Issues

Health Care

Despite overwhelming opposition from concerned citizens across the country, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi teamed up to force their 2,000-plus page, $1.2 trillion, health care overhaul down the throats of the American people.

This budget-busting federal legislation will cost taxpayers $1.2 trillion over the next decade and increase taxes by nearly $570 billion.  It will also punish small businesses, penalize Americans who do not purchase coverage, run doctors out of medicine, drive private insurance companies out of business, and may eventually force Texans out of their existing plans and into a government-run program rationed by bureaucrats.

Our own Texas Health and Human Services Commission estimates the new law will add 2 million plus to Texas Medicaid rolls and increase the burden on Texas taxpayers by an additional $27 billion over 10 years, without reducing health care costs or improving quality of care.  At the same time our state is facing a budget shortfall, this enormous unfunded federal mandate will either lead to dramatic tax increases or deep cuts in state programs such as education, transportation and public safety.

Fiscal Responsibility

In Texas, fiscal responsibility isn’t just a campaign slogan. It’s a governing philosophy that’s established Texas as one of the most fiscally sound states in the nation and the best place in America to do business. Over the past seven years as Lt. Governor, David Dewhurst has worked to control government spending, erase a $10 billion budget deficit and pass the largest tax cut in Texas history—reducing local school property taxes by more than $7 billion per year. In 2009, he passed real economic stimulus legislation, cutting taxes for 40,000 small businesses in Texas. Today, Texas has a balanced budget and a responsible “rainy day” reserve to ensure that taxes remain low in the future.

Border Security

A secure border is essential to maintain national security and protect the safety of our citizens. Lt. Governor David Dewhurst believes the federal government has failed to uphold its responsibility to secure the border and stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into Texas. Stepping in where the federal government has failed, David led the Texas Senate in providing more than $60 million per year to enhance border security, hire additional law enforcement officers and invest in new border surveillance technology. In addition to these steps, David has continued to push the federal government to provide additional resources to secure the international border.

Property Rights

Private property rights are the foundation of our Texas economy and are among the most sacred freedoms in our society. David Dewhurst supports the rights of all Texans—farmers, ranchers, homeowners—to be protected against the unfair seizure of their property. That’s why he worked to defeat the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor and supported a constitutional amendment which tightly restricts the ability of state and local government to condemn private property through the eminent domain process.

Public Safety

One of the most important functions of the state is ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens, especially its most vulnerable residents. As Lt. Governor, David Dewhurst worked to pass one of the toughest Jessica’s Laws in the nation to dramatically increase the penalties for child predators. He also passed legislation requiring criminal background checks for all public school employees and increased the penalty for Internet solicitation of a child under age 14 from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Education Reform

Our children are the future of Texas, and their success tomorrow depends on their ability to excel in the classroom today. As Lt. Governor, David Dewhurst has been a strong champion of education reform. While he has worked to dramatically increase funding for education in Texas, David has also demanded better results from our public schools and universities. He worked to increase educational standards, phase-out the TAKS test, provide merit pay for the best teachers and control the skyrocketing college tuition.

Transportation

Our Texas economy and our quality of life depend on our ability to efficiently move people, goods and services throughout the state. Over the past seven years as Lt. Governor, David Dewhurst has worked to build a world-class transportation system in Texas—investing more than $69 billion for transportation projects, without raising taxes. David has also worked with TxDOT to prioritize funding for projects that will signficantly reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.