For Craig L.
Williams, Candidate for U.S. Senate 2010
THE NATURE OF
PRO-LIFE ISSUES
1. Direct threats to human life include first of all abortion,
which takes the lives of well over a million US children
annually; embryonic stem cell harvesting; euthanasia; and
cloning. Additional threats to human life include poverty,
capital punishment, racism, war, nuclear arms proliferation and
exploitation. Since each and every human being is unique and
important, one's personhood or worth should not be arbitrarily
determined by another's choice. No one exists solely as a means
to someone else's happiness. The choices we make, as
individuals and as a society, must be weighed in light of their
impact on human life and dignity.
Do you acknowledge
both the breadth of pro life issues, and the primacy of some of
those issues, namely abortion, embryonic stem cell harvesting,
euthanasia, and cloning?
Yes.
ABORTION
2. Do you believe that a unique human life begins at
conception?
Yes.
|
If not, when? ___ 3 mths ___
6 mths ___ 9 mths ___ 1 yr ___ 18 yrs? |
No |
3.
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 State has a compelling interest in protecting human
life beginning at conception?
Yes.
4. Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion ever
permissible? Check all that apply:
|
_____ No, it's never permissible
__X___
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 |
EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS AND CLONING
5. Do you oppose federal funding
for embryonic stem cell research or cloning?
YES
PARENTAL
INVOLVEMENT IN ABORTION
6. Peer reviewed studies have shown that parental involvement
laws reduce the occurrence of risky sex in teens, and more than
30 states currently have some form of them. Either the teen
refrains from engaging in sex or is more careful before having
sex. These laws help teen mothers and fathers get the support
and guidance they need from parents in this important decision.
Not having them risks parental estrangement or alienation from
the child when in the greatest need and denies the dignity of
the family. Minors already must have parental approval for even
the most minor types of medical procedures or medications and
should also for the complex procedure of abortion. Without
parental involvement, a minor impregnated by an adult often
times is pressured into having an abortion so as to conceal the
fact that the adult is guilty of statutory rape.
Will you
promote/support parental involvement laws (with judicial
override) for minors when seeking an abortion?
YES, but I
believe this is best done at the State and local level.
PHYSICIAN ASSISTED
SUICIDE
7.
Washington State Initiative 1000 which was passed in 2008,
legalized Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) by allowing doctors
to prescribe lethal doses of barbiturates to certain patients.
The objection to this sanctioning of suicide is that some
vulnerable persons, such as those who are feeble, depressed,
mentally ill, or handicapped, will likely experience coersion to
end their lives. For them a right to die, already protected in
the Natural Death Act, (RCW
70.122), may become a duty to die. The American Medical
Association (policy
H-140.952) as well as the Washington State Medical
Association (2007
Resolution A-7) oppose PAS. The AMA states that "physician
assisted suicide is fundamentally inconsistent with the
physician's professional role." The initiative uses vague
language that enable doctors "acting in good faith" to assist
mentally ill or depressed patients to commit suicide, while
protecting doctors from civil and criminal lawsuits. Health
care insurers can cut costs by providing prescriptions for
suicide. Will society's sanction of suicide have unintended
consequences? Sponsor and former governor Booth Gardner says
that this is only a “first step” in legalizing assisted suicide
for anyone who wants it. When society fails to protect
vulnerable people in their troubles, but instead offers them the
violence of suicide, has not society abandoned them? Do
you oppose the availability of physician assisted suicide?
YES
MARRIAGE
PRESERVATION
8. Children develop best within the context of a biologically
related family. This is a scientifically proven fact which the
Washington State Supreme Court referenced when in 2006, it
ruled on the state's 1998 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The
court determined that the state's limitation of marriage to
heterosexual couples "is constitutional because the legislature
was entitled to believe that limiting marriage to opposite-sex
couples furthers ... the well-being of children by encouraging
families where children are reared in homes headed by the
children’s biological parents." In concurrence,
Justice James Johnson wrote "The unique and binary
biological nature of marriage and its exclusive link with
procreation and responsible child rearing has defined the
institution [of marriage in law]."
In order to affirm
and protect children’s rights and the primacy of those rights
over adults’ aspirations for novel family forms, do you oppose
laws that change the definition of marriage to include
homosexual and polygamous relationships?
YES I oppose
laws that grant marriage to male-male or female-female
relationships.
MEDICAL
CONSCIENCE CLAUSES
9. "The
trend toward accepting the termination of some human lives as a
normal part of medicine is accelerating ... Courts,
policymakers, media leaders - even the elites of organized
medicine - increasingly assert that patient rights and respect
for patients’ choices should trump the consciences of medical
professionals. Indeed, the time may soon arrive when doctors,
nurses, and pharmacists will be compelled to take, or be
complicit in the taking of, human life, regardless of their
strong religious or moral objections thereto." (Westlie
J. Smith, 2009).
Should doctors,
nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals be granted
the right to refuse participation in the provision of medical
services that violate the person's moral, ethical or religious
beliefs?
YES
PUBLIC SCHOOL
SEX EDUCATION
10. The typical comprehensive sex education program spends as
little as 5% of the time teaching abstinence principles (Zogby
3/27/07), instead spending significantly more time teaching
students how to put condoms on models of male genitalia and
promoting alternative forms of sexual activity called
outercourse, which may include showering together and mutual
masturbation as effective ways to avoid pregnancy and disease.
In contrast, an emphasis on abstinence means teaching students
about building healthy relationships and bolstering self worth
and self-control.
Will you work to
ensure sex education is wholesome, not dehumanizing and truly
safe?
YES, but again
I believe this is best done at the State and local level.
DEATH PENALTY
11. The death penalty in the United States should:
|
_____ not be used |
_____
be used about the same |
|
_____
be used less |
___x__
be used more |
GAMING
12. A proposed casino off I-5 near Ridgefield is projected to be
one of the largest in the nation. What is your position on the
building of this casino?
I oppose
gambling in any of its forms.
QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMENTS
13. Please state your qualifications for office such as
professional, educational, family and community
accomplishments. You may also add any any further comments
regarding the relationship of your candidacy to respect life
issues.
Craig L. Williams
Experience living in the Seattle
region, the Tri-Cities, and in Southwest Washington. He
understands the needs of ALL Washington citizens.
National and international business
experience to promote trade and help create high-tech and
high-paying jobs in Washington State.
Advanced degrees in science,
management, and finance to help analyze the difficult technical
and financial issues facing our state and nation.
A strong commitment for
environmental action to protect our communities, our state
outdoors, and our private property rights.
Personal
Craig is a 45 year-old power industry
professional with experience in nuclear engineering, energy, and
real estate. Craig currently works for PacifiCorp Energy as an
energy trader and as an Associate Real Estate Broker for CENTURY
21 Expert Realty in Vancouver. Craig understands the need for
affordable and sustainable housing, and the need for clean
energy to power Northwest homes.
Raised in Washington as a teenager, Craig
lived in Kent until college, moved back to Kennewick in theTri-Cities
for his first professional job after graduate school, and
currently lives in Southwest Washington in Vancouver.
Craig has experience living and working on
the East Coast and in Japan. He has national and international
work experience with companies in America, Asia, and Europe.
Family and moral values are the cornerstone
of Craig's life. Married to his wife Ann for 23 years, he is
active in his church, Boy Scouts, youth sports, and other
academic and charitable organizations in his community. Craig &
Ann are the happy parents of six children, James (21), Kirsten
(20), Patrisha (16), Hayley (15), Mara (13), and Jonny (9).
Education
Education is important to Craig, who earned
a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Physics from Brigham Young
University, a Master's of Science in Nuclear Engineering from
the Georgia Institute of Technology, and an MBA with a specialty
in Securities Finance from Portland State University.
His family has lived a lifestyle of
learning with children participating in Science, Math, Drama,
and other academic programs. In 2003 Craig's son James
represented Washington State at the National Geographic Bee in
Washington D.C. and placed 1st. In 2009 his wife's middle-school
Science Olympiad team represented Washington State at the
National Tournament and placed 2nd overall. His daughters have
also been members of the Washington State Ocean Bowl champion
teams in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Craig has served on the boards for
Washington State Science Olympiad, the Tri-Cities Foundation For
Academic Excellence, and the Salmon Creek Soccer Club.
Political
In 1994 Craig ran an informative campaign
in the Democratic primary for the 4th District US House of
Representatives to draw attention to the excessive spending of
the incumbent, Rep. Jay Inslee (D). Weakened from poor primary
results, Rep. Inslee went on to lose the general election.
Frustrated with both parties inaction on
critical issues, in 1996 Craig took a thoughtful break from
politics to raise his family and gain experience in the work
world. Deeply concerned that both Republican and Democratic
leaders have taken our country to the brink of economic and
financial ruin, Craig began stepping back into the political
arena in 2008 by entering a local race for Clark County
Commissioner.
WEBSITE
POSTING PERMISSION
14. May LifePac post your survey response on its website?
Yes
