Idaho State Legislative Election 2012 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?
- No

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
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Education (higher)
- Maintain Status

2. Education (K-12)
- Maintain Status

3. Environment
- Maintain Status

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Maintain Status

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- Maintain Status

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

3. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Gas/Oil taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Property taxes
- Maintain Status

6. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Maintain Status

8. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Maintain Status

9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Maintain Status

10. Other or expanded categories
- Maintain Status

1. Tapping into Idaho's "rainy day" fund
- No Answer

2. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No Answer

3. Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining
- No Answer

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

5. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No Answer

6. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- This question misses the mark, Idaho posted a $35,000,000 surplus for FY 2012. The challenge that our elected officials currently face is to foster a healthy economic environment for business which creates jobs, increases tax revenues and decreases the individual's tax burden.

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

9. Should the right to hunt, fish, and trap be incorporated into Idaho's constitution?
- No

1. Other or expanded principles
- Regarding Question A, 1,2,3,4, - Idaho currently has limits on campaign contributions which have worked well.

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 decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
- No Answer

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No Answer

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No Answer

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- Questions C, D, E and F require a more full development of the question to provide a response that correctly frames very critcal and complex answers.

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?
- Yes

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

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

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

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

2. Do you support Idaho's shift to an increased emphasis on technology in the classroom?
- Yes

3. Do you support a performance pay system for teachers?
- Yes

4. Do you support eliminating tenure for new teachers?
- Yes

5. Should teachers' collective bargaining abilities be restricted?
- Yes

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

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

8. Do you suppport the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- No Answer

9. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Idaho high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

10. Other or expanded principles
- Regarding a), the rhetoric in support of the national Common Core State Standards initiative is strong, but the devil is in the detail. At what point do locally elected school districts officials lose control over the curriculum and local parental input. Questions h) and i) are to broad in scope for a yes or 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 Idaho's energy infrastructure?
- No

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

5. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- No Answer

6. Other or expanded principles
- Questions d) and e) are to broad in scope for a yes or no answer.

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No Answer

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

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
- Question a) is to broad in scope for a yes or no answer.

Health

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

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- No Answer

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- No Answer

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

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

6. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- I support Public/Private partnership solutions like the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare Access Card which assists in making private insurance coverage available to children living in homes with incomes between 133% to 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- Yes

2. Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
- Yes

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

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

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.
- Economy - The single issue that impacts all who live and work in Idaho is the economy. It is the engine that creates jobs that support the working men and women of Idaho, supports the schools, and creates the standard of living that enriches our lives. Education - Parents should have the right to choose what is best for their children regardless if they home school, go to private school, or attend one of our fine public schools. I will listen to your concerns. I will work to empower parents.