The Conservative Caucus

The Conservative Caucus
Logo of the Conservative Caucus.

The Conservative Caucus, or TCC, is an American public policy organization and lobbying group emphasizing grassroots citizen activism and headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1974 by Howard Phillips, who continues to lead it today. Most of the organization's $3.8 million budget comes from the efforts of New Right fundraising gurus Richard Viguerie and Bruce Eberle. [1] The organization produces a weekly conservative television program, Conservative Roundtable, which is hosted by Mr. Phillips. Howard Phillips is also President of The Conservative Caucus Research, Analysis and Education Foundation (TCCF), a 501(c)3 tax deductible organization.

Contents

Issues of focus

TCC promotes an uncompromisingly conservative line on a wide range of issues. The following are a few it has emphasized.

Foreign/military

Immigration

TCC opposes illegal immigration and legislation characterized by TCC as an amnesty for illegal immigrants, such as S. 2611. The organization supports measures to secure the Mexican border, including a complete fence.

North American Union

TCC opposes the North American Union (NAU), which the TCC sees as the merging of the United States with Mexico and Canada. TCC also opposes the NAFTA Superhighway which it sees as facilitating smuggling, terrorist infiltration, and bypassing American port workers by using cheaper Mexican ports. TCC held a news conference on October 25, 2006 announcing formation of a coalition to oppose the NAU, which was featured by Lou Dobbs on CNN. The NAU is connected to the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). TCC is a founder of the 'Coalition to Block the North American Union', and held a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in August 2007 at the time of the SPP summit in Montebello, Quebec with the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Participating were representatives of many United States organizations as well as Connie Fogal, the Leader of the Canadian Action Party. The news conference was covered by Fox, CTV, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal and other U.S. and Canadian media outlets.

Trade

TCC is opposed in principle to what is called excessive or unlimited free trade, seeing such policies as being dangerous to the economic well-being of the American middle class, the manufacturing sector, and of the United States as a whole. TCC also specifically opposes various trade treaties, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and others as being threats to US sovereignty.

Cold War

Throughout the Cold War, TCC took a strong anti-communist stance, favoring active U.S. involvement around the world to undermine or overthrow pro-Soviet governments and bolster anti-Soviet allies. TCC often voiced concerns that the U.S. and its allies had fallen behind the Eastern bloc in the arms race to a position of military inferiority, not merely quantitatively but qualitatively as well.

China

TCC sees the People's Republic of China as a major military threat to U.S. security and interests. It suspects China of seeking to gain strategic control of the Panama Canal through a front company, Hutchison Whampoa. It also opposes Permanent Normal Trade relations with China and China's membership in the World Trade Organization.

Panama Canal

TCC opposed the Panama Canal Treaties which transferred control of the Panama Canal from the U.S. to Panama. To this day it lobbies to return a limited American military presence to protect the Canal due to its strategic importance in trade and defense. TCC also fears that the Canal is vulnerable to terrorism.

United Nations

TCC supports a U.S. withdrawal from the UN, perceiving the organization as having ambitions to be a world government hostile to US interests and sovereignty, and which routinely votes against American interests.

Domestic

Constitutionalism

TCC supports strict constructionism and original intent when it comes to constitutional interpretation. In its view, the majority of federal agencies and activities are unconstitutional. Through its 'Constitutional Education Program', TCC seeks to educate citizens on the Constitution and its importance in protecting the liberty of all Americans. TCC sponsors an annual 'Constitution Day' educational event on the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution (September 17, 1789), which in 2006 was televised on C-SPAN.

Health care

A major focus of TCC activism in 2009 and 2010 was opposing President Obama's health care reform bills and any greater government involvement in health care. Following passage, TCC is campaigning for the repeal of the enacted reform bill.

Washington, DC Congressional seat

TCC opposes efforts to create a full voting seat in the House of Representatives for the District of Columbia, based upon the Constitutional provisions that only states can have Congressional representation, and the Founding Fathers' intention to keep the nation's capital a neutral territory where all states may meet without fear of undue influence. TCC also opposed efforts to make the city into a state.

Taxes/IRS

TCC favors abolishing the income tax and replacing it with a low revenue tariff. This would eliminate the need for the Internal Revenue Service.

Social issues

TCC is strongly pro-life and opposes gay marriage. It favors school prayer and championed former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore for his stance favoring the display of the Ten Commandments.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Revolutionary Conservative Caucus — The Revolutionary Conservative Caucus was a small, hard right pressure group founded in late 1993 by Stuart Millson, an officer of the Western Goals Institute, and Jonathan Bowden, that attempted to introduce a new radicalism into British… …   Wikipedia

  • Conservative Roundtable — Genre Talk show Presented by Howard Phillips Country of origin   …   Wikipedia

  • Conservative Labour — was the label used by Canadian Conservative Party politician Henry Buckingham Witton as a candidate in Hamilton, Ontario from 1872 to 1875. Witton may have added Labour to the Conservative Party name because Hamilton is a largely industrial city …   Wikipedia

  • caucus — noun 1) the conservative caucus Syn: members, party, faction, camp, bloc, group, set, band, ring, cabal, coterie, pressure group 2) caucuses will be held in eleven states Syn …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • Conservative Party (UK) — Conservative Party Conservative and Unionist Party Leader …   Wikipedia

  • Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) — Conservative Party of Canada Parti conservateur du Canada Former federal party Founded 1867 (1867) Dissolved December 10, 1942 ( …   Wikipedia

  • Conservative Party of Quebec — The Parti conservateur du Québec (in English: Conservative Party of Quebec) was a political party in Quebec, Canada. Contents 1 Origins 2 Post Confederation 3 Decline and re emergence as Union Nationale …   Wikipedia

  • Conservative Democratic Alliance — The Conservative Democratic Alliance (CDA) was a United Kingdom pressure group. The CDA referred to itself as the authentic voice of conservatism .[1] It closed down in December 2008. Contents 1 Foundation and organisation 2 Politics 3 …   Wikipedia

  • Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, 2004 — Conservative leadership election, 2004 Date March 20, 2004 Convention Toronto, Ontario Campaign to replace inaugural campaign Won by Stephen Harper Ballots 1 Candi …   Wikipedia

  • The Rush Limbaugh Show — Genre Talk show Running time 3 hours Country United States …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”