Montana State Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- No

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- There is NO role for government in a woman: choices.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Maintain Status

3. Environment
- Maintain Status

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- - Increase job training programs - Freeze tuition for Montana college students

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Gas/Oil taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Property taxes
- Maintain Status

6. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Maintain Status

7. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Maintain Status

8. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Maintain Status

9. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Individual
- No

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

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

7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

1. Other or expanded principles
- There are a number of adequate ways to ID voters. Any attempts to make it harder for people to vote is not good policy.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- Yes

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No Answer

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No Answer

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- [d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?] Candidate wrote "case-by-case"[e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?] Candidate wrote "case-by-case" (e) + (f) are not YES/NO questions. The facts in evidence of a specific case should dictate prosecutorial decisions.(g) defer to local sheriffs + police chiefs - AG's office.

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No Answer

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No Answer

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- [c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?] Candidate answered both "Yes" and "No"[f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?] Candidate wrote "in some cases" (a) certain gov't regs that are burdensome on individuals, like new banking rules, should be reduced. But the general, sound-bite / rhetorical call for reduced reg's is not warranted nor leads to good policy decisions. Re: unemployment benefits - more direct payments not the answer; but expanded benefits in the form of more job training + education opportunities, + back-to-work incentives for employers should be supported.

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- Yes

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- No Answer

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- Yes

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- No

5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Montana high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

8. Other or expanded principles
- b) paying teachers better is worthy of supportg) how is it that a kid graduates from MT HS but not a legal resident?

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- Yes

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Montana's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

5. Do you support increasing the means by which hunters may take wolves in order to promote greater management?
- Yes

6. Should Montana reintroduce bison on public lands?
- Yes

7. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- No Answer

4. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- No

6. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- Yes

7. Do you support increased restrictions on the production of medical marijuana in Montana?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- [c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?] Candidate wrote "Not sure - Health exchanges - YES; info" Not sure about interstate compacts -

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- No

2. Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Montana's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

4. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Montana's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- [d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Montana's anti-discrimination laws?] Candidate wrote "- meaning that we should not disciminate on the basis of being male or female"

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, on an attached page, or via e-mail, please explain in a total of 100 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.
- Top priority - job creation - support responsible resource development and a stable, common-sense approach to permitting that still protects the environment. - Use a portion of current surplus general funds in state to pay for programs - investing in education is a proven way to grow the economy : - sustaining the state share of k-12 funding, to keep local levies manageable; - helping w/ student loans or tax credits for tuition to keep college affordable; - supporting 2-year colleges and job training programs that target Montana's small businesses looking for skilled workers in particular fields -invest in public...