Chad Riden's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Chad Riden has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2018 Political Courage Test.
Tennessee Gubernatorial Election 2018 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| Yes | b) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| No | c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| d) Other or expanded principles: | |||
Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Tennessee's budget.
| No | a) Do you support the creation of a state income tax in Tennessee? | ||
| No | b) Should state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families ("TANF") funds be used to implement Medicaid work requirements? | ||
| Yes | c) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions? | ||
| No | d) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees? | ||
| No | e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients? | ||
| I don't believe ANY elected official should make ONE DIME more than Tennessee's lowest paid teacher. I would like to tax ONLY the top 1% in Tennessee (and NOBODY ELSE) a flat 3%. This won't pay for everything but it will make me feel good. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? | ||
| No | d) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
| Citizens United is destroying our society. Money-fueled politics IS the problem. Voter suppression is fueled by racism and hate. I am fed up with bipartisan politics and the hypocrites at all levels of government. Our elected offices go to the highest bidder and rich candidates backed by their elite friends spend millions on advertising claiming to be just like us. The media only covers candidates / parties spending millions of dollars buying advertising from them. It's gross. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes? | ||
| No | c) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| No | d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| I really dislike capital punishment, but I don't know what to do with the people currently on death row. I'm definitely AGAINST for-profit prisons. In general I�d rather focus on rehabilitation than incarceration. I support legalized cannabis in all forms for recreational and medical use. Multiple studies have shown that after states legalized cannabis, the number of opioid prescriptions and the daily dose of opioids went way down. Instead of prison, I like prosecution-led residential drug treatment diversion programs that divert nonviolent felony drug offenders to community-based residential treatment. State and local police already have their hands full. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | c) Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| No | e) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Tennessee? | ||
| I�d like to build high speed rail connecting Bristol to Knoxville to Nashville to Memphis and Knoxville to Chattanooga with regional light rail transit supporting those hubs. I�d like to deploy fiber optic internet as a public utility to the entire state and make sure every school and home is connected. Access to information and technology is as important as water and electricity. Our bridges need to be checked and repaired if necessary. That�s a lot of good paying construction jobs out there just waiting to be done. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in Tennessee? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Tennessee high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| America has always been a melting pot and that blend of cultures is our greatest strength. We should always welcome refugees and have a clear path to citizenship for immigrants. Illegals are already here, working in terrible conditions for crappy pay or worse, being abused or enslaved. Instead of wasting money on a wall, we should embrace those who are already here and help them become full citizens. I think it�s a shame sanctuary cities are even necessary, and I support those communities for standing up for what they believe in. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives? | ||
| My dad�s mom, Grace Riden taught high school in the 70�s and 80�s and was recognized by the Tennessee state legislature for her environmental conservation programs decades and decades ago. My mom started the first municipal recycling program in McMinn County in the late 80�s. I�m an Eagle Scout who walks around parks picking up all the trash I see habitually. I want to protect our beautiful state and it�s natural resources. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| No | c) Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a license be required for gun ownership? | ||
| I own several guns and I love target shooting. I support criminal background checks on all gun sales to keep guns out of the hands of people with dangerous histories, including felons, domestic abusers and people with dangerous mental illnesses. Responsible gun owners know that supporting the Second Amendment goes hand in hand with common-sense solutions to reduce gun violence. My campaign has been given the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction for standing up for gun violence prevention and recognizing gun safety. | |||
| Yes | a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through Tennessee's health care programs? | ||
| No | c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia? | ||
| No | e) Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations? | ||
| I said No on part C because you shouldn't be required to purchase insurance.. I believe healthcare is a RIGHT, not a privilege. Healthcare should be FREE and insurance companies are just middlemen who need to be cut out completely. I support MedicareForAll. I don't want to force vaccinations but that doesn't mean schools have to allow unvaccinated kids to come in. Do what you want, but we have to protect the rest of us from being harmed by your terrible decisions. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Tennessee's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Tennessee's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support greater efforts by Tennessee state government in closing the pay gap between men and women? | ||
| Yes | d) Should Tennessee permit localities to adopt "Sanctuary City" immigration policies? | ||
| I support my LGBTQ+ friends and family and women. Everybody deserves to feel safe. I think it�s a shame sanctuary cities are even necessary, and I support those communities for standing up for what they believe in. | |||
| I want to build state-wide fiber optic internet as a public utility following the Chattanooga model, first connecting our schools and then every home in Tennessee. I want to issue cheap tablets to each student and deliver their text books and handouts and information all electronically and eliminate paper as much as possible. I want our public schools to be world class learning environments staffed by well-paid teachers. No politician should make one dime more than our lowest paid teacher. I?d like to build high speed rail connecting our major cities with regional light rail transit supporting those hubs. |
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