Many people don’t know there are actually seven qualified political parties in the state of Utah. We recently had the pleasure of having representatives from six out of seven of these parties join us in a meeting to discuss their views and share opinions (our seventh couldn’t make it). It was a great discussion and a perfect example of what Engaged Informed Americans is all about - difference of opinions coming together with mutual respect to simply have a conversation. Below is a very brief summary of each of the seven parties. For more information you can follow the links to their websites.
Our representatives from left to right: Bryce Hamilton - Constitution Party. David Else - Independent American Party. Joe Buchman - Libertarian Party. Daisy Thomas - Utah Democratic Party. Nils Bergeson - Utah United Party. Adam Davis - Green Party.
The Constitution Party was founded in 1992 by Howard Phillips who was a prominent republican leader. It was originally called the U.S. Tax Payers Party until it was changed in 1999. The National Chair of the Party, Frank Fluckiger, says, “The party was founded with the goal in mind to bring back in line our government to its original intent as stated within the constitution.” In short, party leaders “became frustrated at the continual pressure from GOP leaders to abandon sound principles of government in favor of the socialist agenda that the GOP leadership was pushing.” - utahconstitutionparty.com The party believes our government has changed dramatical from what our founding fathers desired and they strive to return it to its original intent. It officially organized in Utah in 2001 and first gained ballot position in 2004. The Constitution Party of Utah preamble states that it “gratefully acknowledges our Creator as Judge, Preserver and Ruler of the universe. As such, we appeal to him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and protection as we strive to restore and preserve the American system of law and justice for the United States of America and for the State of Utah.” The platform is anchored with three solid standards: integrity, liberty and prosperity.
According to their website the Libertarian Party of Utah believes it is “the only political organization which, first and foremost, respects you as a unique and competent individual. We believe that you are more capable of making the best decision for your life than anyone else can ever be.” In short, the party believes strongly in tolerance and in being free and independent. To tie it into Utah’s heritage the site goes on to say, “Utah was founded by pioneers who traveled well over a thousand miles – by wagon, on horseback, and many on foot – to find a place where each of them could live their lives according to their own conscience, free from government interference. Libertarians seek that same freedom today, for all of Utah’s people…The Libertarian Party is for all who don’t want to push other people around and don’t want to be pushed around themselves. Live and let live is the Libertarian way.”
David Else is currently the Rules Committee Chair for the National Independent American Party (IAP). A handout he brought to our meeting states that the mission statement of the IAP clarifies what they do. “To promote respect for Life, Liberty and Property; strong traditional families; patriotism and individual, state, and national sovereignty - with a strong reliance upon the Declaration of Independence and allegiance to the Constitution for the United States of America - Through petition to God and by political and educational means.” His handout goes on to say that, “all the issues out there are subservient to one great issue that of our rights of liberty are granted to every person on this planet by their creator and that our government has been instituted by men to preserve and protect those liberties. Life means life. It means support for all living humans. Life begins at conception and is to be protected. Liberty means we have control over ourselves and our creations and what we own and it is what has been clarified in the Bill of Rights in our Constitution.” The IAP is currently the third largest voting block in Utah, behind republicans and democrats.
The Green Party of Utah has 10 Key Values. 1) Grassroots Democracy. 2) Social Justice & Equal Opportunity. 3) Ecological Wisdom. 4) Non-violence. 5) Decentralization. 6) Community-Based Economics. 7) Egalitarianism. 8) Respect for Diversity. 9) Personal And Global Responsibility. 10) Future focus & sustainability. “The Green Party of Utah commits to building an inclusive political party through promoting candidates and causes that align with the Green Party's ten key values and the four pillars of Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, Ecological Wisdom, and Non-Violence.” - greenpartyutah.com Their four pillars are democracy, social justice, ecology and peace.
The mission of the United Utah Party states that it “unites all who want to end the extreme partisanship that has corrupted our political conversation. We focus on practical solutions based on common sense and common ground. We are the voice for Utah's Uniters.” As Nils Bergeson told us, they believe there are many solutions to various problems and we all need to come together to discuss them. The party preamble reflects this by saying “The United Utah Party believes that solutions can be found to the pressing problems of the state and nation using a pragmatic approach, finding common ground with others, and encouraging widespread public involvement in the resolution of public policy issues.” The party stands for economic growth, environmental stewardship, faith and education.
The Democratic Party is the oldest existing political party in the U.S. Some scholars say it began when Jefferson founded the Democratic-Republicans in 1792. The Utah Democratic Party website states that they “reaffirm the simple and timeless values that make Utah and our nation great: protecting freedom, promoting responsibility, planning for the future, and supporting common sense solutions to community problems. Democrats across Utah are committed to the needs and interests of all families, our land, and our local businesses. We seek to build communities where every Utahn has the opportunity to work hard and succeed in our state.” According to scholastic.com, Democrats are sometimes referred to as "the Party of the People," attracting immigrants, blue-collar workers, women, and minorities. Democrats tend to take a more liberal stand on important issues. They believe that the federal government should take a more active role in people's lives, particularly those who are in need. Democrats and republicans often have very different views on issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, immigration, climate change and Medicare.
The Republican Party was formed in 1854. Republicans tend to be more conservative when if comes to the issues, particularly those listed above. They believe that the government should not play a big role in people's lives. Most Republicans favor lower taxes and less government spending on social programs. They believe in less government intervention in business and the economy than democrats. The Utah Republican preamble states, “We, the Republican Party of the Great State of Utah, affirm our belief in God and declare our support for government based upon a moral and spiritual foundation. We affirm freedom for every individual as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the Constitution. We believe that citizens' needs are best met through free enterprise, private initiative, and volunteerism. We support the “Rule of Law” and believe in upholding the law of the land.”
As these short summaries can only scratch the surface of what each party stands for, please visit their websites for more information.
