Our Values

Republican Statement of Principles

Adopted November 23rd 1991

We, the members of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, believe that our Commonwealth and its citizens will secure and sustain the blessings of liberty and well-being as a society based on these principles:

I. Our Creator has granted us traditional moral principles which are the foundation of our Society. It is incumbent upon us to uphold, strengthen and safeguard religious and other institutions which protect and embody these principles. Public policy which negates these principles or diminishes these institutions is inherently unsound.

II. Freedom is based on fundamental rights including those embodied in our Constitutions. Government is a means of securing freedom and maintaining a system of justice. Government, to be effective, must operate efficiently and economically, and must be restricted to essential public functions. Therefore, Government must be limited, and it must recognize and encourage private individual and collective responsibility. Government must function with integrity, and must be accountable and responsive to the people it represents.

III. The Government power to tax and regulate, if used irresponsibly, imposes unacceptable costs upon Society. The levying of taxes must be limited. Excessive taxation retards economic growth and prosperity, and diminishes personal freedom. Regulation and mandates by Government should be restricted to essential public health, welfare and safety issues. In determining such policies, Congress and the Pennsylvania General Assembly should be aware of global, national and regional economic competition.

IV. A private, free market economic system is the basis of prosperity. The power of free enterprise to create jobs is the best means to eliminate poverty. The forced redistribution of wealth and the over-regulation of the free enterprise system – even under the guise of law for the purpose of advancing misguided notions of social or economic justice – is destructive of the fabric of society, and must not be tolerated.

V. Justice demands an honest and impartial application of the law. It is a perversion of justice to deny equal opportunity to any individual. All people should be safe and secure in their homes and in their communities. A strong system of criminal justice, which metes our sure and swift punishment to those who break the law, must not be compromised.

VI. Individual rights carry with them individual responsibilities. Included is the obligation to work to provide for oneself and one’s family, thereby securing freedom through economic empowerment. Therefore, Government interference in the employment relationship should be minimized.

VII. The development of social and educational policy should recognize the primacy of the family, and should assure parents the freedom and ability to provide strong and appropriate foundations for their children. Educational quality will be instrumental in guaranteeing America’s future. Quality in education depends on a working partnership between students, parents, educators and communities. To be competitive in the world, our educational system must be accessible and competitive within itself by providing incentives for success and achievement.

VIII. The sanctity of human life is fundamental. Life is inherent dignity. Life should be afforded quality.

IX. The conservation of our environment and its natural resources, including the preservation of prime farmland, is a legacy that must be protected. Recognizing the need for business activity, public infrastructure, and safe and affordable housing, we acknowledge that the protection of our environment and natural resources should accommodate the rights of owners of private property.

X. American world leadership has been built upon and will continue to depend upon a willingness to defend and promote freedom. Support and recognition must be afforded to those men and women who have served in the defense of this Country. A strong defense secures the blessings of liberty to our posterity.