Korey Welch's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Korey Welch has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he may face if elected.
Massachusetts State Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| No | b) Should abortions be illegal after 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 the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| Although I am personally apposed to abortion! I believe this is matter that is bet handled by a woman, her doctor, and spiritual advisers. I do however support reasonable restrictions on abortion. I don not support using or spending tax payer dollars to pay for abortions or to send tax payer money to planned parenthood. | |||
1) State Spending:Using the key, indicate 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 Taxes:Using the key,indicate 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 Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Massachusetts's budget.
| Maintain Status | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Environment | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Health care | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Law enforcement/corrections | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Transportation/infrastructure | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) Welfare | ||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Gas/Oil taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Property taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (mid-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | a) Tapping into Massachusetts's "rainy day" fund | ||
| No | b) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| Yes | c) Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining | ||
| Yes | d) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions | ||
| Yes | e) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees | ||
| No | f) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Elementary education is a priority. We have seen mismanagement from the MBTA, Mass Turn Pike Authority, other infrastructure organizations, and especially with welfare in which waste, fraud, and abuse are running rampant. These organizations need to find a way to address the abuses and streamline operations just like it is done in the private sector. Where the tax payer piggy bank doesn't exist. Tax payers shouldn't be forced to always bailout mismanagement. | |||
| I am the only candidate in the race endorsed by CLT's 2 & 1/2 PAC(www.clt.org) and signed a 2 tax payer protection pledges not to raise taxes on the citizens. I am a Reagan conservative and believe that tax cuts create jobs and foster economic development. | |||
| MA doesn't have a revenue problem we have a spending problem. The "rainy day" fund should only be used in dire emergencies. As far as public workers collective bargaining, reducing salaries AND/OR pensions. To be honest there is a lot of other low hanging fruit in this state to address were huge savings could be realized. While reform is needed to address our massive unfunded pension liability there are certainly other easy reforms that can made in other areas that offer great savings rather than always punishing our public employees first. Like Medicaid which is rampant with fraud and abuse. | |||
a) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?
| No | 1) Individual | ||
| No | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| No | 3) Corporate | ||
| No | 4) Political Party | ||
| No | b) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
| I regard the political contribution issue as matter of free speech. However, it's disappointing that our elected representatives on both sides of the isle put the interests of their largest donors above those of the individual tax payer. The problem however doesn't lie with the special interests rather in the character of the candidates who sacrifice principal to secure re-election at the expense of we the taxpayers. I am a huge proponent of complete and full disclosure and absolute transparency. This however will not change a thing unless we start electing candidates that put taxpayers above special interests! | |||
| 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) Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana? | ||
| 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 allowing for more judicial discretion in Massachusetts's "three strikes" law? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| Regarding item (d) this should be decided on a case by case basis in-order to no create a one size fits all solution to these unfortunate crimes. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| No | c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support allowing bars and restaurants to offer daily or hourly discounts on alcoholic beverages? | ||
| No | h) Do you support extending the state's 5-cent deposit law to plastic water bottles and other non-carbonated beverages? | ||
| i) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| No | a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| No | c) Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers? | ||
| Yes | d) Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| No | g) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Massachusetts high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| I support merit pay systems for teachers provided that such a system uses a school districts increase in over performance as a determining factor. The approach for ensuring we have the best teachers in our schools in not a one size fits all solution. Tenure has no place in the private sector so I am baffled that it is accepted when it comes to educating our children. Who are going to be the future of America. We need to look more at charter schools an voucher programs to increase competition in education. After-all it is competition that breads success! | |||
| 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)? | ||
| No | c) Do you support state funding for improvements to Massachusetts's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| I am a firm believer in alternative energy but if this concept is going to survive it should be able to attract private investment not survive on taxpayer subsidies. I do support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change only when based on proven scientific evidence by independent researchers. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| Yes | c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a license be required for gun possession? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| No | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| Yes | 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) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the legalization of physician-assisted suicide for those with a terminal diagnosis and less than six months to live? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Massachusetts continue to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| I support civil unions and/or domestic partnerships for same sex couples. The term marriage for me is defined as one man and one woman. I whole hardheartedly believe that same sex couples should be able to form a union will all the rights, benefits, and privileges that marriage provides but I am just not willing to call it marriage. | |||
| First priority is rooting out all waste, fraud, and abuse in all areas of government. In the private sector this what is done that makes business and companies successful. The difference however is that the private sector doesn't have a taxpayer money tree in its back yard to dip into every time they can't get their fiscal house in order. If a company can't get costs in line they go out of business. However when our government behaves irresponsibly we the taxpayer pays the price. We need to stop rewarding incompetence with votes! When is enough going to be enough? |
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