Missouri 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 support the rights of all people to decide how best to manage their bodies and their lives. The only sane way to reduce abortion incidence is to ensure that all people receive adequate sex education, ready access to safe and effective birth control methods, and health care to ensure healthy pregnancy, birth, and child care.

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
- I support continually reviewing resources and priorities to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent in a manner that optimally promotes the public good. Major priorities are expansion of Medicaid, development of a viable universal health care system, adequate funding of education, and investment in Missouri's infrastructure, including the power grid.

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
- Unfortunately, corruption is the rule in the Missouri legislature, and its devastating impact on our citizens' lives is evident in our higher-than-national-average maternal and infant mortality rates, number of lives lost to opioid overdose, alcohol, and suicide ("deaths of despair"), high blood lead levels in children, crumbling infrastructure, etc. I support the Clean Missouri Initiative (Amendment 1) to increase integrity, transparency, and accountability in government. We should do everything possible to increase participation by voters, not megadonors, in the democratic process.

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

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

5. Other or expanded principles
- Prison rates in the US are the world's highest. I support legalization of marijuana at the federal level to reduce needless incarceration and promote economic opportunities associated with regulated use. Juvenile courts were created in the 19th century in recognition of the fact that juveniles do not have the cognitive development as adults. Misguided efforts to be "tough on crime" are not effective, as recidivism rates for juveniles increased when prosecuted in adult court. I support comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship, not scapegoating of immigrants with draconian tactics.

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 Missouri?
- Yes

7. Do you support increasing state taxes on tobacco products?
- Yes

8. Do you support increasing funding for the Missouri Department of Agriculture?
- Yes

9. Do you support implementing tolling stations on Interstate 70 to increase transportation funding?
- Yes

10. Other or expanded principles
- Our Declaration of Independence asserts that "governments are instituted...to secure these rights [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness]." This means creating an environment in which working people can earn at least enough to meet their basic needs, with ready access to quality health care and education. America was never more prosperous than in the postwar boom period, when union membership was highest and income inequality lowest. Providing people with the means to empowering themselves is the key to economic prosperity and societal well-being.

Education

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

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

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Missouri 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 support full and adequate funding of public schools, including increasing teachers' pay. Federal education standards should provide a minimum guide, but states should retain some flexibility to decide how to best meet the needs of their children. I would approve of public funding only for charter schools that meet criteria established by the National Education Association in its 2018 Policy Statement on Charter Schools. I support in-state tuition eligibility for students unlawfully present in the U.S. who meet the criteria established under the DREAM Act.

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
- It is critical that we do everything possible to replace fossil fuels with less-polluting renewable forms of energy. Missouri has significant opportunity for development of renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, and geothermal. I support Missouri Missouri conducting an independent value of solar study to guide this important effort. Investment in clean energy modalities creates jobs and promotes community revitalization throughout the state while lowering costs and reducing carbon emissions -- the definition of win-win.

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I am endorsed by Moms Demand Action. Gun violence is a public health crisis, with more deaths due to suicide than homicide and incalculable damage to families and communities. I support reasonable measures to ensure than guns are safely stored and not misused, including universal background checks, Red Flag legislation to disarm dangerous individuals, and banning of military-style assault weapons. The current gag order hindering free communication between doctors and patients regarding guns should be eliminated. Enacting these common-sense reforms does not contradict the 2nd Amendment.

Health

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

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Missouri'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
- Opioid deaths are but the tip of the iceberg. Increasing numbers of young and middle-aged people in Missouri are also dying premature "deaths of despair" from the abuse of other drugs, as well as by suicide, with devastating consequences for families and communities. This epidemic is responsible for a decline in US life expectancy, a public health crisis without parallel in modern history. The death toll in Missouri is worse than the national average. We must not only do everything possible to treat addicts, but also work on the real solution: prevention. Medicaid expansion is step 1.

Social

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

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

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

4. Do you support the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Discrimination is not only contrary to the spirit of America, it is a driver of inequities that have profoundly damaged public health in this country. I oppose it in all its forms.

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.
- I believe in Missouri's stirring state motto: "May the welfare of the people be the highest law." What made our country the leading light of western civilization is this Great Idea that the role of government is to serve the needs and interests of all of its people. This means creating intelligent policies that manage the economy so that working people have the opportunity to earn at least enough to meet their basic needs, and live their lives in health and hope for the future. I believe in universal health care, excellent public education, and empowerment of workers.