New Hampshire State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

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

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No

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

4. Other or expanded principles
- We really need to do more to help women in crisis pregnancy situations.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

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

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

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No Answer

4. Other or expanded principles
- I would want to change pensions from defined benefit to defined contribution retirement programs.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- No

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- No

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?
- Yes

5. Do you support imposing penalties on state legislators who fail to attend legislative sessions?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- Limiting campaign contributions is a 1st amendment issue. The state already requires candidates to report contributions, including contributions in kind. This information is readily available to voters at sos.nh.gov elections division. The voters can make up their own minds. Legislators who fail to attend legislative sessions should be voted out.

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?
- No Answer

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- Whether or not a minor is prosecuted as an adult would depend on their age and maturity. Federal immigration laws need to be re-examined.

Economic

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

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?
- Yes

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

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 New Hampshire?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- Instead of money, some of the benefits of a welfare recipient who is addicted to drugs might be effective drug, addiction, or mental/physical health treatment. This would make it more likely for them to become productive members of society and not need welfare. Increased minimum wage tends to harm those who are among the poorest or least skilled by making it too expensive to hire them. Lower minimum wage gives those workers the opportunity to be hired and thus gain experience and skills to then earn higher wages.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in New Hampshire?
- No

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from New Hampshire high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- Every student should have the opportunity to get the best education for their particular needs, interests, and learning styles, whether it be from a public, charter, private, internet, vocational, or home school setting or some combination.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No

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

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- No Answer

4. Other or expanded principles
- The effects of greenhouse gas emissions are not fully understood. The issue is proving to be much more complex than some scientists and politicians have thought. Among other effects, greenhouse gasses increase tree and other plant growth, which is beneficial. State funding for clean drinking water initiatives would depend on the details of the initiative, and type of the water source.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

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
- Self defense is a basic human right.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- No Answer

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through New Hampshire's health care programs?
- No

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?
- No Answer

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

6. Other or expanded principles
- The war on drugs has been an abysmal failure. Instead, money currently spent on drug law enforcement and imprisonment could be used toward drug and addiction treatment. I would not want to tell anyone who had a fatal disease who was in intense pain which could not be controlled by drugs that they didn't have the right to die. However, any law granting citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia must include very strict wording against requiring anyone to provide that euthanasia.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in New Hampshire's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in New Hampshire's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

3. Do you support greater efforts by New Hampshire state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- New Hampshire's anti-discrimination laws are already sufficient to deal with sexual orientation and gender identity issues. The pay gap is a very complex issue, and not something the government is qualified to deal with.

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.
- One of my top priorities would be expanding educational opportunities for all students. This would not require additional funding, and would in fact be likely to reduce expenses, as many charter, private, and home school settings are less expensive than many current public school settings. Another top priority would be keeping harmful bills, or bills with harmful unintended consequences, from being passed.