Constitution Party of Utah affirms its solid support of the Freedom of Association Initiative promoted by the Keep My Voice organization.
The move to kill Utah's caucus and convention system came about after some of the well monied movers and shakers in Utah politics saw incumbent "establishment" candidates defeated in convention by delegates of the people duly chosen through the neighborhood caucus and convention. Delegates were manifesting "the will of the people," which was as it should be.
In alarm, the Count My Vote effort was organized, and ultimately many of its provisions enacted into law as Senate Bill 54. Despite several law suits, most of the provisions of SB 54 still afflict the state today.
Historically, private organizations and associations such as clubs, churches, and political parties, have always, by virtue of the God given right of free association heretofore constitutionally protected, always had power to regulate their own procedures and processes and determine their own tenets of membership. The forcing of political parties to acquiesce to their members gaining ballot position through means other than those prescribed by the party, means that effectively the government is granted the right to determine terms of membership for private organizations. No good can come from this.
Resultant to changes in the state code affected by SB54, it is perfectly possible for a candidate who fails to gain sufficient delegate votes in convention, or who elects to circumvent the convention all together, to purchase a place on the primary ballot through the gathering of signatures (at the normal cost of $3 to $4 per signature). Thus, the voice of the people as manifest in the neighborhood caucus becomes totally nullified. And once the primary ballot is set, the victor is usually the one with the most money and the best connections. Therefore, as things presently stand, the more part of the elective offices in the state are essentially for sale to the highest bidder, drastically weakening the republican form of government bequeathed to us by our founders.
The Constitution Party stands on pillars of integrity and accountability. Politicians who hold their offices by virtue of the money behind them, rather than by the voice of the people, cannot be held accountable by the people for their actions, and thus are highly unlikely to maintian their integrity.
The Constitution Party of Utah urges all its members, and all others who wish to maintain or regain a voice in their own government, to sign the petition to get this Freedom of Association Initiative on the ballot. Your local county party officers will most likely have a petition that is wanting for your signature. Failing that, the petition can be signed online at KeepMyVoice.org.
