Rilla Opelt's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Minnesota State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? | ||
| No | b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy? | ||
| No | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| No | d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? | |||
| Yes | h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | ||
| (H) depends on age level - parental consent and how material is presented - "How to . . ." is NOT acceptable | |||
1) State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Minnesota's budget.
| Slightly Decrease | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Health care | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Law enforcement | ||
| Greatly Decrease | f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Welfare | ||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Property taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Eliminate | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | a) Tapping into Minnesota's "rainy day" fund | ||
| Yes | b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | ||
| No | c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| Yes | d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | ||
| No | e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Yes | f) Privatizing certain government services | ||
| Must Balance Budget | |||
| e) only single family homes under $200,000 ?idea - eliminate income + increase sales tax? | |||
| look at prison/jail system costs and recidivision rate - Review ALL state expenditures and eliminate waste and profiteering- | |||
d) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| No | a) Do you support a state constitutional amendment mandating a retention election system for all judges? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Minnesota governors? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Minnesota state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| No | 4) Political Party | ||
| Yes | e) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| a) retention - this terminology is deceptive 1) Spending should be limited -same amount for all candidates + 2) NO out-of-state contributions should be allowed. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? | ||
| Yes | c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| No | e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| Yes | g) Should all funds raised from the sale of seized property be turned over to the state general fund? | ||
| b) + jobs review of incarceration and punishment needs review - individual criminals should be involved in restitutiong vandalism & theft etc. work for local government offices. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| No | b) Do you support expanding gaming at race tracks? | ||
| No | c) Do you support public funding for construction of a new Vikings stadium? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| No | e) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | g) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | h) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| Use of felons on government projects- as current felons who cannot find jobs as well as welfare recipients. | |||
| No | a) Do you support national education standards? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support alternative pathways to teacher licensure? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| f) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | |||
| No | g) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Minnesota high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| e)based on success f) NOT sure illegal immigrants should not be eligible to: medical, education,welfare, Soc.Sec. - any government support! and be deported immediately- ALSO criminal deportation! | |||
| No | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support lifting the state moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants? | ||
| No | d) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? | ||
| No | e) Do you support state funding for improvements to Minnesota's energy infrastructure? | ||
| No | f) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | g) Should mining companies be required to provide financial assurance to cover the estimated cost of environmental impact before starting operations? | ||
| No | h) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| b) Tax incentives to private companies. State government should allow experts in the field to determine energy needs - | |||
| No | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| No | b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | |||
| No | d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | ||
| c) not sure? I support the right of individuals to defend themselves and their property | |||
| No | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | |||
| c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | |||
| No | d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| No | f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Minnesota? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| b) ? c) ? allow health ins co's to design policies for all income levels and pay into a state-registered fund to pay costs not affordable to individuals- | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Minnesota allow same-sex couples to form civil unions? | ||
| No | c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research? | ||
| No | d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? | ||
| No | e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action? | ||
| No | f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Minnesota's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Minnesota's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| State should stay out of individuals living arrangements and protect families of husband, wife children and recognize as basis of society. | |||
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