Amanda Kirchgessner's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Amanda Kirchgessner has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2018 Political Courage Test.
New York 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 decisions concerning a person's physical body and well-being should be made by that person alone, in consultation with their trusted advisers, and without government interference. | |||
1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing New York '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? | ||
| The New York Health Act would eliminate the unfunded Medicaid mandate on county governments and could greatly reduce property taxes dependent on action at the County level. Cutting out insurance and drug company profits would also create huge savings overall. We don't need shadowy tax breaks and subsidies for private corporations. We don't need to balance the budget on the backs of working people and poor people. | |||
| 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 support closing the LLC loophole, and expanding access to voting. New York needs early voting, automatic registration, no-excuse absentee voting, and a shorter "waiting period" for party enrollment. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support replacing the cash bail system with a supervised release system for misdemeanor charges? | ||
| I believe that the wrong people are in jail. We are criminalizing social problems. Addicts need medical help. If it is safe to release a rich person on their own recognizance for a particular crime, it should be safe for someone who is poor. We need alternatives to incarceration, and people in jail and prison need access to education and training. Their families should not be getting fleeced for phone calls and other services, so that the prison industry can make outrageous profits. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | b) Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | 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 New York ? | ||
| Workers need a living wage, and small businesses need subsidies to help them pay employees fairly. The wages of employees at large companies like Walmart should not be covered by taxpayers in the form of food stamps and other government supports. We need to end welfare for corporations, and make them pay their fair share and treat their employees fairly. I think we need to talk about a statewide jobs guarantee. | |||
| No | a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in New York ? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from New York high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| No | d) Should students' standardized test scores be used to evaluate teacher performance? | ||
| "Teaching to the test" is dumbing down our students. New York should look to Scandinavia and other countries for creative ways to educate and motivate students, not only academically but also emotionally and socially. Teachers need more support and all schools need to be funded equitably. Our children are our future -- we need to invest in them. | |||
| 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? | ||
| I strongly support all measures to ensure environmental protection. Climate change is real and it is already devastating many areas in our country. The coming decades will bring large migrations to upstate New York, and we need to be ready with good land use planning and alternative energy sources. We can not afford to poison our agricultural land and water. Contaminated soil and water threaten our health, recreation, and industry. | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| We don't have a gun problem. We have a violence problem. I do not support the SAFE Act, which was written without input from gun owners and public safety officers. I would like to see the SAFE act repealed and replaced with something written by gun owners, hunters, gun violence victims and public safety representatives, working together. No paid lobbyists would be part of the conversation. | |||
| Yes | a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through New York '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 would prefer to move immediately to the New York Health Act, which would cover every New Yorker for medical, dental, vision care, mental health, and nursing home care, financed through a progressive tax much like Medicare or Social Security. I also believe strongly in personal choice and an individual's freedom to choose what is right for them. We need more personal freedoms, not fewer. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in New York 's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in New York 's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support greater efforts by New York state government in closing the pay gap between men and women? | ||
| Yes | d) Should New York permit localities to adopt "Sanctuary City" immigration policies? | ||
| I support the New York version of the ERA. I support protections for migrant workers and the farmers who are reliant on them. I support protections for members of the LGBTQ community, and the elderly, and victims of abuse, and the native peoples whose land and livelihood was stolen from them. I support Black Lives Matter. I have friends in all these communities and they are one of the main reasons I stepped forward to run for office. | |||
| Climate change and wealth & income inequality are the two biggest challenges we face. I believe we address them both the best by addressing basic needs: healthcare, food and housing. When basic needs are met, people are more prepared to tackle larger issues. I support universal healthcare, sustainable & local farming, and affordable housing. Naturally, if we want people to be able to afford a home, we have to pay them living wages and help them with education. Universal healthcare and good agricultural practices will pay for themselves. Living wages and free college education may require higher taxes on millionaires. |
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