Q.

The purchase price of property purchased by government shall not exceed the lesser of assessed market value and the amount paid by an intermediary for the purposes of reselling (flipping) to the government.

B

8R.

Adopting an initiative and referendum law supporting a mandatory voter referendum for any county increase in valuation or levy that exceeds 3.5%.

B

8S.

Eliminating the use of "earmarks" in State and Federal government. Earmarks must be placed in separate bills.

B

8T.

Republican Party officers being prohibited from becoming a member of a campaign team or show candidate preference until after an official endorsement.

B

8U.

Requiring the federal government to use honest and complete accounting principles for calculating the national budget and gross federal debt by complying with existing public law that prohibits the use of Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) trust fund amounts in budget calculations.

B

8V.

Imploring Congress and the Minnesota legislature to impeach judges who exceed their authority by legislating from the bench rather than interpreting the intent of the Founders in the Constitution, or legislation.

B

8X.

Prohibiting counties from taxing townships for the benefit of cities unless supported by a township referendum.

B

8Y.

Prohibiting legislators from collecting per diem payments during special sessions and when not in session.

B

8Z.

Filling judicial vacancies with candidates who serve only until the next election, therefore initiating an open seat election.

B

8AA.

Removing the word "incumbent" after judicial candidate's names on ballots.

B

8AB.

Having the State Legislature establish a January 1, odd year, starting date for new judicial seats, whenever new judicial seats are established, so that there will be an election for any such seat.

B

8AC.

Establishing the Minnesota Rules of Judicial Ethics by state statute.

B

8AD.

When Minnesota’s bovine TB status is lowered from modified accredited advanced to modified accredited, we support “split state status” so resources can be focused at the affected area.

B

8AE.

All levels of government adopting the accrual method of accounting.

B

8AF.

Replacing special retirement plans for elected state and federal officials with the standard Social Security plan, for payments and benefits.

B

8AI.

All congressional and legislative salaries shall be by roll call vote.

B

8AJ.

Restricting the rights of cities to annex land and rural electric territory.

B

8AK.

Having only voters in the counties in which a district judge is seated voting in elections for that position.

B

8AL.

Disallowing Minnesota the use of the Healthcare Access Fund to balance the state budget.

B

8AO.

Reversal of the Minnesota legislature's 1990's decision to impose sales tax on purchases by political subdivisions.

B

8AP.

Having the Minnesota legislature allow townships to opt out of the use of voting machines and to conduct their elections and business in ways they deem best.

B

8AQ.

Making it unlawful for candidates seeking office in the State of Minnesota to indicate funding for any purpose as "cut" when referring to a reduction in a proposed or planned increase.

B

8AR.

Leveling the taxation of health care costs by providing tax credits for health care purchases of individuals and small businesses, not just large employers.

B

9E.

Strengthening our borders against the threat of terrorism and stopping the flow of illegal immigrantsaliens by such measures as completing a border fence, and deporting illegal aliens. We are against amnesty for illegal aliens. We oppose any program that will allow illegal aliens to remain in the United States and support programs that allow positive identification of legal aliens. We support sanctions against employers who knowingly employ illegal aliens. We call for law enforcement agencies to apprehend and prosecute illegal aliens. We oppose all forms of government funding for the support of illegal aliens including for education, health care, disability, and pension.

B

9J.

OpposingMaintaining the sovereignty of the United States and conscientiously avoiding, all or in part, treaties, agreements, international laws, and organizations that would compromise that sovereignty such as the Law of the Seas Treaty (LOST), the North American Union, the United Nations, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

B

9K.

Efforts to become less dependent on foreign oil including conservation and the development, and promotion of, and conservation all available fuel sources including nuclear power, ethanol, biodiesel, wind, water, and biomass.

B

9O.

Voiding the presumption that children born to illegal aliens and legal visitors inside the U.S. do not obtain automatic citizenship.

B

9Q.

President Bush's efforts to keep Americans safe and fight the Global War on Terror. We support our troops and their mission and believe that they should shift out of countries that can defend themselves, or that have other allies that can, to areas with more pressing security concerns. We oppose calls to "cut and run" until the job has been completed.

B

9T.

Refusing to provide any federal or state funding or use of eminent domain for the Trans-Texas Corridor (a.k.a. NAFTA Superhighway).

B

9U.

Denying lobbyists representing foreign interests and governments entry to the U.S. House and Senate.

B

C1.

For their many acts of heroism and multiple tours of duty,
For their unwavering dedication to the preservation of our freedom,
For their unselfish sacrifice of life and their undying love of their fellow countrymen.
By a thunderous and unanimous voice vote of the Minnesota Republican First Congressional District delegation, we hereby grant our full support and gratitude to the Heroes of the United States Military.

B

C2.

We support and appreciate Governor Pawlenty’s veto of the Transportation Bill

B

C3.

We support Senator Norm Coleman for re-election to the U.S. Senate for another term.

B

C4.

We heartily and gratefully commend Governor Pawlenty and our conservative members of the state legislature who have diligently minded the state budget and spending since the departure of the previous governor. We owe a debt of gratitude to these people for reducing the rate of growth in state budgets.

B

C5.

The First District Republicans commend President Bush for standing firm on his commitment to adult stem cell research.

B

Z1.

Given the active national debate, the State Platform should include a separate section devoted to health care issues, and all related existing and new planks should be gathered to it. Accordingly, we propose the following Title and Preamble:

Assuring Freedom, Free-Markets and Freedom of Choice in Health Care

Republicans believe that individualized patient care is the best medicine. We support a trusted and confidential patient-doctor relationship, free markets in insurance and medical care, health savings accounts, individual ownership of health insurance policies and health care dollars, limited third party involvement in health care financing, and the individual's right to freedom of choice in health care.

B

C

1V.

Increasing the gas and fuel tax in the amount of five to ten cents per gallon and index it to inflation.

B

1W.

Abolishment of the estate tax provided that stepped-up cost basis of appreciated property be retained at the death of a person.
This resolution was submitted from the floor per rule 27.

C

2AE.

Tax funded adult stem cell research.

C

2AK.

Reimbursement to health care providers for Medicaid long term care to be at their cost plus 1%.

C

3AC(1).

State payment of per-pupil direct costs for non-public school students incurred by public school districts, for such as busing and health services.

C

3AC(2).

State payment of per-pupil direct costs for non-public school students incurred by non-public schools, for secular courses.

C

7E.

Encouraging technological advances in the creation, processing and use of agricultural products and natural resources while opposing government dollars being used for oil and gas exploration.

C

7O.

Adoption of an energy policy that encourages Research and Development of alternative forms of energy by private initiative that includes a government paid comprehensive environmental impact statement for biofuels and expands the community-based energy development (CBED) program for wind energy generation beyond the current 1200 MW threshold.

C

7U.

Completion of a Minnesota intergovernmental water sustainability plan, covering water quality, quantity, surface, underground, and entities that use these resources.

C

L.

Adopting an initiative and referendum law that would allow the citizens of Minnesota to vote on important issues.

C

8W.

Limiting terms of members of congress, Senators and Representatives, to 12 years.

C

8AG.

The adoption by the Minnesota Republican Party of a binding, closed primary.

C

8AH.

Making the Minnesota Republican Party caucus presidential poll results binding.

C