Tennessee 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 also support FREE birth control for ALL women,regardless of race or financial ability, as well as any organizations that provide healthcare to the poor and needy.

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. Other or expanded principles
- Budget problems begin and end in Nashville. For example, Republicans recently voted to include Proton Therapy(a new cancer treatment alternative) to THEIR healthcare plan but not to TennCare. They killed the ACA in a stacked committee to assure no floor vote in spite of support by Governor Haslem, even after he negotiated a bail-out clause.Yet they support cuts to Medicaid recipients. The Republican majority serve themselves and their wealthy donors, making them little more than bought-and-paid-for politicians. Tennessee also ranks second( behind Texas) in hospital closures. They view themselves as eliteist and the citizens deserve better!

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
- I would gladly support photo to vote if they were easily available to ALL residents. Also, if a felon has repaid his debt to society he should be allowed to vote.

Crime & Public Safety

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

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?
- No

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- We have a prison AND medical system for profit. How can this philosophy possibly benefit the masses, particularly the least among us? As for marijuana, a weed that can be used to treat many diseases such as epilepsy, pain, cancer and PTSD among others certainly deserves consideration. As for immigration, this should be a bi-partisan issue. Unfortunately, bi-partisan solutions are rare, particularly in Tennessee.

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 Tennessee?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- State help landed Volkswagon in Chattanooga,resulting in thousands of jobs there and in surrounding counties. By lowering state taxes the burden will most likely fall on the least among us. Reducing government regulations on the private sector will result in more greed by the wealthy. Shocker Fact! Most poor people do not enjoy being poor! The minimum wage forces many into assistance programs and simply is not a livable wage. The fact is we are not subsidizing the workers but the companies employing them.

Education

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

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

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- ALL students deserve a chance at a decent education. Otherwise, their chances of needing government assistance in the future are increased. As for immigrants, we need them! I don't see how industries such as construction and agriculture are sustainable without them.

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
- I live close to the Sequatchie River, which drains the massive Sequatchie valley, which is in the prevailing winds of the recently closed Widow's Creek coal power plant just a few miles away. The largemouth bass in the Sequatchie River are contaminated with mercury. I know of nowhere else anywhere around where they are contaminated. I am a huge fan of solar power, the solution that comes up every morning. However, the republicans are in the pockets of fossil fuel so the slow progress will be at the cost of the health of people and the planet.

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?
- No

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I am a gun collector and avid hunter and was raised around guns. However I don't believe someone too young to buy a beer should be able to legally purchace an assault rifle. It just doesn't make sense. Also, bumpstocks should be outlawed.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Tennessee'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?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- I know people who have reined in their addiction by using marijuana and/or kratom- a weed and a treeleaf. TheACA literally saved my life, so I favor expanded Medicare. Euthanasia- both of my parents died long and hard. It is miserable for all concerned and I hope and pray I don't put my loved ones through it. As for vaccinations, the only objection I have for not taking them is if they are capable of harming others through infection.

Social

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

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

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

4. Should Tennessee permit localities to adopt "Sanctuary City" immigration policies?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- The immigrants I have met have been friendly people. I believe there are not good and bad races- just good and bad people.

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.
- Healthcare is, in it's present situation, unexcusable. Every advanced country in the world provides it but one- the richest one. We can give well over a $TRILLION tax break( 83% to the richest 1%), and immediately start discussing cutting entitlements, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security- nothing but GREED. When a prominent republican says if we don't pass this tax bill say bye to your donors, it screams that these politicians are bought-and-paid-for and not worthy for public service-get money out of politics. The minimum wage is an insult. Nobody deserves to be held back so hard. Once again-GREED!