PCCC State Candidate Questionnaire (2018)

Do you support major public investment in infrastructure jobs – like repairing crumbling schools and highways, building out clean energy infrastructure, and wiring communities with high-speed Internet?

Do you support the right of workers to collectively bargain and will you oppose all efforts to weaken existing rights?

Do you oppose so-called “right-to-work” legislation that hurts workers’ ability to form unions?

Do you support raising the minimum wage to $12 or more and indexing it to the cost of living so its value does not erode over time?

Will you support legislation aimed at ensuring that everyone who works has the right to several paid sick days each year?

Do you support state-level single-payer health care?

Will you stand up to anyone, including members of your own party, if they try to cut Medicaid benefits?

Do you support Medicaid expansion to cover more families, childless adults, and low-wage workers who qualify for assistance under the Affordable Care Act but cannot find or afford to purchase insurance?

Do you believe seniors should be able to buy less expensive prescription drugs, including prescription drugs imported from other countries such as Canada?

Do you support divesting pension funds from “too big to fail” private financial institutions that committed fraud or otherwise took irresponsible actions that harmed the public?

Do you support making transparent to the public all fees paid to fund managers of state and local pensions, as well as details of state and local money spent on economic development assistance to corporations?

Do you support “Right to Rent” laws, allowing homeowners facing foreclosure to remain in their homes as renters for a substantial period of time?

Do you support a “public option” in banking – a state bank type entity, such as that in North Dakota – to provide public loans and payment services and compete with Wall Street?

Do you support increasing income taxes on those making over $250,000 a year in wages or capital gains so that our system of taxation is more progressive and everyone pays their fair share?

Would you support a surtax on employers like Walmart that have a substantial number of employees on public assistance programs, to reimburse the state for the cost of the services?

Do you support higher taxes for companies that pay their top executives more than 20 times what their average employee makes, to create incentives for them to reduce our growing income inequality?

Will you support enacting a state or local Earned Income Tax Credit, or do you support expanding it, if one already exists?

Do you support establishing a system of elections in which candidates who choose to accept only small donations (below a level around $150) receive public matching funds, allowing candidates to spend more time talking to voters and less time calling wealthy out-of-state donors?

Do you support a constitutional amendment to reverse the impact of Citizens United and fix campaign finance problems that pre-date Citizens United?

Are you in favor of legislation already passed in many states that would reform the Electoral College to ensure that the winner of the national popular vote was awarded the presidency?

Do you support same-day voter registration?

Do you support universal vote-by-mail in your state?

Do you support impartial redistricting reform, aimed at making more districts competitive in the general election?

Do you support requiring corporations registered in your state to seek approval from shareholders before spending funds on political campaigns or organizations that engage in political activity?

Will you fight to ensure voting rights for all Americans age 18 and above are protected with no exceptions?

Would you agree to at least one Open Debate in your race with questions submitted and chosen by the public online?

Would you work to increase public funds dedicated to connecting more people in your state to high-speed Internet?

Do you support the right for states and municipalities to build their own wireless networks and high-speed broadband networks?

Do you support allowing open access to all utility poles and related local infrastructure -- as opposed to only letting older corporations access these public resources -- to foster innovation and competition in phone, Internet, and cable in our local communities?

Do you support a goal of free tuition for in-state students at public colleges and universities, to fight the crushing burden of debt on young people?

Do you support a program like Oregon’s “Pay it Forward” proposal, which allows students to attend college tuition-free and pay back a percentage of their income for several years?

Do you oppose so-called “Stand Your Ground” laws?

Do you support strengthening gun background check laws?

Do you support, and will you work to uphold, the rights decided by Roe v. Wade?

Will you work to ensure LGBT couples have the right to marry and receive benefits equal to those of opposite-sex married couples?

Do you believe climate change is real, caused by humans, and requires immediate action from the government?

Do you support legislation that requires government agencies to obtain a warrant before obtaining private communications?

Are you willing to make promises (aka take “pledges“) on some issues that represent your core Democratic and progressive beliefs, so that voters know on which issues you will draw a line in the sand?

If over 75% of the public supports the progressive position held by Democrats on a high-profile issue, and less than 25% supports the position held by Republicans, do you generally support fighting for that position against obstructionist Republicans instead of seeking compromise with them?