Utah Flag Referendum

The Platform Republicans PAC supports the Utah Flag Referendum and encourages our supporters to sign the petition to put the Referendum on the public ballot. In support of the Platform principles of legislative accountability, preserving our Utah heritage, and being the Party of the People, we say: “Let the People decide on our State flag.”


Flags Matter

Some things in life are just reliable. They don’t need to be flashy, newfangled or up to date. They give comfort because they are always there and because they stand for something we hold dear.

We are passing through a strange phase of American life, where history is under a revisionist assault unlike anything that has come before. Where we once celebrated heroes, saints and great moments in history, we now allow statues of the founders to be toppled and beautiful art to be defaced.

As Americans, we are a peculiar people. Here in Utah we are perhaps even more peculiar. We have deep ties to our past. We do genealogy and curate our family histories. We strive to live up to the courageous examples of freedom, liberty and service that are deeply rooted in our culture, both in secular and religious communities.

Some things are convenient symbols… touchstones for our shared identity and values. On a national level I think of the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem… and of course the flag… Old Glory. “You’re a grand old flag. You’re a high flying flag, and forever in peace may you wave. You’re the emblem of the land I love, the home of the free and the brave.”

I’m trying to think of the arguments that the sophists among us might raise for modernizing Old Glory. Perhaps just two stripes, one red and one blue to symbolize who knows what, and one big white star to symbolize that we are all just one people. It will help us to be more united. And while we’re at it… that White House has been the same color for a very long time. How about a nice rainbow paint job? If we are serious about diversity and inclusion, why not… what better way?

I rack my brain… what is it about this “new flag” boondoggle that has my fellow citizens so worked up? I think it’s more than the heavy handed way that a few legislators went about things. It’s even more than the murky explanations about what was wrong with the old flag or how this new flag remedies anything. No… it’s deeper than that.

I think there is a deep psychological underpinning for our skepticism. Human beings don’t like change and we especially don’t like it unless there is a very good reason. Life is hard and the obstacles that we need to negotiate are legion and complex. Change complicates things and gratuitous change is just a big annoyance. And, it’s disrespectful.

So I for one will be supporting the referendum effort to undo this legislative sleight of hand and I will put it in pride of place where I can easily recall how deceitful they can be when the next batch of my betters come slinking around trying to sell the virtues of ranked choice voting.

2023 Policy Agenda

The Utah Republican Party Platform states our fundamental core beliefs to guide policy decisions of GOP members. The Platform also allows party members to vet elected officials for adherence to these beliefs.

OUR MISSION – Platform Plank 22

“We affirm the infinite worth of all individuals and seek the best quality of life for all.” As Platform Republicans, we correlate issues of the day with a corresponding Platform Plank.

STATE & INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS – Platform Plank 4

States' Rights We support legislation that strictly limits the authority of the Governor and/or State or County Health Departments to issue mandates that deprive citizens of the right to manage their own health issues per the 9th Amendment of the US Constitution.

We support legislation that creates civil rights protections for:

  • All private medical treatment choices
  • Prohibit government agencies and private businesses from demanding personal medical information
  • Requiring vaccines
  • Forcing masking of employees or customers

As Platform Republicans, we believe that our physical bodies are the first and most important property over which we have “God given stewardship.”

RIGHT TO LIFE – Platform Plank 10

Right to Life As Platform Republicans, we support legislation that severely limits abortion.

Although not specifically enumerated in this Plank, we imply from its intent the obligation to protect children from being permanently harmed by hormone therapy or gender transition mutilation.

EDUCATION – Platform Plank 14

This Plank reads in part: “Parents have the primary right and responsibility to choose public, private or home education.”

As Republicans, we support legislation that repeals and replaces all aspects of the Common Core program and returns control of curriculum to local school boards. We also support increasing parental choice through mandate-free tuition tax credits.

TAXATION — Platform Plank 15

Taxation
As Republicans, we strongly encourage the Legislature to pass fiscally sound budgets that restrain taxes to only that amount absolutely necessary to fund the proper Constitutional role of government.

THE ENVIRONMENT — Plank 18

The Environment As Platform Republicans, we strongly support all efforts by the Legislature, State and County Agencies seeking access to and public use and control of all Federally controlled lands in the State of Utah.

We further assert that the Federal Government does not now nor has it ever had a legitimate claim to sovereign public lands in our State.

UTAH STATE SOVEREIGNTY – Plank 21

This Plank further articulates our claim to our own public lands as follows: “The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States defines Federal powers as those enumerated in the Constitution and reserves all other powers to the States and to the People.

UPDATING THE PLATFORM

The Platform was ratified by the Party at the 2009 State Convention. As members of the Platform Republicans Political Action Committee, we see a number of areas where various Planks must be amended periodically.

For instance, we want to see the platform updated to include:

ELECTION PROCESS AND INTEGRITY

As Platform Republicans, we believe that it should be the sole responsibility of the Party to nominate candidates who represent the party in elections.

We support legislation that will:

  • Restore our elections to in-person voting on paper ballots hand-counted at the precinct level
  • Traditional absentee balloting options
  • Legislation to provide for forensic auditing of disputed elections
  • Complete repeal of SB54

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

“THE MISSION OF THE PLATFORM REPUBLICANS PAC IS TO RECRUIT, VET AND SUPPORT CANDIDATES WHO WILL FAITHFULLY UPHOLD THE UTAH REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM AND THE UTAH AND U.S. CONSTITUTIONS.”

JOIN US

Join us in our mission to support only faithful platform supporting legislators in Utah. We appreciate your generous donations, and participation in our live and online meetings.