Richard Merkt's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Richard Merkt has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2024 Political Courage Test.
New Hampshire State Legislative Election 2024 Political Courage Test
| a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | |||
| b) Do you support legalizing abortion when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | |||
| c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds (e.g. Medicaid) for organizations that perform abortions? | |||
| New Hampshire law places no restrictions on abortion during the first six months. There are restrictions during the last three months of pregnancy, which a majority of New Hampshire residents agree with. I would leave this law intact. | |||
| a) In order to balance the budget, do you support limiting state government spending on social programs (e.g. SNAP, TANF)? | |||
| b) Do you support a decrease in income taxes in order to promote economic growth? | |||
| c) Do you support a wealth tax in order to pay for public programs in your state? | |||
| Under existing law, New Hampshire will have no state income tax as of 2025. This is part of the "New Hampshire Advantage," and I would leave this law intact. | |||
| a) Do you support capital punishment for violent crimes? | |||
| b) Should an individual under 18 accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | |||
| c) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | |||
| d) Do you support the use of private prisons? | |||
| e) Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders? | |||
| f) Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in New Hampshire? | |||
| Public safety is the most basic service government provides. It is up to law enforcement to carry out laws enacted by elected officials. The public is entitled to strict enforcement of laws against violent crime, and these should be the top priority for law enforcement. | |||
| a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth (e.g. grants, tax incentives)? | |||
| b) Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector (e.g. for business or the environment)? | |||
| c) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of New Hampshire? | |||
| d) Do you support government spending on affordable housing projects in New Hampshire? | |||
| Government management of the economy does not work well and is poor public policy. State government should focus on performing its core responsibilities, such as state roads, bridges, and public health and safety. | |||
| a) Do you support adopting federal education standards (e.g. Common Core) in New Hampshire? | |||
| b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | |||
| c) Do you support increasing teacher salaries AND/OR benefits in New Hampshire? | |||
| d) Should immigrants in the United States who graduate from New Hampshire high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities, regardless of immigration status? | |||
| e) Do you support allowing schools to hire part-time teachers without requiring that they be certified by the State Board of Education? | |||
| The US Constitution does not include education among the enumerated powers granted to the federal government, therefore the federal government has no constitutional role in formulating educational policy for the states. Educational consumer choice and competition lead to better schools and provide families with more options to meet the needs of their children. | |||
| a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)? | |||
| b) Do you support state governments allowing permits for drilling on public lands? | |||
| c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives? | |||
| Government management of the economy does not work well and is poor public policy. State government should focus on performing its core responsibilities, such as state roads, bridges, and public health and safety. | |||
| a)Do you support limiting campaign contributions from corporations, unions, and individuals? | |||
| b) Do you support the use of an independent or bipartisan commission for redistricting? | |||
| c) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | |||
| d) Do you support automatic voter registration? | |||
| e) Do you support the implementation of ranked choice voting in New Hampshire? | |||
| The most needed government reform is term limits for both elected and appointed officials. | |||
| a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation (e.g. red flag laws, closing the boyfriend loophole)? | |||
| b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | |||
| c) Do you support the right to concealed carry in New Hampshire? | |||
| The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. | |||
| a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | |||
| b) Do you support a government-run (e.g. single-payer) healthcare program such as Medicare-for-All? | |||
| c) Should an individual have the right to choose to die (e.g. those with a terminal illness) through euthanasia? | |||
| d) Do you support mandating vaccinations (e.g. for school or employment)? | |||
| e) Do you support expanding paid family AND/OR medical leave benefits (e.g. maternity leave)? | |||
| f) Should the government be able to regulate the cost of prescription drugs? | |||
| Government management of the economy does not work well and is poor public policy. State government should focus on performing its core responsibilities, such as state roads, bridges, and public health and safety. A government that has proven itself incapable of managing Social Security and Medicare prudently should not be entrusted with making healthcare decisions for the people. | |||
| a) Do you support inclusion of sexual orientation in New Hampshire's anti-discrimination laws? | |||
| b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in New Hampshire's anti-discrimination laws? | |||
| c) Do you support greater efforts by New Hampshire's state government in closing gender, racial, and other wage gaps? | |||
| A large majority of New Hampshire residents believe that our state government should protect women's rights and opportunities from participation by biological males in women's sports competitions. I support this common sense public policy. | |||
| I will preserve the "New Hampshire Advantage" by cutting state taxes and the size of government. The state should concentrate on its core functions. I will reach out to local independent voters to ask what their priorities are, and report back publicly and regularly to all District 10 residents on events at the State Capitol. My opponent voted against reducing state taxes and wants bigger government. He supports higher taxes and has endorsed building 60,000 new units of state-subsidized housing, even though our district (including Keene) has lost population. Why should our residents be forced to subsidize new public housing elsewhere? Voters should ask themselves: Am I better off now then I was four years ago? If they are, then they should vote for the current State Senator and continue to live with the same old status quo. But if they want a change and better direction, then I offer them a real choice. Most District 10 voters do not even know who their State Senator is. Even fewer have ever met or spoken with him. If I am elected to the State Senate, residents in all 15 towns will know me, because I will reach out to them. |
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