Thomas Brewer's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
Thomas Brewer has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2018 Political Courage Test.
Maryland State Legislative Election 2018 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? | ||
| No | c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| I believe that pregnancy tests should be affordable and accessible, and an emphasis should be placed on teaching girls to take a test when they miss a period, so that any decision can be made as early as possible. | |||
1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Maryland'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 do believe there are some state employees that can afford to have their salaries reduced, including administrative positions that make more than ten times the amount of the lowest paid state employees. I also believe that the top earners in the state can afford to pay more in taxes. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? | ||
| No | d) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
| I would support the requirement of a government-issued photo identification card, but only if low-income individuals have access to an affordable or free option. | |||
| No | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes? | ||
| No | c) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| I support the enforcement of federal immigration laws as long as profiling is not incorporated. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support reducing state 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 of Maryland? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support legalized state-sponsored sports betting in Maryland? | ||
| No | h) Do you support increasing state regulatory oversight of ride-sharing drivers (e.g. Uber, Lyft)? | ||
| I support lowering state taxes and reducing state government regulations on small businesses, but not large businesses. I believe the minimum wage should not be the same statewide, but rather tied to the cost of living for the specific region. | |||
| No | a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in Maryland? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Maryland high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| I do not believe we need more standardized testing, but rather much less. I support state funding for public charter schools, but not private schools. I believe a Maryland high school graduate living in Maryland should be eligible for in-state tuition if they are accepted into a public higher education school. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives? | ||
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| 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? | ||
| No | c) Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a license be required for gun ownership? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through Maryland's health care programs? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia? | ||
| No | e) Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations? | ||
| I support the requirement to purchase health insurance, but I believe health insurance should be made more affordable before requiring everyone to purchase. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Maryland's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Maryland's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support greater efforts by Maryland state government in closing the pay gap between men and women? | ||
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| I believe that bringing down the cost of healthcare by exposing Pharmacy Benefit Management companies is a top priority. If we were to require their dealings to be transparent, we can show the greed and fraud in the prescription drug industry and their lack of value in the healthcare industry. I also believe that the opioid epidemic needs to be addressed from many angles and that the state should join other states in suing the top opioid manufacturers like we did with tobacco companies. Lastly, I believe that mental healthcare should be prioritized in rural areas of the state. |
Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.