Sherryll Shaddock's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Sherryll Shaddock has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Wisconsin State Legislative Election 2014 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? | ||
| No | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| No | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures? | ||
| No | h) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| Abortion is not a black and white issue. Abortion touches on freedoms of religion, association, privacy and others. The first most important issue to be addressed is the health and wellbeing of both the woman and the fetus or unborn child. Limiting access to abortion puts both lives at risk. Second, women have rights that allow them to make decisions regarding their bodies. Restricting a woman's decisions, while not restricting men's decisions is a gender equality issue. Finally, these decisions are not entered into lightheartedly, and thus should remain between a woman and her healthcare provider. | |||
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 Wisconsin's budget.
| Slightly Increase | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Health care | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Law enforcement/corrections | ||
| Greatly Increase | f) Transportation/infrastructure | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Welfare | ||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Gas/Oil taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Property taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Income taxes (mid-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | a) Tapping into Wisconsin's "rainy day" fund | ||
| No | b) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| No | c) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions | ||
| No | d) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees | ||
| No | e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| First, I am gravely concerned regarding the 1.2 billion dollars that have been cut from the education budget. A strong economy starts with an educated workforce, and gutting funding for education severely undermines Wisconsin as compared with other mid-western states. Second, support for the environment also provides economic opportunities into future generations. Allowing questionable environmental access for short term gain will inevitably result in decreased opportunities in areas such as recreation. Finally, raising the minimum wage would significantly reduce poverty and welfare while increasing tax revenue. | |||
| No politician wants to admit that they are interested in raising taxes. However, I am willing to raise taxes if doing will directly offset the costs to the state associated with the area where the tax increase is proposed. For example, alcohol abuse contributes to costs for the state in terms of additional state troopers, prosecutors, jails, courts, etc. If the current tax on alcohol does not adequately cover these costs, then it may be appropriate to raise the alcohol tax. | |||
| In my thirty years as a professional purchaser I have been responsible for saving employers millions of dollars. First, the selections above for what funds could be used to stabilize the budget are not comprehensive. There are likely a number of areas where the state can cut the budget without significantly effecting such vulnerable populations. Second, let's acknowledge that state employees are often paid a great deal less than those in the private sector in recognition of the fact that they are receive pensions. Finally, perhaps it is time to cut the budge at the executive level, including state senators. | |||
a) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| No | e) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
| First, it does not appear to be effective for candidates to voluntarily abide by campaign finance rules. Second, contributions by PACs and corporations result in quid pro quo relationships between politicians and those who support their candidacy. Third, political party contributions can narrow the field of candidates and cause less confusion in primaries. Finally, it isn't apparent that there is an issue with voter fraud. Or at the very least, it is not apparent that voter id will resolve whatever voter fraud does exist. What is clear is that voter id disenfranchises members of under-served communities. | |||
| No | 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 legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana? | ||
| No | 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 the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| (a) Capital punishment is a no-win solution that costs far too much in tax dollars to be effective. (b) Incarceration is rarely an effective deterrent for those with substance abuse issues. (c) The legalization of marijuana is inevitable. (d) Prosecutors are in the best position to determine whether minors should be tried as adults. (e) It may be appropriate to charge a minor if the minor consistently engages in such behavior such that their interest goes beyond natural curiosity. (f) Two issues: First, does federal government cover the cost? Second, what if police fail to abide by federal regulations? | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| No | d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | e) Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage? | ||
| (a) Government regulations often protect individuals and families from corporate greed. (b) Tax dollars are well-spent when they bring well paying jobs to Wisconsin. (c) Expanding access to unemployment allows individuals to take the time to find positions that are a better fit for them and their employers. (d and e) I would consider it if independent studies found it effective. (f) Vacant properties are a blight on communities; homelessness is far more costly. (g) Raising the minimum wage costs nothing to taxpayers and reduces the economic burden for millions of families while increasing tax revenue. | |||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| No | d) Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school? | ||
| No | e) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| Yes | g) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Wisconsin high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| (a) Wisconsin has a diverse student body from many states and countries. They should not be deprived of a comprehensive education making them competitive anywhere. (d) Vouchers and charter schools create a second school system that isn't accountable to those with disabilities or to state standards. (e to g) Education should be an attainable goal for everyone. Let's expand practices of schools with a history of success. Let's fund students who have fewer opportunities because of their parents� paychecks. Let's make our workforce competitive with opportunities for those from different cultures. Education isn't simply an expenditure, it is an investment. | |||
| Yes | 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 state funding for improvements to Wisconsin's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| The environment is a priority because it effects Wisconsin economy, citizens' health, and our global competitiveness. Further development of alternative energy creates an unprecedented opportunity to create jobs, growth, ecological preservation, and energy independence whereas traditional domestic energy sources often restrict these opportunities. If we fail to effectively regulate the energy industry we pay the price in valuable natural resources that are non-renewable and are in short supply. It is time to take the long view and consider not only energy for our lifetimes, but for the lifetimes of future generations of Wisconsinites. | |||
| 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? | ||
| More laws result in fewer rights, and rarely result in fewer deaths. Nonetheless, it cannot be ignored that this country has far more gun deaths than other developed nations. We must strike a balance between maintaining the rights of an individual to protect a life or engage in hunting, and the rights of individuals and families to be safe. I reject any argument that claims this balance cannot be struck with regulations that are in plain English, and easy to follow. | |||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| No | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| No | f) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| (a-e) The difference between the government and private insurance companies, is the end goal of caring for citizens or turning a profit. By expanding the number of individuals who have health insurance we can make insurers more competitive, which in turn will make them more responsive to their customers. (f) Caps on damages show disregard for a jury system structured to allow citizens acting as jurors to determine what amount of money is necessary to compensate a plaintiff who has fallen victim to a health-care provider's negligence. Jurors are also capable of determining an amount sufficient to punish such negligence. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Yes | b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Wisconsin's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Wisconsin's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| (a-b) Same sex marriage has a huge impact on citizens' welfare and the economy of Wisconsin. It is not an elected official's place to tell anyone who to love. (c-d) No group should be discriminated against simply because the group is a minority or is unpopular among certain other groups. It is time to learn the lesson, that distinguishing one group from another on the basis of perceived differences does not foster an environment of inclusion or freedom of expression and association. Fostering a state of exclusion teaches us all to close our mind to those who may be different. | |||
| First, we need to re-fund billions of dollars cut from public school education. This can be accomplished by cutting funding for the Wisconsin Economic Development Fund, which has proven ineffective, or allowing counties to raise property taxes. Second, restore collective bargaining to ensure employees are not trampled by greed. Finally, I support enriching our environment by supporting the Department of Natural Resources, so they can meaningfully regulate and protect Wisconsin's interest in future economic opportunity and preservation of wilderness. Career politicians make promises they can't keep. I make no promise other than absolute honesty. |
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