Missouri 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
- I do not support the government overreach of the state interfering in medical care. I understand the inclination to protect the unborn and prevent abortion, I just don't believe that prohibition works. It is also dangerous for women. If we really want to prevent abortion then we must attack the circumstances that force women to make that choice rather than attacking women. We must make sure we are providing science based comprehensive sex education, free or low cost family planning, a robust social safety net including childcare, lower maternal mortality rates, and streamline the adoption process. Let's do what works.

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- We must expand Medicaid under the ACA so that we can get reimbursement from the federal level. We must make sure that the handful of obscenely wealthy individual and large corporation are paying their fair share of taxes. Our State employees already rank at the very bottom for pay and benefits, we can't possibly expect them to take more cuts in pay. Investing in Infrastructure, Education, and Healthcare will draw more jobs to the state, whereas more belt tightening and tax cuts for the wealthy elite will only serve to hasten our race to the bottom.

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
- If we do not get a handle on campaign finance, voter suppression, and gerrymandering, our Republic will not stand. When I am out knocking doors and people tell me the stories of their struggle to pay for medicine or food, I can't help but think of the obscene amount of money being spent on this election. While I comfort them and work to create change in the system, someone else is taking a check to guarantee a vote against the interests of those people. You shouldn't be able to buy policy or policymakers. We should stand for people, not politics.

Crime & Public Safety

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

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

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- A minor should only be charged as an adult if they are very close to being an adult and after undergoing an intensive psychiatric evaluation to determine competency and potential for rehabilitation. I do not support local police enforcing immigration laws as it reduces the ability of law enforcement to work within immigrant communities to foster public safety and investigate violent crime. People are unlikely to report crimes or cooperate with police investigations if they fear their participation could get them deported.

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?
- No

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 Missouri?
- Yes

7. Do you support increasing state taxes on tobacco products?
- No

8. Do you support increasing funding for the Missouri Department of Agriculture?
- Yes

9. Do you support implementing tolling stations on Interstate 70 to increase transportation funding?
- No

10. Other or expanded principles
- b) Lowering taxes is only ever a short term stimulus for the economy as it always necessitates spending cuts that stifle growth.e) States that have implemented drug testing requirements have seen very little in the way of results and have spent far more than they save.f) I support raising the minimum wage incrementally to allow small businesses to compete and to bring more Missourians out of povert.h) The Department of Agriculture is our first line of defense for food safety and security, they need funds to be effective.j) I support raising Missouri's gas tax over tolls.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Missouri?
- Yes

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Missouri 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
- a) Within reason.b) Charters are less accountable and leach money away from public schools.c) Immigrants who live, work, and pay taxes in the state should be eligible for in-state tuition regardless of legal status.d) Yes. We must also increase the portion of state funding per pupil. Shifting the burden to local revenues unfairly segregates students by economic class. Investing in Education will pay off in the long run. We need to invest in a skilled workforce and increased earning potential.

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
- a) We must invest in a more sustainable energy future. We can do so not only be funding development but also by reducing burdensome regulation on customers who wish to employ such technology.b) With Missouri's economy so intrinsically intertwined with agriculture, it is in our economic interest to reduce our contribution to climate change.c) I unequivocally support investing in clean drinking water. You can't live without water, and you can't drink money.

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 support the Second Amendment and respect the right of Missourians to own guns for hunting, self defense, or sport. I understand that many of us use these tools to put food on the table, and keep our families safe. I own firearms myself. We can however regulate in a common sense way to make sure that we promote transparency and public safety. I am not afraid to license my weapons and believe that if I fail to secure them and someone gets hurt, I should be held to account.

Health

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

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

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

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
- c) I prefer a Medicare-for-All system over the individual mandate of the ACA.d) Missourians should not be forced to suffer with a terminal or irreversible debilitating disease to appease someone else's morality. We can't be so averse to death itself that we don't allow patients to factor in the quality of the life they can reasonably expect. e) I do not support eliminating religious exemptions but am concerned about "deeply held belief". We can not infringe on religion but the "deeply held belief" is overly broad and is taken advantage of to the detriment of public safety.

Social

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

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

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

4. Do you support the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- a),b) I wholeheartedly support the passage of MONA and the full throated protection of our LGBTQ citizens.c) I think that there is a lot we could do to promote gender equality in pay and legal protections, not the least of which is ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment.d) I believe this should be done only on a case by case basis with strong consideration for historical and educational value. All monuments are not created equal.

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.
- Saving rural hospitals by expanding Medicaid under the ACA. The ACA provides 90% reimbursement so they costs would be small and largely offset by saving elsewhere due to increased coverage.Investing in Rural Infrastructure to draw in business and create jobs. This will be very expensive but with a raise in the gas tax, a raise in corporate tax, and increased tax revenue for a better employed tax base, I think it can be done. Investing in higher levels of state funding for Education to create a skilled workforce. Closing tax loopholes and taxing the top 1% should offset cost.