Burke: What you’re voting for if you’re voting for state GOP

The state Republican Party has issued its platform and resolutions. Let’s take a look, shall we?

By Tom Burke / Herald Columnist

So Donald Trump is now convicted of 34 felonies, with lots of folks feeling justice is finally catching up with his decades-long grifting, lying and cheating.

But as he’s still likely to be the Republican presidential nominee, people are asking how the party of Lincoln, Reagan, Goldwater, McCain and the Bushes can nominate a sexual abuser, liar and tax cheat for the nation’s highest office; a good question, but not one I’m answering this week.

But while researching that question I read over the Washington state Republican Party platform and its resolutions (thanks to the Grays Harbor County GOP website) to see what the Republicans really believe, beside that Trump was sent by (their) god to save America.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Much to my dismay the party that once championed law and order and fiscal and personal responsibility now believes the MAGA-maniacal Trump, fascist and religious right doctrine of victimhood and revenge.

So, gentle reader, here’s what you support if you’re advocating for a Republican candidate, donating money to them, or actually voting Republican, according to the state GOP. (And here are the websites for the whole documents: tinyurl.com/WAGOPplatform and tinyurl.com/WAGOPresolutions

Let’s start with a few excerpts from the GOP Platform: (All bullets are direct quotes from the Platform; the italics are mine.)

• “(A) businesses shall not be required to perform services which violate the religious beliefs of their owners.” (So it’s OK to discriminate, as long as you discriminate in god’s name? [Errr…is that any god’s name or just the Christian god’s name?])

• “Laws should reduce and deter crime through the application of prompt, strong and appropriate punishment — up to and including the use of the death penalty.” (Hey! let’s bring back the noose, the firing squad, the needle, and Ol’ Sparky.)

• “We support the brave men and women of law enforcement.” (Unless they were defending the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 against Trump’s insurrectionists [who are not hostages] or enforcing a search warrant at Mar-a-Largo. Oh, and national Republicans want to defund the FBI.)

• “Return to same-day voting; with in-person voting with photo ID by U.S. Citizens; no ‘ranked-choice’ voting; hand-counted, paper ballots—eliminating digital ballot scanning and machine tabulation.” (Buh-bye mail-in voting.)

• “We oppose state or federal monies being used to indoctrinate our military with agendas such as Critical Race Theory, the 1619 project, or other programs that teach hatred and racism under the guise of equity.” (Makes sense, not spending money on stuff we’re not actually doing.)

• “Removal of individuals who are in the country illegally.” (Let’s deport 11 million people ASAP; after putting them in concentration camps.)

• “We believe that when the federal government abdicates its responsibility to defend American borders as required by federal law, the doctrine of federal supremacy shall no longer pertain, and the states are free to take such actions as they deem necessary to defend their own borders.” (Who’s the “we” here? Don’t “they” know they lost the war for “states’ rights” in 1865.)

• “We support bipartisan efforts to reform Social Security and Medicare programs.” (Remember, for Republicans, reform means end.)

• “We support each student providing payment for their own student loans.” (But we don’t support making members of Congress pay back their six- and seven-figure covid loans.)

• “We support the elimination of the federal Department of Education and returning its control and funding to the states.” (So states can ban books, end free school lunches, Pell grants, and abandon special needs students?)

• “We strongly oppose mandatory vaccination.” (Do they remember one million covid deaths?)

• “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established to protect human health and the environment and clean up past pollution. We believe this regulatory agency has gone far beyond the clear limits of its statutory authority and should be abolished with authority returned to the states.” (To such Republican-led states as Indiana, Utah, Louisiana, and Ohio; four of the worst polluted in the U.S.? That’s a healthy choice.)

Now, let’s take a look at a few of the Washington GOP “Resolutions” approved by the party faithful.

• “(W)e petition our Washington State Legislators and school boards to eliminate gun-free school zones and provide trained K-12 school staff to protect students.” (More guns in schools and pistol-pack’n’ teachers? That’ll work.)

• “(W)e oppose the Wild Olympics Campaign and the Wild Olympics Wilderness & Wild and Scenic Rivers Act covering over 126,000 acres introduced by Democrat Rep. Derek Kilmer and Democrat Sen. Patty Murray, and favor a strict policy of no net loss of working forestland, working resource land, and private property.” (If the Democrats want it, we don’t; even if it’s a good idea.)

• “(W)e declare the 17th Amendment process of electing United States Senators by the popular vote to be defective, that it fails to represent the interests of the individual states, and we implore the Congress to propose an amendment pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States to repeal the 17th Amendment in order to restore the states to their prior status as partners in the political process.” (Nothing screams “democracy” like ripping the right to vote for senators away from citizens and handing senatorial appointments [not elections] to state legislators.)

Oh, and just to remind folks how “powerful” Republicans are in the state of Washington: the Republicans hold zero statewide offices, are minorities in both chambers of the Legislature, and control just two of the state’s 10 U.S. House seats.

And with platforms and policies like these, is it any wonder?

(Note: We’ll soon be looking at the governor’s race and some other statewide issues/initiatives.)

Slava Ukraini.

Tom Burke’s email address is t.burke.column@gmail.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

THis is an editorial cartoon by Michael de Adder . Michael de Adder was born in Moncton, New Brunswick. He studied art at Mount Allison University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting. He began his career working for The Coast, a Halifax-based alternative weekly, drawing a popular comic strip called Walterworld which lampooned the then-current mayor of Halifax, Walter Fitzgerald. This led to freelance jobs at The Chronicle-Herald and The Hill Times in Ottawa, Ontario.

 

After freelancing for a few years, de Adder landed his first full time cartooning job at the Halifax Daily News. After the Daily News folded in 2008, he became the full-time freelance cartoonist at New Brunswick Publishing. He was let go for political views expressed through his work including a cartoon depicting U.S. President Donald Trump’s border policies. He now freelances for the Halifax Chronicle Herald, the Toronto Star, Ottawa Hill Times and Counterpoint in the USA. He has over a million readers per day and is considered the most read cartoonist in Canada.

 

Michael de Adder has won numerous awards for his work, including seven Atlantic Journalism Awards plus a Gold Innovation Award for news animation in 2008. He won the Association of Editorial Cartoonists' 2002 Golden Spike Award for best editorial cartoon spiked by an editor and the Association of Canadian Cartoonists 2014 Townsend Award. The National Cartoonists Society for the Reuben Award has shortlisted him in the Editorial Cartooning category. He is a past president of the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists and spent 10 years on the board of the Cartoonists Rights Network.
Editorial cartoons for Wednesday, June 11

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer testifies during a budget hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Al Drago/The New York Times)
Editorial: Ending Job Corps a short-sighted move by White House

If it’s jobs the Trump administration hopes to bring back to the U.S., it will need workers to fill them.

A rendering of possible configuration for a new multi-purpose stadium in downtown Everett. (DLR Group)
Editorial: Latest ballpark figures drive hope for new stadium

A lower estimate for the project should help persuade city officials to move ahead with plans.

A rendering of the new vessels to be built for Washington State Ferries. (Washington State Ferries)
Editorial: Local shipyard should get shot to build state ferries

If allowed to build at least two ferries, Nichols Brothers can show the value building here offers.

Solar panels are visible along the rooftop of the Crisp family home on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Editorial: ‘Big, beautiful bill’ would take from our climate, too

Along with cuts to the social safety net, the bill robs investments in the clean energy economy.

Marcus Tageant (Courtesy of City of Lake Stevens)
Welch: Marcus Tageant embodied the spirit of Lake Stevens

I served with Marcus on the city council, witnessing an infectious devotion to his community.

Comment: Why Trump’s Guard deployment is threat to democracy

Trump claims rebellion and invasion; there is neither. Policing protests must be left to states.

Comment: Hegseth renaming ships dishonors memory of ‘warriors’

Navy vessels were named for Harvey Milk, Cesar Chavez and others in recognition of their service to country.

Goldberg: Watch carefully; this is what autocracy looks like

Trump, in stepping past state officials, has over-reacted to discourage legitimate protest of his actions.

Comment: Reclaim and fly the American flag for ‘No Kings Day’

For those defending the nation’s ideals, there’s no better complement to a protest sign than the flag.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Tuesday, June 10

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Comment: Trump’s tariffs could ground aerospace’s rebound

Just as Boeing and Airbus had worked out most of their supply chain kinks, the threat of tariffs looms.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

The Daily Herald relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in