Marcus Sutphin's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Marcus Sutphin has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2017 Political Courage Test.
Virginia State Legislative Election 2017 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| Yes | b) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| No | d) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| I would consider support limiting of public funds to non-abortion services but would not cut funding altogether. | |||
1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Virginia's budget.
| No | a) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions | ||
| No | b) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees | ||
| No | c) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Yes | d) An income tax increase on any tax bracket | ||
| I would support a tax increase on top tax brackets if necessary to balance the State budget. I would first propose ending the corporate welfare our State pays out to support mega corporations. | |||
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) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| 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? | ||
| f) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| I believe in common sense laws that provide an inexpensive way for immigrants to enter the country and become citizens. I also believe it is our responsibility to prosecute and deport illegal immigrants that commit violent crimes. | |||
| 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? | ||
| No | c) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| No | e) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage? | ||
| g) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Virginia high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities in Virginia? | ||
| If an immigrant has completed high school and wished to attend college, we should not only offer assistance but offer citizenship. Why would we reject those who could benefit our society through their achievements? | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| No | a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| No | d) Should a license be required for gun possession? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| The Affordable Care Act was a replica of Governor Romney's plan in his State and is flawed. It allowed insurers to charge exorbitant rates which are then subsidized by the federal government. It does not address rising costs and unethical practices by insurers and pharmaceutical companies. CEO's are earning millions in bonuses while their companies complain about cost and deny every claim possible. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Virginia's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Virginia's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| No | d) Should individuals be required to use a bathroom that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificates? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| 1) Support and submit anti-corruption legislation that ends dark money, corporate donors, gerrymandering, and other forms of political corruption. 2) Support legislation that moves Virginia toward 100% renewable and clean energy. 3) Support legislation that improves worker wages and provides Virginians with access to healthcare regardless of socioeconomic status. |
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