On August 24, 2020, delegates from the Republican National Committee chose not to adopt a new platform until the 2024 Republican National Convention. Gatherings and meetings were restricted due to Covid-19. The Republican party did not want delegates to choose the new platform without its delegates’ perspectives. The Republican Party will also continue to support the President’s America-first agenda in 2016.

Key ideas from the 2016 Republican Platform are Restoring the American Dream,  A Rebirth of Constitutional Government, America’s Natural Resources: Agriculture, Energy, the Environment, Government Reform, Great American Families, Education, Healthcare, and Criminal Justice, and America Resurgent.

Under the central topic Restoring the American Dream, Republicans consider establishing a moral imperative pro-growth tax code. The Republican Delegates also envision the government as partners with individuals and industries in technological progress, not a meddlesome monitor. In 2016 Republican delegates wanted to rebuild the economy and create jobs; that has been their mission for three and a half years.

Under the central topic, A Rebirth of Constitutional Government, Republicans pledge to defend the religious beliefs and rights of all Americans’ conscience and safeguard religious institutions against government control.  The Republicans during the Convention decided that the Democratic Party is extreme on abortion. Democrats’ almost unlimited support for abortion and their strident opposition to even the most basic abortion restrictions put them dramatically out of step with the Republican Party. The Republican delegates came up with those ideas, considering that they are the party of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Under the central topic, America’s Natural Resources: Agriculture, Energy, and the Environment, Republicans concluded that our country has more significant energy resources than any other place on earth. Our engineers and miners, the men and women whose labor taps the forces of nature, are the best in the world. The Republicans support developing all forms of energy marketable in a free economy without subsidies, including coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, and hydropower. They came up with those ideas, considering that they are the party of America’s growers, producers, farmers, ranchers, foresters, miners, commercial fishermen, and all those who bring from the earth the crops, minerals, energy, and the bounties of our seas that are the lifeblood of our economy.

Under the central topic, Government Reform,  Republicans delegates came up with the idea that America’s immigration policy must serve the United States’ national interest. They came up with that idea considering that they should make the government work for the United States of America.

Under the central topic, Great American Families, Education, Healthcare, and Criminal Justice, Republican delegates came up with the idea that maintaining American preeminence requires a world-class education system in which all students can reach their potential, considering that they are the party of independent individuals and the institutions they create together families, schools, congregations, neighborhoods to advance their ideals and make real their dreams.

Under the central topic, American Resurgent, Republican delegates stated that America has a sacred trust with our veterans, and we are committed to ensuring them and their families’ care and dignity. Republican delegates concluded that our government’s responsibility is to advance policies that reflect Americans’ strong desire for a relationship with no daylight between America and Israel. While coming up with these ideas, Republican delegates considered, Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 23 that the first of the “principal” constitutional obligations is to provide for the “common defense.”

In summary, the 2016 Republican Platform will not be amended or replaced by a new platform in 2020. These ideas will be the delegates’ central focus for the next four years.

This article originally appeared in the October 2020 edition of The Nazareth, Volume XCIII, No. 1.