Issues
SPENDING: “I am gravely concerned by a federal government that continues spending money it doesn’t have. In early 2009, I joined Florida’s entire Republican congressional delegation in opposing the $787 billion stimulus bill. In the U.S. Senate, I will support measures like a balanced budget amendment and the line-item veto that will help control the excessive and wasteful spending in Washington that threatens to leave future generations with crushing debt and a country worse off than that of their parents and grandparents.”
TAXES: “I have never voted for a tax increase. While I generally support tax cuts, I believe meaningful tax reform that simplifies our tax code, makes it easier to understand and is more fair to the taxpayer should be our ultimate goal. In the mean time, I will support efforts to reduce the tax burden on American workers, entrepreneurs and businesses. This includes: eliminating the Death Tax; eliminating taxes on capital gains, dividends and interest, thereby encouraging greater savings and investment; and making America the most attractive place to do business by lowering corporate tax rates.”
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS: “I support judges who will respect the rule of law, strictly interpret our Constitution and not legislate from the bench. I opposed Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. As a whole, Judge Sotomayor’s record reflects a view that judges can and should inject personal experiences and biases into what should be the objective interpretation and application of the law. While her comments about the “better conclusions” a “wise Latina woman” would bring to the bench are universally known, I have more specific concerns about her case history and testimony regarding the Second Amendment at the state level, eminent domain takings and the so-called constitutional right to privacy that resulted in the Roe v. Wade decision. Together, these and other cases point to a nominee who would bring an activist approach to the highest court in the land.”
SECOND AMENDMENT: “Like the rest of our Constitution, I believe the 2nd Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy. I believe the right to bear arms is a constitutionally protected right. The right of citizens to defend themselves by bearing arms is a fundamental human right that should be protected.”
IMMIGRATION: “Legal immigration has been a great source of strength and prosperity for America, but I believe illegal immigration threatens the foundation of this system. If I had been in the Senate at the time, I would have opposed the McCain-Kennedy bill. I believe we must fix our immigration system by first securing the border, fixing the visa and entry process and opposing amnesty in any reform.”
ENVIRONMENT: “As a U.S. senator, I would oppose a national energy tax on American consumers, farmers and business owners. At a time when our economy is struggling, a cap-and-trade scheme would further strain family budgets and destroy jobs. Creating jobs in the energy sectors and becoming more energy efficient requires entrepreneurial innovation, not big government mandates. Instead of higher energy bills and job losses, the American people deserve a comprehensive, job-creating energy policy that promotes energy efficiency, alternative energy production and the development of our own natural resources.”
ENERGY: “I support a comprehensive energy plan that encourages nuclear energy, exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and environmentally safe leasing of oil and natural gas fields in the outer continental shelf and on federally owned lands with oil shale in the West. As senator, I will stand for policies that make us more energy efficient, less reliant on foreign sources of oil, create jobs and ease the burden on family budgets.”
SANCTITY OF LIFE: “I am pro-life. As a state legislator, I supported various pieces of pro-life legislation that, among other things, would require doctors to perform ultrasounds before performing abortions and another bill that would ban the use of taxpayer dollars to fund stem cell research.”
CARD CHECK: “I oppose card check and any efforts like the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) to tip labor law in favor of unions through binding federal arbitration. I am concerned by labor unions’ unrelenting campaign for card check, which would eliminate workers’ right to a secret ballot in unionization elections. I believe workers’ rights should be protected and that a card check system would open the door to pressure and intimidation that would disrupt the workplace and threaten businesses’ livelihoods. I also oppose EFCA’s arbitration provision, which would give labor and management just months to reach a labor agreement before a contract is imposed by a federal arbitrator.”
Audio Files
Tele-Town Hall with Sen. Jim DeMint
