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Thomas Jackson, Jr.'s Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Democratic for State House (AL) - District 68

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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.
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.

Alabama State Legislative Election 1998 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 legally available.
b) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X c) Abortions should be legal only when pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
d) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
e) Abortions should always be illegal.
f) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
g) Prohibit the late-term abortion procedure known as "partial-birth" abortion.
h) Support "buffer zones" by requiring demonstrators to stay at least 15 feet away from abortion clinic doorways and driveways.
i) Other
Undecided j) Should Alabama government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?

Indicate the principles you support (if any) concerning affirmative action. State government agencies should take race and sex into account in the following sectors:

Yes a) College and university admissions
Yes b) Public employment
Yes c) State contracting
d) 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) Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
c) End parole for repeat violent felons.
d) Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder.
e) Oppose the death penalty.
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) Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
X i) Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
X j) Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
X k) Strengthen penalties and sentences for sex offenders.
X l) Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
m) Implement chain gangs in prisons, in which inmates work together in chained work groups.
n) Other
Yes o) Do you support limiting appeals in death penalty cases?

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning the economy and employment.

X a) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
c) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
X d) Increase funding for state job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
X e) Provide increased funding for agricultural and forestry research.
f) 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.
c) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
d) Favor charter schools where independent groups receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
X e) Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
f) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
X g) Increase state funds for school construction and facility maintenance.
X h) Increase state funds for hiring of additional teachers.
X i) Endorse a mandatory "moment of silence" after the pledge of allegiance in public schools.
X j) Support state-funded merit scholarships for Alabama students to attend college in Alabama.
X k) Support mandatory state testing in public schools to see if academic standards are being met.
l) Other
Yes m) Do you support the current law that allows teachers to spank a child as long as the teacher follows local school board policies?

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

X a) Require the use of cleaner burning fuels in order to prevent pollution.
b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
X c) Require a cost/benefit analysis to determine the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
X d) Require the state to fully compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses on privately owned land.
X e) Provide funding for recycling programs in Alabama.
X f) Request added flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
X g) Suspend participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
X h) Restructure the electric utility industry to allow consumers to choose their power company.
X i) Support a three-year moratorium on both new hog farms and all expansions of farms to over 500 hogs.
j) Other
Yes k) State environmental regulations should not 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?

No a) Do you support amending the Alabama Constitution to limit the number of terms of State Senators and Representatives?
Yes b) Do you support the current law which limits the number of terms the Governor can serve? (Limited to 2, 4-year terms)
No 1) Individual
No 2) PAC
Yes d) Do you support current limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes f) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
No g) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
Undecided h) Would you vote to ratify an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring an annual balanced federal budget?
No i) Do you support requiring a photo ID to receive a ballot?
No j) Would you support amending the Alabama Constitution to allow citizen initiative and referendum?
k) Other

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

a) Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
b) Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
X c) Maintain state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
X d) Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.
X e) Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.
f) 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.
X b) Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
X c) Support the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care to uninsured children by expanding Medicaid.
X d) Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
X e) Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
X f) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
g) Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
h) Other

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

X a) Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
X b) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
X c) Increase state funds to provide child care to children in low-income working families.
d) Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
X e) Favor banning smoking in public places.
X f) Increase state funding for Head Start in order to serve additional children and/or increase services from a half to a full day.
X g) Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
X h) Support state funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.
i) Other
Yes j) Do you believe that the Alabama government should include sexual orientation in Alabama's anti-discrimination laws?
No k) Do you believe that the Alabama government should recognize same-sex marriages?

Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following general categories. Select one level only.

Slightly Increase a) Agriculture
Slightly Increase b) Education (K-12)
Slightly Increase c) Education (Higher)
Slightly Increase d) Environment
Greatly Increase e) Health care
Slightly Increase f) Law enforcement
Slightly Increase g) Transportation infrastructure (highways, roads, bridges)
Slightly Increase h) Welfare
i) Other

Indicate the tax levels you will support. Select one level only.

Slightly Increase a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Decrease b) Capital gains taxes
Slightly Increase c) Cigarette taxes
d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gas taxes
Slightly Decrease f) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Slightly Increase g) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Slightly Increase h) Property taxes
Maintain Status i) Sales taxes
j) Other
Undecided k) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?

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

a) Maintain the current time limits on welfare benefits.
X b) Require that able-bodied recipients participate in work activities in order to receive benefits.
X c) Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
X d) Provide tax incentives to businesses that hire welfare recipients.
X e) Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
X f) Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
X 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) Other
My two most legislative priorities are education/job training and health care. When people are educated and trained to work the crime rate will decrease. I feel when a person feel good about one self and about ones economics they tend to look for future investment and happiness.... I also feel health care facilities in our rural towns is as important and medical center in our cities....

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