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?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- Men should also have opt out methods in the form of a financial abortion up to the same time frame a woman has to abort a pregnancy. If women have the right to choose parenthood then so too should men.

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
- Reduce gubernatorial salary, legalize cannabis and tax it.

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?
- 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. Other or expanded principles
- I also support lowering the requirements for third parties to be included on the ballot and all politicians be required to purchase their own health insurance until/unless medicaid is expanded.

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?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support stopping and/or limiting the practice of civil asset forfeiture and the practice of suspending drivers licenses for unpaid debts. Officers should also be required to wear body cameras to ensure safety on both sides.

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

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?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- I would also like to eliminate and/or reduce certain occupational licenses in order to make it easier for individuals to enter and compete in the job market as well as offering tax breaks for companies who participate in the "green" economy including those who would eventually work in the cannabis industry. I also want to give tax breaks to employers who offer to cover the full cost of their employees health care benefits.

Education

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

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?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support voucher programs and individual education spending accounts in order to give parents more choice in where and how their children are educated. In the free-market, if a company is performing horribly, it goes under, so too should under-performing schools. Let's give parents more control as to where their tax dollars go.

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?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support ending the practice of the license plate sticker law. Once you pass the test, the government should not continue to rob you year after year. Instead of supporting state funding for renewable energy, we should privatize those services with tax break incentives.

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
- As long as you are 18 years old, you should have the right to purchase and possess property. What you do with that property is your choice and you shall bear the consequences of said choices.

Health

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

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

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?
- Yes

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

6. Other or expanded principles
- I want to force hospitals to disclose their prices on a public menu to create more competition and allow citizens to shop for insurance across state lines. Through the legalization of cannabis, we can tax this plant and use the revenue to fund expanded medicaid for those who want to participate in that program. Opting in or out of Medicaid funding shall also be an option as well. It is impossible to pursue happiness without a healthy body to enact it. We have Americans who are choosing between life saving surgeries and paying their rent.

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?
- No Answer

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

4. Should Tennessee permit localities to adopt "Sanctuary City" immigration policies?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I want to see default joint custody laws put into place. As long as both parties have clean backgrounds, a man should not have to spend 30K on legal fees just to get access to his children. In the divorce courts, I believe men are discriminated against and are often forced into bankruptcy and suicidal depression. Also, in family law, I would like to see public defenders be implemented even though these cases are civil in nature, many criminal penalties are associated.

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.
- Family law reform: Custody and Child support reformationsHealthcare reform: Make healthcare more accessible and affordable through creating a more transparent healthcare industry, deregulation of insurance services, and possibly expanding medicaid through the legalization and taxation of cannabis. Legalization of Cannabis both medically and recreational