Richard Opler's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Richard Opler has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2016 Political Courage Test.
Colorado 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? | ||
| e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | |||
| f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | |||
| 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? | ||
| I have not answered the questions about which I am open to argument from both sides. | |||
1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Colorado'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.
| Yes | a) Tapping into Colorado's "rainy day" fund | ||
| Yes | b) Decreasing funding for public universities | ||
| Yes | c) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions | ||
| Yes | d) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees | ||
| Yes | e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Health care | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Law enforcement/corrections | ||
| Greatly Increase | f) Transportation/infrastructure | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Welfare | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Small business taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Gas/Oil taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Property taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Sales taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | 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? | ||
| I do NOT FAVOR ANY OF THESE OPTIONS but I answer "yes" because the Colorado budget MUST be balanced, and the bi-partisan Joint Budget Committee of the General Assembly has to be able to jump through any possible hoops to do it. Between Tabor and the Great Recession, Colorado's state budget went to hell in a handbasket. We have the third lowest per capita state taxes in the nation, and it shows. I am a moderate Democrat; in favor of raising revenue to restore education and transportation (among other things)) funding to prior levels. | |||
| I definitely support nearly free 2 year community college and vocational training K-12 spending. I note the state's economy is now dependent on better-educated immigrants from other states. I support higher funding for state universities with the request that their overhead costs be better managed and the goal is to allow more IN-STATE students to attend. I am concerned 30% of Colorado students entering college need remedial courses. Ideally K-12 education can be improved and have higher standards so that higher education is not a high-school do-over, which is a waste of resources. | |||
| Everyone wants public programs like good schools, but no one wants to pay. As mentioned above, we need more funds for basic government function. Having lived in a no-income tax state (WA) next to a no-sales tax state (OR), both causing problems, I am sensitive to the need to have a balanced tax environment. TABOR and the Gallagher amendment make this nearly impossible. Sorry, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Revenues must be raised, and we cannot place an undue burden on businesses. That said, I support adequately funding existing programs before considering new ones. | |||
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 | ||
| 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? | ||
| Voluntary limits are already an option and not being much used. Needs to be mandatory but that is currently impossible under federal law. Despite being a partisan, I am strongly in favor of non-partisan redistricting mechanisms that runs on geography and keeps cities and counties "whole" where possible. I have volunteered as an election judge. There was never any evidence of voter fraud. We do not need the expense and bother of government ID cards. | |||
| 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? | ||
| c) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | |||
| d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | |||
| Yes | e) Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction? | ||
| My non-answers reflect a willingness to listen to a specific bill. The death penalty is a no because it doesn't work, attempts are a huge waste of taxpayer money, and it puts us at odds with the majority of the Western world. I am generally not in favor of trying minors as adults, but on rare days there is a 17 year old so heinous that I prefer judges make the call. Asset seizure before conviction should be changed to asset freezing. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| 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? | ||
| e) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| No | j) Should employers be able to ask about applicants' criminal history before interviewing them? | ||
| Lots of tricky questions - non answers again depend on specifics, though I think SOME of the current business tax incentive programs are largely a waste of money and unfair to existing businesses. Businesses should check criminal history later in the hiring process. I support a $12 minimum wage. Low wage businesses have been getting a free ride (by having their employees subsidized by government welfare programs) at taxpayers' expense. As | |||
| Yes | 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 Colorado high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| Which merit pay system? Douglas County Public Schools has ruined things with their version. Other questions unanswered are too unspecific. Vouchers here in Douglas County are awful - welfare for the rich, and an affront to separation of church and state. Because vouchers cover only part (about 1/2 in Douglas County's plan) of private school tuition, the program can best be described as "every poor child left behind". Our tax dollars are better spent improving free and universal public education. | |||
| 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 Colorado'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? | ||
| Would need specifics to say yes or no on state funding - seems to me pollution regulations may do the trick without it, and if funding is needed it should be federal, not state To be Colorado specific, I, as do my Republican neighbors, support the OPTION for local zoning on the oil and gas industry. No other industry enjoys an exemption from local zoning. I support an increase in the well-head setback rule, but am dubious the proposed 2,500 feet can work, especially if landowners do not have the right to waive the requirement. | |||
| Yes | 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? | |||
| Yes | d) Should a license be required for gun possession? | ||
| Personally, I grew up with guns and hunting, and was given a 22 and a 20 gage before I was a teenager. I am fine with concealed carry on a state law basis, but I would allow for local regulation. I regret the idea of licensing, but think it might be very useful in getting guns out of the hands of bad guys and the mentally disturbed. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | |||
| Yes | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| d) Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | |||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| 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? | ||
| Non-answers above are again a result of needing more specifics. The Affordable Care Act is showing weakness, and I very much doubt government can "reform" (whatever that means) commercial insurance any more than we already have. I do support a single-payer health plan, or "Medicare for all", but I think it needs to be on a nation-wide, federal level. I do not think Colorado can be successful acting on its own. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Colorado? | ||
| I am fiscally moderate to conservative, but socially liberal. As long as no harm is being done to others, I take a dim view of government using law to engineer society and morals. | |||
| My top priorities are to restore adequate funding for education, transportation, and the justice system (law enforcement from police to courts). TABOR and the Gallagher Ammendment need to be suspended, reformed or ditched (getting us back to a Republican form of government and away from our broken direct Democracy ruled by lobbyists, special interests, and ballot initiatives). Our 48th in the nation taxes will have to be raised. That said I am a fiscal conservative and will generally not support new government programs unless and until we have fixed these basic functions of government on which most of us agree. |
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