West Virginia State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- Abortion is a women's health issue and limiting access to safe abortions doesn't stop abortions but it does put women's health at risk. Pro-life legislation is typically pushed by people that are typically just pro-birth, not pro-life, since, after a person is born, their policies are hardly reflective of their concern for the well-being of people. Abstinence-only programs are shown to increase teen pregnancy and, in turn, abortion rates. We need robust sexual education, which is proven to lower the rate of unwanted pregnancy and, therefore, the need for abortion. We need to be adults about these topics!

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- WV has bountiful wealth in resources, but somehow the people living in the state are taken advantage of and left the least healthy, the least educated, and the least stable. This is because certain economic and labor models have been left to run amok, and our legislature is partly to blame. When tax structures favor only the rich and only the corporate moneyed interests, the majority of WV's people suffer. Its not a matter of whether we tax or not, its a matter of WHO we tax. I support progressive taxation that shifts the burden off of working families.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

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

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- One Person, One Vote. The good ol' days!!! Our political system is stacked against the public with Dark Money, Citizens United, and historic levels of apathy and distrust of government. Super PACs wield too much power, often silencing the actual voters who pay the majority of taxes. This is not Democracy and we have to end corporate control of our elections, stop gerrymandering, and restore public faith in our electoral system.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding existing medical marijuana laws to include edible and/or respiratory forms of marijuana?
- Yes

3. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

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

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

6. Other or expanded principles
- I answered "yes" to a) because, in very very limited cases where all other options have been exhausted, some people cannot be reformed and are continual dangers to others. I do not make this choice lightly, and I believe in rehabilitation and a second chance to one-time offenders with no history of criminal activity. I believe that our federal government needs to let states decide how to enforce laws and how to regulate and conduct business with regards to legal marijuana and hemp.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of West Virginia?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- While it's nice to think of the Free Market in a vacuum, its hard to remove government from the equation. Government is supposed to provide for the general welfare of the PEOPLE. While I understand that businesses need to make a profit, workers also need to be provided for. Anybody with two eyes can see that offshore tax havens are overflowing with corporate cash while everyday people are struggling. This is not a fair economy. I support lowering taxes on working and middle class WVians, and closing loopholes and huge tax breaks for corporations that have bought out our legislators.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in West Virginia?
- No

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from West Virginia high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I believe that our education system has been under attack for decades and we have to return control of schools to states and local communities. Some state oversight can help but should not be restrictive to the point of stripping local communities of their right to self-determination. Charter schools harm public schools and affect the least fortunate in our society. I treat education as the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- We need decisive action on updating our energy production and distribution systems. Climate change is a real threat. Every branch of our military recognizes this. Renewable energy jobs are one of the fastest growing job sectors in America, but WV is lagging behind. We need retraining programs and incentives for renewable energy businesses to take root in WV. Clean water is a necessity and the state must look at the long-term costs of health impacts from toxic water (as well as food and air).

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

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

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I will defend the second amendment, remembering that it clearly includes the words"well-regulated." This is not a contradiction. WV (and Appalachia) have a long history of firearm use. Many people own guns in this state (I am one of them) and there is not a high rate of homicide with guns. A gun is a tool and can be used properly or improperly. Vigorous education programs should be expanded to teach people safe use of firearms. I support extreme risk protection orders (ERPO), which has been shown to save lives by preventing people who have threatened danger to the public.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through West Virginia's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- Yes

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- Healthcare is a top concern, especially considering the great needs for dependable healthcare for WVians. I'm a proponent of #CareNotCuffs, which aims to get people struggling with addiction into treatment before sending them through the criminal justice system. Private prisons disgust me and there should not be a profit motive to jail citizens. Granted, we are a nation of laws and certain crimes deserve jail time, but we are also our brother's keeper and we have to exhaust all reform and rehabilitation options before sending a person dealing with addiction straight to jail. Not soft on crime, tough on addiction!

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in West Virginia's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in West Virginia's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by West Virginia state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- We have to use data and science to inform our decisions, and this issue is no different. I support individual freedoms and that includes gay marriage and anti-discrimination towards all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Studies have shown that most sexual abuse comes from family and close friends, not people in the same bathroom as another person. WV must protect individual freedoms for all people, not just a certain segment of society. Gender pay gap is asinine and should be eliminated completely. "Liberty and Justice for All."

Legislative Priorities

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.
- 1.Healthcare: Data shows that our healthcare system is one of the most costly in the world. Single-Payer/Medicare-For-All is shown to actually save taxpayers money while providing better services. Healthy people contribute more to the economy but they can only stay, be and get healthy with strong healthcare systems in place. 2. Clean and transparent elections: I will work with anyone in the legislature, regardless of party, who is willing to stand up for election reform that benefits voters. 3. Industrial Hemp: agriculture is prevalent in my district and this can help diversify our economy and create many downstream localized industries.