Shane believes in small, limited government; people should be allowed to live without the burdens of an excessive and overreaching state government.
Shane believes in responsible budgeting. South Carolina has a history of poor budgeting decisions. The General Assembly spends all the money and saves too little in good years, requiring deep and painful cuts in down years. The legislature should prioritize needs over wants and cut out earmarks for special pork projects. Shane has voted "no" on the budget 6 out of 8 years because he believed the General Assembly spent too much money or failed to prioritize spending in a responsible manner.
When several state agencies ran deficits in 2010 and 2011, Shane was one of just a few senators to call out the agencies and the legislature for letting it happen. Shane was the only legislator to speak out publicly against South Carolina State University running deficits. Shane's leadership resulted in a new law that prohibits state agencies from running deficits and requires the General Assembly to provide oversight of all agencies.