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The '''Republican Party''' ('''R''') or informally the '''GOP''' (short for Grand Old Party), is one of the two major political parties in the [[United States]] and founded on the principles of [[equality]] and "one person, one vote."

The '''Republican Party''' ('''R''') or informally the '''GOP''' (short for Grand Old Party), is one of the two major political parties in the [[United States]] and founded on the principles of opportunity, [[meritocracy]] and "one person, one vote."

The Republican Party is the only major U.S. political party that is [[pro-life]].  The Republican Party is also pro-[[free enterprise]], pro-[[religious liberty]], pro-[[Second Amendment]], and pro-[[traditional marriage]], while opposing the defunding of [[police]] departments. At its first national convention, in 1856, the Republican Party platform stated, "It is the duty of Congress to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism, [[polygamy]] and [[slavery]]."<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/gop/convention_1856.htm</ref>

The Republican Party is the only major U.S. political party that is [[pro-life]].  The Republican Party is also pro-[[free enterprise]], pro-[[religious liberty]], pro-[[Second Amendment]], and pro-[[traditional marriage]], while opposing the defunding of [[police]] departments. At its first national convention, in 1856, the Republican Party platform stated, "It is the duty of Congress to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism, [[polygamy]] and [[slavery]]."<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/gop/convention_1856.htm</ref>