Scott Larson's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Scott Larson has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he may face if elected.
Minnesota State Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test
| a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | |||
| b) Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy? | |||
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| Yes | d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures? | ||
| No | h) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| i) Do you support increased regulations on abortion providers? | |||
| j) Do you support requiring a doctor to be present when a woman takes a pill to induce an abortion? | |||
| 1.In RE a): Roe v. Wade has clearly defined the rights of women relative to abortion in the United States. Until the U.S. Supreme Court changes that right, any legislation that would abridge that right is a waste of time in a State Legislature, and we don't need to waste time when we NEED legislation to create jobs. As a State Senator, I will ONLY offer and/or vote for legislation that is consistent with the law, and thus pro-choice or pro-life, in my opinion, is not relevant in a state race. 2.IN RE b): Of all of the women [...] | |||
1) State Spending:Using the key, indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State Taxes:Using the key,indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.
| Slightly Increase | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Health care | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Law enforcement/corrections | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Transportation/infrastructure | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Welfare | ||
| Greatly Increase | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Eliminate | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Gas/Oil taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Property taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (mid-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| If the healthcare delivery system were changed to a hub and spoke system, maintaining the funding status would actually increase patient funding under this delivery system by more than 20%. In Minnesota, protecting our environment is the prudent fiscal policy since about 30% of our revenue is derived from Tourism. We MUST reduce the achievement gap in K-12 education to increase jobs with an educated workforce in a global economy. We must reduce College tuition costs, student debt is now approaching a house payment. | |||
| Consumption of alcohol and tobacco is a choice, with both having direct costs to the state in healthcare. The taxes should be increased so long as the revenue derived is first directly applied to the direct costs that these products cause. Corporate taxes should be eliminated with requirements to distribute profits to the shareholders, which would directly impact the economy in increased revenue through the personal income tax, capital gains tax and sales tax modules of the state. The cost of fuel is impacting the family budget so greatly, that any further rise, through additional taxes, would have a dire[...] | |||
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) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| 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? | ||
| 1)IN RE a)-c): Minnesota is a leader in campaign finance laws, I support them. As an Independent, I receive no state aid for my campaign, even though my DFL opponent received about $17,000 for his, as a member of a major party. The system in Minnesota, while having some inequities, is essentially a very fair system. 2)IN RE e): I do NOT support the use of Constitutional Amendments for issues that are clearly the purvey of the Legislature and designed to circumvent the veto authority of the Governor. We elect our Senators and Representatives to make decisions on our behalf[...] | |||
| 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? | ||
| No | c) Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana? | ||
| d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | |||
| e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | |||
| f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | |||
| g) Should citizens be allowed to use deadly force in defense of their homes, dwellings or vehicles? | |||
| 1.IN RE a): Generally I oppose capital punishment as a Catholic, because "killing a killer" is an inconsistent principle, and the term "certain" in your question must be specified. 2.IN RE b): The point of any penalty should be the change of behavior. 3.IN RE c): As stated below, if a physician proscribes any controlled substance that should be permissible, but at what point does the decriminalization of the use of non-physician proscribed controlled substances end and to what degree? 4.IN RE d): Minors are minors, but there are crimes that dictate a different handling of the punishment, and we[...] | |||
| a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | |||
| Yes | b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | |||
| f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | |||
| 1.IN RE a): I support review of government regulation on the private sector to make our state competitive with our neighboring states in order for Minnesota to attract new employers. However, Minnesota's tourism generates about 30% of the state's revenue through all tax modules, which is directly proximate to our natural resources. Any regulation change that would negatively impact our natural resource "asset" would be fiscally imprudent. 2.IN RE e): I support increased spending on infrastructure because we don't need any more bridges falling down. However, such spending should be accomplished in a systematic manner and not simply as a[...] | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative? | ||
| No | b) Do you support a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| No | c) Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers? | ||
| No | d) Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school? | ||
| No | e) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support strengthening Minnesota's anti-bullying statute? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| No | h) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Minnesota high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| 1.The adoption of Common Core by the 50 states will begin to bring into focus the core standards that are necessary to bring our education system to a competitive level for our global economy. States should be the incubators and laboratories for the expansion and articulation of these standards, in keeping with the 10th Amendment. The Standards do not require states to be exact, but offer competent guidelines that can only enhance our K-12 system. 2.I support merit pay in any employment for good work. However, the proposals for merit pay, to date, do not address the problems with inner[...] | |||
| No | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support state funding for improvements to Minnesota's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| The state should not be involved in energy production or development, other than through low interest loans or other financial instruments that are administered pursuant to rigorous standards so not to put undue risk on public funds. The energy infrastructure is both a public and a private responsibility to ensure safety, as well as access. | |||
| a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | |||
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns? | |||
| No | d) Should a license be required for gun possession? | ||
| 1)IN RE a): Minnesota has a large population of hunters, and to generally restrict the purchase and possession of "guns" would not be in the best interest of the state. Implementing more comprehensive background checks or restricting certain types of weapons or equipment is a debate that every state should have. I see little need, as an example, for the possession of a "silencer" for a weapon. However, the general question of additional restrictions on "guns" assumes ALL guns, and I think that imprudent. 2)IN RE c): States, and here in Minnesota, have a conceal and carry laws. I would[...] | |||
| a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | |||
| Yes | b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | ||
| c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | |||
| Yes | d) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | |||
| Yes | f) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| 1)IN RE a): As stated previously, I support the expansion of access to medical care in a hub and spoke system, which would reduce healthcare costs by some 20% - 25%. The entire discussion regarding healthcare reform began because of healthcare costs and medical care access, not the actual medical care that is given. The United States has the finest medical care in the world, it is how we access it and how we deliver it, together with its cost, which is the issue. Presently, we have people in the emergency rooms for a strep throat that costs us $1,200.00[...] | |||
| a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | |||
| Yes | b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions? | ||
| c) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Minnesota's anti-discrimination laws? | |||
| d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Minnesota's anti-discrimination laws? | |||
| IN RE a): The term "marriage" is a religious term derived from "matrimony", and the use of the term has been co-opted in the civil meaning of unions between people, in most states, a man and a woman. The issue of the term "one" is also critical in the debate, or we now must then have the discussion of the propriety of polygamy. Please see my answer in b) above. If any state authorized a union between a couple of the same sex, this should be specified, as well, as "one" man and "one" man or "one" woman and "one"[...] | |||
| The three top priorities for me are 1) JOBS, 2) JOBS, 3) JOBS! All of the other issues that require government support are being restricted because states and local governments are cash strapped. As examples, how do we help to solve the mortgage crisis if individuals do not have livable wage jobs to pay their mortgage? How do we support infrastructure maintenance, let alone expansion, if we do not have the tax base to support the expenditures? How do we continue to render economic aid to the impoverished if we do not have the revenue streams? How do we continue[...] |
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