Ted Brown
Libertarian | Texas
Candidate Profile
Moderate
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Ted Brown
Party
Libertarian
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist.17
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, B.A., 1984
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Libertarian Party, Activist & party leader (1979-present), Texans for Accountable Government
steering committee member, Amnesty International, Contributor/Supporter
Institute for Justice, Contributor/Supporter, Antiwar.com
Contributor/Supporter, Community First Village - Austin, Contributor/Supporter
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
U. S. Congress, 2008+
Race
Previous Races
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Texans for Accountable Government (2019)
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.
Disagree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
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.
Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Until the fetus can live outside the womb without heroic measures. However, I am opposed to all taxpayer-funded abortions.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
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?
Young people should be able to opt out of Social Security and plan for their own retirement. For older people who receive Social Security or soon will be eligible, federal assets should be sold to buy private annuities for their retirements.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
All of it, massively and across the board, in every department and agency.
Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?
There shouldn't be taxpayer-backed student loans to begin with. Students should have to get approved by banks based on their ability to pay, like any other loan. As for the current loan burden, student loans should be dischargeable in bankruptcy like any other debt.
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.
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?
This means that there should be no state control of religion, as well as no religious control of the state. People should be able to worship God as they wish, or not worship, whatever their choice may be. But one religion shouldn't impose its views by law on people who may not subscribe to the views of that religion.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
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?
I would reduce government involvement in health care. I don't believe in a government single-payer plan. There should be more choice in private health care options, such as catastrophic coverage that is less expensive. Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are a good way to help people save for medical treatment. Health insurance should be available across state lines. Consumers should be able to buy drugs from other countries and even over the counter without prescription. We need more of a free market in health care, just as in most areas of the economy.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Disagree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?
We should stop interfering in the affairs of other nations. Our involvement in the Middle East has led to the creation of more terrorists because we are over there bombing their villages, children, etc. This is called "blowback." Terrorists are criminals and should certainly be punished, but we need to realize that they are not created in a vacuum.
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 Disagree
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be abolished.
Agree
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.
Disagree
Employers should be required to use E-verify to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Legal immigration should be much easier, for everyone except criminals, terrorists, and people with communicable diseases. Both of my grandfathers were immigrants, and in those days, there were no immigration controls except for communicable disease. Immigration is a positive good for this country, not something to be avoided.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
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.
Neutral
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am not a church member, but I believe in the Golden Rule. I believe in treating people as the unique individuals they are, rather than as a member of a particular group affiliation.
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?
Moderate
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
I said "Moderate," but you didn't provide the choice of "Libertarian," which is accurate. The libertarian philosophy is neither liberal nor conservative, but instead believes in respect for each person's right to live their lives as they see fit, as long as they are not harming anyone else and as long as they take responsibility for their own actions. Liberals and conservatives have plans to run peoples' lives (though in different directions). Libertarians want to leave people alone.
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?
Yes. I believe in personal freedom, economic freedom, limited government, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. I believe that Democrats and Republicans don't do what's best for the people, but only for their big contributors and for the powers that be, like banks and the military-industrial complex. Voters need to step away from these old, tired parties and support fresh, independent voices in Congress. That's the only way there will be any change in this country.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I strongly believe in the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense. I oppose most restrictions on gun ownership. I am opposed to "red flag" laws, as they deny due process of law.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
I support BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) against Israel if they refuse to allow the creation of a Palestinian state.
Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Strongly Agree
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?
1) I will work to withdraw U. S. troops from overseas, while promoting a peaceful, non-interventionist foreign policy. 2) I will work to cut federal spending and regulation across the board, in every agency and department without exception. 3) I will work to end the War on Drugs, starting with marijuana, which should be removed from the schedule of controlled substances, and I will promote the pardon of all federal prisoners who are incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes, it is, from the point of view that if a large group of Americans believe they are being oppressed because of their race, it is hard for everyone to work together to find acceptable solutions to our nation's problems. Black Americans, Latino Americans, and Native Americans, among others, have faced forms of social and economic discrimination along the way. We need to treat each person as an individual and respect that person's individual rights, not as a member of a group.
