Connecticut Republican Principles and Reasons

  1. Republican for a Reason - Individual Responsibility

    2.
    1. Personal responsibility and initiative is the foundation of success.

      1. Individuals must rely upon themselves to fulfill their own needs and wants. People improve their self-image when they earn it themselves.

      2. America was built on the principle of something for something. Giving someone something for nothing is not only unfair and wrong, but creates a mindset of entitlement that saps individual initiative. Individual initiative is critical for success in free enterprise.

      3. When the government provides for others, it must be on a limited basis to empower them to become self-supporting, productive citizens, with pride in their independence.

      4. We believe in a hand up, not a hand out.

    2. A Strong Family is pivotal to a child’s success.

      1. Parents have the right and responsibility to raise their children until they become adults. Government must not usurp these responsibilities and rights.

      2. Children are best served when raised in a family environment.

    3. Private property and wealth are the results of providing value to society. This right is critical to a free society.

      1. The right to private property was recognized by our founders as a bedrock principle that must not be threatened by governmental abuse through arbitrary seizure or regulation.

      2. Personal wealth is the reward for hard, honest work and must be free from excessive government taxation.

  2. Republican for a Reason - Strong National Defense

    3.
    1. Our federal government exists to protect its citizens from threats, domestic and abroad.

      1. It must stand ready to defend our sovereign borders against unlawful invasion.

      2. It must be ready and able to defend us from invasion by a foreign power.

      3. It must care for and protect its citizens who cannot do so for themselves.

  3. Republican for a Reason – Limited Government

    4.
    1. Free enterprise and capitalism create solutions to societal problems.

      1. Too much regulation stifles economic progress and growth.

      2. The best solutions come from free market competition to provide the best solution to any given problem.

      3. Less government regulation lowers costs & prices, and increases consumer choices.

      4. Government regulation is a major hurdle to prosperity.

      5. “The Best Approach to a Problem is not to generate another expensive federal bureau, but to create teams of people who can apply their compassion, genius, talents, and time to the problems of their own communities.”1

    2. Respect the environment, do not be subservient to it.

      1. Humanity has inherited this precious Earth. Government should set policy that ensures natural resources are not recklessly abused, while protecting a healthy economy. Decisions should be based on sound science, weighing costs and benefits fully so as to avoid quick fixes which cause more problems in the long run.

      2. Effective stewardship of the environment requires efficient use of energy and natural resources, while developing more viable solutions to meet our future needs.

  4. Republican for a Reason – Lower Taxes

    5.
    1. Decreasing taxes and tax rates infuses money into the economy and creates growth.

      1. Government cannot create wealth, only take it or attempt to redistribute it.

      2. The excessive income tax punishes success. It inhibits wealth creation.

      3. Our economy grows when money is left in the hands of those who earn it.

      4. Individual rights, liberty, and property are being continually eroded when citizens are oppressed by excessive government interference via taxation, government waste, over regulation, and inflation.

      5. Individuals are far better equipped to spend their money than some government entity.

      6. Tax money belongs to the taxpayers who paid it, not the government.
1 From the speech 1,000 Points of Light by Peggy Noonan, mentioned in the book ”The Magic of Teamwork” by Pat Williams
what we stand for