Paul Beck's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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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.
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Paul Beck refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
Montana State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test
| a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? | |||
| b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy? | |||
| c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | |||
| d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | |||
| e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | |||
| f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | |||
| g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? | |||
| h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | |||
| i) Other or expanded principles | |||
1) State SpendingIndicate 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 TaxesIndicate 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 StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Montana's budget.
| a) Education (higher) | |||
| b) Education (K-12) | |||
| c) Environment | |||
| d) Health care | |||
| e) Law enforcement | |||
| f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | |||
| g) Welfare | |||
| h) Other or expanded categories | |||
| a) Alcohol taxes | |||
| b) Business equipment taxes | |||
| c) Cigarette taxes | |||
| d) Corporate taxes | |||
| e) Gasoline taxes | |||
| f) Oil and natural gas production taxes | |||
| g) Property taxes | |||
| h) Income taxes (low-income families) | |||
| i) Income taxes (middle-income families) | |||
| j) Income taxes (high-income families) | |||
| k) Other or expanded categories | |||
| a) Establishing a "rainy day" fund | |||
| b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | |||
| c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | |||
| d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | |||
| e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | |||
| f) Privatizing certain government services | |||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
c) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| Yes | a) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Montana governors? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Montana state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| No | d) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| f) Other or expanded principles | |||
| 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? | ||
| c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized? | |||
| 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? | |||
| Yes | f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
| a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | |||
| 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? | |||
| 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? | |||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
| a) Do you support national education standards? | |||
| b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? | |||
| c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? | |||
| d) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | |||
| e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | |||
| f) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Montana high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | |||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
| a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | |||
| b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | |||
| c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? | |||
| d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Montana's energy infrastructure? | |||
| e) Do you support the state management of wolf hunting in Montana? | |||
| f) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | |||
| g) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | |||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | |||
| b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | |||
| c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | |||
| d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | |||
| e) Other or expanded principles | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance? | |||
| Yes | e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support continuing to allow physician-assisted suicide in Montana? | ||
| g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | |||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Montana allow same-sex couples to form civil unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research? | ||
| d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? | |||
| e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action? | |||
| Yes | f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Montana's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Montana's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| h) Other or expanded principles | |||
| We need to focus on Montana's economy, that's job 1. Our energy potential will put people to work. While we have coal and should continue to cultivate it, our future is in wind and other renewable sources. Montana is better positioned than any state to produce renewable energy. While focusing on the economy, we must not forget our youth. Our students will enter a GLOBAL economy like never before in our history. We must make sure they have the tools they need to compete. K-12, two year technical schools and our university system must be of the highest priority. |
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