Kris Warren's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Alaska 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? | ||
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? | ||
| No | h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | ||
| Abortion should only be legal for instances of rape, incest, threat to life of the mother and significant birth defects. | |||
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 Alaska's budget.
| Slightly Decrease | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Environment | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Health care | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Law enforcement | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Welfare | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Other or expanded categories | ||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Oil production taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Property taxes | ||
| No | a) Tapping into Alaska's "rainy day" fund | ||
| No | b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | ||
| No | c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| No | d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | ||
| Yes | e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Yes | f) Privatizing certain government services | ||
| Alaska's Operating Budget is unsustainable. The Administration and Legislature must work together to set appropriate priorities for state spending. Since entitlement spending makes up the largest component of the operating budget, that is where attention must be initially focused. Existing programs must not be expanded and no new programs should be initiated. Existing programs should be frequently re-evaluated to assure that able bodied benefit recipients are able to work their way off the system within a reasonable time frame. | |||
| Alaska's oil severance tax (ACES) has devastating consequences for the state's long term economic future. While state coffers and spending have increased dramatically since ACES was adopted, oil production, the primary source of that revenue, has declined at about 6% per year, largely due to excessive taxes. If no changes are made, the Trans Alaska Pipeline throughput will drop below feasable operating levels within the next 5-10 years, requiring its shut down and dismantling. ACES must be revised downward to encourage further oil and gas exploration on the North Slope and to assure ongoing good paying jobs for Alaskans. | |||
| Alaska has over $10 Billion in the Constitutional Budget Reserve fund which can offset declining oil revenue for several years. However, we must act now to assure the state's economic prosperity well into the future. Fiscal restraint and responsible resource development are the keys to the state's long term economic success and good paying jobs for Alaskans. Conversely, the state should be investing in infrastructure development (roads, bridges, railroads) to access and support development of Alaska's vast natural resources and to promote expanded tourism opportunities. | |||
d) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| No | a) Should the governor's selection of members to the Personnel Board be limited to individuals nominated by the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Alaska governors? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Alaska state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| I believe the Individual limit should be increased to $1,000 | |||
| 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? | ||
| No | f) Do you support a comprehensive ban on cell phone use while driving? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| Although I support capital punishment for appropriate crimes, I will not sponsor such legislation as the state has much higher priorities. However, I would support legislation that limits plea bargaining especially for repeat violent offenders. Although I support decriminalization for small quantities of pot, I would propose and support legislation that toughens penalties for hard drug consumption like meth, heroin and cocaine. Minors sending nude photos by cell phone probably does not rise to the level of criminality but should be treated more like a traffic infraction. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a state constitutional amendment to guarantee and protect the Permanent Fund Dividend? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| No | d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | g) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| No | a) Do you support national education standards? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| No | f) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Alaska high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| The state's financial assistance program for college students should consist of forgiveness of student loans for those students who successfully graduate college and stay gainfully employed in their career path in Alaska for a number of years. The longer the continued employment, the higher percentage of loan forgiveness should be allowed. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| No | c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Alaska's energy infrastructure? | ||
| No | e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| No | f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| Developing alternative energy sources is especially important in Bush Alaska where the typical energy source is very expensive diesel powered electrical generation. In those areas, where the wind blows consistently, wind power generation has merit and has already proven successful in a number of villages. We should also be exploring and incentivizing the expanded use of propane, natural gas and coal for heating and power generation. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | ||
| No | d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | ||
| "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." For law abiding citizens, that says it all. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| No | b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | ||
| Yes | 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 Alaska? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| Government should get out of the way of the private sector insurance business. Limitations on malpractice claims and allowing shopping across state lines would go a long way to reducing the cost of health care. | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Alaska allow same-sex couples to form civil unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research? | ||
| No | d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? | ||
| Yes | e) Should adults who apply for public assistance be subject to random and suspicion-based drug testing? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Alaska's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| No | h) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Alaska's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| i) Other or expanded principles | |||
| I will work to limit the growth of the state operating budget by limiting entitlement spending and privatizing appropriate state functions. I will sponsor and support legislation that encourages and incentivizes responsible resource developement and expanded tourism opportunities while opposing legislation that further limits those activites. I will oppose legislation that infringes on our constitutional freedoms. I will provide assistance to the residents of House District 29 when they experience problems dealing with the state administration and will fight for funding to support local capital improvements, including street and drainage improvements, bike and pedestrian trails and traffic safety projects. |
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