Jerry McDonald's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Jerry McDonald submitted the 2018 Political Courage Test after the official deadline.
Alabama 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? | ||
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |||
1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Alabama'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? | ||
| Alabama's historically regressive tax structure places the job of balancing the state budget disproportionately on the shoulders of our state's middle class and working poor citizens. A more proportionately shared responsibility among all tax brackets would create more disposable income for Alabama's working citizens and boost the consumer/jobs business cycle. | |||
| 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? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| 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? | ||
| No | d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| e) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| 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 Alabama? | ||
| Supporting or not supporting regulations and adjusting tax rates on the private sector is not always a 'yes' or 'no' proposition. Outcomes have to weighed and responsible decisions made. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in Alabama? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Alabama high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget? | ||
| We should be addressing the immigration dilemma that results in someone being in the U.S. long enough to graduate from high school and continuing their education rather than discouraging the hopes and dreams of those exhibiting the qualities we seek to cultivate in a responsible citizenry. | |||
| 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? | ||
| If by gun control legislation you mean proper licensing and background checks, I am definitely in favor of such measures. I do not support any comprehensive pronouncements concerning confiscation of guns. We had an assault weapons ban, which I supported, which was rescinded some fifteen years ago. I would like to see another assault weapons ban but I do not believe at this time there exists a political consensus to reinstitute such a ban. | |||
| Yes | a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through Alabama'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? | ||
| f) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Alabama's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Alabama's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support greater efforts by Alabama state government in closing the pay gap between men and women? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces? | ||
| I suppose I answered the way I needed to on a & b to express my belief that no one should be discriminated against due to sexual orientation or gender identity in Alabama's anti-discrimination laws. On question d, if you mean our municipal public spaces, I would say yes. I would not restrict their display in other public places such as museums or 'historical' grounds or parks. | |||
| I would support the immediate acceptance of the medicaid expansion into Alabama as originally provisioned under the ACA. I would also support immediate legislation for the exclusive funding of public education only, post secondary and vocational, through the implementing of a state wide lottery. |
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