Paul Bilyeu's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Paul Bilyeu is currently being tested through the 2020 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.
Texas State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test
| a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | |||
| b) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | |||
| Yes | c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| I am neither pro-life or pro-choice. I am pro individual rights. Government should neither prohibit, nor fund, abortion. | |||
1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Texas's budget.
| No | a) Do you support the creation of a state income tax in Texas? | ||
| Yes | b) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions? | ||
| Yes | c) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees? | ||
| Yes | d) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients? | ||
| As a Libertarian, I will advocate for elimination of many government programs and legislation and for significant reduction in others. Free market solutions are the answer to most programs. Anything worth having can be funded voluntarily without taking money from people by force. | |||
| No | a) Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| Less government is always the answer. More laws and regulations ONLY helps big business and big investors. It does not hinder them. | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| The state is not infallible. Therefore, the states should never be allowed to administer capital punishment. Regarding immigration. There is no federal constitutional authority when it comes to immigration. The US Constitution only authorizes the US government to establish a process for naturalization, not immigration. That is the responsibility of the individual states. So, yes, there needs to be a conversation regarding immigration and how Texas handles it. | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| No | d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| e) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits? | |||
| No | f) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Texas? | ||
| There should be no welfare recipients. Eliminate or greatly reduce taxes and allow the free market and charitable organizations to support those in need. Government should not be providing these services, stimulating the economy, promoting economic growth or creating winners and losers in Texas. | |||
| No | a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in Texas? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| No | c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Texas high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| No | d) Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget? | ||
| Abolish article 7 of the Texas Constitution which calls for free public education over the course of 5-7 years. In parallel, eliminate property taxes in Texas. Reject all federal mandates and funding. Move education to the private sector. Private educations better equipped to educate our children with innovative new approaches to education. | |||
| No | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| No | c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives? | ||
| Once again, the state should not be funding or regulating these items. These are free market issues. | |||
| No | a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| No | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| Yes | c) Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom? | ||
| No | d) Should a license be required for gun ownership? | ||
| All gun legislation overwhelmingly oppresses legal gun owners and not criminals. No existing, or future, law will prevent criminals from putting their hands on guns. Laws only limit the options of people who legally, and peacefully, wish to possess firearms. | |||
| No | a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | ||
| No | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through Texas'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? | ||
| No | f) Do you support increasing funding for state medical facilities and hospitals in rural areas? | ||
| Decrease legislation and regulation. End of life choice should NOT require legislation. People should be free to make decisions that impact their lives and then deal with the consequences without government interference or involvement. Nor should the state have anything to do with vaccinations. That decision is for a family to decide. | |||
| a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Texas's anti-discrimination laws? | |||
| b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Texas's anti-discrimination laws? | |||
| c) Do you support greater efforts by Texas state government in closing the pay gap between men and women? | |||
| d) Should individuals be required to use a bathroom that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificate? | |||
| e) Do you support the removal of Confederate statues from public spaces? | |||
| More issues that should have nothing to do with government. Why should government get involved in, legislate, regulate or fund any of these items? Sexual orientation, gender identity, bathrooms are no one's business except that private individual. As long as that person does not threaten or take the life, liberty or property of another, their personal decision are not the business of anyone else including government. Local business can decide on how to serve their community and are on the hook for any fallout from those decisions. And government should not own public spaces so the statue argument is pointless. | |||
| If elected, I pledge the following three promises: I will never vote to increase or create new taxes or regulations. I will never vote to expand the size, scope and role of government. I will never vote to increase government spending. If I violate any of these three pledges, I will resign my seat immediately. Ask my opponents if they will make the same pledge. |
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