A Conservative Manifesto - A Platform For Liberty

(Editors Note: This was written in 2020 By Robert Zerfing and may be a little dated with some of the policies mentioned. Keep that in mind while reading this.)

Preamble

This Jeffersonian Conservative Manifesto is a statement of who we are, what we stand for, and what we believe while laying out our vision for the future of The United States of America. As Conservatives; we believe that Liberty starts and ends with the individual and that nobody should be forced to forfeit his or her values or rights for another.

We believe in American Exceptionalism. We also believe that our exceptionalism is derived from the principles of our founding fathers; passed down to us in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. The driving element of American Exceptionalism is the American Dream, which is fueled by an equal opportunity for all.

We believe that no other nation in the history of the world has been as much of a force for good, freedom, and liberty as this great nation. We believe it is the responsibility of the United States to promote peace and liberty in this ever shrinking world through military strength and superiority.

A Jeffersonian Conservative recognizes The Constitution of the United States as the supreme law of the land.

With this recognition, we acknowledge the vital importance of Constitutionalist Justices on the Supreme Court. There is absolutely no place for judicial activism on the bench. We remain steadfast in the belief that the Constitution is a legal document, and not a living document subject to change at the whim of societal change or influence.

We also understand that the Constitution is to be read as it is written and is not to be “interpreted”. It is the job of the Supreme Court to interpret laws to ensure that they themselves are Constitutional, and not to interpret the Constitution to suit any particular law or agenda.

A Jeffersonian Conservative firmly stands by the principle that is laid down by the 10th Amendment; “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” We also believe in a limited federal government of which the US Constitution clearly defines as follows;

1. Levying the funds through tariff and taxation to generate revenue to perform these functions.

2. National Defense, war prosecution, peace, borders, foreign relations, foreign commerce, and interstate commerce

3. The protection of citizens constitutional rights granted to them by the Constitution

4. Establishing and maintaining the court system

5. Copyright and patents

6. Currency

7. Establishing and maintaining the Post Office and Roads

8. Establishing a national standard of universal weights and measures

9. A Jeffersonian Conservative believes that any and all powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution should be left to the states and the people of those states.

Section 1 Immigration Policy

1. A Jeffersonian Conservative supports immigration policies that are enforceable, Constitutional, and do not reward or encourage lawlessness.

2. A Jeffersonian Conservative Immigration Policy makes a clear distinction between people who legally immigrate to the United States by following the process and procedures set in place under the law (Legal Immigrants) and those who enter the United States with no regard to those requirements (Illegal Immigrants).

3. Those who enter the country legally and apply for citizenship will be granted the same rights and privileges as the current citizens of this country in the eyes of the law.

4. A Jeffersonian Conservative calls for the current immigration laws to be enforced.

5. There is no value in creating new laws until the current laws that are in place are enforced. This includes, but is not limited to, enforcement at the borders, deportations, and prosecuting any and all companies that knowingly employ people who are not here legally.

6. Create and implement a Federal ID Verification System for all employers and educational institutions to verify the legal status of the individual they wish to employ or admit into their institution.

7. “Sanctuary Cities and States”

   1. These Cities and States should have all Federal Funding withheld as those who enter the United States illegally are not entitled to the same privileges as Americans. This includes but is not limited to; driver’s licenses, welfare, college admittance, housing, etc.

8. The Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act and the “Wet Foot Dry Foot” Policy should be repealed.

9. All people who come into the United States as temporary refugees or who enter with work or educational visa must inform ICE when leaving the country or to apply for an extension 30 days before their visa expiration date.

10. Failure to report would result in the commitment of a felony and would be subject to immediate deportation and ineligible for reentry into the country

Section 2 Gun Control and the 2nd Amendment

1. A Jeffersonian Conservative acknowledges the 2nd Amendment in its entirety: “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.”

2. A Jeffersonian Conservative upholds the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms. We oppose attempts to prohibit ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens, and while acknowledging the need for background checks, stand against all laws which would require the registration of guns or ammunition.

3. We support the fundamental right to self-defense wherever a law-abiding citizen has a legal right to be, and we support abolishing any and all regulations that have been enacted at the federal and local level that restricts gun ownership from law abiding citizens.

4. The right to bear arms is inherent in the right of self-defense, defense of the family and defense against tyranny, conferred on the individual and the community by our Creator to safeguard life, liberty, and property, as well as to help preserve the independence of the nation. Gun ownership is responsible for citizenship, enabling Americans to defend their homes and communities.

Section 3 The Economy

1. The Environment

   1. Competitive free markets and property rights stimulate the technological innovations required to protect our environment and ecosystems. Private landowners and conservation groups have a vested interest in maintaining natural resources.

   2. The Federal Government has done more harm than good in this area and A Jeffersonian Conservative calls for a dismantling of the EPA and a review and removal of all unnecessary and hurtful regulations imposed by this agency.

   3. Regulation and Conservation efforts should be left to the states and the people within as they know and understand the elements that are specific to their areas.

   4. Private property rights should be respected and eminent domain used only when truly necessary for the good of all people.

   5. The federal government should not interfere with the development of potential energy sources, including natural gas, hydroelectric power, coal power, solar energy, wind generators, and nuclear energy.

2. Business

   1. A Jeffersonian Conservative believes that all persons are entitled to keep what they earn. We call for the repeal of the current income tax, to be replaced by the Fair Tax, based solely on consumption with a progressive rebate program based on income.

   2. A Jeffersonian Conservative believes The United States should be the leader and the “go-to” nation for the manufacturing and corporate world. The only way to achieve this is by lowering the corporate tax rate to a more competitive figure. We currently have the highest corporate tax rate in the world at 39.1% with China at 25%, Ireland at 12.5%, and the global average at 24.1%. We cannot remain competitive in the global economy if we continue to force companies overseas.

   3. A Jeffersonian Conservative supports the right of any and all persons to form corporations, partnerships, and all other business types. With this belief, we maintain that the SBA (Small Business Administration) is one of the few government agencies that do more good than harm and should work to help promote entrepreneurship. A government should not compete with private enterprise but should instead help bolster it.

   4. In regards to the minimum wage, A Jeffersonian Conservative believes that any and all matters concerning wages should be set either by the market or the states respectively. The Federal Government has no right to dictate a minimum wage and therefore should be left to the states as directed by the 10th For the Federal Government to dictate wages is inconsistent with principles of individual liberty and the free market.

3. Healthcare

   1. A Jeffersonian Conservative believes that the Affordable Care Act is not only unconstitutional, but is also detrimental to a healthy business environment. We hereby declare that we support any and all efforts to repeal this obtrusive law. In contrast to the ACA;

   2. We propose immediate Tort Reform that limits liability for “Pain and Suffering”

   3. Allow all private individuals and businesses to “shop” across state lines for health coverage to encourage competition

   4. Encourage the medical industry to digitize medical practice paperwork to reduce related waste and provide a more convenient and streamline record system for the patient

   5. Eliminate the Anti-Trust exemptions for Health Insurance companies which currently allow them to collude in setting prices and coverage

   6. Continue to work with and encourage individuals and companies who choose to enroll in a Healthcare Savings Account

   7. A Jeffersonian Conservative believes that private citizens are more kind, caring, cost effective, and efficient when it comes to helping those in need and that it should be left to family, communities, and charities to care for the needy instead of the government.

   8. The Federal Government is not responsible for providing healthcare to individuals, therefore Medicare in its entirety should be phased out over time, along with federal subsidies for Medicaid. If a state so chooses to maintain Medicaid, it is the responsibility of the state, and the state itself to fund the program.

4. Federal Reserve

   1. We support the creation of a committee to provide the American people with a cost-benefit analysis on eliminating or restructuring the Federal Reserve, returning to a Gold/Silver Standard, and other alternatives to fix our current monetary crisis.

5. Organized Labor

   1. We oppose any and all public employee unions have created a divisive dynamic within government agencies which should be accountable to the people alone. A government of the people, by the people and for the people should not be compromised by special interests.

   2. We fully support “Right to Work” laws that free workers from mandatory payments to unions as a condition of employment. This would also free workers from the “condition” of being forced to go on strike; potentially losing much-needed income.

6. Entitlements

   1. The Constitution says that the Federal Government is to “… provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare…". A Jeffersonian Conservative acknowledges that General Welfare is not the same as Individual Welfare. General Welfare would benefit the people generally, individual Welfare targets a certain segment of society to benefit, and is not the original intention.

   2. Retirement planning is the responsibility of the individual, not the government. A Jeffersonian Conservative proposes to phase out Social Security and supports a transition towards private savings accounts, IRA’s, CD’s, 401Ks, etc.

   3. A Jeffersonian Conservative understands that every American can fall into hard times and will need help on occasion, however, we maintain the position and belief in personal responsibility. We support the idea that all programs such as TANF, Unemployment, Food Stamps, HUD, etc. be paid for and regulated by each individual state with no federal subsidy and that the programs be temporary.

Section 4 National Security

1. Peace Through Strength

   1. A Jeffersonian Conservative believes in the ideology of “Peace Through Strength” and to achieve this peace we must maintain the most powerful and advanced military in the world. This includes, but is not limited to;

      1. A fully operational and maintained Missile Defense System for the United States and our allies

      2. A thorough inspection of all branches of the armed forces to ensure that all equipment and personnel are properly supplied, staffed, technologically advanced, and maintained

      3. Continue to invest in and advance all forms of National Cyber Security

2. Veterans

   1. Our Armed Forces are our most valued assets and should be treated as such. A Jeffersonian Conservative demands that the GI Bill be returned to its former glory with all benefits restored to support our veterans; to include spousal and dependent benefits

   2. The VA Healthcare System is currently broken and failing miserably. A Jeffersonian Conservative supports giving veterans enrolled in the VA Healthcare System a private option to ensure that our veterans get the care they need when they need it

   3. We demand a complete 3rd party review of the current VA system and administration to identify the current shortfalls and to propose feasible, cost-effective, efficient, and effective improvements. Part of this review could be to consider eliminating the VA Medical Centers and applying the savings to private health insurance for Veterans.

3. Global Responsibility

   1. America must be restored as a force for good, liberty, and democracy in the world. We are not and should not be in the business of nation building, but we do have the responsibility to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. We condemn the use of force, and especially the use of terrorism against the innocent, regardless of whether such acts are committed by governments or by political or revolutionary groups and will react accordingly to any acts of aggression.

   2. Finish The Job

   3. America has gotten in the habit of “not winning wars” and this tide needs to turn. Since the Korean War, The United States has withdrawn from every conflict before the job was done. We must get back into the mindset of “finishing the job” that we started and not allow outside influence to halt whatever progress that has been made.

4. Privacy and Due Process

   1. Each and every American Citizen has a right to privacy as well as the right of Due Process. A Jeffersonian Conservative condemns any and all programs and initiatives that support warrantless wiretapping, surveillance, detention, red flag laws, etc. on American Citizens. We also call for the abolition of so-called “No Fly Lists” but understand the necessity of “Watch Lists”. However, no rights should be abridged even when on a watch list and no citizen shall be placed on a watch list without reasonable suspicion and due process.

Section 5 Social Issues

1. Marriage

   1. A Jeffersonian Conservative believes that the government has no business in marriage and that “marriage” should be reduced to a civil contract between two consenting adults regardless of sex or sexual orientation that is to be recognized federally and carry the same legal weight as the current state of “marriage”.

2. Controlled Substances

   1. Though A Jeffersonian Conservative does not condone the use of any controlled substances, we firmly believe that this issue is to be left to the people and their respective states. We call for the abolishing of all federal restrictions and regulation of controlled substances as well as the dismantling of the ATF and DEA as the duties of these law enforcement agencies will be replaced by law enforcement agencies in each respective state. We believe that ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency) and the US Coast Guard will maintain their enforcement at our borders in regards to trafficking and smuggling.

3. Abortion

   1. Acknowledging that it is a very sensitive topic for most Americans, we call for Roe Vs Wade to be repealed strictly on the basis of the 10th Amendment and to be left for the people to decide and regulated in each respective state.

4. Education

   1. A Jeffersonian Conservative firmly rejects the Common Core initiative and recognize it as being a failed social experiment. We recommend that the Department of Education brings back some common sense educational standards with an emphasis on Mathematics, Sciences, History, and Language.

   2. We believe that it should be up to the parent who teaches their child and where their tax dollars go in that regard. Therefore, we fully support the voucher program that can be applied to charter schools, private schools, and boundary exceptions.

   3. A Jeffersonian Conservative understands and acknowledges the importance of post-secondary education. However, we do not believe that post-secondary education is a right guaranteed to the individual by the constitution nor is it the responsibility of the federal government to supply every individual with a degree. A Jeffersonian Conservative also believes that the Federal Government is not a bank and that it should not be treated as such. If a student requires financing for a college education that they could obtain said financing through a private institution.

   4. Because Free Speech is a cornerstone of our Constitutional Republic, any college or university that seeks to hinder free speech or actively blocks opposing viewpoints will henceforth lose all federal funding until the issue has been resolved.

5. Religious Liberty

   1. The very first sentence says of the 1st Amendment says; “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, nor prohibit the free exercise thereof...”

   2. Religious Liberty means that you as an individual are free to practice your religion, of whatever faith you may subscribe to, in any way you that you so choose

   3. A Jeffersonian Conservative also acknowledges that religious liberty applies to all religions and not just one religion in particular and therefore any laws created to further secure these rights will be applied as such without exception

   4. If the people of a community or state choose to display a religious symbol on public ground, they have the right to do so that does not violate the 1st Amendment.

Section 6 Our Principals As Laid Out By The Declaration Of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness... Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed... laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form... should not be changed for light and transient causes... That these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be Free and Independent States... And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.