Leroy Brown
Independent | Wisconsin
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Leroy Brown
Party
Independent
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
Repr. to the Assembly, Dist. 94
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Western Technical College, La Crosse, Paralegal, 2017
UW-La Crosse, La Crosse, Economics, 2012
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
West Salem Area Community Foundation, President (2018-Present), June Dairy Days, Inc.
President (2017), West Salem Area Community Foundation, Board Member (2015-Present)
June Dairy Days, Inc., Executive Board Member (2015-2019)
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
West Salem Village Board Trustee, 2015-Present
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Neutral
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Disagree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Abortion should be allowed when necessary before viability. It should be done as a last resort after reviewing alternatives (like adoption), identifying longterm risks to the mother in either case, and by making clear to the mother that there is support available for them. Banning abortion outright tomorrow would only drive it underground, leading to further isolation of and dangers to women who are either unprepared for or uncertain of motherhood. Those who can afford skilled clandestine abortion providers will continue to have access, while those who can't will face the risk of injury or death. The economist in me tells me the carrot will be more successful than the stick. The Christian in me tells me to show love and compassion to the vulnerable among us, and someone society is tasking with the successful upbringing of a new generation is under a lot of pressure and very vulnerable.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Agree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Agree
The state constitution should limit the growth of spending to the rate of population growth plus the rate of inflation.
Neutral
Congress should pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.
Agree
What is the best way to bring down unemployment?
Narrow the definition of unemployment (That was a statistics joke). The second best way would be to support our businesses and works, and enable greater workforce mobility by providing retirement and healthcare packages detached from employment, so that people don't feel chained to a job they don't like, freeing up space for people who would like that job and would do well at it. I believe the use of business incubators would also help in this so those who would do best self-employed have resources to pursue their aspirations.
What role should government play in boosting the economy?
Government should help foster an environment for success and prosperity that encourages new entrants to the market. As the shallows provide refuge for smaller fish from large fish living in deep waters, so too should the marketplace be designed to protect early entrants from their established competitors.
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.
Neutral
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.
Strongly Disagree
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Neutral
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Neutral
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
I would look to the practices in other developed countries and pursue what works in the context of our experience while taking what reasonable steps may be necessary to avoid overly damaging our pride. The founders borrowed from and referenced ideas from multiple sources to help create our government, I believe we should do the same in our efforts to improve healthcare coverage.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Disagree
IMMIGRATION
I support sanctuary cities.
Neutral
EDUCATION
Tuition-free public education should be guaranteed through college.
Neutral
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted our system of limited government.
Agree
George Washington's comment that “Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society” is still true today.
Agree
Any teaching to children on sex education in public schools must include all contraceptive methods, and should not show preference to abstinence.
Agree
People should be allowed to use public restrooms, showers, and changing rooms based on "gender identity."
Neutral
Parents should be the primary authority in decisions affecting their minor children.
Agree
What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?
People want to make their mark on the world and better their own circumstances. The power of the State can do this tremendously well, but using it this way leads to corruption, tyranny, and other evils. By separating and limiting the powers of government you can control for this impulse so decisions hopefully can't be made for one group or one person's benefit without broad consensus.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was baptized and confirmed Lutheran, with exposure to Evangelical, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic thought through friends and relatives, other Christian sects through chance encounters, and my experience with the tenets and beliefs of other faiths comes primarily through what I've found online or in books. However, for a number of years I've been experiencing a crisis of faith and at this point in my life consider myself more spiritual than religious. I believe we should be humble in the presence of divine mysteries and not always assume we know the mind of God. I believe many of the divisions of the Church were brought about by differences of opinion not based in scripture. I believe there's a lot of good in the world, that life is a treasure, and that we should help one another and work to make the world a better place.
ABOUT YOU
I voted in these primaries and general elections:
2012 Republican Primary, 2012 General Election, 2014 General Election, 2016 Democratic Primary, 2016 General Election, 2018 General Election
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?
Somewhat Liberal
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
Answer based on the Political Compass test which put me at Economic Left/Right: -4.38 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.21. On the Libertarian and Left side of the spectrum.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
1) Economics and paralegal degrees that allowed me to study cause, effect, and consequence. 2) Years of public and community service including serving as a local elected official. 3) An abiding desire to see more accomplished with less harm done.
E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you:
None provided.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I believe if we don't take steps to bridge the divide in our country and instead keep pushing to the extremes, we will find ourselves dealing with very sad, predictable, and unnecessary consequences. In my run for office my primary goal would be to keep the peace, and work with my fellow lawmakers to find ways to relieve tensions and provide redress for grievances. It's not about scoring political points or ideological purity, it's about securing the integrity of our republic. You can't make everyone happy all the time but I believe we can do a whole lot better than this.
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
Islamic law (Sharia) should take precedence over national and state laws where there are Islamic majority communities in the U. S.
Strongly Disagree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support the death penalty.
Disagree
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
More restrictive gun control is needed to protect public safety.
Neutral
