Joe Pool Jr.
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Joe Pool Jr.
Party
Republican
Election Year
2014
Election
Primary
Race
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
UT, Austin, Texas, BA, 1977
UT Law, Austin, Texas, JD, 1980
McCombs Business School, Austin, Texas, MPA, NC
WORK & MILITARY
Alden, Inc., President, 1985-1989
IDGAS, Inc., General Counsel, 1988-2016
Trans Texas Holdings Corporation, President General Counsel, 1998-2016
Dripping Springs Water Supply Corp., General Counsel, 2003-2005
AFFILIATIONS
Tarrytown United Methodist, Pool Family, Dripping Springs United Methodist
Pool Family, Austin School Of Film, General Counsel
Media In Motion, Pro Bono Attorney, Austin Municipal Soccer League
Founder Board Of Captains, Republican Liberty Caucus, Member
Texas Young Republicans Convention, Sponsor, Texas Eagle Forum
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Texas Supreme Court, Place 4, 2012
Texas Supreme Court, Place 6, 2014
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
American Gun Rights
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
American Gun Rights
Terry Lowry
Gun Rights Across America
Texas Family Values
Gary Polland
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (6)
Briscoe Cain
Jason Isaac
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations
National Republican Congressional Committee
Our Country Deserves Better/Tea Party Express
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
Gary Polland has clarified on 2/16/14 that he did not endorse Joe Pool in this race.
QUESTIONNAIRE
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
1. Election of judges by the people for a definite term of office is the best way to select judges.
Strongly Agree
2. The U.S. Constitution is a living document and should be interpreted according to the circumstances of each generation.
Strongly Disagree
3. Foreign laws should be used in American courts even where those laws conflict with constitutional rights.
Strongly Disagree
4. Free enterprise and the right to private property turn mankind's natural self interest into the fairest and most productive economic system there is, and are the key to national prosperity.
Strongly Agree
5. Which current Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court best reflects your judicial philosophy?
Clarence Thomas
6. Which U.S. president elected to that office in 1960 or thereafter best reflects your political philosophy?
Ronald Reagan
7. Which U.S. Supreme Court decision do you think has most impacted society? Please explain your answer.
Roe v Wade has had the most social impact of any court decision ever. The social impact of Roe v Wade comes about because for some inexplicable reason we as a country politically are fairly evenly divided in opposition and in support of the decision. Proponents on both sides of Roe v Wade are moved to action. Taking no action also leads to dire results as more unborn babies are denied their absolute right to life from conception. Of course overturning Roe v. Wade would take care of the negative social impact resulting from its enforcement.
8. Based on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, please arrange the following entities, starting with the highest source of authority, and continue the list in descending order of authority, skipping any that do not apply: Academia, Congress, Constitution, God, Industry, Media, Professional Sports, Supreme Court, Voters.
God, Constitution, Supreme Court, Congress, Voters
9. What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers within the Constitution?
We are all born with original sin. We are fallible, sometimes greedy and oftentimes very smart in our pursuits of self interest. Governmental powers of each branch of government had to be clearly defined, clearly separated and clearly limited with respect to preserving individuals' rights and preserving states' rights. Judicial activism was feared and the constitutions were designed to hold the judiciary in check by the legislative and executive branches.
10. Please give an example of a judicial decision where strict constructionist policy was violated. Explain.
Roe v Wade is a judicial decision where strict constructionist policy was violated in the most harmful of ways. Judicial activism was justified and rationalized and then quantified straight off the tops of judicial heads. Authorities or precedents establishing any rational basis for Roe v Wade are nonexistant. There is no Constitutional provision to rationally base it upon. There is no statute. There is no precedent. There is no science. Nothing in existence which justifies the rulings in Roe v Wade. Roe v Wade violates strict constructionist policy in its totality by deconstructing numerous precedents and bastardizing our privacy rights to judicially justify abortion after conception - turning constitutional law upside down and inside out.
11. What is the proper use of legislative history in interpreting statutory law?
First and foremost we give the words used in a statute their clear English meaning. Only If the codified language is ambiguous on whether it applies to certain individuals or to certain facts do we delve into legislative history. Only at the point of ambiguity would we look to the legislative history to find whether or not the individuals or facts were intended to be covered by the statute.
12. What specific text in the Declaration of Independence provides the critical basis for individual rights and the form of government guaranteed in the United States Constitution?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed... That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.
13. Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I believe in a loving god, a nurturing god, and that humans are fallible but can better themselves through finding Christ. Those who know Christ will always be able to do what is right and live proud righteous lives. Those who try to find themselves spiritually without Christ will find that it leads to unhappy unfulfilled lives. I have been married to Leslie for 32 years and am blessed every day with my matrimonial union. Leslie and I raised 2 fine young men, Trey and Trent. I am a proud supporter of life from conception and of Texas Family Values. SEE my videos at poolfortexas.com
