Bill Merryman
Libertarian | California
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Bill Merryman
Party
Libertarian
Election Year
2018
Election
Primary
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 22
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Phoenix, Fresno, CA, MBA, 2018
University of Phoenix, Fresno, CA, BS, 2012
Clovis High School, Clovis, CA, HS, 2003
WORK & MILITARY
United States Navy, Sonar Technician 2nd Class, 9
Fresno, Senior Human Resources Analyst, 3
AFFILIATIONS
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
OTHER (1)
Libertarian Party of California
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Libertarian Party of Fresno County
Libertarian Party of California
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Agree
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
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.
Strongly 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
It is the government’s responsibility to be sure everyone has a livable income.
Disagree
It is the government’s responsibility to be sure everyone has health insurance.
Disagree
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted our system of limited government.
Agree
More restrictive gun control is needed to protect public safety.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Additional regulations are needed to prevent climate change.
Neutral
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
The United States should help defend Israel from attack by its enemies.
Neutral
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
Islamic law (Sharia) should take precedence over national and state laws where there are Islamic majority communities in the U. S.
Strongly Disagree
Congress should pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.
Strongly Agree
People should be allowed to use public restrooms, showers, and changing rooms based on "gender identity."
Neutral
I support sanctuary cities.
Disagree
It is OK for Congress to exempt itself from compliance with laws applicable to all citizens.
Strongly Disagree
I support the death penalty.
Disagree
Tuition-free public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
The United States should protect its sovereignty from the United Nations.
Agree
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Neutral
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2010 General Election, 2012 General Election, 2014 General Election, 2016 General Election
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Abortions should be extremely rare, but they should also be safe. I understand a full ban on abortions will not prevent them from occurring, and black market abortions may cause additional pain and suffering to the unborn child and be a danger to the mother's health. One purpose of our government is to protect human life. There are few circumstance in which the choice to abort an unborn child should be absent of this interference. I also feel the act should not be federally funded. Using tax payer money forces individuals who are morally or religiously opposed to contribute.
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?
The threat of Islamic Terrorism was created by our federal government's meddling in conflicts in which we have no business; our government has picked sides in conflicts that posed no threat to our citizens. As a result, we have been entangled in decades of war and my children have not known our country during a time of peace. To eradicate this threat to the people of the United States we must stop engaging in conflicts that pose no threat to our land and focus our efforts on issues within our own borders.
What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?
"Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Sir John Dalberg-Acton It is because of this tendency towards corruption that separate and limited powers are essential in preserving freedom and establishing a representative government. Unfortunately, as we have seen the seat of the presidency gain increasing authority and our congress increasingly vote along Democrat or Republican party lines, we are beginning to lose this safeguard.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian and feel one of the most important messages shared through Christ is the world will not be conquered through force; rather, it may only be dominated through love and by the free will with which all of us are born. It is my faith in Christ, with his continuous giving of self without ever demanding of others, that provides me with the foundation of my political beliefs. We are all born free to do with our lives as we wish, so long as we do not harm another person.
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?
Moderate
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
When considering my views on a wide range of issues, I identify as neither conservative or liberal as my stances are established in the individual's right to make their own decisions. Some views of the left and some of the right require a form of coercion or force on people with whom they disagree. This need to control is antithetical to the founding principal of our country, freedom.
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
Since the enactment of Medicaid and Medicare, healthcare costs have sky rocketed. The purpose of these programs is noble, but the administration has been disastrous and irresponsible on behalf of our federal government. As a result, market wide costs not related to care have become the primary expense of citizens visiting the doctor; administrative costs are four times greater than the average cost of prescriptions. To restore affordable care for the average citizens, we have no choice but to increase accountability and decrease waste in these programs.
What role should government play in boosting the economy?
Government led boosts in our economy are often followed by government created recessions and/or depressions. When our government meddles in the economy, it creates an artificial instability that is detrimental to American workers. To have stability, we must have a market allows the demand of consumers determine the supply.
What changes should be made to the tax code?
Prior to 1913, income taxes were only collected during one period, the Civil War era. Prior to that one instance, our country and communities funded a military, police and fire services, courts, and other government necessities through excise taxes on luxury goods and lotteries. I support diminishing the fees on individuals earning an income (taxes) and replacing them with less coercive forms of funding government programs.
What is the best way to bring down unemployment?
As has been shown in recent policies, a reduction in taxes leads to increased wages and decreased unemployment raters. Additionally, lessening unnecessary government regulations reduces expense not related to the operations of businesses. This frees capital for the company to invest in increased production and an increased need for labor. A combination of less taxes and less regulation brings down unemployment.
How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?
The benefits received by today’s retirees are funded by the taxes paid by today’s workers; when those workers retire, their benefits will be paid for by the next generation of workers’ taxes. As American birth rates, and the next generation of workers, decrease becomes Social Security increasingly in jeopardy. If we want to ensure the survival of this program, we must entertain the idea of supplementing the American work force with an increased amount of immigrant workers. Funding today's retirees with today's workers may not always be feasible, so we need to discover alternatives to this program.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
My time in the Navy has provided me with first hand witness to the waste of our Federal government and the failures of our policies. As a Work Center Supervisor in the Navy, I was told that whatever budget was not used at that time would not be available in the future, and it would lead to a reduction in available funds for future maintenance needs. Our government is grossly wasteful and is in need of accountability measures to increase effectiveness while operating at a lesser cost. As a member of a crew on a Counter-Narcotics Terrorism deployment, we seized several tons of cocaine; something I am still proud of to this day. However, I now understand the drug war has failed as we seized a great some of drugs, but even more made it to the shores of the United States. Because of these experiences, I see the controls our government places on citizens and on the world typically makes the problems worse and takes away our individual freedom.
E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you:
Email: merryman4congress@yahoo.com Phone: 559-273-0723
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I am a husband, veteran, and father of five (with a sixth child due in July). The decisions our representatives make today directly affect the America my children will grow up to inherit. I want a freer, safer, and more secure nation that respects the individual rights we are all born with. I have spent my entire professional and adult life caring for and serving others. For years now, our Constitution, with the liberties it protects and limitations it places on government, has been degraded and tossed aside to benefit politicians and the corporations who pay them. The very essence of our nation’s roots has been challenged as the politicians use legislation and media to control the citizens of the United States. Restoring our liberties can only be found in those individuals whose allegiance remains with the people, not the party. So now is the time for me to serve all citizens of our country again and restore the freedoms this land once offered.
