The definition of a party platform (from YourDictionary.com) is “a set of beliefs that are accepted as characteristic of a particular political party and presented to the public to help the public know the principles and values for which that party stands.“ We are all inundated with ads and mail, but a party’s platform can help you see a larger picture of where the party wants to lead the country.
The comparison below is between the New Hampshire Republican Party, the New Hampshire Democratic Party platforms, and the National Libertarian Platform. Due to space constraints and the differing categories in each platform, the comparison shows the category heading used by the party, the first sentence, and other descriptive sentences that highlight major differences.
The actual platform of each New Hampshire party shows a great deal more detail. You can view them at NHDP.org/platform and at NH.GOP/platform.
The Democratic National Committee also has a platform at Democrats.org/Where-We-Stand/Party-Platform.
The Republican Party’s 2016 platform and the resolution carrying it forward for 2020 is at prod-cdn-static.gop.com/docs/Resolution_Platform_2020.pdf.
The Libertarian Party platform, adopted in 2018 and unchanged for 2020, is at LP.org/platform.
New Hampshire Republican Party Platform:
Statement of Principles
We, the people of the New Hampshire Republican Party, do stand united in our dedication to preserving freedom, limited government and unlimited opportunity for all.
Jobs and the Economy
Improving New Hampshire’s Business Climate
Remove barriers to business formation and encourage small businesses
Minimize business regulations, permits, licenses and paperwork
Prefer incentives to penalties and issue warnings before fines
Work with municipalities to streamline planning and zoning barriers to business
Support the development of a robust telecommunications and technology infrastructure throughout New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s Work Force
Uphold the right to join or avoid labor unions without coercion or intimidation; support “right to work” legislation
Taxes and Spending
Low Taxes are the Result of Low Spending
Strongly oppose new taxes and fees, including an income, sales and capital gains tax
Cut or eliminate taxes which inhibit enterprise, earnings and savings and investment, such as the Interest and Dividends Tax and the Business Enterprise/Business Profits Tax
Government Structure
Justify expenditures against measurable benefit
Privatize programs and functions that can be handled more effectively by the private sector
Health
Support the repeal of Obamacare and oppose its implementation in New Hampshire
Allow free market driven health care plans and “ala carte” insurance plans free from government mandates
Respect New Hampshire’s honored veterans by ensuring that they receive the benefits they have rightfully earned and deserve, particularly by combating homelessness and making all medical facilities available to qualified veterans
The Family
Support the pre-born child’s fundamental right to life and personhood under the Fourteenth Amendment, and implement all Constitutional and legal protections
Education
Excellence in Education- Promote education freedom and parental rights to control the education of their children
Local Control and Funding of Public Schools –
Promote local control of education policy and funding in order to create the best-managed school systems,
Amend the Constitution to overturn the poorly decided Claremont rulings and return educational funding and policy to the people at the local level
The Classroom- Emphasize knowledge attainment and academic achievement
Law And Order
Protect the rights of law-abiding individuals to own and carry firearms to defend themselves, their families and their property; oppose any taxation, licensing restrictions, or registration of firearms; oppose the requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm; oppose any “assault weapons” ban; support the universal right of self defense wherever one has a legal right to be
Ensure due process rights of those accused of child abuse or neglect.
Strengthen prosecution and fair enforcement of death penalty laws
The Judiciary
Demand the appointment of judges who recognize their proper and limited interpretive role, relying only on the original intent of the federal and state constitutions
The Environment
Recognize that private property owners are the most effective land stewards and have a fundamental right to freely use and enjoy their property
Promote conservation of open space, sensitive ecosystems, wildlife, scenic vistas, historic and cultural landscapes, and especially New Hampshire’s state historic sites
Encourage private development of a balanced, safe and environmentally sensitive transportation system to provide greater commuter and commercial access to and within our state
Require that all energy and infrastructure projects constructed within New Hampshire be constructed in a manner which does not negatively affect New Hampshire’s natural beauty and personal property values
Federalism
Demand the enforcement of national border security and immigration laws and oppose any form of amnesty for illegal aliens
Oppose all laws, programs, and mandates from local, national, and international organizations and governments contrary to our principles: including, but not limited to, educational standards, United Nations programs, international treaties, sustainable development initiatives, wealth redistribution plans, and punitive environmental controls.
From Law and Order
Prosecute violations of election law and ensure voting is done by New Hampshire resident citizens only;
to prevent voter fraud we support the requirement to produce positive identification upon both registering and voting
New Hampshire Democratic Party Platform
Introduction
Our beliefs, commitment and policies are grounded in our democratic values of fairness, justice, integrity, freedom, dignity and compassion.
Workforce & Economy
We believe government serves a vital role in creating and protecting a vibrant economic environment with opportunity for all that is conducive to business development, workers’ rights, and consumer protection.
We believe in a government that promotes business development statewide by ensuring the availability of a well-educated, well-trained, and well-compensated workforce with competitive wages and benefits and the skills needed to compete in a globalized economy.
Support for Our Workers
We believe that government, at its best, supports and protects the rights of workers.
Fiscal Responsibility
We believe an effective and efficient government provides essential services including supporting the health and safety of our residents, public education, the protection of our environment, access to courts and justice, consumer protection, and the physical infrastructure necessary to maintain a robust economy and expand employment opportunities.
Health Care
We believe health care is a basic human right and support universal health care
We believe in affordable, safe, confidential, respectful access to the full range of reproductive health care, including contraception and abortion care, regardless of geography, income or insurance coverage, and free from government interference.
Public health and emergency preparedness are essential responsibilities of government, including seeking federal support to implement robust public health programs and combat the current pandemic and all future public health emergencies.
Support for Our Veterans and Military Families
We believe the best way to honor all our veterans is to keep our commitment to provide physical and mental healthcare, education, and disability support for their lifetime.
Education
We believe public education is a bedrock principle of our free and democratic society.
We believe in an adequately funded public education for all students. We reject all efforts to divert public funding to privatized education.
We recognize the opportunity gap between and within our communities. We support policies to equalize education funding and eliminate the gap for children across income levels and zip codes.
We believe all students have the right to a quality education, from early childhood through post-secondary college or career training.
The Next Generation
We recognize the future prosperity of our state requires us to actively create communities that keep and attract young people to our state.
Public Safety and Justice
We believe the protection of, and accountability for, children’s safety is a critical and fundamental function of government, especially those entrusted to the care of the state.
We believe in universal background checks to protect our communities from gun violence.
We believe communities should have the right to establish gun-free zones in certain public places, such as schools, as a means of reducing gun violence.
Diversity Makes Us Stronger
We believe diversity makes us stronger and more welcoming to newcomers and business.
Climate, Energy, and Agriculture
We reject all efforts to deny the validity of science. Climate change presents a real and imminent threat, and it is our immediate responsibility to proactively address and counter its effects.
We believe climate change is an issue that exacerbates all others, and that it is a monumental impediment to achieving our values of social, economic, and environmental justice and fairness that are addressed throughout our platform.
We believe it is our duty and responsibility to preserve clean air, clean water and a healthy environment for today and tomorrow. We believe that all residents in every community should have affordable access to a safe and healthy food supply.
Transportation and Infrastructure
We believe that a comprehensive transportation system promotes social and economic justice by allowing all of the people and businesses in our state to take advantage of opportunities regardless of their geographic location or economic circumstances.
Voting Rights & Democracy
We believe in policies that broaden voter participation. We reject laws that unreasonably restrict the right to vote. Voter identification laws or other measures that are aimed at preventing students, the elderly, voters with disabilities, or minorities from exercising their constitutional right to vote are counter to our democratic principles.
New Hampshire Libertarian Party Platform
Statement of Principles
We, the members of the Libertarian Party, challenge the cult of the omnipotent state and defend the rights of the individual.
We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose.
Individuals are inherently free to make choices for themselves and must accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make. Our support of an individual’s right to make choices in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those choices. No individual, group, or government may rightly initiate force against any other individual, group, or government. Libertarians reject the notion that groups have inherent rights. We support the rights of the smallest minority, the individual.
Economic Liberty
Libertarians want all members of society to have abundant opportunities to achieve economic success. A free and competitive market allocates resources in the most efficient manner. Each person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market. The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society.
Government Finance and Spending
All persons are entitled to keep the fruits of their labor. We call for the repeal of the income tax, the abolishment of the Internal Revenue Service and all federal programs and services not required under the U.S. Constitution. We oppose any legal requirements forcing employers to serve as tax collectors. We support any initiative to reduce or abolish any tax, and oppose any increase on any tax for any reason. To the extent possible, we advocate that all public services be funded in a voluntary manner.
Health Care
We favor a free market health care system. We recognize the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want (if any), the level of health care they want, the care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all other aspects of their medical care, including end-of-life decisions. People should be free to purchase health insurance across state lines.
Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.
Education
Education is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality, accountability, and efficiency with more diversity of choice. Recognizing that the education of children is a parental responsibility, we would restore authority to parents to determine the education of their children, without interference from government. Parents should have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their children’s education.
Crime and Justice
Government force must be limited to the protection of the rights of individuals to life, liberty, and property, and governments must never be permitted to violate these rights. Laws should be limited in their application to violations of the rights of others through force or fraud, or to deliberate actions that place others involuntarily at significant risk of harm. Therefore, we favor the repeal of all laws creating “crimes” without victims, such as gambling, the use of drugs for medicinal or recreational purposes, and consensual transactions involving sexual services.
Death Penalty: We oppose the administration of the death penalty by the state.
Environment
Competitive free markets and property rights stimulate the technological innovations and behavioral changes required to protect our environment and ecosystems. Private landowners and conservation groups have a vested interest in maintaining natural resources. Governments are unaccountable for damage done to our environment and have a terrible track record when it comes to environmental protection. Protecting the environment requires a clear definition and enforcement of individual rights and responsibilities regarding resources like land, water, air, and wildlife. Where damages can be proven and quantified in a court of law, restitution to the injured parties must be required.
International Affairs
American foreign policy should seek an America at peace with the world. Our foreign policy should emphasize defense against attack from abroad and enhance the likelihood of peace by avoiding foreign entanglements. We would end the current U.S. government policy of foreign intervention, including military and economic aid. We recognize the right of all people to resist tyranny and defend themselves and their rights. 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.