Montana State Legislative Election 2014 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- Yes

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?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- Yes

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

9. Other or expanded principles
- a) Unless pregnancy would jeopardize the health of the mother. Our founding fathers instilled within our Constitution the principal of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As I have taken an oath to defend and protect this document I must speak for the unborn life.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Decrease

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Decrease

3. Environment
- Slightly Decrease

4. Health care
- Slightly Decrease

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Maintain Status

7. Welfare
- Slightly Decrease

8. Other or expanded categories
- Require work contribution to receive welfare. Restructure education funding to prioritize application of budget. Reduce administration levels to more effectively apply funding in all areas of government. Increase accountability and transparencies in Government.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Slightly Decrease

2. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Decrease

3. Corporate taxes
- Greatly Decrease

4. Gas/Oil taxes
- Greatly Decrease

5. Property taxes
- Eliminate

6. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

7. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

8. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

9. Other or expanded principles
- Reduction of taxes have shown an increase in generated revenue to government. Property taxes are unfair in that they are applied to only a select few individuals with no direct benefit to those paying this tax. One never owns their property when property taxes are continually applied to owned property.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Individual
- No

2. Political Action Committee
- No

3. Corporate
- No

4. Political Party
- No

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- No

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?
- Yes

1. Other or expanded principles
- Freedom of speech is protected by our Constitution and very important to defend and protect. Campaign contributions are a form of free speech. Transparency in disclosure of campaign financing is important and the public's right to know and should be made easily available. If you are required to show your picture ID to buy alcohol, cigarettes or board a plane, we should apply these same rules to something as important as voting.

Crime & Public Safety

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

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 legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- No

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

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- Yes

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

7. Do you support increased driving regulations?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- Until a test for under the influence of marijuana can be developed, so the public would know if drivers are under the influence, I do not believe it is appropriate to legalize a drug that impairs a person. The public would have concerns about a doctor under the influence during an operation, a pilot under the influence in flight, a person operating a motor vehicle on a public highway, etc. and I am not aware of any test that would confirm impairment if an accident were to occur.

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- No

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

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- No

5. Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- No

7. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- No

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- Yes

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- No

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

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

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Montana's energy infrastructure?
- No

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- No

5. Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

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
- I do support background checks and once completed a person should be able to carry a weapon, concealed or not.

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No

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

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act?
- No

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

6. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

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

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- 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?
- No

4. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Montana's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

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.
- Reduce government spending and excessive regulations which infringe on our personal freedoms. Protect private property rights, encourage responsible resource development to provide jobs, work to provide efficient, effective, and transparency in government, support Montana's agricultural heritage.