2020

Abortion

1. What is your stance on abortion?
- Pro-choice

Gun Control

Should there be more restrictions on the current process of purchasing a gun?
- Yes

Gay Marriage

Do you support the legalization of same sex marriage?
- Yes

LGBT Adoption Rights

Should gay couples have the same adoption rights as straight couples?
- Yes

Equal Pay

Should employers be required to pay men and women the same salary for the same job?
- Yes

Stay At Home Order

Should the government enforce a "stay-at-home" order to combat the coronavirus?
- Yes

Climate Change

Should the government increase environmental regulations to prevent climate change?
- Yes

Planned Parenthood Funding

Should the government continue to fund Planned Parenthood?
- Yes

Trump Impeachment

Do you support the impeachment of President Donald Trump?
- Yes

Mandatory Vaccinations

Should the government require children to be vaccinated for preventable diseases?
- Yes

Marital Rape

Should marital rape be classified and punished as severely as non-marital rape?
- Yes

Pre-Existing Conditions

Should health insurers be allowed to deny coverage to individuals who have a pre-existing condition?
- No

Police Body Cameras

Should police officers be required to wear body cameras?
- Yes

Gun Buyback

Should the federal government institute a mandatory buyback of assault weapons?
- Yes

Religious Freedom Act

Should a business be able to deny service to a customer if the request conflicts with the owner’s religious beliefs?
- No

Drug Price Regulation

Should the government regulate the prices of life-saving drugs?
- Yes

Gender Identity

Should "gender identity" be added to anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

Armed Teachers

Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
- No

Government Mandates

Should health insurance providers be required to offer free birth control?
- Yes

Immigrant Children

Should adults that are illegally attempting to cross the U.S. border be separated from their children?
- No

Taxes

Should the U.S. raise taxes on the rich?
- Yes

Mental Health

Should the government increase funding for mental health research and treatment?
- Yes

Stay-At-Home Order

When should your state end the "Stay at Home" order and reopen its economy?
- Until a vaccine is approved by the FDA

Immigration Ban

Should there be a temporary ban on all immigration into the United States?
- No

Border Wall

Should the U.S. build a wall along the southern border?
- No

Student Loans

Do you support increasing taxes for the rich in order to reduce interest rates for student loans?
- Yes

Minimum Wage

Should the government raise the federal minimum wage?
- Yes

Muslim Immigrants

Should Muslim immigrants be banned from entering the country until the government improves its ability to screen out potential terrorists?
- No

Muslim Surveillance

Should local police increase surveillance and patrol of Muslim neighborhoods?
- No

Free College for All

Should the federal government pay for tuition at four-year colleges and universities?
- Yes

Gerrymandering

Should the redrawing of Congressional districts be controlled by an independent, non-partisan commission?
- Yes

Women in Combat

Should the military allow women to serve in combat roles?
- Yes

Paid Sick Leave

Should businesses be required to provide paid leave for full-time employees during the birth of a child or sick family member?
- Yes

Iran

Should the U.S. go to war with Iran?
- No

Immigration Healthcare

Should illegal immigrants have access to government-subsidized healthcare?
- Yes

No-Fly List Gun Control

Should people on the "no-fly list" be banned from purchasing guns and ammunition?
- Yes

Immigration

Should children of illegal immigrants be granted legal citizenship?
- Yes

Mandatory Military Service

Should every 18 year old citizen be required to provide at least one year of military service?
- No

Deporting Criminal Immigrants

Should immigrants be deported if they commit a serious crime?
- Yes, as long as it is safe for them to return to their country

United Nations

Should the U.S. remain in the United Nations?
- Yes

Drug Policy

Are you in favor of decriminalizing drug use?
- Yes

Foreign Lobbying

Should foreign lobbyists be allowed to raise money for American elections?
- No

Medicaid

Should the federal government increase funding of health care for low income individuals (Medicaid)?
- Yes

Obamacare

Do you support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)?
- Yes

Term Limits

Should there be term limits set for members of Congress?
- Yes, term limits for the House but not the Senate

Marijuana

Do you support the legalization of Marijuana?
- Yes

Electoral College

Should the electoral college be abolished?
- Yes

Corporate Tax

Should the U.S. raise or lower the tax rate for corporations?
- Raise

Illegal Immigrant Detainment

Should local law enforcement be allowed to detain illegal immigrants for minor crimes and transfer them to federal immigration authorities?
- No

Death Penalty

Do you support the death penalty?
- No

Campaign Finance

1. Should there be a limit to the amount of money a candidate can receive from a donor?
- Yes

Fracking

Do you support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources?
- No

Foreign Elections

Should the government attempt to influence foreign elections?
- No

NSA Domestic Surveillance

Should the NSA (National Security Agency) be allowed to collect basic metadata of citizen’s phone calls such as numbers, timestamps, and call durations?
- No, only with a warrant showing probable cause of criminal activity

Single-Payer Healthcare

Do you support a single-payer healthcare system?
- Yes

Immigrant Assimilation

Should immigrants be required to learn English?
- No

Israel Boycott

Should it be illegal to join a boycott of Israel?
- No

Immigrant Laborers

Should working illegal immigrants be given temporary amnesty?
- Yes

Sanctuary Cities

Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding?
- Yes

Transgender Athletes

Should transgender athletes be allowed to compete in athletic events?
- Yes

NATO

1. Should the U.S. remain in NATO?
- Yes

Gun Liability

Should victims of gun violence be allowed to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers?
- Yes

Alternative Energy

Should the government give tax credits and subsidies to the wind power industry?
- Yes

Military Congressional Approval

Should the President be able to authorize military force against Al-Qaeda without Congressional approval?
- No

Confederate Flag

Should states be allowed to display the Confederate flag on government property?
- No

Torture

Should the military be allowed to use enhanced interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, to gain information from suspected terrorists?
- No

Soleimani

Do you support the killing of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani?
- No

In-State Tuition

Should illegal immigrants be offered in-state tuition rates at public colleges within their residing state?
- Yes

Social Media Regulation

Should the government regulate social media sites, as a means to prevent fake news and misinformation?
- No, social media companies are private and should not be regulated by the government

Border Security

Should the U.S. increase restrictions on its current border security policy?
- No

Voter Fraud

Should a photo ID be required to vote?
- No

Gender Workplace Diversity

Should businesses be required to have women on their board of directors?
- No, the government should never require the diversity of private businesses

Private Prisons

Should the government hire private companies to run prisons?
- No

Corporate Mega Mergers

Should the government prevent "mega mergers" of corporations that could potentially control a large percentage of market share within its industry?
- Yes

Net Neutrality

Should internet service providers be allowed to speed up access to popular websites (that pay higher rates) at the expense of slowing down access to less popular websites (that pay lower rates)?
- No

Plastic Product Ban

Should disposable products (such as plastic cups, plates, and cutlery) that contain less than 50% of biodegradable material be banned?
- Yes

Welfare Drug Testing

Should welfare recipients be tested for drugs?
- No

Oil Drilling

Should the U.S. expand offshore oil drilling?
- No

Israel

Should the U.S. continue to support Israel?
- We should give equal support to Israel and Palestine.

Citizenship Test

Should immigrants be required to pass a citizenship test to demonstrate a basic understanding of our country’s language, history, and government?
- Yes, but it should only cover very basic and simple topics

Euthanasia

Should terminally ill patients be allowed to end their lives via assisted suicide?
- Yes

Candidate Transparency

Should political candidates be required to release their recent tax returns to the public?
- Yes

Paris Climate Agreement

Should the U.S. withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement?
- No

Government Spending

Should the government make cuts to public spending in order to reduce the national debt?
- No

Campaign Finance

1. Should corporations, unions, and non-profit organizations be allowed to donate to political parties?
- No

Skilled Immigrants

Should the US increase or decrease the amount of temporary work visas given to high-skilled immigrant workers?
- Increase

Patriot Act

Do you support the Patriot Act?
- No

Medicaid Work Requirement

Should people be required to work in order to receive Medicaid?
- No

Universal Basic Income

Do you support a universal basic income program?
- Yes

Medicare Drug Prices

Should the federal government be allowed to negotiate drug prices for Medicare?
- Yes

Safe Spaces

Should universities provide "trigger warnings" and "safe spaces" for students?
- Yes

Lobbyists

Should there be a 5-year ban on White House and Congressional officials from becoming lobbyists after they leave the government?
- Yes

Flag Burning

Should it be illegal to burn the American flag?
- No

North Korea Military Strikes

Should the U.S. conduct military strikes against North Korea in order to destroy their long-range missile and nuclear weapons capabilities?
- No

Minimum Voting Age

Should the minimum voting age be lowered?
- No, and voters should be required to pass a basic test demonstrating their understanding of politics in order to vote

Welfare

Should there be fewer or more restrictions on current welfare benefits?
- Fewer

Labor Unions

Do you believe labor unions help or hurt the economy?
- Help

Whistleblower Protection

Should the government pass laws which protect whistleblowers?
- Yes

Yemen

Should the U.S. provide military aid to Saudi Arabia during its conflict with Yemen?
- No

Niqab

Should women be allowed to wear a Niqab, or face veil, to civic ceremonies?
- Yes

Military Spending

Should the government increase or decrease military spending?
- Decrease

Supreme Court Reform

Should the Supreme Court be reformed to include more seats and term limits on judges?
- Yes

Solitary Confinement for Juveniles

Should prisons ban the use of solitary confinement for juveniles?
- Yes

Free Tax Filing

Should the IRS create a free electronic tax filing system?
- Yes

Syrian Refugees

Should the U.S. accept refugees from Syria?
- Yes

Affirmative Action

Do you support affirmative action programs?
- Yes

Common Core

Do you support Common Core national standards?
- Yes, I support the concept but not the current implementation

Foreign Assassination

Should the US assassinate suspected terrorists in foreign countries?
- No

First Amendment

Should the government support a separation of church and state by removing references to God on money, federal buildings, and national monuments?
- Yes

Capital Gains Tax

Should the government increase the tax rate on profits earned from the sale of stocks, bonds, and real estate?
- Yes

Safe Haven

Should cities open drug "safe havens" where people who are addicted to illegal drugs can use them under the supervision of medical professionals?
- Yes

Dakota Access Pipeline

Should the government stop construction of the Dakota Access pipeline?
- Yes

Foreign Aid

Should the US increase or decrease foreign aid spending?
- Increase

ISIS Ground Troops

Should the U.S. send ground troops into Syria to fight ISIS?
- No

Overtime Pay

Should the government require businesses to pay salaried employees, making up to $46k/year, time-and-a-half for overtime hours?
- Yes

Eminent Domain

Should the government be allowed to seize private property, with reasonable compensation, for public or civic use?
- Yes

Terrorism

Should foreign terrorism suspects be given constitutional rights?
- Yes, give them a fair trial and shut down Guantanamo Bay

Drones

Should the military fly drones over foreign countries to gain intelligence and kill suspected terrorists?
- Yes

Economic Stimulus

Should the government use economic stimulus to aid the country during times of recession?
- Yes

VA Privatization

Should there be more or less privatization of veterans’ healthcare?
- Less

Social Security

Should the government raise the retirement age for Social Security?
- No

GMO Labels

Should producers be required to label genetically engineered foods (GMOs)?
- Yes

Universal Pre-K

Should the federal government fund Universal preschool?
- Yes

Criminal Voting Rights

Should convicted criminals have the right to vote?
- Yes

Afghanistan

Should the United States pull all military troops out of Afghanistan?
- Yes

Dual Citizenship

Should immigrants to the United States be allowed to hold dual citizenship status?
- Yes

Criminal Politicians

Should a politician, who has been formerly convicted of a crime, be allowed to run for office?
- Yes

Mandatory minimum prison sentences

Do you support mandatory minimum prison sentences for people charged with drug possession?
- No

NAFTA

Should the U.S. continue to participate in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
- Yes

Estate Tax

Should the current estate tax rate be decreased?
- No

Nuclear Energy

Do you support the use of nuclear energy?
- Yes, temporarily while we increase investment into cleaner renewable alternatives

Drug Trafficking Penalties

Should drug traffickers receive the death penalty?
- No

Space Exploration

Should the government fund space travel?
- Yes

War on ISIS

Should the U.S. formally declare war on ISIS?
- No

Cuba

Do you support President Obama’s move to lift the trade and travel embargo on Cuba?
- Yes

Tariffs

Should the government add or increase tariffs on products imported into the country?
- No

China Tariffs

Should the U.S. increase tariffs on imported products from China?
- No

Ukraine

Should the U.S. provide military assistance to defend Ukraine from Russia?
- Yes

Domestic Jobs

Should the President offer tax breaks to individual companies to keep jobs in the U.S.?
- No

Tech Monopolies

Should the government break up Amazon, Facebook and Google?
- No

NATO

1. Should the U.S. defend other NATO countries that maintain low military defense budgets relative to their GDP?
- Yes

Federal Reserve

Should the Federal Reserve Bank be audited by Congress?
- Yes, we deserve to know who the bank gives money to

Farm Subsidies

Should the government subsidize farmers?
- Yes

Property Taxes

Would you favor an increased sales tax in order to reduce property taxes?
- No

NSA Surveillance

Should the U.S. continue NSA surveillance of its allies?
- No

Pension Reform

Should pension plans for federal, state, and local government workers be transitioned into privately managed accounts?
- No

Offshore Banking

Should U.S. citizens be allowed to save or invest their money in offshore bank accounts?
- No

Edward Snowden

Should the U.S. government grant immunity to Edward Snowden?
- Yes, he should be protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act

Russian Airstrikes in Syria

Should the U.S. prevent Russia from conducting airstrikes in Syria?
- Yes

Prison Overcrowding

Should non-violent prisoners be released from jail in order to reduce overcrowding?
- Yes

Trans-Pacific Partnership

Do you support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)?
- Yes

India Arms

Should the U.S. sell military weapons to India in order to counter Chinese and Russian influence?
- No, and we should increase diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully

Government Pensions

Should pension payments be increased for retired government workers?
- Yes

Public Transportation

Should the government increase spending on public transportation?
- Yes

Jerusalem

Should Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of Israel?
- No

Online Sales Tax

Should an in-state sales tax apply to online purchases of in-state buyers from out-of-state sellers?
- Yes

School Truancy

Should the government decriminalize school truancy?
- Yes

Hong Kong Fugitive Extradition

Should the Chinese government be able to extradite fugitives from Hong Kong?
- No

Corporate Subsidies

Should cities be allowed to offer private companies economic incentives to relocate?
- Yes, if the company promises to create new jobs by hiring local residents

Bitcoin

Should the government classify Bitcoin as a legal currency?
- No

State Ownership

Should the government acquire equity stakes in companies it bails out during a recession?
- No

Greenland

Should the United States acquire Greenland?
- No

Air Force One

Should the military upgrade Air Force One?
- No

Sports Betting

Should sports betting be legal?
- Yes, but let each state decide

Vermont State Legislative Election 2004 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

1. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer

2. Abortions should always be legal.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer

4. Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
- No Answer

5. Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

6. Prohibit public funding of abortions and of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- X

Budget, Spending, and Tax

State Budget: Indicate the funding levels (#1-6) you will support for the following general categories. Select one level per category.

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Maintain Status

3. Environment
- Slightly Increase

4. Health care
- Slightly Increase

5. Law enforcement
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes: Indicate the tax levels (#1-6) you will support. Select one level per tax.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Slightly Increase

2. Capital gains taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

4. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Decrease

5. Estate taxes
- Maintain Status

6. Gasoline taxes
- Slightly Increase

7. Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
- Slightly Decrease

8. Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
- Maintain Status

9. Property taxes
- Slightly Decrease

10. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

11. Vehicle taxes
- Maintain Status

12. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

13. Should Internet sales be taxed?
- Yes

14. Other or expanded principles
- X

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

1. Do you support limiting the number of terms for Vermont governors?
- No

2. Do you support limiting the number of terms for Vermont state senators and representatives?
- No

Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative and gubernatorial candidates?

1. Individual
- Yes

2. PAC
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Parties
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

6. Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
- Yes

7. Do you support adopting statewide standards for counting, verifying, and ensuring accuracy of votes?
- Yes

8. Do you support prohibiting the reporting of media exit polling results until all polling locations in Vermont are closed?
- Undecided

9. Do you support recognition of civil unions between same-sex couples?
- Yes

10. Should Vermont restrict marriage to a union only between a man and a woman?
- No

11. Should Vermont ban smoking in all public places, including bars?
- Yes

12. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

1. Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
- No Answer

2. Implement the death penalty in Vermont.
- No Answer

3. Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- X

4. End parole for repeat violent offenders.
- No Answer

5. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- X

6. Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
- No Answer

7. Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
- X

8. Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
- No Answer

9. Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
- X

10. Increase funding for state and local emergency agencies to prevent and to respond to terrorist attacks.
- X

11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

1. Support national standards and testing of public school students.
- No Answer

2. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any public school.
- No Answer

3. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
- No Answer

4. Expand Vermont's public school choice program to include all K-12 students.
- No Answer

5. Increase state funds for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
- X

6. Increase state funds for hiring additional teachers.
- No Answer

7. Support teacher testing and reward with merit pay.
- No Answer

8. Endorse voluntary prayer in public schools.
- No Answer

9. Require public schools to administer high school exit exams.
- No Answer

10. Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
- No Answer

11. Increase funding for Head Start programs.
- X

12. Support incentives for communities to start public preschool programs.
- X

13. Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
- X

14. Support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods.
- X

15. Support abstinence-only sexual education programs.
- No Answer

16. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Employment and Affirmative Action

Employment: Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

1. Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers and teach skills needed in today's job market.
- X

2. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- No Answer

3. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
- X

4. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for children in low-income working families.
- X

5. Increase state funds to provide child care for children in low-income working families.
- X

6. Increase the state minimum wage.
- X

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Affirmative Action: Should race, ethnicity or gender be taken into account in state agencies' decisions on:

1. Public employment
- Yes

2. State college and university admissions
- Yes

3. State contracting
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

1. Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
- X

2. Support increased production of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, and oil).
- X

3. Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated, unused, or abandoned.
- No Answer

4. Support funding for open space preservation.
- X

5. Enact environmental regulations even if they are stricter than federal law.
- X

6. Conduct environmental permit appeals before a full-time Environmental Court.
- No Answer

7. Conduct environmental permit appeals before a citizen board.
- No Answer

8. Allow individuals or groups that can demonstrate an interest or expertise in a case to participate in environmental permit appeals.
- No Answer

9. Other or expanded principles
- X

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.

1. Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- X

2. Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer

3. Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer

4. Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
- No Answer

5. Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
- No Answer

6. Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
- No Answer

7. Require a license for gun possession.
- No Answer

8. Other or expanded principles
- X

Health

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

1. Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
- X

2. Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
- No Answer

3. Provide tax credits to small businesses that offer health insurance to their workers.
- X

4. Allow small businesses and individuals who have not had health insurance in the past to buy coverage under a state plan.
- X

5. Limit the amount of punitive damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- No Answer

6. Support patients' right to sue their HMOs.
- X

7. Support patients' right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied.
- X

8. Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
- No Answer

9. Legalize physician assisted suicide in Vermont.
- X

10. Allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
- X

11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Welfare and Poverty

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

1. Support increased work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients.
- No Answer

2. Increase funding for employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
- X

3. Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
- X

4. Limit benefits given to recipients if they have additional children while on welfare.
- No Answer

5. Redirect welfare funding to faith-based and community-based private organizations.
- No Answer

6. Use federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds to extend health and child care subsidies to the working poor.
- X

7. Support marriage promotion programs for welfare recipients.
- No Answer

8. Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
- No Answer

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 75 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- 1) HEALTHCARE - All Vermonters in, nobody out! Cost Containment: Reduce Prescription Drug Cost -increase purchasing power with other states -promote generics -import from Canada Reduce Admin. costs. in the U.S. 30 cents of each dollar goes to admin costs- in the rest of the industrialized world, it is about 15 cents2) TRANSPORTATION & TELECOMMUNICATION- Improve both transportation + telecommunications infrastructure3) EDUCATION - Provide for quality Pre-K to 12, + affordability + accessibility to higher ed.4) GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS - Improve efficience of delivery of government services. more + better utilization of on-line services.