Card image cap

Paul Ray's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Key


Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.

Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.

Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.

Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.

Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Paul Ray has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he may face if elected.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Michigan State Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Pro-choice a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
No 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?
No e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
No 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?
No i) Do you support increased licensing restrictions for abortion providers?
j) Other or expanded principles:

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.3) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Michigan's budget.

Greatly Increase a) Education (higher)
Greatly Increase b) Education (K-12)
Slightly Increase c) Environment
Greatly Increase d) Health care
Slightly Increase e) Law enforcement/corrections
Slightly Increase f) Transportation/infrastructure
Slightly Increase g) Welfare
h) Other or expanded categories:
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Increase b) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Increase c) Corporate taxes
Slightly Increase d) Gas/Oil taxes
Maintain Status e) Property taxes
Maintain Status f) Sales taxes
Greatly Decrease g) Income taxes (low-income families)
Maintain Status h) Income taxes (mid-income families)
Greatly Increase i) Income taxes (high-income families)
No j) Do you support requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature in order to approve all future tax increases?
Yes a) Tapping into Michigan's "rainy day" fund
No b) Increasing tuition rates at public universities
No c) Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining
No d) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
No e) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
No f) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
g) Other or expanded principles:
Income Taxes (high-income families I support repeal of Bush era tax cuts for the extremely well to do. Two-thirds vote amendment - If this were to pass, why even have a Legislature?

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
No 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?
No f) Do you support Michigan's emergency manager law?
g) Other or expanded principles:
No 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?
Yes c) Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana?
No 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?
No f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
Question E Wrong choices, not enough information. Should be handled by juvenile courts. Harsher penalties for distributing photos of others or child pornography.
No 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?
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?
Yes e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
No f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
Yes g) Do you support a constitutional amendment affirming a right to collective bargaining in Michigan?
Yes h) Do you support construction of a new bridge across the Detroit River to Canada?
i) Should Michigan allow more casinos?
Question C - - I support restoring recent cuts to unemployment benefits Question J -- I support local communities having a strong voice in whether Casinos are located in their jurisdiction
Yes a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
Yes b) Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
c) Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
No d) Do you support replacing pension plans for new teachers with 401(k)-style retirement plans?
No e) Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
No f) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
Yes g) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
Yes h) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Michigan high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
Question C: Tenure system produces teachers that have some hope of job security. I fail to see any real correlation to effectiveness. A teacher of my acquaintance told me repeatedly of a teacher that was considered "ineffective" by most of the staff. Read the Detroit Free Press on his prep hour for upwards of 20 years. That teacher played golf with and was a frequent companion of administrators and school board members at the local watering hole. Removing tenure is a fine idea, if anyone can find something to replace it besides nepotism and cronyism.
Yes 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 Michigan'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?
Question B--> Natural Gas and Oil companies are making tremendous profits. Given the size of the profits those corporations produce for investors and owners, they have a very small impact on employment. Once wells are drilled, and pumping commences, you can drive by miles and miles of oil or gas fields without spotting a single employee. Coal mining is a very dangerous occupation. I support funding for health and safety regulation in the coal industry. Those corporations are perfectly capable of developing of those resources without any help from Michigan taxpayers, thank you very much.
No 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?
No c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
Yes d) Should a license be required for gun possession?
Oh boy, gun rights. I agree with my NRA friends that auto accidents kill far more people than firearms each year, and no one makes a large fuss. The SCOTUS has said that gun ownership is a right. I can live with that. I do not want to take guns away from anyone, except criminals. I am for reasonable regulation, however. I do not want to live in a wild west culture where anyone and everyone is packing a gun.
Yes 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?
No c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
Yes d) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
Yes e) Do you support establishing a state-run health insurance exchange?
No f) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
Yes g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
h) Other or expanded principles:
No a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
Yes c) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Michigan's anti-discrimination laws?
Yes d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Michigan's anti-discrimination laws?
Question B Same sex couples should be allowed to marry. Welcome to the 21st Century.
Remove the tax on Senior pensions. We got along fine without that for decades. Fund public schools at a level that will ensure a quality education. That education should be provided by our public schools, not corporate and "charter" schools. Our Public Schools can easily be funded by putting a stop to perpetual tax breaks for corporations and the extremely wealthy, and slowing down the giveaway of local taxes for "tax abatement" giveaways. Make those tax abatement directly tied to the jobs they actually provide, rather than wild guesses unrelated to realiity.

Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.

arrow_upward