Life Issues / Family Ethics Political Action Committee of Southwest Washington

2017 Mayoral / City Council Survey

Candidates: Copy and paste the survey questions below into your word processor, type your answers and send to vote4life@lifepac.org You can answer either all of the questions or choose from among them, or you can compose your own statement using some of the survey's themes.  Responses will be authenticated before use.

A CONSISTENT ETHIC OF LIFE IN PUBLIC POLICY
A consistent ethic of life (see here, here and here) focuses on the major life issues of abortion, fetal plundering, euthanasia, persistent poverty, unjust war, capital punishment, the use of nuclear arms, violence, racism, trafficking and exploitation.  While these are nationally debated issues, there are community manifestations of them that municipalities can address.  This can be done for example by supporting community pregnancy clinics, ensuring successful schools and facilitating local works of charity.  Will you as a city council member do all in your power and authority to implement public policies and facilitate community action that further a consistent respect for all human life?


PUBLIC LIBRARY PORNOGRAPHY
The US Supreme Court in its 2003 ruling United States v. American Library Association, Inc, upheld the use of library internet pornography filters.  Chief Justice Rehnquist stated for the plurality that "to fulfill their traditional missions, public libraries must have broad discretion to decide what material to provide to their patrons.  Although they seek to provide a wide array of information, their goal has never been to provide 'universal coverage,'" and "most libraries already exclude pornography from their print collections because they deem it inappropriate for inclusion."   In 2010, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that public libraries' use of internet filters does not violate the state constitution. Will you as a city councilor appoint, recommend or request (depending on your level of authority) only library board candidates who oppose the inclusion of pornography in public libraries, whether by internet or printed materials?
 

REGULATION OF SEXUALLY-ORIENTED BUSINESSES
The U.S. Supreme Court in Young v. American Mini Theaters, Inc., (1976) and Renton v. Playtime Theater, Inc., (1986), concluded that municipalities have "substantial governmental interests" in protecting and preserving the quality of life for its community against the adverse secondary effects of sexually-oriented businesses while allowing for "reasonable alternative avenues of communication."  Land Use Studies from cities around the United States were cited in both U.S. Supreme Court cases documenting the harmful secondary effects of these businesses including 1. Increased Crime - rape, sexual assault, prostitution and illegal drug sales; 2. Decreased Property Values - both residential and commercial; and 3. Urban Blight - people and businesses fleeing the community.  Will you diligently seek and maintain zoning ordinances, licensing procedures, permit requirements and operational regulations which serve to minimize the adverse secondary effects of Sexually-Oriented Businesses? 

 

COMMUNITY PREGNANCY CENTERS (CPC's)
In recent years, attempts have been made by abortion advocates in Washington and other states to pass legislation targeting pro-life pregnancy centers, even though such centers provide those states with valuable community services. In Washington State in 2012,  HB 1366 and SB 5274 required of CPC's: (1) The listing of non-provided services both orally and in writing.  This would have set a dangerous precedent allowing any organization with political clout to saddle its competitors with burdensome requirements of saying or listing what they do not do.  In January of 2011, a federal judge ruled in Maryland on a similar law that "the Ordinance violates the Freedom of Speech Clause of Article I of the Constitution of the United States" (pg. 2) and has a "lack of viewpoint neutrality ... a particularly offensive form of content-based discrimination" (pg. 20).  (2) These bills would have allowed any Planned Parenthood employee, private citizen, or government entity to bring petitions for injunctions even if they are repeatedly thrown out of court.   A local pregnancy center, surviving on donations, cannot defend itself in Superior Court pro se (without representation) and cannot afford to pay a lawyer to defend them even once, yet alone multiple times.  3.  These bills did not regulate conduct, but instead were directed only at the speech of pregnancy centers.  King County imposed such rules this year.  Do you support the work of pro-life community pregnancy centers, and will you oppose efforts to suppress them? 

 

REGULATION OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA AND PARAPHERNALIA 
Recreational marijuana was legalized in Washington State in 2012 by Initiative 502.  The drug though is still banned federally, and considered dangerous by many, including the FDA, the AMA, and The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  Citizens against Marijuana Legalization (CALM) states "The normalization, expanded use, and increased availability of marijuana in our communities are detrimental to our youth, to public health, and to the safety of our society."  The Alaska Association of Police Chief describe some of the negative aspects of legalizing the drug here.   For additional dangers see here.  For an extensive report by the National Academy of Sciences (Jan 2017) see here What is your position on the legal production, processing and sale of recreational marijuana in the jurisdiction of the office you are seeking?

_____ Support

_____ Oppose

_____  No Opinion

_____  Other:

 

ABORTION
Even dedicated proponents of abortion acknowledge that life begins at conception.  What do you believe?  Does a unique human life begins at conception? 

If not, how long after conception does a human life begin?


___3 mths   ___6 mths   ___9 mths   ___1 yr   ___18 yrs?
   


The 14th Amendment states "nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, 1973, stated that "if this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment."  The Court regrettably concluded though that "we need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer."  
Do you believe that the right to life of the unborn child is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment?


Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion ever morally permissible?  Check all that apply:

_____ No, it's never permissible

_____ Yes, to save mother's life

_____ Yes, in cases of rape or incest

_____ Yes, for physical deformity

_____  Yes, for gender

_____  Yes, for race

_____  Yes, to punish spouse

_____ Yes, it's always permissible

 

Do you support parental notification and/or consent before a minor (under 18 years of age) could have an abortion? A judicial bypass of parents would be allowed when necessary.  A 2013 poll commissioned by Human Life WA, found Washington State voters are widely supportive of laws requiring "parental involvement" in abortion decisions for girls under the age of 18 (62-29% with just under 10% undecided).  Read a summary of the results here.  Do you support:

Notification?

Consent?    
 

PLANNED PARENTHOOD
The nation's biggest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, in the 2015-2016 fiscal year received $555 million in tax payer funding and aborted 328,348 babies.  Should Planned Parenthood be contracted with to make community presentations, provide literature, birth control chemicals or devices, and/or abortion services?

 

CONTRIBUTIONS OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
"Religious communities are the largest and best-organized civil institutions in the world, claiming the allegiance of billions across race, class, and national divides. These communities have particular cultural understandings, infrastructures, and resources to get help where it is needed most" (World Conference of Religions for Peace).  Southwest Washington has a broad range of religious communities that contribute substantially to the welfare of families, children, seniors, the homeless, sick, and refugees.  They are a highly valued part of our community which respects and defends human life at every stage.  Are you an active member in a church, synagogue, temple, mosque or other religious assembly?

If so, you may state here where:
 

FAITH-BASED AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS
The White House's Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships ensures that religious and other community organizations are able to compete on an equal footing for participation in Federal programs without impairing the character of such organizations and without diminishing the religious freedom of those served.  Is the  collaboration of government with faith-based charitable works good for our communities?
 

CIVIC PRAYER
In the 2013 US Supreme Court ruling of Greece v. Galloway, all nine justices (following Marsh (1983), affirmed the acceptability of having an invocation at the beginning of public meetings.  Writing for the court, Justice Kennedy stated: "Ceremonial prayer is but a recognition that, since this Nation was founded and until the present day, many Americans deem that their own existence must be understood by precepts far beyond the authority of government to alter or define and that willing participation in civic affairs can be consistent with a brief acknowledgment of their belief in a higher power, always with due respect for those who adhere to other beliefs. The prayer in this case has a permissible ceremonial purpose. It is not an unconstitutional establishment of religion."  What is your position on your city council instituting or continuing a prayer at the start of the meeting?

 

QUALIFICATIONS
Please state your professional experience, community involvement, education, family successes and other qualifications for a mayoral or city council position.

 

POLICY POSITIONS
You may state here any policy positions you have in relation to the office you are seeking:


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