Elizabeth Kreiselmaier

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree

I would prefer that it not be allowed at all except under the extremely rare circumstances in which the mother's physical life would be medically endangered by carrying the baby to term. To me, abortion should only be considered when the mother's life is actually in danger. My basic premise is that life begins at conception and it is never acceptable to end the life of an unborn child unless the mother's life is literally at stake. I would instead promote life-saving options such as the adoption of the baby, and counseling/support for the mother.

Disagree

Strongly Agree

In April 2019, the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees released their official forecast, which stated that the Social Security Trust Fund will be unable to pay full benefits by 2035, which means that every current and future beneficiary at that time would be forced to take a 20% cut in the benefits they’d ordinarily receive. Moreover, a recent (5/28/2020) Penn Wharton Budget Model found that the original official Social Security projections, which had shown the program being solvent until 2035, are likely now to be too optimistic given the realities of the COVID-19 economic crisis. One solution offered by the Trustees concerned diverting resources from the Disability Insurance Fund (solvent till 2052) toward retirement benefits. This could buy several years of time to solve this complex problem. Promises must be kept to current and near-retirees. Any future adaptations needed to ensure the survival of the program must be phased in gradually, sensibly, and fairly.

Our federal budget contains mandatory spending (Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment benefits, & Medicaid), discretionary spending (Military, Homeland Security, Veterans' Affairs, Health & Human Services, Education, and Housing & Urban Development) & interest on the Debt. Debt default has never happened & would be risky. Possible retirement benefit solutions were discussed above. Increasing accountability and reducing waste within both the VA and the Dept of Education are worth examining

Asking taxpayers to pay off student loans is no different than asking taxpayers to pay off other kinds of debt like mortgages, credit card debt, or car loans. It's not the U.S. taxpayers'/federal government's responsibility to pay off its citizens' debts. Instead, low- or no-interest loans can be offered to ensure that students aren't unduly burdened with high-interest loans. Post-graduate work-study is another avenue of assistance, as is requiring colleges/universities to co-sign student loans.

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree

Yes

The phrase “separation of Church and State” can't be found in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence or any other founding documents. The phrase appeared in a letter by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut in 1801. His intent was to prevent the Government from declaring a particular religious denomination as the official State religion (which at the time, some States were doing). Many people today believe that “separation of Church and State” is in the First Amendment of the Constitution. But the First Amendment actually says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Therefore, the government is obliged to protect, not prohibit, the free exercise of religion (whether Christian or otherwise or none at all).

Neutral

Strongly Disagree

A Rand Corporation study (1/27/2020) found that health care costs account for 34% of annual spending for lower-income people, compared to 16% for the wealthiest 20% of households. Confounding this complex problem of high health care costs is the issue of wasteful spending, which ultimately drives up premiums, out-of-pocket spending, and taxes. A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, 10/2019) found that the estimated amount of wasteful spending in the U.S. health care system was between $760 billion and $935 billion between January 2012 and May 2019, or about 25% of total health care spending. Promoting healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible means tackling the issue across multiple fronts: eliminating inefficient aspects of Obamacare via waivers that foster innovation and marketplace competition; promoting availability and portability of health insurance plans across state lines; and eliminating sources of waste, fraud and abuse.

Strongly Agree

The first step to eradicating any threat is to accurately identify it. In sharp contrast to former President Obama, whose administration labelled the Fort Hood massacre as an incidence of "workplace violence," President Trump has been bold enough to call radical Islamic terrorists what they actually are: radical Islamic terrorists. Any approach to eradicate this threat must be comprehensive, and must include: * Securing our borders to the north and south, as well as all airports and ports of entry into the United States * Isolating terrorists from their sources of financial, material, and logistical support * Countering radicalization and recruitment efforts, particularly within the prison population * Pursuing terrorist threats to their source in collaboration with international partners * Strengthening infrastructure to withstand, and law enforcement to prevent/ respond to potential terrorist attacks

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Agree

America is a sovereign nation and, as such, has the right to determine who can and cannot immigrate here and and under what circumstances. Immigration is a privilege, not a right. (And I say that as a proud, first-generation daughter of two LEGAL immigrants). On May 16, 2019, President Trump announced an immigration reform proposal that would move the United States away from a family-based immigration system to an employment- and skills-based system. The plan would encourage individuals with needed college or relevant vocational degrees, or higher levels of education, to come to the U.S. and stay in the country. On August 12, 2019, the Dept of Homeland Security released a final rule (which has been oft-challenged but ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court) that would allow the government to reject green cards for immigrants who are considered likely to depend on government aid such as food stamps, housing, and Medicaid.

Disagree

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

I am a Christian with a Biblical worldview. I am a believer in and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God. Therefore, I take God at His word, as written down in the Bible. And that Word was/is lived out perfectly in the person and work of His Son Jesus. My spiritual beliefs and moral values are derived then, ultimately, from God, the author and creator of truth and morality. I see my life's purpose as two-fold: Loving God and Loving Others. And doing all I do as service unto the Lord, and doing so with love, respect and grace for other people. Simple, but not easy. Not perfect but, by God's grace, forgiven.

Conservative

I am a Christian, Constitutional, conservative, common-sense Republican who is committed to results. I am pro-life, and I stand for the protection of all of our Constitutional and God-given rights, especially our First and Second Amendment rights. I am a fiscal conservative who believes in lowering burdensome taxes and regulations to strengthen our economy. I am for protecting the safety and security of our citizens, and the sovereignty of our country, through enforcement of our laws and the securing of our borders. I am also for equal protection under the law and equal application of it.

No, never.

My running for Congress isn't about me. It's about something much bigger. It's about America and Americans, Washington and Washingtonians--people like you and me who love our country, and love our freedom. But freedom is fragile, and can never be taken for granted. If we're honest, we can sense that America's at a critical crossroads, and a LOT is at stake in 2020. This year, especially, is about the fight for what's right, for what we all love: Strong Families, Strong Communities, and a Strong Country. I'm not a career politician and never intended to be. Yet, I was asked to run by others for what they saw in me: common sense leadership with a moral compass. I've got the skills and professional background for the job. But more importantly, I'm a "Mom on a Mission to Clean Up The House." Why? Because the Democrat-controlled House has been rife with dirty tricks & foul play these past few years. They've gotten way off course. We all, as well as our children, deserve better.

Strongly Agree

Firearms regulation is an area of shared authority between federal, state, and local governments. When considering any restrictions on gun ownership, we must always do so in light of Constitutional restraints at both the U.S. and State levels. Red flag laws are controversial, being seen by some as necessary to stem preventable violence. Others, on the other hand, see such laws as unconstitutional infringements on 2A rights. Restrictions must be minimized, and due process to contest is key.

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Disagree

There are naturally many areas of future legislation that would be well worth time and attention to propose and promote. At this point, as a candidate, what I see as the top three areas are: 1. Legislation requiring proof of U.S. citizenship, not just residency, to be allowed to vote in our elections. 2. Legislation promoting pharmaceutical independence from China. 3. Legislation prohibiting viewpoint and religious discrimination among publicly funded educational and other entities and institutions. Too often, public agencies' anti-discrimination efforts have focused exclusively on racial/ethnic/gender differences. While these differences are of course still critical to address in order to prevent discrimination on the basis of them, there has been little to no attention paid to the increasingly-occurring instances of discrimination toward people of differing political or religious viewpoints--notably, discrimination against those holding Christian or conservative views.

Racism is a condition of the heart. It is real, and sadly has daily victims across our great nation. As a country, our laws prohibit institutionalized racism. However, individuals all too often exhibit harmful attitudes, speech, and actions against others. Demeaning attitudes tear at the fabric of our society, and those harboring racial hatred threaten the security of many who are most vulnerable. When racism is prevalent, our domestic security is threatened. Those who intimidate or harm others others must be held accountable. We are experiencing a current crisis over the tragic death of George Floyd which is affecting our domestic security. Those responsible for Floyd’s death must be held accountable, especially given their authority as police officers, in order to restore the public's trust. ALL lives matter. Anger is understandable. Justice must prevail. But mob rule and violence are NEVER the answer.