North Carolina Congressional Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion

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

2. Other or expanded principles
- I am pro-choice. A woman and her doctor(s) should make health care decisions without government intervention. I will fight to protect the rights of women and men to access healthcare.

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- Yes

3. Other or expanded principles
- I believe the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations must pay their fair share of taxes. We can address this by immediately closing loopholes like those enjoyed by hedge fund managers, restoring fair taxation on multimillion-dollar estates, and ensuring millionaires can no longer pay a lower rate than their secretaries. Defense spending must be carefully monitored in these volatile times. I believe there is a great deal of redundancy and waste within the Defense Department. Throwing more money at the military than requested is a waste of money. And the practice of end of the year binge spending must stop.

Campaign Finance

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

2. Other or expanded principles
- The Citizens United decision has made campaigns battles for the most money. Campaigns like mine, grassroots, and no corporate donations, are challenging. All donations should be transparent -- with all donors identified. Donor names should appear on all campaign pieces. Running for office should not be limited to the rich and well connected. I vet my donors and am proud of all of them. Candidates spend an exorbitant amount of time fundraising, limiting time to reach out to voters and hear their needs. Ultimately, the playing field needs to be leveled by campaign finance reform and/or public funding of campaigns

Economy

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

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Other or expanded principles
- Federal spending should be used to promote economic growth. Investment in infrastructure should be a high priority because it can serve the needs of urban and rural communities thus facilitating growth. For example, in the Fifth District, there is a tremendous need for road and bridge improvements. Money for infrastructure improvements would both help the district and provide jobs. Also, rural parts of the district do not have broadband Internet. This limits the growth of businesses holds back education and employment. It is clear to me that lowering corporate taxes is counter to growth.

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Yes

2. Other or expanded principles
- Setting federal standards is controversial, but we need to raise our expectations across the board. Meanwhile, the Secretary of Education and my opponent are destroying many of the standards that have stood for years for our students. These include protections from bullying, sexual assault, racial discrimination. Real education for disabled students is in jeopardy. Universal pre-K, well-paid teachers, safe, well-equipped schools would move us toward improving education.

Energy & Environment

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

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Other or expanded principles
- Our dogged attachment to coal and oil are holding the US back. While solar and wind are growing in acceptance, there are many other options to explore. Government funded research is essential. Regulating greenhouse gas emissions is imperative. With melting glaciers, rising sea levels and increasing temperatures, we are already seeing the results of climate change and global warming. In addition, renewable energy is also another job booster.

Guns

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

2. Other or expanded principles
- Until we have workable national regulations, we will be unable to address gun violence, because local regulations are inadequate. As a gun owner, I support the Second Amendment, but it is not an absolute right for anyone to own a gun. I support: Requiring a 24-hour waiting period to purchase a handgun;Eliminating the gun show loophole;Reinstating the assault rifle ban;Requiring owners to be licensed and insured;Requiring owners to be safety certified and certifications to be renewed on a regular basis;Banning items such as high-capacity clips and bump stocks.

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No

2. Other or expanded principles
- Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Ultimately, we need to move to a single-payer system. This must be a thoughtful process because our national healthcare industry (insurance and providers) represents a sixth of the economy. The first step is to shore up the ACA and to make sure all states sign onto the Medicaid expansion. Then we must initiate a transition to universal healthcare for all. This will take time. Of specific concern in the 5th District is access to healthcare. Nine counties within the District are rural and are challenged by closing hospitals and the lack of providers.

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- No

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No

3. Other or expanded principles
- We are a nation of immigrants. Having a rational immigration policy will assure we have the workers we need, we provide shelter and opportunity for those endangered in their home countries, and we provide opportunity for those seeking the American Dream. We do NOT need a wall. I believe:In DACA and strongly support a path to citizenship for DACA participants,All undocumented immigrants who work hard and clear a background check should be eligible for green cards,We must stop separating families seeking refuge,The Immigration and Naturalization Services needs increased support,Private prisons must be closed.

Marijuana

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

2. Other or expanded principles
- Yes. Marijuana has been used to criminalize minorities. This must stop. Medical studies also show that marijuana may be useful for many medical issues including PTSD, pain control, and nausea.

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- No

2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- No

3. Other or expanded principles
- Military force is the last option. Negotiation, directly and with others, is essential. Putting service members in harm's way is one of the greatest responsibilities of a member of Congress. I take these decisions with utmost consideration. In these volatile times, all options must be on the table, but the use of military force will require great risk to the country.

Administrative Priorities

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. HealthcareOne person in eight in the Fifth District does not have health insurance. We must move to a single-payer healthcare system. 2. JobsThe rural counties of the Fifth have not benefited from the low unemployment of the rest of the country. Job training, improved infrastructure and access to broadband are needed to draw jobs to smaller communities. 3. EducationOur schools are not adequate -- classes are too big, teacher pay is too low. We need to offer quality PreK to set students up for learning. The first two years of college/vocational training must be free.