Preamble
As Republicans, we believe in people, see goodness in one another, and seek to protect the Constitutional rights of every citizen of our country.
We hold that the Constitution of the United States is just as applicable today in guarding those rights as it was when it was written. We believe that if citizens are provided with freedom to grow economically, to own their own homes, to become educated, and to worship freely and openly, there is no limit to what they can achieve!
We, as Americans and Republicans, dedicate ourselves to loving and protecting our families and our country, preserving our Constitution and respecting God, our Flag and each other.
Accommodation of ethnic, cultural, religious, political and societal diversity is important to a healthy society; however, we recognize the necessity of maintaining unity as a society and as a nation. We reject teachings that divide and encourage the breakdown of our nation.
We are Republicans because we believe. . .
Our nation’s strength lies with the individual. Each person’s dignity, freedom, ability and responsibility for self-determination must be honored
All Americans have the right under the Constitution to economic freedom, life, liberty, and equal protection under the law, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability.
Individual initiative and free enterprise have brought this nation opportunity and prosperity. Hard work and the ingenuity of our citizens, not the government, is America’s economic engine.
Government should be fiscally responsible, limited and non-intrusive. The best government governs least.
The proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations.
The most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people.
Americans must retain the principles that have made us strong, while developing new, innovative ideas to meet the challenges of changing times.
We must preserve our national strength and pride, while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights around the world.
Therefore, as Benton County Republicans, we hold that ...
Responsible citizenship and personally responsible social and moral behaviors fortify a strong society. Good character is fundamental to being a reasonable, rational, respectful and responsible citizen.
Equal access to economic opportunity must be provided to all persons, so that the United States may continue to be a land of prosperity. Religion is a matter of personal conscience. The State should neither interfere with each person’s free exercise of religion nor favor any particular religion.
The family is the best institution for teaching values to the rising generation.
Education of our citizens regarding the sanctity of life is imperative so that each person can make responsible choices.
English must be the official language of the United States of America.
Benton County and the State of Oregon public officials must cooperate with the federal government in enforcing existing laws that regulate the right to vote and the privilege to drive and to receive public services. All who are not entitled to such rights must not receive them. Oregon’s Secretary of State should begin immediately to clean up voter registration rolls.
Publicly-funded, efficiently-administered education is a fundamental state obligation. We also welcome privately financed education as a competitive alternative to public education.
The equitable use of natural resources should be encouraged, thereby balancing the needs of people and the environment. We also recognize the value of renewable resources and the need for sound science in environmental policy.
The right of Americans to keep and bear arms is central to the Constitution of the United States. The Second Amendment provides a vital means for law-abiding Americans to protect themselves.
The Republican Party is not a single-issue group, although individual Republicans may be strongly committed to a particular point of view on important issues. We welcome new Republicans and encourage them to get involved, to elect common-sense Republicans to positions of leadership in Oregon and across our Nation. The Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive, successful principles of government.
Local Planks in Benton County Republicans’ Platform
A diversified economy is a strong economy. If business is allowed to expand – with reasonable input from government -- revenue will be generated for education and other elements associated with prosperity. Further tax increases will only serve to reduce our prosperity.
Benton County Republicans encourage attracting new businesses and the retention and growth of existing businesses, goals shared by the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition and the Economic Vitality Partnership.
Republicans realize that affordable housing is an important goal that will not be achieved as long as there is a shortage of buildable residential land in our communities. We call for policies that will make more buildable land available so that more families may live and work in Benton County.
We call for government to allow for growth and diversification of our local economy, thus making more family-wage jobs available. We view with alarm Benton County’s trend toward becoming a retirement community. Shrinking schools are a visible symptom of a great increase in the percentage of 
childless couples in Benton County over the past 25 years. We believe that children are our hope for tomorrow.
We encourage intelligent use of Oregon’s bountiful natural resources to create revenue that will offset disappearing federal supplements to our schools. Relying on government to do what we can do for ourselves fosters a dependent, stagnant society.
We ask our county commissioners and city councils to focus on local, not national, issues.
We condemn government’s use of eminent domain to take private property for the purpose of increasing tax revenues.
We recognize that communication and parental teaching of responsibility and self-control are keys to preventing drug abuse. We give wholehearted support to communities, education and public safety to fight and control the methamphetamine scourge that has placed Oregon as Number 1 in the nation per capita in meth use.
We support and encourage an informed citizenry to create a truly representative government and offer our website, http://bentongop.blogspot.com, as an alternative source for news of the community, the state and the nation.
Republicans are encouraged to support additional family-friendly measures, according to the dictates of their conscience. The Republican Party has a big umbrella!
(2007 Interim)
