I concluded that conservatives were following a no-win strategy, that we had to do more than change drivers, we had to change direction. And I committed the rest of my life to working for a change in direction, to building an instrument which could reintroduce into political debate the principles of the American founding. We were on the ballot that year in some 21 states, which was a great accomplishment since we have no money we will not accept federal subsidies. I have no doubt whatsoever that we could qualify for the matching funds, but we will not seek matching funds from the government because we do not believe people should have their tax dollars assigned to candidates whom they might not wish to support. This year we changed the name to the Constitution Party in order to express our principles better.
Liberty of conscience is a key element of our platform.
We agree with Thomas Jefferson that to compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. We think our stand underscores the First Amendment notion that Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the exercise thereof. All ideas inherently are religious in the sense that they arise from one s basic views of the nature of God and man. That s why in a free society people are entitled to support whatever playwrights or poets or sculptors they want, but they have no right to require others to subsidize their views through an entity such as the National Endowment for the Arts. I believe in a completely free press, and that s one of the reasons I am concerned about the subsidy of the media through such entities as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio.