HOW THE UTAH REPUBLICAN PARTY CAN RESTORE THE PROPER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

Utah Republican Chair Rob Axson

---

The Utah Republican Party (URP) Platform provides a clear framework for restoring the proper role of government as a servant of the people, tasked with protecting God-given, unalienable rights of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. Drawing from the principles in the platform, here’s a focused plan for how the URP can take concrete steps to implement this vision within Utah and influence the national stage...BUT IT WILL REQUIRE REAL LEADERSHIP!

Enforce Constitutional Limits Through State Legislation
The URP Platform emphasizes that “government properly exists by the consent of the governed and must be restrained from intruding into the freedoms of its citizens.” To uphold this, the URP can:

• Propose a Utah Constitutional Compliance Act: Require all state legislation to include a constitutional justification, ensuring alignment with both the U.S. and Utah Constitutions. This would block laws that expand government beyond its protective role.
• Audit State Agencies: Create a task force to review agencies like the Utah Department of Health and Human Services for overreach, eliminating programs that redistribute wealth or infringe on liberties without clear constitutional grounding.
• Lead by Example: Advocate for Utah to model limited government for other states, showcasing fiscal restraint and individual freedom to counter federal overreach.

Slash State Taxes and Regulations. The platform’s commitment to “economic freedom” aligns with reducing government burdens to unleash prosperity. The URP can:

• Push for a State Flat Tax: Simplify Utah’s tax code with a low, flat income tax rate, reducing the state’s tax burden (currently around 5% for income tax) and eliminating loopholes. This would keep more money in citizens’ hands, fostering self-reliance.
• Implement a Regulatory Reduction Initiative: Pass a state version of a “Regulatory Sunset Act,” requiring all Utah regulations to expire unless reauthorized with evidence of necessity and constitutional compliance. This would curb bureaucratic overreach, like excessive licensing requirements stifling small businesses.
• Cut Property Taxes: Advocate for lower property taxes to protect homeownership, a key component of the platform’s emphasis on property rights, especially for young families struggling with housing costs.

Strengthen Local Control and State Sovereignty. The platform champions “local self-government” and the 10th Amendment. The URP can:

• Pass a State Sovereignty Act: Protect Utah from federal overreach by nullifying unconstitutional federal mandates, such as those on education or healthcare. This aligns with the platform’s call to “preserve the sovereignty of the State of Utah.”
• Empower Local Governments: Shift control of education, welfare, and infrastructure from state to county and municipal levels. For example, devolve school funding decisions to local boards, ensuring communities, not state bureaucrats, shape education.
• Challenge Federal Land Control: With over 60% of Utah’s land under federal control, the URP can push for greater state management of public lands, as the platform supports, to boost local economies through responsible resource development.

End Redistribution and Promote Voluntary Charity. The platform rejects government as a tool for wealth redistribution, emphasizing personal responsibility. The URP can:

• Reform Welfare Programs: Phase out state welfare programs that foster dependency, replacing them with work-based incentives and partnerships with private charities. Highlight Utah’s strong faith-based communities, as models of voluntary aid.
• Protect Property Rights: Pass legislation to prevent eminent domain abuse and ensure tax policies don’t penalize property ownership, aligning with the platform’s defense of property as a fundamental right.
• Promote Private Solutions: Create tax credits for donations to Utah-based charities, encouraging voluntary giving over government handouts, as supported by the platform’s focus on individual initiative.

Defend God-Given Rights and Religious Liberty. The platform explicitly states that rights are “God-given” and not government-granted. The URP can:

• Pass a Religious Freedom Protection Act: Safeguard faith-based organizations and individuals from state regulations that violate their beliefs, such as those affecting religious schools or businesses. This upholds the platform’s commitment to religious liberty.
• Affirm Rights in Education: Introduce a resolution in Utah schools teaching that rights come from God, not government, countering secular narratives and reinforcing the platform’s moral foundation.
• Oppose Tyrannical Policies: Veto any state legislation treating rights as state-granted, ensuring Utah’s laws reflect the platform’s stance that government exists to protect, not bestow, liberties.

Educate and Mobilize Utah’s Youth. The platform values “educating citizens” to preserve freedom. The URP can:

• Launch a Freedom Education Campaign: Partner with Utah’s universities, and high schools to teach the principles of limited government, using the platform as a guide. Create workshops and media campaigns targeting Gen Z, emphasizing self-reliance and constitutional literacy.
• Support Young Leaders: Establish a URP Young Republicans Fellowship to train Gen Z activists in Utah, equipping them to advocate for the platform’s principles locally and nationally.
• Leverage Social Media: Use platforms like X to share viral content about Utah’s success in limiting government, inspiring youth to reject dependency and embrace the Founders’ vision, as called for in the platform.

Ensure Fiscal Responsibility. The platform demands “fiscal responsibility” to avoid dependency and debt. The URP can:

• Propose a State Balanced Budget Amendment: Require Utah to maintain a balanced budget, as it currently does, but codify stricter limits to prevent future deficits. This aligns with the platform’s call for “sound fiscal policies.”
• Reduce State Spending: Eliminate redundant programs, such as overlapping social services, and redirect funds to tax cuts or infrastructure, ensuring Utah remains a model of fiscal restraint.
• Transparent Budgeting: Publish detailed, accessible state budgets online, as the platform encourages transparency, to rebuild trust and hold officials accountable.

CALL TO ACTION
The Utah Republican Party has the platform and the opportunity to lead a revival of limited government, individual liberty, and divine truth. By enacting bold legislation, slashing taxes and regulations, empowering local control, and educating the next generation, the URP can make Utah a shining example of the Founders’ vision. The platform’s principles are clear: government is the servant, not the master. The URP must act decisively...pass laws, rally citizens, and reject tyranny...or risk losing Utah’s legacy of freedom. The time is now.
​
Will you act?