Precinct meetings give Republicans their say

Carson City's Republicans got the chance Tuesday night to suggest how the GOP's platform should be built at simultaneous precinct meetings held at the Governor's Mansion.

The meetings provided for selection of precinct captains and delegates to the April 22 Carson City Republican Convention. But participants also submitted proposed planks for the party's platform.

Stricter immigration controls, such as tightening security at borders to stop illegal immigrants, and repealing the immediate family member provision of the 1966 Immigration Act were two suggestions. Withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations was another proposed plank.

"Planks submitted here in Carson City have in the past gone through the county and state conventions and on to the national convention," Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Joe DiLonardo told party members. "So Carson City's voice does get heard."

Don Simon made a motion for those present to unanimously endorse George W. Bush's presidential candidacy. It was withdrawn on a point of order because the precincts did not have the authority to take joint action as they were technically meeting separately.

However, each precinct's packet had a delegate ballot on which a presidential preference could be logged, with the result to be passed on to the county convention delegates. Those preferences were not tabulated Tuesday night.

DiLonardo said the state GOP convention will be in Carson City for the first time this year, at the Ormsby House May 25-27.

"Jim Nicholson, national chairman of the party, has said that either George W. Bush will be here, or his brother (Florida Gov. Jeb Bush) or his parents," former President George and Barbara Bush, DiLonardo said.

State Sen. Mark Amodei said the priority for the Carson GOP should be regaining the state Assembly seat from Democrat Bonnie Parnell.

Wally Earhart, platform chairman, reviewed the platform plank suggestions, including:

-- English should be recognized as the official language by state and federal governments.

-- Term limits for federal elective offices should be adopted.

-- Federal agencies should be prohibited from lobbying Congress.

-- Nevada's Public Ownership Act of 1979 should be enforced, with the 87 percent of Nevada's land area controlled by federal agencies turned over to state ownership.

-- Under the Second Amendment to the Constitution, Nevada should not be restricted by regulations not passed into law by Congress.

-- Nevada's justices should be selected by appointment according to merit, instead of by election.

-- Any law that restricts the ownership of guns by U.S. citizens be repealed.

-- The right to life noted in the Declaration of Independence should be recognized from conception.

Earhart said those proposals and any others he receives from the groups would be put into proper form for possible adoption at the county convention.