Greg Merk
Republican | Florida
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Greg Merk
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 1
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Marion Military Institute, Marion, AL, AA, 1985
SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, BS, 1989
Georgetown University, Washington DC, MSF, 2021
WORK & MILITARY
US NAVY, LCDR O-4, 10.5
US AIR FORCE, Major, 10.5
AFFILIATIONS
Faith Baptist Church, Building and Grounds, Trinitas Christian School
Baseball coach
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Florida Family Action
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Ted Cruz (2016)
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?
There are no circumstances to which abortion should be allowed. Life begins at conception and the lives of the unborn must be afforded the same protections as all other citizens. Things like ectopic pregnancies are distractions. These pregnancies cannot develop normally and are treated with proper medical procedures. Abortion is taking a human life which is why I support the abolition of abortion.
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
How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?
The system must be reformed. Age brackets must be established to enable people to opt into a privatized investment system. Also, retirement age for younger workers must be adjusted. The system was started when the average life expectancy was 59 and collection did not begin until 65. Furthermore there were 12 people paying into the system for every 1 being paid out. Today there are fewer than 3 paying in for every 1 paid out.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Entitlements
Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?
None
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.
Strongly Agree
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?
In the context of Thomas Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists, it means protecting the church from the state, not the other way around, The First Amendment was to protect religion from the tyranny or control of a federal government. That was the founding principle which brought the Mayflower to our shores. Incidentally, it did not prohibit states from establishing their own official religion. Of great concern today is the outward attack on our Judeo-Christian heritage and its disintegrating influence on culture in general. I believe our nation must rest on these three pillars - freedom, virtue and faith - each co-dependent on the other. Undermining any one or all will lead to the rapid digression of American exceptionalism.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
I support the elimination of private healthcare insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
First step is to expand free markets. The barriers that prohibit healthcare companies from competing across state lines must be eliminated. This will greatly enhance competition. The more healthcare companies in any given market, the better the product and the lower the cost. Second step is tort reform. Excessive litigation has driven malpractice insurance premiums to the extreme. Measures as simple as loser pays court costs would significantly reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits and substantially lower doctor insurance premiums thereby reducing healthcare costs.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Strongly Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?
The United States must continue to build the strongest military in the world and strike terrorist networks where they stand. We must also evaluate our foreign policy relationships with nations that ignore terror networks within their own borders. We should not provide aid to nations that do not share our values especially when it comes to combating Islamic terrorism and Islamic extremism. I also support efforts to enhance scrutiny or restrict immigration from nations where terrorist activity is high or citizen record keeping is either nonexistent or substandard.
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.
Strongly Agree
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be abolished.
Strongly 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.
Strongly Agree
Employers should be required to use E-verify to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Must be able to establish their identity through official country of origin records, speak English, have at least $25,000 and be able to demonstrate that they can be self sufficient without a need for government assistance.
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.
Strongly 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 believe all have sinned and fall short of God's perfect standard. I also believe God so loved us that he send His only Son, Jesus Christ, perfect and sinless, to die on a cross so that our sin debt could be paid in full because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Christ paid the price and whosoever believes that shall have everlasting life. My Biblical faith shapes my political views, morality and values and provides the framework of culture as we search for answers to the existential questions that confront us.
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?
Very Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
I have authored numerous writings and appeared on podcasts, all publicly available on my Facebook/GregoryMerk and/VoteMerk pages as well as VoteMerk.com Blog.
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?
My identity can be summed up by the following - Christian, American, Heterosexual, ProLife, Right Wing, Conservative, Republican...any questions?
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Most states have too many restrictions already. I am a staunch 2A supporter and Concealed Weapon License holder. I support open carry as well as reciprocity laws.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
I support BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) against Israel if they refuse to allow the creation of a Palestinian state.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Strongly Disagree
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
Repeal of Obamacare. Put medicine back into the hands of doctors and patients. Federal spending cuts across the board (to include the massive federal subsidies for green energy and climate change projects. Government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers particularly because they have lousy judgment) along with tax cuts and reduced regulation. A law that promotes life through the abolition of abortion.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
I do not believe America is a racist nation. While racism exists, it does not define our nation today. The racism narrative while packaged with good intentions is a socialist movement pushed by groups with the ultimate goal of wealth redistribution. There are others attached to the movement bent on eradicating our national history and identity and rewriting it. However, as a movement, the racism agenda is less about respect and relationships and much more about fundamentally transforming the nation through wealth redistribution. That said, the domestic threat centers on the rage this racism movement foments. Cities are being burned and taken hostage by fringe and radical elements while feckless leaders do nothing to curb the violence. Instead they advocate for more failed liberal solutions by redirecting billions in tax dollars from law enforcement to social programs, reinforcing the notion that it is all about wealth redistribution in the first place.
