Party Platform

The following is a working platform for the American Moderate Party.  It sets the direction that the Party knows that this country must move toward in order for it to regain its rightful place among the leaders of this planet.  It sets forth the Party position of fiscal, economic, and social issues that face this nation today.

Budget and Taxes

The American Moderate Party supports reduced federal spending and the paying down of the national debt without compromising the commitment to individuals, families, and seniors of American citizenship who are currently in need of relief from the federal government.

The AMP supports simplifying the taxation system including the implementation of a Fair Tax or Flat Tax.

The AMP advocates the closing of abusive tax loopholes that are utilized by corporations and businesses to profit at the individual taxpayer's expense.

top

National Defense

The AMP believes a strong national defense is necessary to protect the citizens of this country.  The safety of this country and its citizens are of paramount importance. A strong defense, of necessity, must be built upon verified and honest intelligence gathered in a humane manner.

The AMP advocates for accountability in regards to the defense budget including among others:

• Achieving a balanced defense budget
• Tracking and overview of contracts to ensure compliance with all costs and billing.
• Insuring that all contracts are awarded on the basis of meeting the needs of the nation at the most expeditious cost. 
• Additionally, conflicts of interest in awarding of contracts should be avoided.
• No defense related contracts are to be awarded to non-us based companies, entities nor should any portion of the work be done by others located in foreign jurisdictions.

top

Border Security

With the threats to this country and with the availability of weapons of mass destruction small enough to be easily brought into this country it is imperative that we secure our borders and ports of entry.  The AMP believes that this is of such extreme importance that the securing of our borders must be a top priority of the Federal government.  

Border security can be accomplished at a reasonable cost through the use of barriers, both manmade and natural, increased border and customs enforcement, increased screening of incoming cargo shipments, and through the implementation of sophisticated electronic monitoring and surveillance.

top

Foreign Relations

For the United States to regain the respect of other nations, it must return to the position of being a "good neighbor".  In this role, it has to return to aiding and assisting other nations to help themselves.  The ability of the United States to regain its place among the leaders of this world lies not in aggressive actions and behavior but in the recognition that all nations deserve to be treated with the same respect and consideration that we as a nation desire and demand.  However, neither does that mean that as a Nation we will tolerate nor condone mistreatment or hostile acts at the hands of any other nation.

Although, the United States may not embrace the political structures and/or the ideologies of other nations, where there has been no direct threat to our security the AMP believes that we as a nation do not have the right to preemptory acts against those nations.  Military intervention should only be used as a matter of last resort and then only in cooperation with other nations.

As one of the leader nations, we must endeavor to seek to find ways and means in which we as a nation can work even with those nations that may have political systems or ideologies that we find difficult to accept.  We, as a nation, must instead of "saber rattling" utilize economic and diplomatic means to bring justice to those that are victims of corrupt and inhumane political systems.

top

Environmental

We must ensure that we maintain to the best of our abilities clean land, fresh air, pure water, and a respect for this planet.  The AMP supports the protection of our environment so that future generations can be assured of receiving the same benefits that we have received.

The AMP supports intelligent planning and development to reduce and eliminate urban sprawl while maintaining a preservation of precious resources and history.

The AMP supports increased efforts to create and use alternative energy sources while meeting the demands of the nation.  In addition to seek alternative sources of energy for the current infrastructure the AMP strongly supports funded research to develop new and different means of providing the energy and mobility required by this country.  The AMP supports efforts individually and collectively to act responsibly toward the environment and the use of the natural resources of this planet.

The AMP believes that, where possible, movement toward the use of mass transportation systems to reduce the reliance on individual transportation must be accomplished to improve the quality of the land, air, and water resources of this country.

top

Immigration

The AMP knows that to open one's heart and to be caring to the point that it is detrimental is foolish and only works to reduce the opinion of this nation in the eyes of the international community.  To blindly be so caring and sympathetic as to bring harm to our nation is wrong.  Uncontrolled and out-of-control immigration brings harm to this nation.

Earlier immigrants who came to this country did not have the same detrimental impact that they do today.  When these earlier immigrants arrived this country neither had the population or the responsibility to maintain the infrastructure that exists today.  The escalating costs of supporting uncontrolled and out-of-control immigration will lead eventually to the collapse of the entire system.

As the factual statement that there is no such thing as a victimless crime so aptly states, those who enter this country illegally or remain illegally in this country causes serious harm to our nation.  By taking the entry level jobs they are creating an artificial block to employment of young citizens entering the job market.  By working for depressed wages they cause a downward force on wages for entry level positions causing our young people to have to struggle even harder than necessary to achieve a productive position in society.  By bringing their families and children here illegally they cause an artificial burden on the education, social services, and medical systems of this country.  The burden on the education system causes funds to be expended that prevents the children and grandchildren of legitimate citizens from receiving the level of education that they should be entitled to receive.

The AMP supports efforts to reduce the numbers of those entering this country illegally by securing our borders and ports of entry, enforcing the laws concerning those that may have entered the country legally but then remain after the expiration of their visas, and reduction of those who are here illegally through attrition.  This can be accomplished by requiring employers to verify the legal right of a person to work in this country and by true enforcement and strengthening of the existing immigration laws.  The AMP supports the protection of American jobs by controlling and limiting the numbers of those allowed to enter this country under work provisions.

top

Constitutional Freedoms

Religious Freedom.  The AMP believes in the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and its provisions for the the separation of church and state and of the free exercise of religion.  Although the AMP supports the concept of separation of church and state it also does not believe that the statement "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" is to be taken to the extreme that the government cannot acknowledge or pay homage to the basic foundations upon which this nation was created. 

Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  The second amendment specifies that "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."  The AMP supports the right of citizens to beep and bear arms.  The AMP is also cognizant of the fact that firearm ownership carries with it a responsibility.  The AMP recognizes this responsibility and advocates: that ownership requires that all owners must be properly and adequately trained in the use and ownership of firearms, therefore, the AMP supports legislation that will provide citizen training in firearm safety and use; that firearm owners and firearm dealers carry a responsibility to prevent firearms from falling under the control of criminals, therefore, we support background checks on all firearm purchases; that individuals and dealers who allow firearms to be transferred to the control of those with felony convictions, known mental incompetence, or lack the proper firearm education are acting irresponsibly, therefore, we support the penalization for those dealers and individuals who act in such irresponsible manner; and because it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to prevent minor children from gaining access to their firearms we support legislation that holds them responsible for failures to act responsibly.

It is the belief of the AMP that the Constitution of the United States is applicable only to U.S. citizens as defined in the 14th Amendment.  To extend those rights to individuals that are not citizens by the Judiciary of this country is an affront to its citizens and is a violation and betrayal of the people the judiciary is charged to protect.  The Judiciary in acting outside the scope of its mandate as stated in the Constitution can and should have those acts be considered a violation of their sacred oath of office and a categorical act of a high crime or misdemeanor.

Women's Reproductive Rights

The American Moderate Party supports a woman's right to exercise her free-will and the right to choose, but is aware that the exercise of the right to choose cannot be adequately made unless fully informed.  It is the position of the AMP that each woman should be given full, but not sensationalized, information on all of the alternatives and the probable outcomes of each alternative.  It is the American Moderate Party's position that the minimization of pregnancy terminations can be accomplished through education and through greater access to birth control.

It is the hope of the AMP that the decision to terminate pregnancy would be made only under the most extreme circumstances such as rape or incest, or if the life of the mother is otherwise in danger but exercising of one's free-will to make decisions that effect their lives is also a protected right.

The AMP does not support the termination of pregnancy in the third trimester except under circumstances in which the life of the mother is otherwise in danger.

The AMP opposes any legislation based solely on religious grounds as being contrary to the Constitution of the United States.  The Constitution clearly states that the government "shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" and that any legislation that was founded purely on religious grounds would be a violation of that provision.

Recognition of Unmarried Partners

In agreement with the foundational principles of the American Moderate Party's philosophy:

The AMP supports creation of civil unions to provide economic, legal, and familial benefits to mutually consenting adult couples.  Each individual is endowed at creation with the right to free exercise of their will and as such each individual has a right to independently choose the path they shall follow.

The AMP opposes any Constitutional Amendment which sacrifices legal recognition of the right of an individual to form a committed relationship of consenting adults on political, economic, or religious grounds.

Limited Government Intervention

Although, the Federal government must at times, in the interest of the people, pass legislation limiting our personal liberties, the party opposes any limitation placed by means other than through laws constitutionally passed in which the people through their representatives can voice their approval or disapproval.  The government should never utilize the Constitution of the United States to restrict personal liberties and that any attempt to do so would be considered a direct attack on the people of this country.