The right is traditionally anti-government and anti-central authority.

Our Government was created by the people for all the people, and it must serve no less a purpose.

The Republican Party was formed 100 years ago to preserve the Nation's devotion to these ideals.

On its Centennial, the Republican Party again calls to the minds of all Americans the great truth first spoken by Abraham Lincoln: "The legitimate object of Government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done but cannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for themselves in their separate and individual capacities. But in all that people can individually do as well for themselves, Government ought not to interfere."

Our great President Dwight D. Eisenhower has counseled us further: "In all those things which deal with people, be liberal, be human. In all those things which deal with people's money, or their economy, or their form of government, be conservative."

While jealously guarding the free institutions and preserving the principles upon which our Republic was founded and has flourished, the purpose of the Republican Party is to establish and maintain a peaceful world and build at home a dynamic prosperity in which every citizen fairly shares.

We shall ever build anew, that our children and their children, without distinction because of race, creed or color, may know the blessings of our free land.

We believe that basic to governmental integrity are unimpeachable ethical standards and irreproachable personal conduct by all people in government. We shall continue our insistence on honesty as an indispensable requirement of public service. We shall continue to root out corruption whenever and wherever it appears.

We are proud of and shall continue our far-reaching and sound advances in matters of basic human needs—expansion of social security—broadened coverage in unemployment insurance —improved housing—and better health protection for all our people. We are determined that our government remain warmly responsive to the urgent social and economic problems of our people.

To these beliefs we commit ourselves as we present this record and declare our goals for the future.

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We shall continue vigorously to support the United Nations.

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We hold that the major world issue today is whether Government shall be the servant or the master of men. We hold that the Bill of Rights is the sacred foundation of personal liberty. That men are created equal needs no affirmation, but they must have equality of opportunity and protection of their civil rights under the law.

We hold that the strict division of powers and the primary responsibility of State and local governments must be maintained, and that the centralization of powers in the national Government leads to expansion of the mastery of our lives,

We hold that the protection of the freedom of men requires that budgets be balanced, waste in government eliminated, and taxes reduced.

In these and all other areas of proper Government concern, we pledge our best thought and whole energy to a continuation of our prized peace, prosperity and progress.

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America does not prosper unless all Americans prosper.

Government must have a heart as well as a head.

Courage in principle, cooperation in practice make freedom positive.

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We believe that working for the Government is not a right but a privilege.

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We will vigorously promote, as we have in the past, a non-political career service under the merit system which will attract and retain able servants of the people. Many gains in this field, notably pay increases and a host of new benefits, have been achieved in their behalf in less than four years.

The Republican Party will continue to fight for eagerly desired new advances for Government employees, and realistic reappraisement and adjustment of benefits for our retired civil service personnel.

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We recommend to Congress the submission of a constitutional amendment providing equal rights for men and women.

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We shall continue the bipartisan development of foreign policies. We hold this necessary if those policies are to have continuity, and be regarded by other free nations as dependable.

Maybe it takes a fall, like the one triggered by Nixon, to get one party to disassemble and refocus their perspective. Maybe it will take a good ass-whipping in the national elections to get the GOP to refocus on ideals and core principals that I felt the GOP 'used' to stand for and hold sacred...

Hey Pigpen, did you see the pictures of the huge altar - erm, *stage*, sorry, they've built for the RNC? Almost makes the site look like, you know, a temple or something...

I see the RNC stage and I keep thinking "One People, One Nation, One Leader!" Maybe it's just me.

Video of one of the raids.

Listen to the description of the warrant - a bald-faced use of terrorist language to justify a raid that was obviously baseless.

Seeing all those people sitting outside their house in handcuffs is ... depressing.

EDIT:

A county sheriff showing off some of the confiscated items. You know, that looks like my garage. And where are the laptop computers that were taken? Also curious in the linked story is the reference to anarchists - I wonder if someone needs to notify these guys that it's not the 1920's and these self-described anarchists don't have bombs.

WTF were they going to do, cut through a fence and shoot someone with an arrow? I realize it very possible to kill someone with a compound bow but are they really proposing that they were going to try and assassinate someone with a bow?

Now I have this image of a delegate lying on the street with an arrow sticking out of him......

Video of one of the raids.

Listen to the description of the warrant - a bald-faced use of terrorist language to justify a raid that was obviously baseless.