Texas GOP Platform 2010 Highlights: State's Rights, Anti-Gay, Voter ID and More [Politics]

The many planks and legislative priorities produced at the 2010 GOP convention (developed over a week ago) have been making their way 'round the internets. Recurring themes involved State's Rights, limited government, anti-gay legislation, bans on gambling, and a sure crowd-pleaser in the 82nd Texas legislative session: voter ID.

The full list is available in pdf form over at the Texas Tribune. Much has already been made of the platform's stunning degree of hostile anti-gay measures—but beyond that, the GOP is still making plenty of demands despite facing a looming debt crisis. After the jump, we've picked a handful some interesting highlights.

What do y'all think? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Officially adopting American English as the language of Texas.
Severing relations with the United Nations, including removing all American financial and military ties.
Defining marriage as a "God-ordained, legal and moral commitment only between a 'natural' man and a 'natural' woman."
Opposing all criminal or civil penalties against anti-gay activists and any actions they make take to "oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values."
Banning sodomy and demanding that Congress "withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy."
Cracking down on all forms of pornography, and enacting stricter laws that prohibit virtual pornography and [the] operation of sexual-oriented businesses.
Requiring a sonogram be performed and offered as part of the consent process to each mother seeking an elective abortion.
Opposing the sale and use of the "Morning After Pill."
Opposing any sex education other than "abstinence until heterosexual marriage."
Opposing gambling as a means of financing state government.
Opposing needle-exchange programs.
Urging the Congress to de-fund, repeal, and reject health care reform.
Repealing the minimum wage law and prevailing wage law.
Limiting citizenship by birth to those born to a citizen of the United States with no exceptions.
Supporting objective teaching of Intelligent Design alongside evolution, global warming, political philosophies, and other "controversial theories."
Allowing attorneys who obtain their law degree through learning by electronic means or U.S. mail to take the Texas Bar Exam.
Requiring full disclosure of the amounts and sources of any campaign contributions to political candidates, whether by individuals, political action committees, or other entities.
Prohibiting former officials and government employees from lobbying for a foreign government and/or any business for five years after leaving public service.
Opposing human trafficking in any form.
Creating a free market for water to help meet future demand.
Using the light-handed regulation of the oil and gas industry as a model for the state's water market; and
Securing the integrity of elections by verifying the citizenship of those registering to vote, requiring a photo ID to vote, and removing non-qualified voters from registration.
Supporting the so-called "S.A.V.E. U.S.A." plan, which stands for:

S - Secure America’s border; Northern, Southern, and ports.
A - Abolish Adjustment of Status in the United States.
V - Vigorously enforce immigration laws using federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
E - Eliminate government benefits to illegal aliens.
U - Unimpeded deportation process.
S - Stop employment of illegal aliens.
A - Amend legal immigration rates to more sustainable levels.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By stanpowers in News on June 23, 2010 12:55 PM 0 Comments

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Comments [rss]

KriTikiT

to many Texan's have forgotten their history and the are COWARDS! Scapegoating gay's and using the word to smack the rage centers of peoples brains... COWARDS

they would say we will criminalize being gay, deny your right to sue for your rights, poison your water run up an nice fat Texas deficit... Human trafficking in any form would be a BUS ROUTE, They would limit your citizenship and trample your rights... And shake down Voters!

the GOP ARE COWARDS!

Moral law is big government!

Riley

Who cares if a gay or straight couple wants to give eachother anal and/or oral? Jesus! They ban that,and there goes half my fun! hahahaha Leave the homo's alone, already... Muscle Max XL

lovelyrita

Wow. Just wow. The sad thing is, I'm not surprised. But this is going too far. Especially when it comes to the attack against homosexuals.

Patrick, I find it sad that you have so much hate for all those people you don't even know. What makes you think that you are above homosexuals, that you deserve your rights more so than they do?

Patrick

I am gay this agenda is one of extremists. I strongly oppose it and saw many friends die as a matter of fact they drooped like flies in the 80's as my fear as a teenager drove me from the one I loved while being ready to die for the what I was told was the freest country on earth just to come out in the Air Force knowing I might go to jail for being honest. Their hate robbed me of my love. i know first hand what their shallow views do to people.. This lot must build hate for a group of people and accuse them all of being the most evil that the worst from that group is in their eyes, as a means to blind the population from true evil GREED an evil that leaves humans dead in it's wake so others can have more than they Can ever use. To be honest I know this country is built on stolen land and it was stolen by my European ancestors from my Native American ancestors. This lot is on their last fight when they day comes that most people see them for what they are true freedom returns To this land. They are the ones that seek to harm other humans and it is plan to see at this point.

Patrick

Repealing the minimum wage law and prevailing wage law.

Why don't they just say bring back slavery and enslave everyone that does not kiss Republican butt and not get it wet?

betty_draper

seriously? texas is backward in almost every way possible

"they gave up the fight to stop interracial marriage."

haha. wow.

Patrick

The party platform gave up that fight they might bring it back if they think it will fly

Patrick

Sure they did they had bigger fish to fry my god now the F@ggs want rights and every one knows they have even infiltrated Texas politics. After Houston elected a gay mayor it was a big hit to the hate movement. It did not work in the courts for them to take her kids a few years back so now they know they have to pass a new law so they can do it legally! If they don't hold the line now next thing you know kids from a household with a same sex couple will be in school right next to some of their kids and god forbid if a gay kid makes friends with a str8 kid that has two gay parents next thong you know the red necks won't have any one tp bully. Now that is real bad real real bad every one knows some group has to be left to be openly bullied my god it would be aweful if Johnny came home and said daddy they told me I can't beat up f@ggs any more. BTW the governors son is gay and is seen at no hate rallies this is a real lost bunch of fools

Patrick

Oh yeah English only really? English is from England as Spainish is from Spain. Really do they feel like they are losing the land that was stolen to start with? A valid conservative approach would be to fund a program that would develop a low cost Bluetooth type translator and sell it in stores so we can bridge the gap, and let it pay for it's self in the long run! Get over it we need to brisge gaps not make new ones and that idea would save tons of tax payer mney in the long run on govern,net funded ESL programs. While we are on the subject why is iteople of mainly European decent get their paper work in order fast as they bring funds from Mexico to Texas while the people that have DNA from Texas are kicked back across the Rio Grande every day? Does Txas open it's arms to those that left the others behind in Mexico while kicking the ones that they left behind back south of the Rio Grande even though many of them have DNA from here? Really is this the new approach to greed gone wild? Draw a line keep them we stole the land fairly? If we do not find the balance between compasstion and greed in Texas our future will be the same as in Mexico where the anger rises and grabes those that feel they are immune to the problems of the left behind. We need to repair bridges not build walls that will come crashing down. We need valid conservative ideas designed to guide our fellow humans on their true path to goodness and consequence needs be be both compassionate and designed to guide the lost human on their true path too goodness instead of deciding us humans. Really I do not want to see Texas look like Old Mexico, with all of the anger over flowing in the streets!

Patrick

Well this is progress to be honest they gave up the fight to stop interracial marriage. I know though the thought has gone trough the minds of many of them more than likely they blam Obama being president on them giving up the fight on interracial marriage. I better be very careful here before they send the TABC to check to see if I bought cigarettes after 12:00 am or if I bought them to close to a school! Hey I say whats good for the goose is good for the gander myself why do they ban the sale of alcohol too close to a church but it can be bought close to anouther type of religious establishment? Oh yeah if a church gives away wine just before they pass the offering plate that is ok! How about some real conservative values please some of us are gay and want to marry and have kids we might bring a fresh new understanding to the conservative movement. We need real and honest ideas not infused with hate as a means to rally support! Mind you this lot needs to stay clear of me I could not stand to be inthe same room as them to be honest! The only group of humans I support discrimination against is biggots and that they are! They made the choice to I know many of them were born not able to feel compassion for fellow humans but that could be cured by the school of hard knocks!

Sean

I completely agree with everything here except the opposition of human trafficking. What's with that?

heyzeus

I'm politically pragmatic; I acknowledge that this would be a pretty terrible country if one party instituted every crazy idea they wanted.

But Christ, this would be an awful place if the republican party accomplished all of those things.

diane

that is a scary bunch

tim

Yeah, but that seems less impressive when you realize their definition of human is white, monogamous heterosexual earning more than $50k per year.