Fifteen Principles

Fifteen Principles Which Make for Good and Proper Government

We declare that these 15 principles must not be compromised by Independent Americans who desire to maintain a constitutional republic in the United States of America.

Principles of proper government and of the National Independent American Party (Revised by National Committee on 17 July 1999)
The IAP honors H. Verlan Andersen (1914-1992) as the author of these 15 principles, published by the IAP with his expressed permission before his death.

Principle

We believe that no people can maintain freedom unless their political institutions are founded upon faith in God and belief in the existence of moral law.

Principle

We believe that God has endowed men with certain unalienable rights as set forth in the Declaration of Independence and that no legislature and no majority, however great, may morally limit or destroy these; that the sole function of government is to protect life, liberty, and property and anything more than this is usurpation and oppression.

Principle

We believe that the Constitution of the United States was prepared and adopted by men acting under inspiration from Almighty God; that it is a solemn compact between the peoples of the States of this nation which all officers of government are under duty to obey; that the eternal moral laws expressed therein must be adhered to or individual liberty will perish.

Principle

We believe it a violation of the Constitution for government to deprive the individual of either life, liberty, or property except for these purposes: Punish crime and provide administration of justice; Protect the right and control of private property; Wage defensive war and provide for the nation’s defense; Compel each one who enjoys the protection of government to bear his fair share of the burden of performing the above functions.

Principle

We hold that the Constitution denies government the power to take from the individual either his life, liberty, or property except in accordance with moral law; that the same moral law which governs the actions of men when acting alone is also applicable when they act in concert with others; that no citizen or group of citizens has any right to direct their agent, the government to perform any act which would be evil or offensive to the conscience if that citizen were performing the act himself outside the framework of government.

Principle

We are hereby resolved that under no circumstances shall the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights be infringed. In particular we are opposed to any attempt on the part of the Federal Government to deny the people their right to bear arms, to worship and pray when and where they choose, or to own and control property.

Principle

We consider ourselves at war with the enemy of our God-given liberties regardless of the enemy’s manifestation, such as international Communism which is committed to the destruction of our (original) government, our right of property, and our freedom; that it is treason as defined by the Constitution to give aid and comfort to this or any such implacable enemy.

Principle

We are unalterably opposed to Socialism, either in whole or in part, and regard it as an unconstitutional usurpation of power and a denial of the right of private property for government to own or operate the means of producing and distributing goods and services in competition with private enterprise, or to regiment owners in the legitimate use of private property, especially through the use of public taxes.

Principle

We maintain that every person who enjoys the protection of his life, liberty, and property should bear his fair share of the cost of government in providing that protection; that the elementary principles of justice set forth in the Constitution demand that all taxes imposed be uniform throughout the nation and that any tax imposed on persons within our borders be at the same impartial rate.

Principle

#10

We believe in honest money, the gold and silver coinage of the Constitution, and a circulating medium convertible into such money without loss. We regard it as a flagrant violation of the explicit provisions of the Constitution for the Federal Government to make it a criminal offense to use gold or silver coin as legal tender or to issue irredeemable paper money.

Principle

#11

We believe that each state is sovereign in performing those functions reserved to it by the Constitution and it is destructive of our federal system and the right of self-government guaranteed under the Constitution for the Federal Government to regulate or control the States in performing their functions or to engage in performing such functions itself.

Principle

#12

We consider it a violation of the Constitution for the Federal Government to levy taxes for the support of state or local government; that no state or local government can accept funds from the Federal and remain independent in performing its functions, nor can the citizens exercise their rights of self-government under such conditions.

Principle

#13

We deem it a violation of the right of private property guaranteed under the Constitution for the Federal Government to forcibly deprive the citizens of this nation of their property through taxation or otherwise, and make a gift thereof to foreign governments or their citizens.

Principle

#14

We believe that no treaty or agreement with other countries should deprive our citizens of rights guaranteed them by the Constitution.

Principle

#15

We consider it a direct violation of the obligation imposed upon it by the Constitution for the Federal Government to dismantle or weaken our military establishment below that point required for the protection of the States against invasion, or to surrender or commit our men, arms, or money to the control of foreign or world organizations or governments.