Right to Life Caucus Organizing Convention

[TJ in Wisco]

For the points that have been raised, I fixed the spelling of euthanasia, and changed the word “restricting” to “requiring” in the sentence about parental notification laws. I did reference the cloning of human embryos under the Stem Cell Research section, does anyone think it deserves its own section? I kept it to human cloning, do we want to go into animal cloning too? I didn’t think it was relevant to this set of issues really but I’m certainly open to other thoughts.

As for capital punishment, I added a section on it. I intentionally tried to stay clear of writing anything that could be turned into a foreign policy discussion—I simply don’t think we ought to go there. In our bylaws, we only have specified the process for amending the platform, not for writing it to begin with. I think this would work best if we treat each point as an amendment and vote on each separately (granting the possible outcome that the platform will be passed in general but each point could fail individually). I think that would be the best way of handling the capital punishment issue.

Any other thoughts?

Right to Life Caucus Platform

1. Abortion
We hold that abortion is the taking of a human life and work toward both reducing its occurrence and outlawing it. While tighter restrictions are preferable to none, the fact that abortion is the willful taking of a human life should be enshrined in common law as the inhuman practice it is.

We favor laws requiring parental notification, parental consent, making the mother see an ultrasound before having an abortion, and requiring all options to be explained to a mother considering having an abortion. We favor placing restrictions on when in a pregnancy an abortion may occur. Even though these restrictions are fundamentally flawed in compromising the value and definition of human life, they seek to foster an increasing awareness to the life of a human fetus and have some effect in reducing the number of abortions performed.

Since laws against abortion remain without a majority approval nationwide, we seek primarily to enact these policies on the regional level and strive to retain the ability to do so without obstruction from the federal government.

2. Stem Cell Research
While stem cell research offers wide possibilities for the future of medical technology, we cannot use this in such a way as to violate the human life of embryos. We oppose all research techniques that include the destruction of a human embryo, cloning of a human embryo, eugenic attempts to selectively destroy embryos, or the creation of an embryo for harvesting.

Where the destruction of the embryo itself is a violation of human life, conducting stem cell research in general is not. Therefore, we oppose the use of funds to conduct research done from destroyed embryos. We do not seek to ban research from destroyed embryos because the research itself is not an inherent violation of the special nature of human life.

3. Euthanasia
We hold that life has an inherent value and that one does not have the right to terminate his or her own life, such as in physician-assisted suicide. We work to eliminate the pressures on the elderly to terminate their lives and do not consider suicide a valid medical practice. The social implications of this are a re-affirmation in the value of human life beyond the workforce and into geriatric ages.

4.Capital Punishment
We hold the right to life cannot be revoked by ordinary criminal means absent the need for self-defense or the defense of another person from a clear threat to their life. We oppose any attempt to reinstate the death penalty in Atlasia.

[shua]

I'm still not clear on what you mean by people who forfeit the value of their lives in assisted suicide.

[TJ in Wisco]

I'm still not clear on what you mean by people who forfeit the value of their lives in assisted suicide.

Yeah, that was also a bad sentence. Do you like the new one better?

[shua]

I'm still not clear on what you mean by people who forfeit the value of their lives in assisted suicide.

Yeah, that was also a bad sentence. Do you like the new one better?

Yes, that's works better.

[ZuWo]

For the record, I approve of this platform.

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

For the record, I approve of this platform.

[Senator Clarence]

Looks just fine

[Cathcon]

For the record, I approve of this platform.

[TJ in Wisco]

Membership List (16 members) as of 27 December 2011:

-Clarence (registered)
-Miles (registered)
-ZuWo (registered)
-Tmthforu94 (registered)
-TJ in Cleve (registered)
-Cathcon (unregistered but RPP)
-realisticidealist (non RPP)
-Pingvin99 (non RPP)
-Inks (unregistered but RPP)
-Jbrase (non RPP)
-Shua (non RPP)
-A-bob (registered)
-Ghost_white (non RPP)
-JCL (registered)
-Belgiansocialist (non RPP)
-Officepark (unregistered but RPP)

Chairman: TJ in Cleve
Vice-Chairman: Clarence

[TJ in Wisco]

Since it’s been a few days, most people are back from Christmas or at least back to their computers, and no one has raised any new points, we ought to vote on the platform and then, if no one else has any other business, close the convention.

Because of the minor argument over capital punishment, I’ll introduce each piece as an amendment to the now empty platform and we’ll vote on each. The vote will require a simple majority and will last for 72 hours.

Current Platform:

Right to Life Caucus Platform

Amendment 1:

1. Abortion
We hold that abortion is the taking of a human life and work toward both reducing its occurrence and outlawing it. While tighter restrictions are preferable to none, the fact that abortion is the willful taking of a human life should be enshrined in common law as the inhuman practice it is.

We favor laws requiring parental notification, parental consent, making the mother see an ultrasound before having an abortion, and requiring all options to be explained to a mother considering having an abortion. We favor placing restrictions on when in a pregnancy an abortion may occur. Even though these restrictions are fundamentally flawed in compromising the value and definition of human life, they seek to foster an increasing awareness to the life of a human fetus and have some effect in reducing the number of abortions performed.

Since laws against abortion remain without a majority approval nationwide, we seek primarily to enact these policies on the regional level and strive to retain the ability to do so without obstruction from the federal government.

Amendment 2:

2. Stem Cell Research
While stem cell research offers wide possibilities for the future of medical technology, we cannot use this in such a way as to violate the human life of embryos. We oppose all research techniques that include the destruction of a human embryo, cloning of a human embryo, eugenic attempts to selectively destroy embryos, or the creation of an embryo for harvesting.

Where the destruction of the embryo itself is a violation of human life, conducting stem cell research in general is not. Therefore, we oppose the use of funds to conduct research done from destroyed embryos. We do not seek to ban research from destroyed embryos because the research itself is not an inherent violation of the special nature of human life.

Amendment 3:

3. Euthanasia
We hold that life has an inherent value and that one does not have the right to terminate his or her own life, such as in physician-assisted suicide. We work to eliminate the pressures on the elderly to terminate their lives and do not consider suicide a valid medical practice. The social implications of this are a re-affirmation in the value of human life beyond the workforce and into geriatric ages.

Amendment 4:

4. Capital Punishment
We hold the right to life cannot be revoked by ordinary criminal means absent the need for self-defense or the defense of another person from a clear threat to their life. We oppose any attempt to reinstate the death penalty in Atlasia.

[TJ in Wisco]

Amendment 1: Aye
Amendment 2: Aye
Amendment 3: Aye
Amendment 4: Aye

[ZuWo]

Amendment 1: Aye
Amendment 2: Aye
Amendment 3: Aye
Amendment 4: Aye

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Amendment 1: Aye
Amendment 2: Aye
Amendment 3: Aye
Amendment 4: Nay  
 

[Jayhawker]

Amendment 1: Aye
Amendment 2: Aye
Amendment 3: Aye
Amendment 4: Nay  
 

[Jbrase]

Aye
Nay
Nay
Aye

[TJ in Wisco]

Bump for more votes on the platform!

[TJ in Wisco]

All four amendments have passed (5-0, 4-1, 4-1, 3-2). The platform is now ratified.

If anyone else has any business they would like to introduce, you may now do so. If there is none, the convention will be adjourned.

[ZuWo]

All four amendments have passed (5-0, 4-1, 4-1, 3-2). The platform is now ratified.

If anyone else has any business they would like to introduce, you may now do so. If there is none, the convention will be adjourned.

Turnout is not that impressive but I'm glad about the results. Thanks for organizing the convention, TJ!

[Communists For McCain]

This caucus has my full support.

Where do I sign up?

[TJ in Wisco]

This caucus has my full support.

Where do I sign up?

Since you're non-RPP you only need to inform us you wish to join and we'll add you to the rolls.

[ZuWo]

This caucus has my full support.

Where do I sign up?

I don't mean to offend you as I'm happy about every new member we can get but looking at your social political matrix score ... are you sure?

[Communists For McCain]

This caucus has my full support.

Where do I sign up?

I don't mean to offend you as I'm happy about every new member we can get but looking at your social political matrix score ... are you sure?

To give you an idea of how faulty the social PM score is:

Amendment 1: Ayish.  Not sure about the parental notification part but I could get behind the rest of it.  It should be noted that the only reason my social score isn't a negative nine is because of the abortion issue, which I am quite pro-life on.  Probably not as the average social conservative, but I do believe that life is terminated in the process and, if there is any constitutional way to accomplish it, would like to see such procedures greatly reduced.
Amendment 2: Aye, though if a non-harmful method of stem cell research is invented I would be willing to go with that.
Amendment 3: A very slight Aye.  I am suspect to the argument of choice here, but there is too much potential for abuse of system if euthanasia is legalized.  Legal expenses and fees would go through the roof for this type of activity and there would probably be more than a few cases that are taken to court because of possible fraud.  Even in a very well regulated system.  I say just legalize suicide and call it a day.  I mean what're the police going to do if you commit suicide?  Arrest you?
Amendment 4: The strongest "Aye" vote I'll register here.

[ZuWo]

This caucus has my full support.

Where do I sign up?

I don't mean to offend you as I'm happy about every new member we can get but looking at your social political matrix score ... are you sure?

To give you an idea of how faulty the social PM score is:

Amendment 1: Ayish.  Not sure about the parental notification part but I could get behind the rest of it.  It should be noted that the only reason my social score isn't a negative nine is because of the abortion issue, which I am quite pro-life on.  Probably not as the average social conservative, but I do believe that life is terminated in the process and, if there is any constitutional way to accomplish it, would like to see such procedures greatly reduced.
Amendment 2: Aye, though if a non-harmful method of stem cell research is invented I would be willing to go with that.
Amendment 3: A very slight Aye.  I am suspect to the argument of choice here, but there is too much potential for abuse of system if euthanasia is legalized.  Legal expenses and fees would go through the roof for this type of activity and there would probably be more than a few cases that are taken to court because of possible fraud.  Even in a very well regulated system.  I say just legalize suicide and call it a day.  I mean what're the police going to do if you commit suicide?  Arrest you?
Amendment 4: The strongest "Aye" vote I'll register here.

I take everything back, this caucus is a nearly perfect place for you.

[Jayhawker]

Seeing how this will (I think) form a party once the RPP dissolves (if it does), I think we should consider changing our name to something that's not focused on just one issue, and with that, expand on our platform.

[Senator Clarence]

I was looking for this post to say something similar... I believe we should become the conservative party socially, economically, and foreign policy