Zach Thomson's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Zach Thomson refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
Hawaii 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? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | ||
| The last question on abstinence only sex ed may work in some areas but one size does not fit all. many different educational programs should be optional. | |||
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 Hawaii's budget.
| Greatly Increase | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Eliminate | d) Health care | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Law enforcement | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) Welfare | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Property taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | a) Tapping into Hawaii's "rainy day" fund | ||
| Yes | b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | ||
| Yes | c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| Yes | d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | ||
| Yes | e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Yes | f) Privatizing certain government services | ||
| No | g) Legalizing and regulating gambling | ||
| We should not make the impoverished comfortable in their poverty. We should give them a hand and a direction toward a better life. There are exceptions to every rule and some people may just need a warm meal but we should raise the expectation and incentives for those who want a better life and a realistic way to achieve it. This is easier said than done but I believe it is only obtainable if we create move feasible paths for the socio-economicaly disadvantaged real ways to feel more confidant and feel they can be contributing members of society. | |||
| I feel strongly about creating an inviting atmosphere for businesses to thrive and prosper. When business can flourish they make more money and when they make more money they will inevitably pay more taxes. We need ease the burden of those trying to make an honest buck and reward ingenuity and innovation not make it near impossible. I think the best ways to get those with money to circulate it and boost the economy are tax benefits similar to Act 221. That helps get "the haves" to release their understandable apprehension to circulate money. | |||
| Its not a simple fix to the problems we face in balancing our state budget but it is possible if we all try to be a little more willing to sacrifice. Some of us have been successful in balancing our personal family budgets and businesses and they can be painful especially if we are used to a particular way of life. But if we want to move forward we must do it together. That means we all must give a little bit and be willing to trim were we can afford it. | |||
c) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| Yes | a) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Hawaii governors? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Hawaii state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| Yes | d) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| If we report when people contribute than it keeps us honest. Not that we intentionally try to do something unethical but as people contribute than we should disclose the information. We should also avoid any one group or groups determining outcomes of any election because they have unlimited access to funds. That does not accurately represent the populous sentiment. | |||
| 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? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| We need to be focusing on rehabilitation of criminals not condoning the behavior and weakening current laws. My overall philosophy is that there are exceptions to every rule and not one size fits all. But if we have a standard and use common sense when we approach what I call extenuating circumstances then we can use our best judgement to be all fair as a society as we possibly can. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| The government need to get out of the business of bailing people and businesses out of trouble. We need the private sector to expand and fill those roles. I am not talking about illuminating what we have, just turning it over to the private sector so the incentives and rewards that naturally accompany private business as opposed to the lack of incentive to accomplishing more than just the status quo. | |||
| Yes | 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 Hawaii high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| I am not quit sure what merit pay for teachers is but if it means creating competition and rewarding those that work harder than yes. We need to stop lowering the expectations of our talented children of America. We just need to adapt with their talents abilities and ways of learning by incorporating the advent of new technologies. As the great Whitney Houston said "I believe that children are our future" and although as adults we need to steer them in the right directions from our experiences we also need to be open and listen to what they say. | |||
| 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 Hawaii's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| Again I feel that if we create tax benefits for those that create viable solutions to our energy issues then we will find real progress. I don't however think that the government should get involved any more than it already has in the private sector. | |||
| No | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | ||
| When it comes to guns its the law abiding citizen that does not need anymore restrictions, its those who have mental health problems and repeat criminal offenders. The criminals need to be excluded from gun purchasing and it is our duty as citizens to make that happen but checking those who are trying to purchase weapons. | |||
| 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) 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 Hawaii? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| Again The government should not be in the private sector of business. It is a conflict of interest. If your the one making the laws and playing the game its as unethical as the umpire playing the opposing team on the field. He is too biased and should therefor not be eligible to play the game. | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| No | b) Should Hawaii 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 Hawaii's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Hawaii's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| I don't think that the government should be in the business of Religious affairs. So by supporting more government laws that require the state to recognize more religious affiliation is more of the same problem. I think its unfortunate that people are discriminated against but I don't think that by passing laws will make people stop hating. The solution is educating people. I believe that most persecution comes from people being afraid of what they don't know. If your Gay transexual or Mormon you need to understand that however different we all may be it is not grounds for discrimination. | |||
| I believe the solution to our economic problems lies within the ingenuity and hard work of the people of this great nation. If I am elected my top focuses will be a marriage between educating the youth, stimulating the economy and creating sustainable energy solutions for a more self sufficient Hawaii. We have the means and we need to respect and harness the gifts we have been given. Like in scouts we learn we are caretakers of our environment and as such we must find balance and take all viable ideas and options but it all starts with education. |
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