- Share on WeChat
-
| Pro-choice | a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? |
| Yes | b) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? |
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? |
| No | d) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? |
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |
| Positions like those asserting life to begin at conception have the peculiar consequence that In-Vitro Fertilization becomes practically impossible. A proposed constitutional amendment in Alabama failed on this issue. The best approach to reducing the number of abortions is a robust sex education regimen in the schools and ready access to birth control. | |
| 1) Budget Stabilization: | |
| Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing New Jersey's budget. | |
| No | a) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions |
| No | b) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees |
| No | c) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients |
| No | d) An income tax increase on any tax bracket |
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |
| Yes / No answers to this set of questions are not a reasonable way to approach them. I choose No as a proxy for ?not applicable? here. First it is not clear that budget stabilization requires the draconian methods these answers indicate, on the other hand it is clear that the budget has been mismanaged. The key to growing the budget is economic growth, but economic growth is not solely a function of lower taxes. We need to find the resources to improve our infrastructure. The first we must examine current allocation of resources and subject that to performance testing | |
| a) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates? | |
| Yes | 1) Individual |
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee |
| Yes | 3) Corporate |
| Yes | 4) Political Party |
| Yes | b) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? |
| Yes | c) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? |
| Yes | d) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? |
| No | e) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? |
| f) Other or expanded principles: | |
| I think that money in politics is among the most corrupting factors in our current political environment. Corporations, unions, and other special interest groups wield sufficient power and have sufficient influence due to their numbers (number of employees, members, etc.) and their impact on the economy, they do not need direct contributions to amplify their voices. I think that redistricting should be done fully objectively through a computer algorithm and only as a last resort by a commission to adjudicate minor discrepancies. I think that requirements for a photo Id may be introduced in the future when everyone has one. | |
| No | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? |
| Yes | b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? |
| Yes | c) Do you support legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana? |
| Yes | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? |
| No | e) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? |
| Yes | f) Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction? |
| g) Other or expanded principles: | |
| I think that in general a minor accurse of a crime should not be prosecuted as an adult. I would support a categorical restriction that no minor below the age of 15 can be tried as an adult. Likewise, I would set a high threshold for charging a minor as an adult in general. I think that the seizure of assets prior to conviction has been rife with abuse and invites corruption. While it may serve to further skew the criminal justice system in favor of those with money, I would address that problem from the other side. | |
| Yes | a) Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? |
| Yes | b) Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? |
| No | c) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? |
| No | d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? |
| No | e) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits? |
| Yes | f) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage? |
| Yes | g) Do you support legalized state-sponsored sports betting in New Jersey? |
| No | h) Do you support a tax on short-term housing rentals in New Jersey? |
| i) Other or expanded principles: | |
| Here again we have many questions that do not have easy Yes/No answers. I support eliminating regulations that do not further some specific good. Regulation should make it easier for good players in an industry to do the right thing and not worry that their competitors will get an advantage from polluting or cheating the buyer. I do not think that welfare applicants should undergo drug testing as a condition of getting benefits, but rather as a means to identify a malady the treatment of which may speed the path off welfare. | |
| Yes | a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative? |
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? |
| Yes | c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from New Jersey high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities in New Jersey? |
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |
| I think that the common core is at basis a good idea, however, it has yet to be implemented in a way that is effective and responsive to the need. Testing should not require special teaching, should not consume a large amount of classroom time and should yield results that allow teachers and parents to improve outcomes pretty much right away. I believe that charter schools are necessary in districts where schools have a persistent record of failure. In other cases I prefer to see regional magnet schools rather than charters filling the need for special interest education. | |
| No | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? |
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? |
| Yes | c) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? |
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |
| I do not think that direct funding at the state level is required in insure a healthy solar, wind or thermal industry. I do think that credits for the application of these energy sources are useful, preferably from the federal government but if the federal government withdraws aide, some limited state involvement may be prudent. Optimally greenhouse gas emissions should be strongly regulated at the federal level. If the federal government reneges on its obligation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, groups of states can combine efforts to provide needed regulations. | |
| Yes | a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation? |
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? |
| Yes | c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns? |
| Yes | d) Should a license be required for gun possession? |
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |
| Except for the third question, ?Yes? answers to these questions represent straightforward and sensible approach to gun safety. New Jersey?s gun regulations are good, strong, enforceable and do not represent an undue burden on the gun owner. Question {c} simply requires some elaboration. Currently a permit to carry a concealed weapon is issued only when an individual has shown a sufficient need to have such a permit. Such reasons include being a law enforcement officer, being engaged in security work for a company, etc. The practice of establishing sufficient reason to hold a concealed carry permit is a good one. | |
| Yes | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? |
| Yes | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? |
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? |
| Yes | d) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? |
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |
| The first question addresses whether a so called ?public option? under the Affordable Care Act is a good thing. I do think that it is a good thing, but not a necessary thing. It is a good thing because in low population states it is hard to get enough private sector insurers to offer plans. The next two questions state conditions that are necessary for a health care program based on the private sector to succeed, so they are of course to be favored. Medical marijuana has proved its efficacy and so should remain legal with appropriate governance and controls. | |
| Yes | a) Do you support same-sex marriage? |
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in New Jersey's anti-discrimination laws? |
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in New Jersey's anti-discrimination laws? |
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |
| Issues of sexual identity are central to personhood and self-esteem. These are issues that are still relatively new in public discourse. We have come a long way toward achieving social balance in supporting same-sex marriage and reducing social barriers imposed by discriminatory practices. We do not yet live in a society free of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. We need to approach people in all their diversity and identities with a view toward justice for all. | |
| In the following area, 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. | |
| First Issue - Infrastructure Upgrade for NJ Transit Rail (mainly specific to LD25) and for traffic management on NJ Highways (again mainly LD25) A 3 part plan to upgrade service on 3 train lines (M&E, Boonton, Gladstone) that traverse LD25, phase 1, work rule and signage changes, phase 2, right if way upgrade, phase 3, rail reconfiguration for express trains past Summit. The state should introduce traffic light coordination to speed traffic on Rt10, Rt46 and county roads. Finance through the Transportation Trust Fund and/or infrastructure bond. Second Issue Retain existing regulations on gun and ammo sales. | |
