What do Republicans stand for? While it's a question that may differ from state to state or even within the U.S. Congress, it is also a question that has very clear answers in Connecticut and, we believe, in Wilton.

What differentiates Republicans from other parties is belief in and commitment to the core principles that may be uniquely American but nonetheless ring true for all citizens in every democracy. For example: .

• We believe in the inherent rights of each individual citizen espoused by the founders in the American Declaration of Independence and enshrined in the US Constitution: the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Equally, Republicans also believe that those rights require the personal responsibility of each individual citizen to respect the rights of others.



• Republicans believe in the free enterprise system as the fullest expression of individual independence, self-reliance, mutual opportunity and better quality of life for the greatest number of our citizens.



• We believe in lower taxes because we know that the people who best know how to spend the money they earn are the ones who earn it. .



• We believe that government should be a smaller, not larger, part of our lives, and we believe that the best government of all is the one that governs least..



• We believe that a strong national defense depends on a strong military which reflects the diversity of our people and that we all owe our gratitude and support to those who serve..



• We believe that providing access to a quality school system is a core function of our local government because education is a fundamental building block for lifetime success.



• We value different points of view on important personal issues and we value diversity in all its forms as the byproduct of freedom.



• We believe in protecting our environment and that we are obligated to pass on our unspoiled resources to future generations.



• We believe firmly that the right to vote also implies the responsibility to take responsibility.



• We believe that active and engaged citizen volunteers are the backbone of our government and our political process.


• And, finally, we believe that for all its faults, the United States of America remains the last best hope of man on earth and we trust in the inherent goodness of the American people.