Rob Rowen III's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Rob Rowen III has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2016 Political Courage Test.
California State Legislative Election 2016 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? | ||
| While I have mixed feelings as a parent about any medical procedure without parental consent, this would allow parents to enforce their values in their children, who might not share those same values. People think supporting a woman's right to choose as being an abortion advocate, they could not be more wrong. I am simply not going to tell any woman how she should handle her personal decision's regarding her reproductive system. Also, why advocate for an unwanted life to be brought into this world, and then vote to defund every program that helps provide for that life. | |||
1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing California's budget.2) State Spending: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.3) State Taxes: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.
| No | a) Tapping into California's "rainy day" fund | ||
| No | b) Decreasing funding for 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 | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Greatly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Health care | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Law enforcement/corrections | ||
| Greatly Increase | f) Transportation/infrastructure | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Welfare | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Small business taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Gas/Oil taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Property taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Sales taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | i) Income taxes (mid-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | j) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Yes | k) Do you support applying sales taxes to all online purchases? | ||
| Budgetary issues are really quite simple; you construct a budget just like most Americans, and then you live within your means. Budgets should include funds for contingencies and the unexpected. I am a fiscally conservative/responsible candidate; the money in Sacramento belongs to the tax payers and it should be administered in a responsible manner. Proper planning, smart investing, no risk taking, and the ability to say no, are the facts of living within your means. We can do all of this without punishing employees, their benefits, or retirement. cutting waste, fair taxation, long-term economic planning and responsible behavior. | |||
| When you look at these answers your first thought is, how to we pay for it. The answer is simple; an educated workforce means more tax payers and less demand on social services. Healthcare is not a privilege, it is a human right among any civil society. When people are gainfully employed, making a living wage, crime statistics go down, reducing our need for major investments in law enforcement. We can protect our environment while at the same time creating and growing a whole new green economy. Finally, our infrastructure must be modernized, everyone wins, workers and business. | |||
| Alcohol and tobacco are responsible for a large percentage of chronic illness in this country; those that abuse either, should pay for the demand they will place on services later. While small business is taxed, many corporations pay little to no tax at all. Fair taxation is the rate that you pay. Consumers pay enough on gas & oil taxes, however, I favor a middle of the road severance tax on big oil, just like Texas and other producer states. Income Tax should be progressive; middle income families deserve a break, not the wealthiest among us. | |||
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 | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| elections should be financed publically, taking big money out of the picture. Instead of representation, we have the best government money can buy. Corporations are not people, and setting limit on individual donors does not limit free speech, it ensures that those who have the most money cannot drown out the voice of those with little or no money. Limits create a level playing field, or as close as you can get to one. redistricting should be done by the people, not those with a stake in the outcome. Voting is a fundamental right in any "free" society. | |||
| 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 legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana? | ||
| d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | |||
| e) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | |||
| Yes | f) Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction? | ||
| Yes | g) Should the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products be 21? | ||
| D&E are unfair questions that cannot be answered without defining things more clearly. Should a 17 year 11 month old that commits murder be prosecuted as an adult, in my opinion yes, so it is age dependent. Enforcing laws is the job of law enforcement. However, until we have immigration reform, this is also unfair. We need immigration reform yesterday, a system that is efficient, fair, and timely. While unpopular among Democrats, I do believe that there are certain crimes that warrant death as a fitting punishment. Murder is an unforgivable act, a crime against humanity. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| c) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | |||
| Yes | d) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits? | ||
| g) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | |||
| h) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | |||
| Yes | i) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage? | ||
| j) Should employers be able to ask about applicants' criminal history before interviewing them? | |||
| C-some regulations can be adjusted in certain areas for economic growth; I do not believe a one size fits all policy works in areas that are rural versus urban. Common sense approach. G-In certain instances a partnership between public and private is perfectly acceptable if it creates living wage jobs in economically repressed areas. H-In limited circumstances when the fault is due to the failure of government and the system, then yes. J-When employment is in sensitive areas, then asking background questions is acceptable; otherwise, this allows for prejudice in hiring for those that have paid their debt to society. | |||
| a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative? | |||
| b) Do you support a merit pay system for teachers? | |||
| 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? | ||
| 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 California high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| A- I support what our teachers tell me works the best to educate our children, they are he experts. B-Merit pay sounds good in theory, but different challenges apply to teachers from different areas within our state. Teachers should earn a living that reflects their education level and the investment they make in the future of our kids and our nation leaders of tomorrow. C-Tenure is nothing more than due process; the myth that you can't get rid of bad teachers if they have tenure is just that, a myth. E-In limited circumstances, with a level playing field. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| c) Do you support state funding for improvements to California'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? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support increased regulations of the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry? | ||
| g) Do you support permanent statewide water usage restrictions? | |||
| C- I would support this with the understanding that communities are allowed to develop their own energy production systems, and with legislation requiring the transmission system owners to purchase power from these municipalities at a fair market price. G-Only during times of drought; I do not support source areas being forced to live with and pay the same for the water as those that live in water short regions. Water should be paid for; transportation from source, increases the price. Just as those in water rich areas pay more for certain things because of our geography, water is no different. | |||
| a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | |||
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns? | |||
| d) Should a license be required for gun possession? | |||
| A- I support background checks, and a reasonable waiting period. C-Those that are issued a permit from the proper authorities, then yes I support their right to carry. D-Should I have to purchase a state license to own a firearm, no. Reasonable regulations are ok with most voters, it is the overreach that gets people all concerned. Gun violence is a product of a combination of many factors; mental health, hatred, hopelessness, criminal behavior, etc. You cannot legislate any of these things away, you can only hope to educate them away, or provide treatment for mental health issues. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| 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? | ||
| I support everything that will improve our healthcare system; until we come to our senses and become the last western style government to adopt universal healthcare, then every option must be open to consideration. We must control cost; competition will help, as will expanding the coverage pool. When those without healthcare (by design) get hurt, they seek the most expensive care on the planet, ER care, and the insured pay for it with higher costs. As far as limiting malpractice awards, when a doctor is negligent, then a jury should decide the award, not government by way of regulation. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in California's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in California's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| This is the 21st century, it is long past time to accept the differences among humans and allow for equality under the law for all people. Civil rights are civil rights; we need to focus on jobs, healthcare, infrastructure, retirement security, housing, food, veterans health, seniors, our children's future, not revisiting age old socially divisive issues that are rooted in hate, intolerance, and fear. Freedom of any thing, is also freedom from anything, we need to learn to love people for who they are. | |||
| My first priority is to bring better jobs to the district. Working across party lines to find solutions to improving the rural economy of California. We can achieve this through tax incentives for small business, entrepreneurial start-ups, and relocating businesses. healthcare access, addressing our provider shortage for primary care. Water storage, forest health, and infrastructure. We have funding already in the water bond to start storage projects like Sites Reservoir; seeking additional funding for rural healthcare through tobacco and alcohol tax. Working with private business in energy to utilize small biomass energy plants; legislating fair policies that allow their growth. |
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