Michigan State Legislative Election 1998 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

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

1. Abortions should always be legally available.
- No Answer

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

3. Abortions should be legal only when pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
- X

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

5. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer

6. Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
- No Answer

7. Prohibit the late-term abortion procedure known as "partial-birth" abortion.
- No Answer

8. Support "buffer zones" by requiring demonstrators to stay at least 15 feet away from abortion clinic doorways and driveways.
- No Answer

9. Other
- No Answer

10. Should Michigan government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?
- No

Affirmative Action

Indicate the principles you support (if any) concerning affirmative action. State government agencies should take race and sex into account in the following sectors:

1. College and university admissions
- No

2. Public employment
- No

3. State contracting
- No

4. Other
- No Answer

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime.

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

2. Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
- No Answer

3. End parole for repeat violent felons.
- X

4. Support the use of the death penalty.
- No Answer

5. Oppose the death penalty.
- No Answer

6. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- No Answer

7. Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
- X

8. Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
- No Answer

9. Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
- No Answer

10. Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
- No Answer

11. Strengthen penalties and sentences for sex offenders.
- X

12. Lower the blood-alcohol-content limit defining drunk driving.
- No Answer

13. Support penalties for drunk driving including vehicle confiscation.
- X

14. Support penalties for drunk driving including "scarlet letter" license plates.
- No Answer

15. Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
- X

16. Allow courts to hold parents in contempt (or fine them) if they do not appear at their juvenile's hearing.
- No Answer

17. Support mandatory sentences for juveniles possessing firearms while committing a felony.
- No Answer

18. Implement the guidelines recommended by the 1997 Michigan Sentencing Guidelines Commission.
- No Answer

19. Other
- No Answer

20. Should Michigan commit sexual predators to mental hospitals after serving their criminal sentence if they are considered a threat to society?
- No Answer

21. Should Michigan end mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related crimes, allowing judges flexibility in sentencing?
- No Answer

Economy and Employment

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning the economy and employment.

1. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
- No Answer

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

3. Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
- No Answer

4. Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
- No Answer

5. Increase the number of tax-free Renaissance Zones in order to encourage economic development in economically-distressed areas.
- No Answer

6. Other
- No Answer

7. Do you support expanding legalized gambling in Michigan?
- No

Education

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

1. Increase state funds for professional development of public school teachers and administrators.
- No Answer

2. Encourage private or corporate investment in public school programs.
- X

3. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
- No Answer

4. Favor charter schools where independent groups receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- No Answer

5. Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
- No Answer

6. Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
- No Answer

7. Increase state funds for school construction and facility maintenance.
- No Answer

8. Increase state funds for hiring of additional teachers.
- No Answer

9. Endorse teacher-led voluntary prayer in public schools.
- X

10. Support the use of a state-wide achievement test (MEAP) in public schools.
- No Answer

11. Expel students who physically assault others on school grounds.
- X

12. Require public schools to begin classes after Labor Day.
- No Answer

13. Other
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

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

1. Require the use of cleaner burning fuels in order to prevent pollution.
- X

2. Support "self-audit" legislation, which creates incentives for industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
- No Answer

3. Require a cost/benefit analysis to determine the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
- No Answer

4. Require the state to fully compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses on privately owned land.
- No Answer

5. Provide funding for recycling programs in Michigan.
- No Answer

6. Request added flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
- No Answer

7. Suspend participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
- No Answer

8. Restructure the electric utility industry to allow consumers to choose their power company.
- No Answer

9. Other
- No Answer

10. State environmental regulations should not be stricter than federal law.
- No Answer

Who should have primary responsibility for the cleanup of polluted industrial sites? Select one option only.

1. Federal government
- No Answer

2. State government
- No Answer

3. Local government
- No Answer

4. Land owners
- No Answer

5. Business owners
- X

6. Other
- No Answer

Government Reform

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

Do you support limits on the number of terms of the following Michigan officials?

1. State Senators and Representatives
- Yes

2. Governor
- Yes

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

1. Individual
- Yes

2. PAC
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

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

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

6. Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
- No

7. Would you vote to ratify an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring an annual balanced federal budget?
- Yes

8. Should candidates for Michigan's state legislature be required to sign an affidavit affirming that their commercials are truthful?
- Yes

9. Other
- No Answer

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

1. Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
- No Answer

2. Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer

3. Maintain state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer

4. Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer

5. Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens.
- No Answer

6. Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.
- No Answer

7. Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.
- No Answer

8. Other
- X

Health

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

1. Provide tax incentives to small businesses that provide health care to their employees.
- X

2. Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care when needed.
- X

3. Support MI Child, a program to provide access to health insurance for uninsured children.
- X

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

5. Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
- No Answer

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

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

8. Other
- No Answer

Social

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

1. Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
- No Answer

2. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
- No Answer

3. Increase state funds to provide child care to children in low-income working families.
- No Answer

4. Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
- X

5. Favor banning smoking in public places.
- No Answer

6. Increase state funding for Head Start in order to serve additional children and/or increase services from a half to a full day.
- No Answer

7. Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
- No Answer

8. Support state funding of programs for at-risk youth, such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.
- No Answer

9. Allow child protective services workers to carry pepper spray.
- X

10. Other
- No Answer

11. Do you believe that the Michigan government should include sexual orientation in Michigan's anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

12. Do you believe that the Michigan government should recognize same-sex marriages?
- No

13. Should physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients be banned in Michigan?
- No Answer

State Budget

Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following general categories. Select one level only.

1. Agriculture
- No Answer

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Education (Higher)
- Slightly Increase

4. Environment
- No Answer

5. Health care
- Slightly Increase

6. Law enforcement
- Slightly Increase

7. Transportation
- No Answer

8. Welfare
- No Answer

9. Other
- No Answer

State Taxes

Indicate the tax levels you will support. Select one level only.

1. Alcohol Taxes
- No Answer

2. Capital gains taxes
- Greatly Decrease

3. Cigarette taxes
- No Answer

4. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Increase

5. Gas taxes
- Greatly Decrease

6. Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
- Greatly Decrease

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

8. Property taxes
- Greatly Decrease

9. Sales taxes
- Greatly Decrease

10. Other
- No Answer

11. Do you support a flat tax on businesses?
- Undecided

12. Do you support a flat tax on individual incomes?
- Undecided

Transportation

Michigan citizens have consistently mentioned the condition of Michigan's roads and bridges as a major problem facing the state. On an attached page, in fifty words or less, explain what you will do as a state legislator to address this concern.
- No Answer

Welfare

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

1. Require welfare recipients to sign a contract outlining steps they will take to become self-sufficient in order to receive benefits.
- X

2. Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
- No Answer

3. Provide tax incentives to businesses that hire welfare recipients.
- No Answer

4. Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
- No Answer

5. Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
- No Answer

6. Allow welfare recipients to remain eligible for benefits while saving money for education, starting a business, or buying a home.
- No Answer

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

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

9. Require mandatory drug testing and treatment for welfare recipients in order to receive benefits.
- X

10. Provide a $50 clothing allowance for children whose parents are exempt from work requirements.
- No Answer

11. Other
- No Answer

12. Should Michigan pay welfare recipients to work in community service jobs when they are unable to find private-sector employment?
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected. Please explain how you would obtain any additional government funding needed to implement these priorities.
- No Answer