50 Terrible Ideas That Could Become Law If Trump Is Impeached And Pence Becomes President

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.
As many Americans ponder the prospect of Donald Trump being removed from office, they should take a deep breath and look at what a President Mike Pence and Republican Congress are likely to do if the disrupter-in-chief is sent packing.
Vice-President Pence, along with House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are cut from the same far-right cloth of every other Republican presidential candidate in 2016. Trump stood out because he was less of an establishment political animal, but letās look at what the Republican establishment could actually impose upon America.
Itās worth revisiting the Republican Party platformāits wish listāfor what this dismal trio would do. The GOP 2016 platform would make Christianity the official American religion, English the official American language, replace sex education with abstinence-only advice for teenagers, privatize almost all areas of federal services, cut taxes and regulations for the rich and titans of industry and impose a belligerent foreign policy and military build-up.
Here are 50 excerpts from the 2016 GOP platform.
1. Tax cuts for the rich: āWherever tax rates penalize thrift or discourage investment, they must be lowered. Wherever currentĀ provisions of the code are disincentives for economic growth, they must be changed⦠We propose to level the international playing field by lowering the corporate tax rate to be on a par with, or below, the rates of other industrial nations.ā
2. Deregulate the banks: āThe Republican vision for American banking calls for establishing transparent, efficient markets where consumers can obtain loans they need at reasonable rates based on market conditions. Unfortunately, in response to the financial institutions crisis of 2008-2009, the Democratic-controlled Congress enacted the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, otherwise known as Dodd-Frank.ā
3. Stop consumer protection: āThe worst of Dodd-Frank is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, deliberately designed to be a rogue agency. It answers to neither Congress nor the executive, has its own guaranteed funding outside the appropriations process⦠If the Bureau is not abolished, it should be subjected to congressional appropriation.ā
4. Repeal environmental laws: āWe call for a comprehensive review of federal regulations, especially those dealing with the environment, that make it harder and more costly for Americans to rent, buy, or sell homes.ā
5. Shrink unions and union labor: āWe renew our call for repeal of the Davis-Bacon law, which limits employment and drives up construction and maintenance costs for the benefit of unions⦠AlthoughĀ unionizationĀ hasĀ never been permitted in any government agency concerned with national security, the current Administration has reversed that policy for the Transportation Security Administration. We will correct that mistake⦠We support the right of states to enact Right-to-Work laws and call for a national law to protect the economic liberty of the modern workforce.ā
6. Privatize federal railway service: āAmtrak is an extremely expensive railroad for the American taxpayers, who must subsidize every ticket. The federal government should allow private ventures to provide passenger service in the northeast corridor. The same holdsĀ true with regard to high-speed and intercity rail across the country. We reaffirm our intention to end federal support for boondoggles like Californiaās high-speed train to nowhere.ā
7. No change in federal minimum wage: āMinimum wage is an issue that should be handled at the state and local level.ā
8. Cut government salaries and benefits: āThe taxpayers spend an average of $35,000 a year per employee on non-cash benefits, triple the average non-cash compensation of the average worker in the private sector. Federal employees receive extraordinary pension benefits and vacation time wildly out of line with those of the private sector.ā
9. Appoint anti-choice Supreme Court justices: āOnly a Republican president will appoint judges who respect the rule of lawĀ expressed within the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, including the inalienable right to life and the laws of nature and natureās God, as did the late Justice Antonin Scalia.ā
10. Appoint anti-LGBT and anti-Obamacare justices: āOnly such appointments will enable courts to begin to reverse the long lineĀ of activist decisions ā including Roe, Obergefell, and the Obamacare casesāthat have usurped Congressās and statesā lawmakingĀ authority.ā
11. Legalize anti-LGBT discrimination: āWe endorse the First Amendment Defense Act, Republican legislation in the House and Senate which will bar government discrimination against individuals and businesses for acting on the belief that marriage is the unionĀ of one man and one woman.ā
12. Make Christianity a national religion: āWe support the public display of the Ten Commandments as a reflection of our history and our countryās Judeo-Christian heritage and further affirm the rights of religious students to engage in voluntary prayer at public school events and to have equal access to school facilities.ā
13. Loosen campaign finance loopholes and dark money: āFreedom of speech includes the right to devote resources to whateverĀ cause or candidate one supports. We oppose any restrictions or conditions that would discourage citizens from participating in theĀ public square or limit their ability to promote their ideas, such as requiring private organizations to publicly disclose their donors to the government.ā
14. Loosen gun controls nationwide: āWe support firearm reciprocity legislation to recognize the right of law-abidingĀ Americans to carry firearms to protect themselves and their families in all 50 states. We support constitutional carry statutes and salute the statesĀ that have passedĀ them. We oppose ill-conceived laws that would restrict magazine capacity or ban the sale of the most popularĀ andĀ common modern rifle.ā
15. Pass an anti-choice constitutional amendment: āWe assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and legislation to makeĀ clear that the Fourteenth Amendmentās protections apply to children before birth.ā
16. End federal funding for Planned Parenthood: āWe oppose the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion or to fund organizations, like Planned Parenthood, so long as they provide or refer for elective abortions or sell fetal body parts rather than provide healthcare.ā
17. Allow states to shut down abortion clinics: āWe condemn the Supreme Courtās activist decision in WholeĀ WomanāsĀ Health v. Hellerstedt striking down commonsense Texas laws providing for basic health and safety standards in abortion clinics.ā
18. Oppose stem cell scientific research: āWe oppose embryonic stem cell research. We opposeĀ federalĀ fundingĀ ofĀ embryonicĀ stem cell research. We support adult stem cell research and urge the restoration of the nationalĀ placental stem cell bank created by President George H.W. Bush but abolished by his Democratic successor, President Bill Clinton. We oppose federal funding forĀ harvesting embryos and call for a ban on human cloning.ā
19. Oppose executive branch policy making: āWe condemn the current Administrationās unconstitutional expansion into areasĀ beyond those specifically enumerated, including bullying of state and local governments in matters ranging from voter identification (ID) laws to immigration, fromĀ healthcare programs to land use decisions, and from forced education curricula to school restroom policies.ā
20. Oppose efforts to end the electoral college: āWe oppose the National Popular Vote Interstate CompactĀ andĀ anyĀ otherĀ schemeĀ to abolish or distort the procedures of the Electoral College.ā
21. Require citizenship documents to register to vote:Ā āWe supportĀ legislation to requireĀ proof of citizenship when registering to vote and secure photo ID when voting. We strongly oppose litigation against states exercising their sovereign authority to enact such laws.ā
22. Ignore undocumented immigrants when drawing congressional districts: āIn order to preserveĀ the principle of one person, one vote, we urge our elected representatives to ensure that citizenship, rather than mere residency, be made the basis for theĀ apportionment of representatives among the states.ā
23. No labeling of GMO ingredients in food products: āTheĀ intrusiveĀ andĀ expensiveĀ federal mandates on food options and menu labeling should be ended as soon as possible by aĀ Republican Congress. We oppose the mandatory labeling of genetically modified food, which has proven to be safe, healthy, and a literal life-saver for millions in the developing world.ā
24. Add work requirements to welfare and cut food stamps: āNearly all the work requirements for able-bodied adults, instituted by our landmark welfare reform of 1996, have been removed. We will restore those provisions and, to correct a mistake made when the Food Stamp program was first created in 1964, separate the administration of SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program] from the Department of Agriculture.ā
25. Open Americaās shores to more oil and gas drilling: āWe support the opening of public lands and the outer continental shelf to exploration and responsible production, even if these resources will not be immediately developed.ā
26. Build the Keystone XL Pipeline: āTheĀ Keystone PipelineĀ hasĀ become a symbol of everything wrong with the currentĀ Administrationās ideological approach. After years of delay, the President killed it to satisfy environmental extremists. We intend to finish that pipeline and others as part of our commitment to North American energy security.ā
27. Expand fracking and burying nuclear waste: āA federal judge has struckĀ down the BLMās rule on hydraulic fracturing and we support upholdingĀ thisĀ decision. We respect the statesā proven ability to regulate the use of hydraulicĀ fracturing,Ā methaneĀ emissions, and horizontal drilling, and we will end the Administrationās disregard of the NuclearĀ Waste Ā Policy ActĀ withĀ respect to the long-term storage of nuclear waste.ā
28. No tax on carbon products: āWe oppose any carbon tax⦠We urge the private sector to focus its resources on the development of carbon capture and sequestration technology still in its early stages here and overseas. ā
29. Ignore global climate change agreements: āThe UnitedĀ Nationsā IntergovernmentalĀ PanelĀ onĀ ClimateĀ ChangeĀ isĀ aĀ politicalĀ mechanism,Ā notĀ anĀ unbiasedĀ scientificĀ institution. ItsĀ unreliabilityĀ isĀ reflectedĀ inĀ itsĀ intoleranceĀ towardĀ scientistsĀ andĀ othersĀ whoĀ dissentĀ fromĀ itsĀ orthodoxy. WeĀ willĀ evaluateĀ itsĀ recommendationsĀ accordingly. We reject the agendas of both the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, whichĀ representĀ onlyĀ theĀ personalĀ commitments of Ā theirĀ Ā signatories; no such agreement can be binding upon the United States until it is submitted to and ratified by the Senate.ā
30. Privatize Medicare, the health plan for seniors: āImpose no changesĀ forĀ personsĀ 55Ā or older. GiveĀ othersĀ theĀ optionĀ ofĀ traditionalĀ MedicareĀ orĀ transitionĀ toĀ aĀ premium-supportĀ modelĀ designedĀ toĀ strengthenĀ patientĀ choice, promoteĀ cost-savingĀ competitionĀ amongĀ providers.ā
31. Turn Medicaid, the poorās health plan, over to states: āMoving to a block grant approach would allow for stateĀ andĀ localĀ governmentsĀ toĀ createĀ solutionsĀ forĀ individualsĀ andĀ familiesĀ inĀ desperateĀ needĀ ofĀ helpĀ inĀ addressingĀ mentalĀ illness.Ā WeĀ respectĀ theĀ statesā authority and flexibility to exclude abortion providers from federal programs such as Medicaid and other healthcare and family planning programs soĀ longĀ asĀ theyĀ continueĀ toĀ performĀ orĀ referĀ forĀ elective abortions.ā
32. No increasing Social Security benefits by taxing the rich: āAsĀ Republicans, we oppose tax increases and believe in the power of markets to createĀ wealth and to help secure the future of our Social Security system.ā
33. Repeal Obamacare: āAnyĀ honestĀ agendaĀ forĀ improvingĀ healthcareĀ mustĀ startĀ withĀ repealĀ ofĀ theĀ dishonestlyĀ namedĀ Affordable Care Act of 2010: Obamacare.ā
34. Give internet service providers monopoly control: āThe President orderedĀ theĀ chairĀ ofĀ theĀ supposedlyĀ independentĀ FederalĀ CommunicationsĀ CommissionĀ toĀ imposeĀ upon the internet rules devised in the 1930s for the telephone monopoly⦠TheĀ internetāsĀ freeĀ market needs to be free and open to all ideas and competitionĀ withoutĀ theĀ governmentĀ orĀ serviceĀ providers picking winners and losers.ā
35. Make English the official U.S. language: āWe both encourage the preservation of heritage tongues and support English as the nationās official language, a unifying forceĀ essentialĀ forĀ theĀ advancementĀ ofĀ immigrantĀ communities and our nation as a whole.ā
36. No amnesty for undocumented immigrants: āIllegal immigration endangers everyone,Ā exploitsĀ theĀ taxpayers,Ā andĀ insultsĀ allĀ whoĀ aspireĀ toĀ enterĀ AmericaĀ legally.Ā WeĀ opposeĀ any form of amnesty for those who, by breaking the law,Ā haveĀ disadvantagedĀ thoseĀ whoĀ haveĀ obeyed it.ā
37. Build a border wall to keep immigrants out: āOur highestĀ priority, therefore,Ā mustĀ beĀ toĀ secureĀ ourĀ bordersĀ andĀ allĀ portsĀ ofĀ entryĀ andĀ toĀ enforce our immigration laws. ThatĀ isĀ whyĀ weĀ supportĀ buildingĀ aĀ wallĀ alongĀ ourĀ southernĀ borderĀ andĀ protectingĀ allĀ portsĀ ofĀ entry.Ā TheĀ borderĀ wallĀ mustĀ coverĀ theĀ entiretyĀ ofĀ theĀ southernĀ borderĀ andĀ mustĀ beĀ sufficientĀ toĀ stopĀ bothĀ vehicularĀ andĀ pedestrianĀ traffic.ā
38. Require government verification of citizenship of all workers: āUse ofĀ theĀ E-verifyĀ program ā an internet-based system that verifies the employment authorization andĀ identityĀ ofĀ employeesāmustĀ beĀ madeĀ mandatoryĀ nationwide. We reaffirmĀ ourĀ endorsement of the SAVE program āSystematicĀ Alien Verification for Entitlementsāto ensure that publicĀ fundsĀ areĀ notĀ givenĀ toĀ personsĀ notĀ legallyĀ present in this country.ā
39. Penalize cities that give sanctuary to migrants: āBecause āsanctuary citiesā violate federal law and endanger their own citizens, they should not be eligible for federal funding. Using state licenses to reward people in the country illegally is an affront to the rule of law and must be halted.ā
40. Puerto Rico should be a state but not Washington DC: āWeĀ supportĀ theĀ rightĀ ofĀ theĀ UnitedĀ StatesĀ citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state⦠A [D.C.} statehood amendment was soundly rejected by the states when last proposed in 1976 and should not be revived.ā
41. Support traditional marriage but no other families: āChildren raised inĀ aĀ two-parentĀ householdĀ tend to be physically and emotionally healthier, more likely to do well in school, less likely to use drugs and alcohol, engage inĀ crimeĀ or becomeĀ pregnantĀ outside of marriage. We oppose policies and laws that create a financial incentive for or encourage cohabitation.ā
42. Privatize government services in the name of fighting poverty: āWe call for removal of structural impediments which progressives throw in the path of poor people: Over-regulationĀ ofĀ start-upĀ enterprises,Ā excessiveĀ licensingĀ requirements,Ā needlessĀ restrictionsĀ onĀ formation of schools and day-care centers serving neighborhood families, and restrictions on providing public services in fields like transport and sanitation.ā
43. Require bible study in public schools: āAĀ good understanding of the Ā Bible Ā beingĀ indispensableĀ for the developmentĀ ofĀ anĀ educatedĀ citizenry, we encourageĀ stateĀ legislatures toĀ offerĀ theĀ Bible in aĀ literatureĀ curriculum as an elective inĀ AmericaāsĀ highĀ schools.ā
44. Replace traditional public schools with privatized options: āWeĀ supportĀ optionsĀ forĀ learning,Ā includingĀ home-schooling,Ā careerĀ andĀ technicalĀ education,Ā privateĀ orĀ parochialĀ schools,Ā magnetĀ schools,Ā charterĀ schools,Ā onlineĀ learning,Ā andĀ early-collegeĀ high schools.ā
45. Replace sex education with abstinence-only approaches: āWe renew our call for replacing āfamilyĀ planningāĀ programsĀ forĀ teensĀ withĀ sexualĀ riskĀ avoidanceĀ educationĀ thatĀ setsĀ abstinenceĀ untilĀ marriageĀ asĀ theĀ responsibleĀ andĀ respectedĀ standardĀ ofĀ behavior.Ā ThatĀ approachā theĀ onlyĀ one always effective against premarital pregnancy andĀ sexually transmittedĀ diseaseāempowersĀ teensĀ toĀ achieveĀ optimalĀ healthĀ outcomes.Ā We opposeĀ school-basedĀ clinicsĀ thatĀ provideĀ referralĀ orĀ counselingĀ forĀ abortionĀ andĀ contraceptionĀ andĀ believeĀ thatĀ federalĀ fundsĀ shouldĀ notĀ beĀ usedĀ in mandatory or universal mental health, psychiatric, or socio-emotional screening programs.ā
46. Privatize student loans instead of lowering interest rates: āTheĀ federalĀ governmentĀ shouldĀ notĀ beĀ inĀ theĀ businessĀ ofĀ originatingĀ studentĀ loans.Ā InĀ orderĀ toĀ bringĀ downĀ collegeĀ costsĀ andĀ giveĀ studentsĀ access to a multitude of financing options, private sector participation in student financing should be restored.ā
47. Restore the death penalty: āTheĀ constitutionalityĀ ofĀ theĀ deathĀ penaltyĀ isĀ firmlyĀ settledĀ byĀ itsĀ explicitĀ mentionĀ inĀ theĀ FifthĀ Amendment. WithĀ theĀ murderĀ rateĀ soaringĀ in our greatĀ cities,Ā weĀ condemnĀ theĀ SupremeĀ CourtāsĀ erosion of the right of the people to enact capital punishment in their states.ā
48. Dramatically increase Pentagon budget: āQuite simply, the Republican Party is committed to rebuilding the U.S. military into the strongest on earth, with vast superiority over any other nation or group of nations in the world.ā
49. Cancel Iran nuclear treaty and expand nuclear arsenal: āWeĀ shouldĀ abandonĀ armsĀ controlĀ treatiesĀ thatĀ benefitĀ ourĀ adversariesĀ withoutĀ improving our national security. We must fund, develop, and deploy a multi-layered missile defense system. We must modernize nuclear weapons and their delivery platforms.ā
50. Reaffirm support for Israel and slam sanctions movement: āWe reaffirm Americaās Ā commitment to Israelās security and will ensure that Israel maintains a qualitative military edge over any and all adversariesā¦We rejectĀ the false notion that Israel is an occupier and specifically recognizeĀ thatĀ the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) is anti-Semitic in nature and seeks to destroy Israel. Therefore, we call for effective legislation to thwart actions that are intended to limit commercial relations with Israel, or persons or entities doing business in Israel or in Israeli-controlled territories, in a discriminatory manner.ā
Steven Rosenfeld covers national political issues for AlterNet, including Americaās democracy and voting rights. He is the author of several books on elections and the co-author of Who Controls Our Schools: How Billionaire-Sponsored Privatization Is Destroying Democracy and the Charter School Industry (AlterNet eBook, 2016).
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