John Pickerill
Libertarian | Colorado
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
John Pickerill
Party
Libertarian
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 46
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Purdue University, West Lafayette, BS, 1991
WORK & MILITARY
U.S. Navy, Commander (O-5), 1991-2012
AFFILIATIONS
Republican Liberty Caucus, Indiana State Chairman, Republican Liberty Caucus
County Chairman, Veterans of Foreign Wars, member
Knights of Columbus, officer, ASHRAE
member, Montgomery County Republican Party, Chairman
Libertarian Party of Colorado, board member, Libertarian Party of Pueblo County
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
County Commissioner, 2014
State Senate, 2018
Race
Previous Races
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
Connie Lawson (2014)
Timothy Brown (2014)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
I support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires health care providers to provide life-saving treatment for infants who survive an attempted abortion.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Abortion is the intentional killing of an innocent child. I can't think of any circumstance where that should be allowed, any more than if you asked, "under what circumstances should the killing of an innocent child be allowed." It is an absurd question.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Almost all of it. Most of today's government functions can be provided much more effectively by private citizens and organizations.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Agree
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with taxpayer or public funds.
Neutral
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
I promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles.
Yes
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
The government shall not establish an official national religion that forces citizens to practice that religion. The government shall not interfere with any individual peacefully practicing his/her religion.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
Make prices for healthcare services and prescriptions transparent so that consumers/patients can shop around for the best price. And phase government out of healthcare. Every time government gets more involved average healthcare prices increase. Before the establishment of Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Part B, or the so-called Affordable Care Act (a.k.a., Obamacare), healthcare decisions were between a doctor and patient, office visits and prescriptions were affordable, and doctors actually made housecalls.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Neutral
IMMIGRATION
I am in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States.
Disagree
State and federal funds should be denied to any public or private entity, including but not limited to sanctuary cities, that are not in compliance with immigration laws.
Neutral
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone who isn't coming here to wage war or violence here.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a practicing Catholic Christian.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
I have written hundreds of newspaper op-ed articles on a wide variety of topics and current events, which can be easily found with a Google search.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
I think anyone who is employed and has to pay income taxes, anyone who owns a home and has to pay property taxes, anyone who owns a vehicle and has to pay registration taxes/fees, etc., and is well researched on our state and federal constitutions is qualified to be a state legislator. Even though I hold a college degree and am a military veteran, I don't think this is nearly as important as understanding our country's form of government, that we are a republic not a democracy, that the United States are a federal form of government not a nation form of government, and that the only legitimate role of government is to secure the rights of each individual.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I believe government should leave you alone so that you can live your life as you deem best (as long as you aren't stopping someone else from doing the same).
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
I support the use of Sharia law as a basis for legislation and judicial decisions in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
The only legitimate restriction on gun ownership on an individual would be when that person received a fair trial through due process by a jury of his/her peers that the person demonstrated he/she was unfit to do so. Barring that, the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Agree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
1. Legislation clarifying that the state has the right and the duty to declare null and void any federal act that the state legislature determines to violate the U.S. Constitution or is not a power granted to the federal government by Article I Section 8 therein. 2. Legislation reinforcing the principle that only the General Assembly is allowed to legislative, and therefore remove the ability for the governor to make de facto law through executive order, and repeal any and all so-called "administrative law" enacted by bureaucrats instead of being passed by the General Assembly. 3. Amendment to the state constitution to change the state senate representation to be more similar to the U.S. Senate to give rural Colorado a more equal voice when passing legislation. Each county would have one senator regardless of population of that county.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
No, but violent intolerance is. The most important thing government can do is secure the rights of every single individual in the same way. Every human being has exactly the same rights. It doesn't matter what race, sex, ethnicity, religious belief, etc. of that person, he/she has exactly the same rights as any other individual. The job of government is to secure his/her rights, even if (especially if) 99% of society wants to violate his/her rights.
