Justice Jane Bland has been a formidable presence on the Supreme Court of Texas since her appointment in 2019, with her election in 2020 marking a historic moment as she received over six million votes—the highest ever for any elected office in Texas. Her tenure on the bench spans more than two decades, encompassing roles as a trial judge, appellate justice, and a justice on the Supreme Court of Texas.
With board certifications in Civil Trial Law and Civil Appellate Law, Justice Bland's expertise is well-recognized. Her leadership extends to chairing the Judicial Commission on Mental Health and serving as the court's liaison to various legal bodies, including the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
She is also a contributing member of the American Law Institute and the advisory committee for the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Justice Bland's academic achievements are notable, having graduated at the top of her class in both law and accounting at the University of Texas at Austin. Her early career was marked by a prestigious clerkship with the Honorable Thomas Gibbs Gee on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, setting the stage for her illustrious judicial career.
Over the years, Justice Bland has received numerous awards that attest to her judicial excellence, integrity, and ethical standards. Notably, she was the recipient of the William H.
Rehnquist Award in 2010, presented by Chief Justice John Roberts. Her repeated recognition as judge of the year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists underscores her impact and dedication to the legal profession.
Outside of her judicial responsibilities, Justice Bland, alongside her husband Doug and their two grown children, is actively involved in her church and community in Houston. Her commitment to upholding the United States and Texas Constitutions is a testament to her dedication to the rule of law and justice.
Justice Bland's legal acumen and respect for the Constitution have earned her the endorsement of notable figures, including Governor Greg Abbott, who praised her as an experienced legal expert dedicated to upholding the law and ensuring justice. Justice Jane Bland's career on the Texas Supreme Court is marked by her unwavering dedication to justice, her profound legal expertise, and her commitment to serving the people of Texas with integrity and fairness.
The Texas Republican Party adheres to a conservative platform, advocating for limited government, free-market principles, strong national defense, and traditional family values. The party takes conservative stances on social issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and gun rights.
The party is organized into various levels, including precinct, county, and state committees. The State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) is the governing body of the party between state conventions.
The Texas Republican Party holds state conventions where delegates from across the state gather to set the party platform, elect party leadership, and select delegates for the national convention.
The Texas Republican Party has been dominant in state politics for several decades. It holds majorities in both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate and has held the governor's office since 1995.
Texas Republicans also play a significant role at the federal level, with a majority of the state's congressional delegation being Republicans. Texas has also been a crucial state in presidential elections, often supporting Republican candidates.
The Republican Party has long championed fiscal conservatism, advocating for minimal government intervention in the economy. They believe economic prosperity is driven by free markets and individual initiative.
This philosophy includes support for laissez-faire economics, tax cuts, reduced government spending, privatization, and reducing government-run welfare programs in favor of private-sector solutions and personal responsibility. The party's current fiscal stance supports lower taxes, deregulation of corporations, and opposition to labor unions.
Historically, the Republican Party had strong ties to local businesses and large national corporations. However, in the 21st century, this dynamic has shifted, with corporate America increasingly aligning with more liberal values.
The GOP now focuses more on small businesses and family firms, viewing larger corporations, particularly in tech sectors, as cultural adversaries.
Modern Republicans often endorse supply-side economics, a theory popularized during Ronald Reagan's presidency. They argue that reduced income tax rates can spur GDP growth, ultimately generating the same or more government revenue from increased economic activity.
Republicans typically advocate for tax cuts, oppose graduated tax rates, and favor private over government spending. They generally oppose the estate tax and have a historical precedent of supporting tariffs to protect American industries.
The Republican Party opposes government-run welfare programs, arguing they promote dependency on government assistance. Instead, they advocate for personal responsibility and self-reliance, supporting measures like the welfare reform of 1996, which limited welfare eligibility.
Traditional Values and Social Conservatism: Social conservatism within the Republican Party is deeply rooted in traditional values, often with a Christian foundation. The party supports gun rights as outlined in the Second Amendment, the death penalty, and restrictions on abortion.
They also oppose same-sex marriage, transgender rights, and comprehensive sex education, favoring policies that uphold traditional family structures.
Republicans generally support school choice through charter schools and vouchers for private education. They criticize the performance of public schools and teachers' unions and advocate for greater accountability within the public school system, as seen with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
The party opposes a government-run single-payer healthcare system, advocating instead for a personal or employer-based insurance system, supplemented by Medicare and Medicaid. They support measures to increase health insurance portability, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and tax benefits to make insurance more affordable.
Since the 1920s, Republicans have generally opposed labor unions, supporting right-to-work laws that weaken union influence. They argue that unions can hurt businesses by driving up costs and reducing competitiveness.
Strong National Defense: The Republican Party typically favors increased military spending and a robust national defense. They often support unilateral action in foreign policy and have historically backed military interventions, such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as part of the broader War on Terror.
The Republican Party has consistently supported a strong alliance with Israel, emphasizing the importance of this relationship in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. This support extends to military aid, diplomatic backing, and efforts to secure Israel's security against regional threats.
The party views Israel as a key ally and partner in the fight against terrorism and in advancing democratic values in the region.
The party's stance on international trade has varied over time. Initially supporting protective tariffs, Republicans later embraced free trade agreements.
However, recent years have seen a return to protectionist policies, notably under President Donald Trump, who initiated a trade war with China and renegotiated NAFTA.
Environmental Protection: Historically, some Republican leaders have supported environmental protection efforts. However, the party is now divided on issues like climate change, with many Republicans skeptical of human-caused global warming.
The party generally supports market-based solutions to environmental problems and opposes cap-and-trade policies.
Republicans advocate for increased federal investment in alternative energy sources and support measures to achieve energy independence. This includes promoting oil drilling in protected areas, which has drawn criticism from environmentalists.
Immigration: The Republican Party is divided on immigration, with some advocating for migrant worker programs and easing citizenship guidelines, while others emphasize stricter border enforcement. The party's approach has shifted in response to changing political dynamics and voter demographics.
The Republican platform opposes same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ+ issues, although there are dissenting factions within the party. Some Republicans support anti-discrimination laws, but the party remains divided on how to approach LGBTQ+ rights.
Republicans often support strict constructionism or textualism in judicial interpretation, criticizing judicial activism and advocating for judicial restraint. They support legislative measures to limit federal court jurisdiction in certain areas, reflecting their preference for state over federal authority.