Indiana

Indiana Republicans
by Marie LeClaire

           Throughout history, the Republican party has been defined by the positions taken on certain issues. These issues concern the citizens of the United States of America like us. Some of the issues concerning the upcoming presidential election are education, taxes, the environment, government reform, and social security. The Republican party is known for being conservative and in some ways can be predictable in the positions taken on these various issues. Generally, it may be assumed that on matters concerning taxes and the role of government in the lives of Americans one can be quite sure that the republican party will always be against tax increases and will promote less government.
           Indiana is the thirty eighth largest state in America and is known as the “Hoosier State”, a term thought to be derived from the greeting “whos yere” used by pioneers. The population is approximately 5,752,000 as of 1994 which ranks it fourteenth in the U.S. This is important because the size and population of a state determines how much weight it carries when it comes to the election, therefore Indiana holds twelve electoral college votes. Enrollment in schools is primarily public and there are seventy-eight institutions of higher education.
           The Indiana state Republican party is not unlike the National Republican Party in that they share many of the same convictions. The Indiana Republican party can be described as a conservative group of individuals who favor right-wing views when it comes to things like the issues listed above. The platform states that the Republican party of Indiana wants to restore credibility to our government by encouraging the participation of citizens and making government more of a public institution. They feel that if government is more open to the public, it will force politicians to act in the interests of the people who elect them. It goes on to indicate that our politicians should be considered role models for our children and act like it. Some of the issues disscussed in the Indiana State Republican party's platform are the following... Integrity in government- The platform states that the Republican party of Indiana wants to restore credibility to our government by encouraging the participation of citizens and making government more of a public institution. They feel that if government is more open to the public, it will force politicians to act in the interests of the people who elect them. It goes on to indicate that our politicians should be considered role models for our children and act like it.
           Another issue is Equal Opportunity- This is regarding equal access to public office. The platform states that one of the many goals of the Republican party is restoring confidence in the American Dream and ensuring that it is available to all people regardless of age, gender, race, creed, religion, national origin, economic status or physical challenge. To ensure this idea, it is suggested that more minorities be recruited for public office therefore trying to discount the belief of many people that government is for rich white men, and very few others. This would suggest that the Indiana Republican party believes in affirmative action although it is not mentioned specifically in the platform.
           As discussed before, the Republican party wishes to limit Taxes. The Republican party states that it would like to change the federal tax system to one that is flatter, fairer and simpler. Another aspect is to enforce the federal budget and start paying off the national debt. They would also like to get rid of the present marriage penalty in income taxes and make social security more of a personal choice. One last belief when it comes to taxes is a $1 billion reduction in property tax. Since Republicans are usually categorized as upper class, this would mean the richer people of the United States saving a lot of money when it comes to inheritance, income, and property like secondary residences. This would also affect the middle class families that own homes and have less money to pay taxes.
           When it comes to the economy, the Indiana Republican Party would like to promote free markets and higher wages. The party in Indiana would like to limit the regulations put upon small business ownership. They also state the desire to increase exportation and the use of technology to improve the success of local businesses. This is probably an attempt to convince voters that the republican party is looking out for those working in the growing field of technology which is becoming an even bigger part of American life.
           Crime- The Indiana Republican party is for making sure that people have the right to keep and bear arms but also for speedy and severe punishment for convicted criminals. The belief of the Republican party is that each citizen is totally responsible for their actions and should be held accountable for any actions that they take. Part of the plan for fighting crime in the U.S.A. is to concentrate on drugs and preventing them from affecting our children and the elderly.
           The Environment- Recognizing that protecting the environment is an important responsibility for all Americans, we believe: Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, Republicans encourage the exercise of precaution in activities that might have harmful effects on humans and the environment. This is a very general statement to make for this issue. Although the Republican party would not exactly say that they want to kill the environment, they do not take a very powerful stand on the issue. This vague way of speaking about the issue conveys a message. That message is that although the environment issue can not be ignored especially in today's society, it is not on the top of the list of priorities for Republicans.
           On the issue of government policies and programs- the Republican party voices that fact that they want a strong national defense like our army and navy. This is to help protect the U.S.'s national security and economy. It is the belief of the Indiana Republican party that we need a strong defense because we are known as a powerful country. There is also the issue of campaign finance. Campaign finance has a huge affect on elections. It is stated in the Indiana Republican party platform that there should be full disclosure when it comes to contributions to campaigns. It is suggested that doing this would help keep politicians honest and true to the issues they promote. This is important because although they want full disclosure, they do not suggest any limit on spending which has an effect on candidates who do not use public funds to finance their campaign.
           Altogether, the platform put forth by the Indiana Republican party is not very different from the national party platform when it comes down to where they stand on different issues. The difference I noticed however is the priority of the issues on the platform and the details in which they are presented. The platform was put together by holding public hearings in Indiana in several locations in order to ensure that the platform reflects the beliefs of the people across Indiana.