Brown County, TX
Republican Party

2006 STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM

• Welfare Reform - We believe that the State of Texas should continue to take steps to reduce the number of people on welfare and state welfare spending by enacting tough welfare reforms. We believe the current welfare system encourages spending by enacting tough welfare reforms. We believe the current welfare system encourages dependency on government and robs individuals of their motivation and self–esteem. We support welfare reforms designed to break the cycle of dependency by requiring welfare recipients to work, learn, or train in exchange for their benefits. We believe that welfare benefits to the able–bodied should be limited to a period not to exceed two years. We call for welfare rolls to be checked against all prison population rolls nationwide, and any prisoners should be removed from the welfare rolls while they are incarcerated. We urge the office of the Attorney General to continue its stepped up efforts to collect child support owed for children on welfare and to consider privatization of child support collection in Texas.
• DFPS Accountability - We support the appointment of local elected officials to review charges of abuse of discretion by the Department of Family and Protective Services with respect to intervention into the family unit. It is imperative that this local board have the authority to recommend appropriate corrective and disciplinary action as needed. We believe that only law enforcement officers may remove a child from his or her home or school when there is an immediate danger to the child’s physical health or safety. All other removals of a child shall be pursuant to a court order. No child may be interviewed by the state without video or audio recording of the interview, and the recording shall become evidence. DFPS/CPS will require the tipster to identify themself by name and contact information to the agency. This information will be kept confidential, and the tipster will be notified by the agency that false information will be prosecuted and that false tips will be subject to a fine. A family shall have the right to learn of their accuser with a judicial order. Only findings determined in open court and by trial may be retained by the State.
• Social Security - We support an orderly transition to a system of private pensions based on the concept of individual retirement accounts, and gradually phasing out the Social Security tax. We insist that Social Security benefits be non–taxable. To protect the Social Security System, its funds should not be co–mingled or spent with general revenues or invested in private or public corporate stock. We support Americans being allowed to purchase directly, and hold directly as part of their tax-deferred retirement and educational savings plans, United States Treasury obligations, personally managed investment accounts, and tax-free equities. Individuals, who qualify for Social Security benefits, including school teachers, should receive all of the benefits for which they are eligible without penalty. To protect freedom and privacy, government and private institutions should not require Social Security numbers as ID. Application for Social Security numbers should not be required before the age of consent.
• Government–Sponsored Gambling - We continue to oppose government–sponsored gambling as a means of financing state government. Government–sponsored gambling has had a devastating impact on many Texas families. Moreover, we oppose any further legalization, government facilitation, or financial guarantees relating to any type of gambling including casino, riverboat, video lottery terminals (VLTs), slot machine, video keno, eight-liners, multi-state lotteries, and other games of chance including on Indian reservations. We support the repeal of the state lottery, and enforcement of existing laws and regulations related to gambling. Caring for our Citizens - We urge the Texas State Legislature to:
  
  
  1. continue operation of any of the existing Texas State Schools for the mentally disabled;
  2. continue state operation of these schools;
  3. increase training standards of current Texas State School employees; and,
  4. maintain oversight to ensure efficient use of funding and quality of service.

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