Alabama 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
- The phrase "Pro-Life" has been distorted. I am more pro-life than many. Born and raised a Catholic, I am personally opposed to abortion, BUT, I also believe in the U.S. Constitution. I believe in the separation of church and state. My personal religious beliefs should not be imposed on others. Having said that, I also believe that being pro-life means that we must care for our children, handicapped, and elderly. There is no child in America that should hungry no matter the status of the parents. Children cannot protect themselves. We must.

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
- Taxes will need to be raised on the wealthy. Income disparity has reached a critical stage in the United States. The most recent tax cut has gone to the wealthy and increased the deficit. The ONLY way for the economy to grow is to have discretionary $'s in the pockets of people willing to spend it. The rich do not create jobs. Demand creates the jobs and then the wealthy, in a strong capitalistic system, react to that demand and create jobs. Business people only add employees if there is more demand for whatever they sell.

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Political parties have attempted to restrict minority voting. This is WRONG. In Alabama, they have closed DMV offices to reduce the opportunity for the poor and minorities to get the free voter documentation. People without cars cannot drive to neighboring counties for ID's. This attempt to disenfranchise whole groups of people is un-American. If Alabama wants to require a state-issued identification card, they need to expand outreach for voter registration ID's. They have some mobile outreach, but these efforts need to be better advertised and more frequently held. Time of day matters so working people can avail themselves of IDs.

Crime & Public Safety

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

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- The law is the law, BUT the first priority needs to be the protection of the people. If we come down too hard on the immigrant community, people here legally, will not report crimes out of fear that friends and neighbors will be targeted for deportation. That means that rapes, robberies and other violent crimes will not get reported. This will lead to increased gang violence and crime which will impact the wider community of law-abiding Americans. We need to use some common sense looking at the bigger picture.

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?
- Yes

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

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 Alabama?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Dollars in the hands of consumers expands an economy. Poor people spend all their dollars. I believe in a livable wage. Reducing taxes on the poor and middle-class improves the economy. Every dollar we spend on needed projects expands the economy. Dollars spent on a road project go into the community in the form of wages or materials. People have money to spend on consumer goods. Regulations are tricky. We want water, air, and food without poisons, but do not need stupid regulations. Drug testing for benefits seems good on the surface, but even children of bad parents need food.

Education

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

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Alabama 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
- I believe states have an obligation to create productive members of American society. This comes through strong, well-funded PUBLIC schools that provide equal quality education. Private schools and homeschooling are fine, but they should not be supported by public tax dollars. Basic education standards allow people to travel across this nation knowing what they learned in one state should be transferable to another. Having said that, this doesn't mean dictating the entire educational curriculum. Communities still run their own schools. Lastly, children should not be punished for the sins of their parents.

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 have registered the domain name, ALtgss.com, which stands for "Alabama the Green Southern State." I will do all in my power to promote green technology in Alabama. If we want to bring new high-paying jobs into the state we must look to the future. We must work with Alabama universities developing a climate for research and development promoting the natural solar resource we have in such abundance. On the water issue, a recent article stated that eight communities in Alabama have known carcinogens in their water. Sewage is an issue in some area. We need to protect our citizens.

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?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support the Second Amendment and own a rifle, shotgun, and handgun but I am a "Gun Sense" candidate. No child was ever injured by a secured weapon. Background checks are common sense. I do not believe common citizens should be able to own nuclear weapons so the type of weapons a person can own is not unlimited. As a teacher for 37 years, I am strongly opposed to teachers carrying weapons. I was in Panama during the invasion to take out Noriega. Having guns around all of the time heightens student fear, it doesn't make them feel safer.

Health

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

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

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

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- The Medicaid Expansion is a key. Not only does it put 300,000 Alabamians on healthcare, it brings in 21 billion in Federal Tax dollars, 40 billion in economic stimulation, 24,000-55,000 new jobs, saves rural hospitals and provides billions in additional tax revenue that can help combat issues like the opioid epidemic. On vaccinations, one individual does not have the right to put everyone else in a society at risk. There are certain things such as driver's licenses and mandatory schooling that is done for the public good. Vaccinations are one of these items done for the public welfare.

Social

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

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

3. Do you support greater efforts by Alabama 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

5. Other or expanded principles
- The Constitution says we are all equal in America, and I support the U.S. Constitution. That is why I stand firmly on the first three questions: a, b, and c. If ever in doubt, start by looking at the U.S. Constitution. On the issue of Confederate monuments, this should be a local issue. The exercise of opposing groups arguing these issues in front of their community governments will be a healthy process and the solutions will end up being creative and probably a lot better than if they try to settle them at the state level.

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.
- My top three items: Medicaid Expansion, improving Public Schools, corruption in politics. The Medicaid Expansion helps 300,000 of our poorest Alabamians and saves rural hospitals. It creates jobs and brings tax dollars into Alabama. As a school teacher for 37-years, I am committed to strong public education. Alabama will never reach its full potential without a strong, educated citizenry. Alabama is known for corrupt politics. This is a problem for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Presently, you can donate an unlimited amount of money to one candidate. That allows the rich to purchase a legislator and that is wrong.