Brent Carter's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Office:
- Commissioner (McMinn County, TN) - District 1
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
Brent Carter refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.
Issue Positions
For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2010.
- Miller, Eric. 2010. Gallatin News Examiner: Brett Carter addresses economic, moral issues at meeting. 9 September 2010. "Carter was asked about his stance on moral issues, specifically gay marriage and abortion. While he did not address the former, Carter said he is an anti-abortion Democrat. He said he believes that people, regardless of political affiliation, want to see fewer abortions regardless of the overall differences in opinion, and that’s how he would approach the issue." (www.tennessean.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Brett Carter. Brett Carter Proposes Wall Street Money for Tennessee Flood Relief. 12 May 2010. “If the government can bail out Wall Street millionaires, it can bail out Tennessee families. The funding for our recovery should be redirected from the Wall Street bailout to the necessary bailout – the one here in Tennessee. Like many others in the 6th District, I spent the last few days in friends’ basements bailing out water, and my own basement was waist-deep in rainwater. While the waters may recede, the financial damage will remain, leaving thousands of Tennesseans at financial risk.” Carter’s proposal would redirect money allocated for Wall Street through TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) to provide financial assistance to individuals and small businesses that are struggling to pay the bills associated with water damage in Tennessee. The money would provide Tennesseans with enough support to handle safety concerns associated with water issues in their basements – such as mold growth and foundation damage – and support those without insurance coverage. “From an economic perspective, we must get Tennessee back on its feet as soon as possible, and people who are struggling to pay the bills cannot afford a major setback. Today I am calling on Tennessee’s Congressional delegation to urge that funds be redirected from the Wall Street bailout to the people actually bailing out their basements in Tennessee.” (www.brettcarterforcongress.com)
- Brett Carter. Issue Position: Getting Our Economy Turned Around. "Brett recognizes that the economy is the number one issue on the minds of Tennesseans and that we need to get working families working again. While Congress cannot create jobs, Congressmen can work to set an environment for businesses to invest, grow and create jobs. Brett's experience inworking with businesses for the past twelve years in his law practice has taught him that the key components of job growth are quality locations, access to credit, and a trained workforce. That is why Brett's job plan focuses on infrastructure, credit markets,and vocational/technical training as the areas in which the federal government can work with state and local officials to help set the foundation for getting our economy moving again. * Whether it is roads, waterways,or making sure technology infrastructure is expanding to rural parts of the 6th District, we can make the 6th district more attractive for small and large businesses. * Freeing up credit markets and fighting overregulation will allow businesses the access to loans they need to start investing and creating jobs for working families. * Access to vocational/technical training and other job skills training in partnership with state programs will allow workers with children the opportunity to gain skills that they will have for a lifetime and will also improve the Tennessee workforce for future economic development." (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Brett Carter. Issue Position: Education. "The necessity of quality education grows every year in middle Tennessee as the scope of good paying jobs has narrowed from the manufacturing industry to the service industry. The next generation of Tennesseans needs to be prepared to enter the workforce with a skill set that will allow them to put food on the table for their families. It all starts with a quality education, and we need to find ways to prioritize education in our budget. To improve Tennessee's education system, we must start from the ground up. More often than ever before, single parents are working full-time jobs, sometimes two or three part time jobs, and leaving children at home without the needed guidance. These parents are providing for their families in the best way that they can, by making sure there is enough money available to purchase groceries and clothing for their families. While this situation leaves the children without a present parent, it means that educating children from home at an early age is becoming increasingly difficult. The answer lies in the creation of public preschools and daycare. Preschool has proven to increase the educational performance of children later in school, resulting in higher graduation rates and college enrollment. We believe public preschool to be a worthy cause for the furthering of education in America. As students enter primary school, they will likely come in contact with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Since the passage of NCLB, there have been several positive results that should not be taken for granted. However, there are several issues that have recently arisen with the passage of this legislation, ultimately due to a lack of funding and proper execution. Brett will support amendments to NCLB to continue improving test scores and preparing our students for post-secondary schooling and the job force." (votesmart.org)
- Brett Carter. Issue Position: Environmental Protection Agency. "Brett sees that the EPA protects the environmental interests of the citizens of this country, and with what we have seen in the Gulf of Mexico, he believes that Congress immediately needs to initiate investigations and studies into the relationships between the EPA and the industries it oversees to ensure that taxpayers are getting the government they deserve in the fight for environmental conservation. Left unchecked, recent events have shown that the environment can be overlooked. We must be good stewards of environment now to protect it for our generation and generations to come." (votesmart.org)
- Brett Carter. Issue Position: Second Amendment. "Brett is a Pro-Second Amendment Democrat. Growing up in Bethpage and later in Gallatin and serving in Iraq for 13 months where he carried an M-4 everyday, Brett understands the significance and sanctity of the Second Amendment. He believes citizens should retain the fundamental right to protect themselves. Brett is an advocate for comprehensive education and training on firearm safety." (votesmart.org)
- Brett Carter. Issue Position: Healthcare - Unfinished Business. "Improving access to healthcare must remain a priority for our Congress. However, to accomplish this goal, the legislation passed in 2009 must be improved by focusing on the rising costs of healthcare that continue to cripple budgets of working families, businesses,and our federal government. Coordination of care, information sharing, and competition between insurance companies needs to be the focus of debate to start bringing costs under control. From his private sector experience, Brett knows that getting healthcare right will also play a critical role in the stimulation ofour economy. When one looks at the financial statements of businesses in the 6th district, healthcare costs are invariably near the top of the expenditure column, so one can safely say that workers are not getting hired in part due to the overwhelming costs of healthcare that most employers have to pay. By focusing on this issue and bringing costs under control, employers will have more resources to put working families back to work. Finally, a component of healthcare reform is general wellness. Tennesseans need to begin taking better care of themselves, and Brett has already taken the lead on this issue through his "Come Run With Me Program." Brett has run in races throughout the 6th District in Hendersonville, Murfreesboro, Bell Buckle and Smithville, and he encourages everyone to join him at upcoming races, including a 4-Miler in Goodlettsville." (votesmart.org)
- Brett Carter. Issue Position: National Security. "As a component of National Security, we must also enforce immigration laws that are on the books. Otherwise, we make a mockery of those who follow the steps to become legal citizens of the United States. As we enforce these laws, we need to improve the coordination between local, state, and federal officials to make sure there is a coordinated effort to address illegal immigration thoughtfully." (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.