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| Select concepts by Frequency- See below |
The official U.S. Republican party platform for 2016 is
available. The 66-page document outlines their vision and offers identified
issues and plans for change. Find the Table of Contents on page iii, which
lists six major headings.
1. Restoring the
American Dream p.1.
Economic ideas come first with comments on taxes and jobs
along with investments.
2. A Rebirth of
Constitutional Government p.9.
There are traditional Republican concerns about
constitutional rights and limitations on the roles of leaders such as the
president and judges.
They speak out for traditional marriage and state: “We
condemn the Supreme Court’s ruling in the United
States v. Windsor, which wrongly removed the ability of Congress to define
marriage in federal law (p. 11).” They also condemn the Supreme Court’s ruling
in Obergefell v. Hodges.
Next, Republicans affirm First Amendment rights of
religious liberty. An early focus is on the rights of conscience. Related
concerns are protecting the tax-exempt status of religious organizations and
the freedom of people to conduct business according to their religious beliefs.
Also supported is the public display of the Ten Commandments.
Freedom of Speech is to be protected including freedom
from being forced to support candidates through union dues. Support for the
second Amendment is noted along with a reference to self-defense as a
“God-given right.” In reference to the Fourth Amendment, there is a call for
limitations on surveillance.
The protection of human life is tied to the Fifth
Amendment. Specifically, the claim is “the unborn child has a fundamental right
to life.” Other comments focus on protecting other rights linked to the Fifth
Amendment such as property rights. There is a focus on the rights of States and
individual liberties, including voting rights. They voice objection to
abolishing the electoral college in favor of a popular vote.
3. America’s
Natural Resources 17.
The plank offers support for energy exploration, use of
public lands for activities such as hunting and fishing. They demand a halt to
funding of the U.N.’s Framework Convention on Climate Change.
4. Government
Reform p. 23.
First is a call for a balanced budget amendment. Medicare
and Medicaid are used by over 100 million Americans and should be preserved.
Medicare reform options focus on those younger than age 55. Medicaid should be
managed by the States. Options are to be considered for Social Security.
Additional sections focus on freedom of the internet and immigration control,
including building a wall along the southern border.
5. Great American families
p. 31.
The plank focuses on the importance of marriage and families
to society. Statements oppose cohabitation and state the importance of marriage
as a union of one man and one woman.
Several comments focus on education—supporting parent rights and merit-based rather than
tenure tracks for teachers. Educational choice is supported, including
parochial schools. Republicans oppose interpreting Title IX to include sexual
orientation as a sex discrimination issue. They condemn BDS and advocate for
free speech on campuses. Also they believe “The federal government should not
be in the business of originating student loans (p. 35).”
On healthcare—repeal
Obamacare. Ideas for health care changes include increasing options and
reducing mandates as well as giving more control to states. They advocate transparency
in pricing and home care for seniors. The paragraphs in this subsection also
affirm the protection of individual conscience including respect for religious
beliefs. Also, reforms are needed in medical malpractice lawsuits. A focus is
on reforming the FDA and advancing the well-being of people with disabilities.
On criminal
justice, two problems need to be addressed: over-criminalization and
over-federalization. Other comments note the legalization of marijuana despite
federal law and a plan to limit opioid prescriptions.
6. America
Resurgent p. 41.
A strong military is the “first order of business.” A general
goal is “rebuilding the U.S. military into the strongest on earth, with vast
superiority over any other nation or groups of nations in the world (p. 41).”
Support for the troops includes several provisions for those in service and
their families along with an increase in the number of chaplains. They oppose
banning Bibles and religious symbols.
The party affirms support for Israel and the Kurdish
people. Other comments address Asia, Europe, and Africa. They respect the decision
of the UK and the special relationship. Support for NATO remains. Support for
the Americans is also noted, especially for neighbors. The opening to Cuba is
labeled a “shameful accommodation to the demands of its tyrants (p. 50).”
Reforms are called for in the U.N. They are opposed to several positions of the
U.N.
Search Term Frequency
One way to consider the concerns of authors is to examine
the concepts by searching for key words. I used the search tool in Adobe Reader
to identify a few examples. In some cases, I searched both the singular and
plural use of a term. My focus is generally on culture but I also looked at
international issues.
If you calculate terms differently, please post corrections because I want to provide only accurate information. Also, if you include additional calculations for other terms, please post those too.
Religion and
Religious Freedom
God 15
Conscience 10
God-given 9
Christian or Christians 8
Religion 5
Muslims 1 (Muslim 0)
Jewish 1
Hindu, Buddhist 0
Economic
Economic 57 + economy 52 = 109
Tax 45 + taxes 3 = 48
Market 27 + Markets 18 = 45
Property 27
Wages 4
Defense and Safety
Issues
Military 54
Border 7 + borders 10 = 17
Gun/ guns 7+1 = 8
Leaders
Obama 11
Clinton 5
Bush 1
Trump 0
International Issues/
Sample of Countries
China 18
Israel 16
Russia 9
Mexico 4
Iran 4
Canada 3
India 1
United Kingdom 1
Palestine 0
Social and
Cultural
Rights 84
Healthcare 35
Criminal 19 + crime 11 = 30
Abortion 27
Drug 14 + drugs 9 = 23
Disabilities 15, Disabled 1, disability 3 = 19
Marriage 19
Sex 6 + sexual 7 = 13
Immigration 12
Judge 3 + judges 7 = 10
Gun/ guns 7+1 = 8
Adoption related to children = 4
Race 2+ racism 1 + racist 0 = 3
Worship 3
Violence 3
Pornography 2
Rape 0
Divorce 0
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