Texas Sovereignty:

Texas needs a Governor who will defend her sovereignty, who will demand respect for The Tenth Amendment (which limits the scope of the Federal Government), and who will adhere to Article I, Section 1 of The Texas Constitution. This is not a matter of "Left", "Right", or "Libertarian", but of protecting what is ours: Texas' Right to make her own decisions, so long as the Rights of individuals are also respected. Jeff Daiell will be such a Governor.

Regarding Nullification:

Laws enacted by Congress beyond the authority vested unto them by The Constitution are antithetical to Liberty.

Indeed, not only did the Founders recognize and state this, but Supreme Court rulings have upheld this position.

Even in Marbury v. Madison the Supreme Court stated that 'All laws which are repugnant to the Constitution are null and void.'

Therefore, in a Jeff Daiell Administration, Texas will lead the way by refusing to enforce unConstitutional acts.

While nullification may be an option, history dictates that without the cooperation of our sister States such efforts shall fail, and failure is not a part of the Texian vocabulary.

We do not desire to challenge the will of people.

Indeed, we desire to protect their rights.

Therefore, since, in no forum have the people stated a desire to be victimized by unConstitutional statutes and regulation, let the people speak.

Let their voice be heard loud and clear so that Washington may hear.

We do not consent to unConstitutional acts.

We will not acquiesce in, concur with, grant, or sanction such nefarious deeds.

We will not yield.

State spending and taxes:

Jeff Daiell will work with the Legislature to reduce State spending by putting teeth into the Texas Sunset Act. He favors having all State agencies reviewed every six years instead of the current 12, and requiring a 2/3 vote of each House of the Legislature for an agency to be renewed. Click "read more" for an explanation.
Jeff Daiell
This change in the Sunset Act will allow the transfer to the private sector of well-meant programs that have not proven themselves and the elimination of those, such as the Railroad Commission, designed to favor special interests. Pruning State agencies that don't work well will enable us to lower State taxes while still ensuring that the basic needs of all Texans are met, thus giving the Texas economy -- and your personal economy -- a healthy boost. To alter an old saying, bureaucracy is not healthy for children and other living things.

Also, Jeff is adamant: "We need to move away from property taxes!"

There is clear evidence that such a move is feasible. It is also imperative, as the property tax is the tax one is least able to protect oneself from.

To make the transition easier, voters must demand fiscal responsibility at the municipal, county, and school district level.

Crime:

We need to make two major changes in crimefighting: it needs to be locally-centered, because our city and county officials know local situations better than State officials do; and it needs to be focused against crimes of violence and theft. Switching back and forth between Democrats and Republicans has moved us further away from both. Because we are Texans, let's switch instead to a candidate who will take the steps we need to make Texans safe, in their homes, in their streets, and in their schools.

Jeff favors creation of a Texas Innocence Commission to ensure that only the guilty are incarcerated. This Commission would provide an independent review of cases, especially capital cases, where there is legitimate doubt about a verdict even after all appeals have been exhausted.

The Right To Keep And Bear Arms

Jeff Daiell will consistently support a Texan's Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and our right to self-defense. He will work with legislators to protect our rights against the actions of local governments.

The United States grew out of the frustration of dealing with an overbearing central government. Local self-government in the Colonies was repeatedly thwarted by the English crown.

The Founders added The Tenth Amendment to the Federal Constitution as protection against an out-of-control central government and to assure The Union the blessings of decentralized self-government. All political powers not specifically listed in the Constitution were to belong to the States or the people.

The Tenth Amendment, repeatedly violated by Washington, is being put to the test today. A growing movement is using the clear language of that Amendment to uphold the rights of individual
States against some of the more egregious regulations from Washington. An outstanding example of this movement is the introduction of a bill into several State legislatures, including that of Texas, known as the Firearm Freedom Act (FFA). It has become law in Montana and Tennessee.

The FFA, based on The Tenth Amendment, would remove from Federal regulation any firearms and ammunition manufactured and retained within a single State. Current Federal firearm regulations, patently unConstitutional under The Second Amendment, are justified as an exercise of the Federal Constitution's commerce clause. The FFA removes that justification. Predictably, Washington has declared that Federal law supersedes the FFA. It clearly does not.

I will work closely with the Texas Legislature to see that the FFA in Texas becomes law, and will use the power of the office of Governor to vigorously defend the Rights of all Texans to keep and bear arms.

Education:

No amount of tinkering with politically-controlled education will significantly improve it.

Electing Jeff Daiell as our governor and electing Libertarian lawmakers to the Legislature is the only way to put the welfare of our children ahead of the self-serving agendas of the educational bureaucracy. Together, we can take the politics out of education and take education out of politics.

Toward this end, Jeff Daiell is proposing the Texas Affordable School Choice (TASC) reform, a comprehensive school choice plan that will put parents in charge of the education of their children. The details of Jeff's common sense plan are on the TASC page.

Civil liberties:

Texans fought a Revolution to protect our precious freedoms. Because we are Texans, let's not surrender to the politicians what we would not concede to Santa Anna. Jeff Daiell will work to expand our Freedom to choose among peaceful, honest activities and ways of life.

Jeff opposes "Real ID". A more detailed statement will be posted in the future, but he notes that, among other objections, the plan violates The Tenth Amendment, which limits the powers of the Federal Government.

Although State judgeships in Texas are elective, vacancies are frequent. As your Governor, Jeff Daiell will fill such vacancies with judges who will respect due process, including the Right of jurors to judge the law as well as the facts ("jury nullification").

Reform:

There are many areas in which reform is needed, and this page will address more of them in the future. But one change that must be made is a requirement that all proposed State Constitutional Amendments, and all proposed State bond issues, be voted on only at the General Elections of even-numbered years, to maximize public awareness, debate, and voter turnout.

Jeff Daiell also supports Initiative and Referendum. His exact proposal will be posted later, but he has stressed that he wants a process that makes utilization by concerned citizens possible, rather than one with requirements so stringent as to render an I&R law meaningless.

Texas and Immigration:

Foreign nationals entering Texas in accordance with Federal policy to live honest and peaceful lives should be welcomed. The incentives for those who would move here for other purposes should be eliminated (e.g., by privatizing health and welfare services and education).

Foreign nationals with convictions in their homelands for violence, theft, or fraud who enter Texas in violation of Federal policy should be detained and transferred to Federal authorities. Those who commit such crimes in Texas will be dealt with by Texas authorities.