Donkeys need not apply! Otherwise, the Republican National Committee (RNC) says it's a big tent open to all who want to come inside. It's the political and fund-raising engine behind the GOP (Grand Old Party), party of many US presidents from Lincoln to Bush. It has branch offices in all 50 US states; it publishes party rules, the party platform, and Rising Tide, a quarterly magazine. In its early days, it worked to abolish slavery, give African-Americans and women the right to vote, and provide equal protection under the law. Its party principles include a belief that government should stay out of individual decisions, equal rights for all, and states rights. Michael Steele became chairman in 2009.