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J. Gresham Barrett's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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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.

J. Gresham Barrett repeatedly refused to provide any responses to citizens on the issues through the 2008 Political Courage Test when asked to do so by national leaders of the political parties, prominent members of the media, Project Vote Smart President Richard Kimball, and Project Vote Smart staff.

What is the Political Courage Test?
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.

South Carolina State Legislative Election 2000 National Political Awareness Test

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legally available.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X d) Abortions should be legal when pregnancy results from incest, rape or the life of the woman is endangered.
e) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and notification requirements as decided by each state government.
f) Prohibit the dilation and extraction procedure, also known as "partial-birth" abortion.
g) Support "buffer zones" at abortion clinics by requiring demonstrators to remain a certain distance from doorways and driveways.
X h) Prohibit public funding for abortions and organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
i) Other

State Budget: Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following general categories.State Taxes: Indicate the tax levels you will support.

Maintain Funding Status a) Education (Higher)
Maintain Funding Status b) Education (K-12)
Maintain Funding Status c) Environment
Slightly Increase Funding d) Health care
Slightly Increase Funding e) Law enforcement
Greatly Increase Funding f) Transportation and Highway infrastructure
Slightly Decrease Funding g) Welfare
h) Other
Maintain Funding Status a) Alcohol taxes
Greatly Decrease Funding b) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Funding Status c) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Funding Status d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Funding Status e) Gasoline taxes
Slightly Decrease Funding f) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Slightly Decrease Funding g) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Eliminate Funding h) Inheritance taxes
Eliminate Funding i) Property taxes
Maintain Funding Status j) Sales taxes
Greatly Decrease Funding k) Vehicle taxes
l) Other
No m) Should Internet sales be taxed?
Yes n) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?
Yes o) Would you support returning any operating surplus to South Carolina taxpayers?
p) Would you support placing any operating surplus into a "rainy day" fund?
Yes q) Do support using a portion of the tobacco settlement funds to aid tobacco farmers in South Carolina?
r) Other

Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime.

a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
b) Increase state funds to hire more corrections officers to supervise juvenile inmates.
X c) Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
X d) End parole for repeat violent offenders.
X e) Support the use of the death penalty in South Carolina.
X f) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
X g) Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
X h) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
i) Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
X j) Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
X k) Mandate a legal DUI blood alcohol level of .10.
X l) Prosecute as adults, youths accused of a felony.
X m) Increase penalties for crimes committed on school grounds.
n) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, or disability be prosecuted as hate crimes.
X o) Support programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.
X p) Ban the use of racial profiling by law enforcement officers.
X q) Prosecute pregnant women who use illegal drugs under the state child abuse laws.
X r) Require mandatory prison sentences for anyone convicted of a violent crime while possessing a firearm.
s) Other

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

a) Increase state funds for professional development of public school teachers and administrators.
X b) Encourage private or corporate investment in public school programs.
X c) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
X d) Support charter schools where teachers and professionals receive authorization and funding to establish new schools.
e) Increase state funds for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
f) Increase state funds for hiring additional teachers.
X g) Endorse teacher-led voluntary prayer in public schools.
X h) Support posting the Ten Commandments in public schools.
X i) Require public schools to administer high school exit exams.
j) Support national standards and testing of public school students.
X k) Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay.
l) Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
m) Allocate all lottery funds toward education.
X n) Provide state funds to create character education programs in K-12 public schools.
o) Provide state funds to place "safety officers" in all public schools in South Carolina.
p) End the two-day sales tax moratorium on books, school supplies, and children's clothes.
X q) Award financial incentives to schools that show substantial improvement in student SAT scores.
r) Other

Employment: Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning employment.Affirmative Action: Which of the following state agencies should take race and sex into account when making employment decisions?

X a) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
X b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector to encourage investment and economic expansion.
X c) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
d) Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
X e) Require companies to repay incentives if they do not fulfill contractual obligations with the state.
f) Reduce the number of tax credits given to corporations that move into the state.
g) Other
No a) College and university admissions
No b) Public employment
No c) State contracting
d) Other

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

X a) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
X b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
c) Require a cost/benefit analysis to determine the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
d) Require states to fully compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses on privately owned land.
X e) Support funding for recycling programs in South Carolina.
X f) Request added flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
X g) Suspend participation in un-funded, federally-mandated environmental protection legislation.
h) Restructure the electric utility industry to allow consumers to choose their power companies.
i) Increase state funds to protect wetlands.
j) Prohibit in-ground burial of nuclear waste.
k) Other
No l) Should state environmental regulations be stricter than federal law?

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding government reform.c) Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative candidates?

Yes a) Do you support the current limit on terms for South Carolina Governors?
Yes b) Do you support limiting the number of terms for South Carolina State Senators and Representatives?
Yes a) Individual
Yes b) PAC
Yes c) Corporate
Yes d) Political Parties
Yes d) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes e) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
Undecided f) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
Undecided g) Do you support voting on-line?
Undecided h) Do you support on-line voter registration?
Yes i) Do you support requiring financial disclosure for any group that spends money to influence an election or referendum
Undecided j) Do you support placing the state's Emergency Preparedness Division under control of the governor?
No k) Do you support amending the South Carolina Constitution to allow voter initiatives?
l) Other

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

a) Ban the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
X b) Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
X e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
f) Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
g) Require background checks of gun buyers at gun shows.
h) Require a license for gun possession.
i) Other

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health issues.

X a) Provide tax incentives to small businesses that provide health care to their employees.
b) Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
c) Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
d) Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
X e) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X f) Support a patient's right to sue his or her HMO.
X g) Support a patient's right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied.
h) Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
i) Other

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

X a) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
b) Increase state funds to provide child care for children in low-income working families.
c) Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
d) Increase state funding for Head Start in order to serve additional children and/or increase services from a half to a full day.
e) Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
f) Support state funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans, and job training and placement.
g) Allow casino boats to operate in South Carolina waters.
h) Other
No i) Should physician-assisted suicide be legally available in South Carolina?
No j) Should South Carolina include sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination laws?
No k) Should South Carolina recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
Yes l) Should South Carolina restrict marriage to a relationship only between a man and a woman?
m) Do you support removal of the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds?
n) Do you support keeping the Confederate flag on the Capitol grounds?
o) Do you support allowing residents of South Carolina to determine the location of the Confederate flag through a referendum?

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare.

X a) Maintain current time limits on welfare benefits.
X b) Maintain the requirement that able-bodied recipients work in order to receive benefits.
c) Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
X d) Provide tax incentives to businesses that hire welfare recipients.
e) Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
f) Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
g) Allow welfare recipients to remain eligible for benefits while saving money for education, starting a business, or buying a home.
X h) Limit benefits given to recipients if they have additional children while on welfare.
i) Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
j) Redirect welfare funding to faith-based and community-based private organizations.
k) Use federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds to expand state services to include the working poor.
l) Other
Please explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected. Please explain how you would obtain any additional government funding needed to implement these priorities.

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