Mike Midler

Reproductive health care decisions are personal. Predominately male dominated legislatures should not interfere with decisions affecting the health and lives of women. That is a decision between a woman, her spouse, her faith, and her doctor. There are so many examples of personal tragedies and horror stories involving miscarriages and endangering the mother’s life that no law can address every circumstance. This is a personal decision and it is basic to the freedom from government interference.

Agree

All medical procedures and drugs need to meet safety standards. Following up on effectiveness of treatment is necessary up the point where it becomes invasive into a person’s privacy. Privacy standards outweigh the government’s right to intrude.

Strongly Disagree

People should not be denied proper medical care and treatment because of their socioeconomic status. There are many special circumstances in which women may need the assistance and treatment provided by such agencies. They provide a service that benefits the entire community either directly or indirectly and should be funded.

Strongly Agree

Euthanasia allows individuals the freedom to add some dignity to their passing. There are instances of unbearable pain, hopelessly incurable and painful illnesses, and suffering beyond reasonable expectations where professional, trained, qualified medical practitioners can assist with preparing for a person’s passing without unnecessary agony. Consultation among family, doctors, and clergy needs to factor in to the decision; Living wills and DNR authorizations should be valid forms of consent.

Strongly Agree

As a 40 year public education teacher of economics and government, I have analyzed, taught, and applied the principles of our free enterprise system. We have the strongest economy in the world, highly respected and emulated. Our productivity was limited during COVID, but has rebounded strongly. Inflation is falling. Employment figures show huge increases in the number of jobs, and interest rates will soon be coming down. All this will have a positive ripple effect throughout our economy.

COVID threw a monkey wrench into our normal economic activity. People were confined to their homes. Some could work from home, but the point is our economy changed. Costs rose because of supply problems. The minimum wage increases were necessary.

Yes

“Government” should be all about the people it serves. Disregarding ESG ratings ignores the impact projects have on people. Businesses may be affected. Homeowners may be affected. Commuters may be affected. Every one of us will be affected somehow, sometime. Disregarding ESG is really disregarding people and their lives. It leads to corruption, waste, and bad government if left unchecked.

To me, a church is defined by its members, it’s not just a building. Buildings can be closed for health or safety reasons, but a church is an organic entity, protected by the 1st Amendment; the government can’t “close a church.” All religions are founded on certain common principles that supersede government intervention. I do believe if a church chooses to involve itself in politics, then it should forfeit its tax exempt status. Politics and religion are separated in our governmental system.

Disagree

As long as someone is acting on “religious or moral beliefs,” they can decide not to serve someone. But they are in business to have a positive impact on the community. There’s a fine line between religious/moral beliefs and blatant discrimination. Discrimination for any reason is unconscionable to me. If a business is “open to the public,” then that practice should be followed consistently. Boycotts, social media, and word of mouth will quickly put a discriminatory business out of business.

B. Our free enterprise system rewards education, experience, dedication, and hard work. Doctors and nurses in the private sector should earn a living that is commensurate with their background. However, there are certain basic healthcare needs that a society as evolved as ours should guarantee to all. One of the purposes of our government is “to provide for the general welfare” of its citizens. Healthcare is basic to our survival as a nation and should be guaranteed for all.

One of our founding principles is “to provide for the general welfare” of our citizens. If government, through the CDC or similar agencies, declares a public health risk or potential epidemic, preventive measures should be taken throughout society.

Strongly Agree

China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and other nations that are actively working to harm, terrorize, or even destroy our nation are enemies of the state. Diplomacy should constantly be attempted, but hostile acts require a quick and decisive response. Technology is making it easier to “attack” our country in these many ways and we must be firm and fast in our response. Preparedness and consequences go hand in hand in fighting off these attacks and threats.

We have always been a strong supporter of Israel and their right to exist as a nation. That should not change. That does not mean we should blindly support or condone the actions of their government. We should have input and maintain a strong presence in the Middle East for peace. Israel is a sovereign nation and does not have to take our advice, but neither do we have to take an active role in supporting the exploits of their nation when they go against what we stand for as Americans.

Agree

It’s obvious that there are problems on our southern border. As a sovereign nation we have every right to control our borders. But we need to do it in a humane, organized manner. Sporadic “cracking down” on drug smugglers or occasional raids on coyotes are not examples of securing our borders. But neither is dividing families, putting children in cages, or letting them drown in the Rio Grande. Constant, continuous vigilance is needed to allow legal immigration while stopping illegal activities.

Strongly Disagree

“Public money for public schools” is the main theme of my campaign. My tax dollars should not go to a private school which may be “for profit,” leading to corruption or religion-based, violating separation of church and state. If a parent wants to send their child to a private school, then they should foot the bill, not the taxpayers. Public education for all is the backbone of our nation. Educating everyone benefits everyone. PRIVATE schooling is a privilege that should be paid for PRIVATELY.

Agree

There are many types of abuse beyond this biased list. I would argue that banning books is an abuse. Censorship is an abuse. Denial of having input into decisions that directly affect your life is an abuse. Parents guide their children away from “bad” things and toward “good” things; but it’s all subjective. Instilling common sense, positive values, kindness, a work ethic, and a sense of self in our children is a parent’s responsibility. Being irresponsible as a parent is the root of all abuse.

Agree

This is the law. Is it a “right?” Probably. Our system would be in chaos if parents ignored their responsibility to raise their children by not teaching them to make smart decisions, or at the very least, educated decisions. Sometimes “learning the hard way” is the best way to help the decision-making process. But gentle guidance accompanied by solid reasoning is usually the best way to help children learn. No one likes a dictator and I think that is true of parenting. Kind guidance is my rule.

Agree

I believe the role of government is to help people…all people. We’re not talking about massive amounts of money here, but programs and services to help people who need assistance should be funded. And just because you might believe that you will never need it or use a service doesn’t mean it’s “bad” or unnecessary spending. Let’s hope we never need the National Guard to help us in an emergency, but maybe we should go ahead and fund them just in case we do.

Disagree

I believe God created the world—the whole world, with its many diverse peoples, cultures, and ways of worshipping. Many Christians would strongly agree with this statement, however there are millions of others (and some are Christians) who believe in a broader definition and purpose of marriage. I believe it is not the government’s job to interfere with how marriage is defined because of separation of church and state, but I am not for forcing others to follow anyone else’s definition either.

I’m running for a governmental position. Our founding fathers wisely chose to separate church and state. I possess strong personal religious beliefs, but they are just that; personal. They guide me in my decision-making and keep me on a very straight and narrow path, but promoting my religious beliefs to further a political campaign goes against my personal principles. I am not a candidate for priest, preacher, pujari, rabbi, reverend, or imam. I’m a candidate for the Texas Legislature and my goal isn’t to go to Austin to promote my religious beliefs or force them upon anyone else. My goal is to get legislation passed that helps all people, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Neutral

Most ID pictures are “inconclusive” but may help if there are identity issues. There are many ways to identify yourself. Lots of documents are excepted. All have photo ID’s on them. In all my years working the polls, I don’t think this has ever been a problem. It’s a non-issue in Texas. We have several forms of acceptable identification and all functioning adults in our society possess at least one of them out of necessity.

Strongly Agree

The Electoral College is an antiquated system created when “white, male, land-owners” were the only ones allowed to vote. It was literally created before we even had political parties (thus the 12th Amendment). Today it creates a biased system for electing our president whereby rural states have an inordinate amount of power. For example, Wyoming has 3 electors representing half a million people. So does Montana with over a million people. Also 4 or 5 swing states decide who wins the election.

It’s apparent that racism is still very much alive in this country. Even flourishing some might say. Some would say it’s even being encouraged in the political arena. Hate and intolerance accompanied by intimidation creates a threat to our democracy. We can’t be a country of one people united if a group or groups of people are excluded because of their race or ethnicity.

Neutral

This is subjective. Some arguments can be made in support or in opposition. Culture, experiences, and education determine people’s perspective on this issue.

Neutral

Can a person be changed “biologically?” That’s key to answering this question. I am not a doctor nor a scientist, but my gut tells me that if a person is biologically changed, then that goes beyond a mere “preference” or “identifying as” and the change is discernibly scientifically.

B. If we destroy our environment, we die. Plain and simple. Preservation of our environment is basic to human survival. Economically we need to use technological breakthroughs to create jobs in new fields to replace the jobs lost due to our short-sightedness. At one time, buggy whips were a booming business, but automobiles did away with most of those jobs and replaced them with auto manufacturing jobs. We will survive and adapt like we always have and protect our children’s future too.

Wind and solar in the short term; fuel cells and fusion in the future.

No

No

To do things for people that they can’t do alone. To protect its citizens. To provide for the general welfare of all citizens. To protect democracy.

Moderate

Generally I’m a fiscal conservative but a social liberal. I believe we are all in this together, facing the same difficult challenges and problems, and we must work together, through our government and governmental agencies and departments, to address our needs. Money management is very important. Waste and corruption can ruin the quality of our communities very quickly. Watching how our governmental institutions spend tax money is paramount to quality management.

Agree

Prevention is better than prosecution. Indoctrination is better than incarceration. Police definitely have a strong role to play in the community. Public safety is a foremost priority in our communities. But education and community compassion, personal empowerment, and empathy go a long way toward improving our lives in our communities.

Police have their hands full dealing with gun violence and crimes involving guns. The massacre in Uvalde opened our eyes to the horrors of unchecked gun ownership and the potential for violence. Gun ownership has a cultural and historical significance in Texas. Proper education and common sense processes will make Texas safer for our communities and our families. Assault weapons serve no useful purposes and should be banned for everyone’s protection.

No

We need more education in schools, not more guns. The safety risks to our kids in schools created by bringing more guns into the classroom environment outweigh the potential use for “protection.” Better policing by school safety officers, better security systems at school entrances, and more overall vigilance by everyone involved will be more beneficial than arming teachers.